prince ♛ cole mackenzie

15 | goodbye

He was dreaming. Silas was roaming through a barren field of wildflowers that lasted as far as the eye could see. He noticed a figure standing far from him, its back to Silas. He recognised Cole.

"Hey!" he called, but his friend did not hear him. "Hey, Cole!"

Cole began to walk forward, further into the empty space ahead. Silas followed him and tried to catch up. It was no use; something seemed to be pulling him back.

Silas looked down to his feet and found vines growing across them, with small white-petaled flowers blossoming. The plant continued to grow against his harsh movements and did not break even when he attempted to stride forward.

"Cole, wait! What's happening?" he called again. Still no answer.

Silas grabbed at the vines frantically as they grew longer. An overwhelming noise began to fill the air, like the silence leading to a deep confession.

"Get off!" he cried hopelessly. "Let go!"

A single stem crept up his arm and entwined itself around his finger before the rest of the weed released its grip and slithered back into the ground.

"Cole!"

The figure in the distance turned to him slowly. Simultaneously, the fuzzy noise ended. Cole seemed closer now, allowing Silas to catch his mournful expression. His eyes weren't vividly viridescent and full of endless possibilities anymore, they were colder than the thick dream-air.

Cole didn't feel closer anymore. He felt further than ever.

Silas took a step back, feeling something beneath his foot. A crumpled white flower lay on the grass in front of him. When he looked up again, Cole was—

"Silas."

Silas could feel the darkness of the room through the covers.

"Silas, wake up."

Wearily, he pulled the blanket from over his head and sat up to see the faint shape of his mother in the shadows.

"What is it? It's still dark outside," he mumbled.

Silas rubbed his eyes and looked at her. Her cheeks were tear-stained and her eyes were still red.

"What's wrong?" Realisation hit him as soon as the words left his lips.

"She's . . ."

The dream came back to him. He let go of the daisies. He let her go.

"Silas, she's gone."

"No. No, she's not. She's fine. She's fine."

Silas leapt out of his bed and scurried down the stairs and into the hall, towards the wooden door. His hand hesitantly touched the doorknob. Inside, he could hear soft weeping.

no. no, no, no, no, no, no.

He backed away from the door. She was fine. She had to be. Silas left the house with the door still open. The sky outside was still dark cobalt brightening to gray. A gentle snow had left a crisp white layer across the earth.

Silas sprinted down the path and into the woods, heading to his real home. The safest place with the safest person.

it's my fault. it's my fault. i let her die because i wanted to reach him.

Finally, he swung open the door and slammed it behind him. He curled up in the corner of the den, to remain there until he was found.

He wondered what it would be like, if Cole arrived at this moment. Would he be happy? Relieved? Angry? Resentful? He had fought against the daisies in order to catch him. But Cole didn't hear him.

Perhaps it would just be enough for him to be there and to want to be there for him.

With him.