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EIGHT YEARS LATER
"There we go!"
Cheng Xin set the box of brightly-coloured decorations down on the kitchen countertop with a huff of effort. "I got the decorations out of the attic! Although I would have been faster if your lazy ass had helped me..."
Red walked up to the other's side, a casual smile affixed upon his face. "But you love me anyway."
"You bet I do." The shorter man pushed up on the tips of his toes, grabbing Red's chin and yanking him down. "Come here." He pressed their lips together, hard, kissing him like he'd never have the chance to do so again. Red had learned to savour every month, every day, every second they had together---because there was still the nagging fear in the back of his head that each moment could be their last.
Sometimes, Red still woke up in a cold sweat, shirt clinging to his back as gunfire rang in his ears and metal claws sliced at his skin. He would search for some form of retreat, some safe haven, and there would be nothing, only the President's slimy voice and onion-tainted breath---until Cheng Xin pulled him into his arms and let him cry on his shoulder.
Sometimes, he could still see Alisa's body falling to the ground as she gave her life to save them, the bullets ripping into her chest in slow motion as her shoulder knocked them to safety. He could feel the ground burning beneath his injured feet when he'd finally been able to walk, running away from the experiment that had held them captive.
Sometimes, the image of Cheng Xin's tear-stained face when they'd checked themselves into the nearest hospital would pop into his mind, how the other hadn't spoken for weeks---not even to the counsellor they were forced to talk to. Red had eventually blurted out the truth about Alisa not being his true sister and Cheng Xin's creation---and the other boy had crumpled to his knees and screamed at the ceiling until the nurses sedated him back to sleep. When Cheng Xin had woken up, he'd been pale and shaky, but he'd still held Red's hand in a wavering grip and thanked him in a tear-filled voice.
Sometimes, Red still felt compelled to pick up the phone and call his therapist.
Once they'd pulled apart, Cheng Xin flopped down into one of the tall-legged chairs at the counter and leaned back in it, feet barely touching the ground. "Our first Christmas together as husband and husband. This is going to be awesome," he declared. They'd tied the knot in July. Somehow, Vanguard had formed some sort of unbreakable bond between them, and it was that bond which had led to six years of dating and eventual marriage.
Red nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Although I suppose we won't be having turkey?" Cheng Xin laughed, obviously remembering the Thanksgiving turkey fiasco, in which they'd collectively somehow managed to decimate two oven racks and, of course, burn the turkey to ashes.
He wished Alisa was there, though.
She was present in all his nightmares, inches away from him in the dark, screaming at him to run, sometimes even blaming him for her death. She was a ghost in his memories---haunting him, always there. Red knew that scar would never fade, since she'd been the closest friend he'd ever had---even though their friendship had been limited.
"Do you want to invite anyone over, babe?" Cheng Xin was speaking, voice cutting through Red's thoughts. Cheng Xin handled things differently---almost like Alisa had done, locking his emotions back in his head and staying ten miles away from any sensitive subjects. Red knew he missed her, even more than he himself did---he just never talked about it.
Red shook his head, a teasing smile lingering at the corners of his mouth. "I think it'll be fine with just the two of us---"
"---waking up late and making love until three in the afternoon---" Cheng Xin continued.
"---then finally getting up and dancing in our living room to the sappiest Christmas songs we can find until the neighbours are banging on the walls, but still not stopping because we're twenty-six and in the prime of our lives---"
"---getting cheap burgers from McDonalds for dinner and exchanging gifts---"
"---and finally falling asleep to a cliché, hetero, Hallmark Christmas movie. Sounds like a plan," Red finished.
The doorbell rang.
Red paused, ears pricking up at the noise. "Who could that be? No one ever visits us nowadays." Even Mrs Folley, the old lady down the street who always referred to them as the lovely gay couple who helps me out with yardwork on Sundays after church, knew not to ring at their door anymore, since they went to her instead.
Cheng Xin's expression morphed into one of utter confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"The doorbell. It rang. It's ringing now." Red's words were rapidly flying out of his mouth in short, heavily punctuated sentences. All the while, the doorbell chimed in the background.
"It's not---?" his husband started to say, but Red was already rushing out of the kitchen and to the front door, grabbing his keys from the hall table on the way. His fingers fumbled with the lock. A strange sense of urgency flooded his bones, rushing to his head and making him feel almost dizzy as he hurriedly fiddled with the knob and yanked the door open.
He nearly fell to his knees. On the stoop stood Alisa Lee, looking not even a day older than eighteen. Her tanned skin glowed with vitality, scrubbed clean of any dirt. Her ebony locks were tied in a neat braid that fell over her shoulder, wisps of hair curling over her forehead. Her onyx eyes---both intact---gleamed with the fire Red had seen in them from the beginning. She was dressed in the same clothes she'd been wearing in Vanguard, undamaged and free of any tears.
"Hey, Red," she said, but her voice sounded like it was underwater.
Red choked on a sob. "Alisa?" he whispered.
"Red? Why did you...? Who are you...? There's no one there...?" Cheng Xin sounded terribly puzzled.
"Alisa's there," Red cried. He pointed to the doorway. She's there...why can't he see her? Why can't he see her! She's there! She's back! She's alive!
Alisa's lips curved into a smile as her form grew fainter and fainter, fading away before his very eyes. Red let out a glass-shattering yell. "No! Stop!" I can't lose her again---
"There's no one there, Red!" Cheng Xin's voice cracked as he spoke.
Red felt hot tears drip down his cheeks as he stabbed his finger at the gradually vanishing figure on the doorstep. "She's there...Alisa's there!" he screamed as her image fully disappeared, leaving no sign that she'd ever been there behind.
Somewhere in the distance, a crow cawed---as if it was mocking him.
"Isn't she?"
THE END final word count: 32, 165 words
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