Swan Song

Hallucinations

What was that?

It's me, Sophie. I'm going to get you out of here. The crisply accented voice jarred me.

Fitz? Do not even try to get me out. I demand you. Do not try. You're gonna get yourself killed.

Do you really think so low of me? I came with a plan. We're both going home.

No. These people are smart. They are more dangerous than Neverseen. Please do not try to save me.

Soph, that's not an option. I'm saving my girlfriend no matter what. It's my fault you're in there, and I'm going to get you out. Even if it means sacrificing myself.

No. Fitz, please do not. For me, please, I can't live without you.

You are living without me. And I'm going to change that. Either we're both in here, or we both aren't. There's no point arguing. I'm doing this.

At least I know you are safe there. If I leave, everyone is going to be in danger. It's for the best. Please Fitz, please.

Sophie Elizabeth Foster, you need to stop thinking about everyone else and thin about yourself for once. I love you, and I'm not letting the stupid DarkCode take you away from me.

I'm. Doing. This.

I am thinking of myself. Do you think I'll ever be able to live with myself if anyone I cared about died? Do you think I would be able to live with myself if I keep everyone in danger? If they die, it's all going to be my fault.

That's not fair, Sophie. And it's too late. I'm already here, and I already started my plan.

A dark cloaked figure came up to me.

Oh no. There's someone here. They must have figured out that I was telepathically communicating.

"No, Sophie." the cloaked figure spoke.

I processed the words 2 seconds too late. I had already rammed my throwing stars into their heart.

It was Fitz's voice.

No. No. No. Fitz, please tell me you're still here. Respond.

There was no answer.

The figure fell back. I saw Fitz's beautiful face on the floor with an open mouth, his expression shocked.

I had killed my boyfriend.

"Good job Sophie," Crimson appeared from a dark corner. "You did the job of killing your 'savior' for us."

I couldn't open my mouth. I was still in shock from killing Fitz. As soon as my mind processed my horrible deed, I started sobbing.

"Hey, wait, isn't that your 'boyfriend'? The person who you came instead of?" Crimson taunted

"I guess there was no point for saving him. Since now he's dead." Another figure shouted.

"Maybe you should join us. Killing the Black Swan is our job, after all."

"Never. Never in a million years."

But I couldn't help thinking. Was I a monster? Was I as bad as them?

No. No, I wasn't.

I'm worse.

Even the DarkCode hasn't killed any of us yet.

"If you don't, you can wish your other friends goodbye." Crimson's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"No. They won't die. The Black Swan will protect them."

"Like they protected Fitz." another figure taunted. "Oh wait, they don't protect their own kind, do they?"

I felt the world falling from my shoulders. I couldn't live with myself.

The weight of the world was on my shoulders, and I had dropped it. I had dropped my world, my universe, my Fitz.

Why oh why am I such an idiot?!

I should have seen who it was. This wouldn't have happened if I just did that one tiny thing.

If I had used the eyes I had been given. My freakish eyes.

"Fitz would have been better off without me." Whoops. Did I say that out loud?

No, I wouldn't have. A whisper came from the door.

Just great. Now I was hallucinating. This is all too much for me.

I'm not a hallucination, Soph. It's really me. I'm in another realm; the realm of the dead. But you can bring me back to the Lost Cities.

No. This wasn't real. But I couldn't help asking. How?

Find an ancient scroll, that's kept with the DarkCode's leader. Cypher. It has a code that can be used to bring back the dead. You can bring me back.

This is not real. But it is too detailed to be my imagination. How could I hallucinate about all of this?

See? You believe. Now you need to get out of there and get the Black Swan's help to bring me back.

How is this real? If that is really you, how did you even find out about all of this?

For you, it may have been a couple of seconds. But I have been here for a hundred years, and I haven't aged a day. I've been trying to find a way to communicate with you for a century. And I finally found a way back to you.

This was a lot to take in. First, I killed Fitz. Then the DarkCode threatened me. Now I am hallucinating? Ok, scratch that theory. I know this isn't a hallucination.

"I need to get out of here." Oh, my big mouth. Did I say that out loud, again?

"Not so fast, sugar." Crimson's voice cut through me like butter.

"We still have work to do. You know your friend, Linh? Hydrokinetic? She's cute. Too bad we're gonna drown her."

"Why would you even think of doing such a thing? She hasn't done anything to you." I cried

"But she means a lot to you. Consider this a warning."

"How do you drown a hydrokinetic? You might not be as smart as you think."

Crimson's smile was so iniquitous I thought they might actually do it.

"Oh, but we are. You'll see."