The Rain

The End of The Line

Simone felt her back against the railings, the wind and the rumbling sound of the river rushing up from below—drowning out everything else but her own thoughts. This was it. This was the end of the line. She could hardly look at her brother anymore; at what he had become. The one thing she had vowed to herself, as much as she had promised their father, was that she'd look after him. 'And I failed', she told herself.

"Why are you running away", Rasmus asked her. "I've always trusted you. Why won't you trust me?"

Sten walked up slowly, standing beside Rasmus as he began to address Simone, "Listen to your brother. We mean you no harm."

"You can't just change everything", Simone said to both of them.

"We can. And we will", Rasmus said, taking a step towards Simone as he held out one hand for her to take. "We can put an end to the world's suffering. So many sick people will be cured! Please, Simone—join me."

"Are you even listening to yourself? At what cost, Rasmus?", in her mind, he will always be her baby brother and she simply couldn't understand how that sweet, innocent boy could grow up to think this way. She didn't know what else to say. She didn't know how else she could convince him.

"It's the only solution. We are saving mankind", he said.

"No, Rasmus", she looked him dead in the eye. "You are ending it."

"This isn't the end of anything, Simone. It's a new beginning. A new age for humanity. We have plateaued in our evolution and it's up to us to jumpstart mankind into reaching new heights. Imagine what we can do as a species!", said Sten.

From the balcony of the Apollon headquarters, Kira saw the scene play out through the scope of her rifle. She trailed her sight on Sten, finger on the trigger, as she waited for a clear shot.

"Let's do this together. Just like before", Rasmus looked into his sister's eyes, pleading. "Just like when it was just the two of us."

"I'm sorry, Moose. I can't", was her only reply.

"Yes, you can. You just have to trust me", said Rasmus.

'He's too far gone', thought Simone. 'I did what I could. I'm sorry, Dad.' Simone climbed over the railings and dangled herself on the edge of the bridge as she prepared herself to jump.

"No! No, Simone!", Rasmus said in panic and anger, black tendrils slithering up his neck and branching out like lightning against his skin. "What are you doing?!"

Simone looked at his brother tenderly, her voice soft as she closed her eyes in a silent prayer. "I tried, Rasmus", she said. "I just wanted you to see that this is wrong. And that I'm just trying to protect you—like I always have. Everything I've ever done...was to protect you. But I can't do it anymore."

"Calm down, Rasmus", Sten said, backing away from the black cloud that was now beginning to surround the boy, billowing in the air like ribbons of smoke.

Simone heard a sharp whizzing in the air before the shouting began. She opened her eyes and saw blood gushing out of Sten's shoulder, his hands frantically trying to stop the bleeding as his guards surrounded him. A hand yanked her up and over the railings and in a second, she hit the asphalt. The guards swung their guns around, looking to retaliate at the shooter. When they found none, Sten shouted from behind his wall of soldiers, "Move out! We're not safe here. Bring the girl." Two men approached Rasmus to escort him away from the bridge as Sten ran for the car.

"I'm not going with you", Simone told them.

The soldier who had Simone looked back at Sten as if to ask, 'What now?'