NOVA play: Run by Snow Patrol
Ithink I accepted that I was going to die before Milo did.
It was abundantly clear that there was no way out of this. We were out of options and outnumbered. NOVA hadn’t even checked in, which led me to believe she might be out of commission as well.
I’d suspected tonight might be my last night on this earth, but that didn’t make it an easier pill to swallow.
However… my own fear of death paled in comparison to the broken look of horror on Milo’s perfect face.
“Milo…” I said softly, and his head jerked to face me. His wide brown eyes were unfocused, as if this whole situation had traumatized him to the point that his mind was trying to protect him by dissociating.
“Milo, baby. Can you hear me?” I whispered, and his pupils dilated as he tried to focus on my voice. “There he is.” I gave him a reassuring smile. “There’s my sweet boy.”
A fat tear spilled down his cheek, and I hated that I couldn’t wipe it away.
“Listen to me, Milo. It’s going to be alright.”
His entire expression crumbled, and he began to shake his head again as more tears streamed down his pretty face.
“No, no, none of that. I need you to listen… You’re going to beokay,Milo. You hear me? You’re the bravest, smartest person I’ve ever met. You’ve never needed me; you’ve always been just fine on your own. If anything, without me dragging you down, you’re going to be even better off. You’reso brilliant,Milo. I just know you’re going to be okay, no matter what happens to me.”
My throat closed up, and I struggled to get the next words out, especially now that Milo was fully sobbing into his gag.
“You just can’t ever give up, okay, baby?”
He let out a choked wail, and I did my best to soothe him with just my voice, hating that I couldn’t at least touch him or kiss him goodbye.
“Promise me, Milo. Look at me and nod and tell me you understand. You can’t give up. You have to be strong and brave for me. For your mom.”
My brave boy forced himself to meet my eyes, and he sniffed as he nodded. Pride swelled through me at how even now, he was doing everything he could to keep fighting. I rewarded him with what I hoped was a smile that communicated how much I adored him.
“I love you so much, baby. This isn’t goodbye, it’s just see you later. I’ll find you in the next life, okay? I promise, I’m not going anywhere. At least not for long.”
I didn’t know how death worked, but if I had to claw my way out of Hell with my bare fucking hands so I could reunite my soul with Milo, I would fucking do it. It was a vow I meant to keep, because the short time we had together in this life hadn’t been enough.
If we’d lived together for a hundred years… athousandyears—it wouldn’t have been enough.
He cried out what sounded like my name, just as Luke let out an annoyed huff and waved his hand at Sebastian.
“Enough of this. Seb, shoot him and be done with it. We’re wasting working hours.”
“I love you, Milo. I’ll find you again. I’ll always find you,” I whispered, just as Sebastian cocked the gun against my head.
“Bye-bye, asshole,” Sebastian crooned.
Then, the gun went off.
NOVA play: Mad World by Demi Lovato
Iscreamedas the gun fired, not once, but twice… As if one shot to the head wasn’t enough to kill the love of my life.
My world was ending, and my heart felt like it was literally withering and dying in my chest.
He was dead.
After everything we’d been through, I’d still lost him…
I was so lost in my own anguish that I barely registered the heavy sound of a body hitting the floor next to me.
