But even in my dead state, my ears managed to find a shifting sound, as faint as someone whispering through a storm. I tried to tell myself it was a mere hallucination, and that my senses had already abandoned me. But my brain decided to ignore the lifeless thoughts whispering to me, trying to stop me. I did my best to stand with dizzy legs, curling off the side of the bed and onto the floor, as the whole world was rocking back and forth in a swaying blur that phased in and out. My legs could’ve gone out from underneath me at any moment, but I tread further out anyway, gripping the hole in my chest. The closet door had opened somehow, encouraging me to see what was inside. Inside were two bears, that somehow I could see clear as day, mine being one, and the other being Lux’s.

I picked both of them up, my vision having a dreamy but somber filter over it as I tried to focus on their happy faces. His face was blooming with joy, ecstatic and fulfilled, shining through my once foggy stupor. It made my heart grow and destroyed every last inch of numbness that I’d held for so long now. He was okay… he was okay.

“Why did you come back? So late?”

The words faint and weak in the back of my mind, and I was unsure if I’d even spoken it out loud. Despite his radiant happiness, he still couldn’t speak a single word to me. But I held him close anyway without a care in the world, squeezing him as tight as I could. The most comforting, wonderful feeling that I’d been deprived of for so long spread through me once more. I made my way back and brought Lux’s to her, but she was completely asleep, barely making a sound. 

“I found her.” I whispered, but I was met with no response. It was somewhat lonely to hear no noise. I tucked the bear into her arms and laid back down, taking in a tired breath. As I tucked myself back under the blanket, right next to Lux, his resounding warmth stayed inside me, and not a single thought went through my mind other than him and his protection. Telling me I was happy, I was safe, I was cared for, I was healthy. The wind in my ears started to lull me into a deep sleepiness, and my vision faded into the sight of the radiant, prismatic stars I once looked at that twirled and spun in the far skies. The small twinkling diamonds made any last possible hints of hesitancy subside far away, letting it all fall into the depths of the sky below me. I could finally forever hold my best friend, embracing him closely throughout the whole night, us protecting each other together.

Look at that, we can look at the stars together again.

——-

Excerpt. 

I slip out of the man’s hands and onto the floor. I couldn’t discern any energy at all coming from either of the two people resting on the couch. It had faded away over time to nothing at this point, and I was probably in the clear. I almost lurched forward as I hit the floor, and pulled Nana down next to me. She flopped to the floor on her side, but stood upright instantly, swiping dust off of her dress.

I started to make my way out towards the exit, but she made me pause and turn to face her since I didn’t catch her footsteps.

“Hey, are we sure we should just leave them there?” She adjusted the bow on her and held a small towel. “Are we sure they’re dead?”

“I’m not sensing anything from either of them, nothing.”

“I feel bad, no, I don’t want to just abandon them here.”

“What can we really do? There’s nothing we can do to revive the dead.” I thought for a second, thinking of if I was perhaps wrong, but I doubted it.

“I know.” She slipped into a sitting position. “I was just hoping, that, maybe… I’m foolish, aren’t I.”

“No, not at all. Moreso hopeful, not unreasonably so in my opinion, but, as of now, we can only leave.”

“Why did we get assigned to adults anyways? What was the point? If only kids can rejuvenate our spirits. I didn’t know we had adult assignments, now.”

“Well, no. I got a message, a letter, while the man was away. It was an accident. Somehow things got jumbled and we were sent to the wrong addresses.”

“Ah… just all a big misunderstanding. Futile.” She shook her head. “I thought something had changed.”

“Unfortunately so. I’m not so sure what you mean by the latter, however.”

“…I don’t know. I don’t get the idea, anymore. I know our energy is reduced from adults, but the exclusion overall doesn’t appear fair to me. It’s not as if we’d die immediately. Why should we forget about adults, why the ignorance of that group?”

“You explained some of it yourself, did you not? At least in regards to our distribution. It’s because more resources are wasted if we willingly let ourselves lose energy. It’s not easy to keep that up over time. Just from a productivity standpoint. From a moral standpoint, well, I can’t disagree. It is unfortunate. I’m not sure if she would even let you test it, though.”

“Yes. I guess… it just isn’t fair.” She murmured softly. “But I suppose I understand.”

“Yes, I know. But you’ll be fine. There’s plenty of boys and girls waiting for you. Nothing to worry about.” I patted her head and we walked out, closing the door behind us with a light click.

——