Ironic, isn't it?
Under these beautiful stars... hatred, futility, and agony just thrive.
They cling to our souls like parasites, refusing to let go.
We strive.
We suffer.
We tear ourselves apart trying to escape the chains of this wretched cycle...
But sorrow is patient.
It always finds us, waiting, watching, hungering, like a predator in the dark.
Maybe that's why they call us Cursed.
Those with power rule.
And the rest of us are left broken
Helpless.
Fucked beyond repair.
We tell ourselves death will be a mercy... A release.
But deep down, we know better. Do we really wanna die?
There's no freedom waiting for us.
Only another cycle.
Another chain.
Another life born just to suffer all over again.
There is no ending.
Only... the slow, inevitable forgetting of who we once were.
Hi, I'm 003.. just another voice in Lyra's head, telling her story.
I looked up at the stars, tears rolling down my face.
Then back at the group, huddled by the fire. Each one pretending, just barely, to keep it together.
But I could hear it.
The songs of their souls... literally. Crying out, helpless, broken.
"Jacob's still unconscious, we gave him a couple more sedatives " Levi said quietly, walking over.
He lowered himself beside me,
"Spencer and I buried Camille and Jamal's bodies" he added, his voice was.... hollow. He was also pretending to hold it together
Gently, Levi nudged my head onto his shoulder.
We sat there.
The fire cracked behind us... and the stars kept burning.
And somewhere in the dark... sorrow kept singing. We could all hear it, and it was getting to us.
"Can I tell you something? I know this sounds crazy" I said, lifting my head to look at Levi, "but... I don't think we should turn Jacob in."
He blinked, watching me, silent.
"He wasn't himself. Something was off," I added, my voice was shaky, anxious whether he would agree with me.
"It's beyond him just... losing control."
"Something's not right."
Levi gave a small nod.
"I believe you." he said quietly.
"Besides... who are we to judge?"
"We're all fucked up anyway."
He exhaled slowly.
"You know what this means, right?" he asked.
I closed my eyes for a second.
"Yeah. I'm prepared."
I leaned back against his shoulder again, the weight of everything settling between us.
"Can I use your Echomaker?" he asked after a moment.
"I... kinda wanna play a song."
Levi picked up the guitar carefully, holding it like it was something fragile. He hesitated for a second, staring at the bloodstains, then adjusted his grip and sat down. Without a word, he placed his fingers on the strings and started to play, the sound low and shaky at first.
But he kept strumming the bloodstained guitar, lost in the world the song built around him.
He didn't even notice when Javi quietly slid over to the small, half-broken keyboard they'd scavenged, fingers dancing over the dusty keys.
Or when Ralph, with hands still bruised from battle, started tapping a soft beat on the old drum beside him.
The music grew, raw and imperfect, but alive.
It wasn't planned.
It wasn't forced.
It was just them... bleeding their hearts into the night.
And it's was beautiful.
"We all strive, we all fight
To find a place in this
We all break, we all change
But never seem to win
But maybe, just maybe
We were never meant to be
A part of this cruel play
But isn't that a good thing
'Cause I wouldn't imagine being a part of this,
I wouldn't dream to see you drown in this wretched place.
So we should be thankful that we're lucky to be unlucky,
Yeah, we're lucky to be unlucky.
We don't have to hide our sorrow,
We don't have to hide our shame,
'Cause I see a light in you
And you're a shining star
buried deep beneath the earth.
Now that I've found you
I'd give it all away just to see you shine.
I'd give it all away to look up at the sky,
To see you shine your light all over the world.
We all strive, we all fight
To find a place in this.
We all break, we all change
But never seem to win
So maybe, just maybe
We were never meant to be
A part of this cruel play
Isn't that a good thing?
'Cause I wouldn't imagine being a part of this,
I wouldn't dream to see you drown in this wretched place.
So we should be thankful that we're lucky to be unlucky,
Yeah, we're lucky to be unlucky.
I see your sorrow, I see your pain.
Please don't let it silence your light
Don't let break you down
Just let it out on me.
'Cause
I see joy,
I see freedom,
I see a light shining in you.
So just let it out on me...
Let it out on me...
Let it out on me…" Levi sang beautifully under these stars, with javi and Ralph backing him. I could only cry in marvel of how much the song resonated with me.
It was beautiful. I was so caught in it I didn't even realise when Michelle, Goldie, and Spencer left the fire and came to sit with us.
For the first time, we weren't scattered. For the first time, the broken pieces sat together, drawn to a dying song under a dying sky.
"I'm still working on it," he said.
We all smiled, tears blurring our eyes.
The stars above didn't weep for us….. They just watched and kept burning.