❝ 𝗕𝗟𝗨𝗘 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗦 ❞
▬▬ Chapter 08
• . ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳₊·͟͟͟͟͟͟͞͞͞͞͞͞➳💧

The last thing Madison remembered was Evie's face—familiar, beloved, but now blurred by the overwhelming onset of unconsciousness. The edges of her vision were consumed by swirling black dots, each one spinning with the rhythm of her fading heartbeat. She felt herself being lifted, weightless yet cared for, as Thomas's strong arms cradled her, pulling her from the cold, unforgiving floor. The pain in her abdomen dulled slightly, though the emptiness it left behind was slowly being filled with an unsettling detachment from reality. She couldn't focus on anything, her mind flitting in and out of sharp, fragmented awareness.

"Stay with us, Madison," Evie's voice pierced the haze, her tone tight with fear, desperate for a response. Her fingers pressed against Madison's wound, firm and determined, but Madison could feel the warmth of her blood slipping away, staining everything in its path. "Don't leave me," Evie whispered, the words carrying the weight of a thousand unspoken fears.

Madison tried to respond, to reassure Evie, to let her know that she was still here, still fighting. But her words felt like they were trapped behind a veil of exhaustion, thick and heavy as if the very effort of speaking was a mountain too steep to climb. Her eyelids fluttered, the world around her dimming, slipping further from her reach with each fading breath.

Evie's hands were still there, holding her together as best she could. Her touch was the only thing anchoring Madison to the reality that seemed to be slipping through her fingers. The tears that streaked Evie's face blended with the sweat on her skin, the rawness of her grief evident in the tremble of her voice. "Please... don't leave me, Maddie. I need you. I can't lose you."

The tears that welled in Madison's eyes seemed so distant, a soft, almost surreal ache that lingered without ever truly breaking free. She wanted to comfort Evie, to say anything that could ease the pain etched into her face, but her body wasn't responding. Instead, her lips quivered, a weak attempt at a smile, the muscles of her face barely able to pull it off.

"I... love you," Madison managed to whisper, the words small and fragile, slipping from her like a prayer she wasn't sure she believed in anymore.

Evie's heart shattered in that moment, the fragile thread of hope that had been holding her together unraveling with every second. She leaned down, pressing her forehead against Madison's, tears falling freely now as she whispered back, "I love you too, Maddie. Please... please don't go."

The silence that followed was suffocating, broken only by the sound of their ragged breathing. Madison's strength was waning, the light in her eyes flickering as the world around her dissolved into a fog of confusion and pain. She felt weightless, detached, as if her spirit was slowly unraveling from her body. A strange calmness washed over her as she drifted, the sound of Evie's voice growing quieter with each passing moment, the urgency of their situation fading into a distant, muffled echo.

Memories flooded Madison's mind in fragmented flashes—moments of warmth, of laughter, of love and loss. Their first meeting, the fire that had sparked between them so quickly, the nights they had shared in the Glade, the quiet moments of tenderness when words were unnecessary. Every laugh, every whispered conversation, every touch—they all danced before her like a fleeting dream, too beautiful and precious to hold onto.

"I'm so tired," Madison whispered, the words barely audible, each syllable laced with the exhaustion that had claimed her body. Her eyelids drooped heavier, the weight of the world pressing down on her chest. Her breath came in shallow, labored gasps, each one a struggle to stay present, to stay in the world that was slipping further away. Her heartbeat, once strong and steady, was growing weaker, its rhythm becoming erratic, like the ticking of a clock counting down to its final moment.

Evie refused to let go. She pressed her lips against Madison's forehead, her tears mingling with the warmth of Madison's skin, her voice thick with grief. "You're my everything, Maddie," she sobbed, the words breaking free like a dam that had been holding back the flood of emotion. "Please... please don't leave me. I don't know how to live without you."

Madison's chest rose and fell with shallow breaths, each one weaker than the last. The pain that had once consumed her was now a distant ache, a mere shadow compared to the overwhelming weariness that had settled deep into her bones. She wanted to reassure Evie, to tell her that she wasn't going anywhere, that she was going to be alright, but all that escaped her lips was a barely audible, "I love you..."

And then, with one final, labored exhale, Madison's body went still. Her eyes fluttered shut, and the world that had once seemed so vivid and full of possibility turned to silence.

Evie's breath caught in her throat, and a heart-wrenching sob tore from her chest as she cradled Madison's lifeless form. The tears flowed freely now, a torrent of grief that could not be stopped. She held Madison as if her own life depended on it, as if by sheer will, she could pull her back from the edge. But there was no coming back.

The hours stretched on, the world outside continuing its relentless march forward while Evie remained there, anchored in a world that no longer made sense without Madison by her side. The sunlight began to creep through the cracks in the room, casting long, golden shadows across the floor. The warmth of the day was in stark contrast to the coldness that had settled in Evie's heart.

She spoke to Madison as if she could still hear her. She whispered memories of their time together—their first kiss, the way Madison had laughed so freely, the way she had made Evie feel alive in a world that was often dark and unforgiving. She spoke of the future they had dreamed of, a future that now seemed impossibly out of reach. Every word she spoke was a promise, a vow to remember, to carry Madison's spirit with her for as long as she could.

The world moved on. People came and went, offering their condolences, but Evie hardly noticed them. All she could see, all she could feel, was the empty space beside her. Thomas stood nearby, silent, his grief mirrored in the lines of his face. He had known the bond between the two women, had witnessed their strength and love. He didn't need to say anything. His presence was enough.

As the sun dipped below the horizon and the stars began to fill the sky, Evie remained at Madison's side, holding her hand tightly, her own heart heavy with loss. She wasn't ready to let go—not yet.

But eventually, she knew she would have to. She whispered one last promise, the words escaping like a vow to the stars above: "I will love you forever, Maddie. Always."

The night stretched on, the cool air settling in around them as Evie sat by Madison's side, unwilling to leave her. And as she watched the stars fill the sky, Evie knew that though Madison was gone, their love—unbreakable and pure—would remain with her always.

For Madison had been more than just a soulmate; she had been the very reason Evie had kept going. And now, in the quiet, in the stillness of the night, Evie swore she would carry Madison's light with her forever.

AUTHORS NOTE;

I want to thank each and every one of you who has been with me through this journey, who has followed these characters and their love through all the trials and triumphs. Madison and Evie's love was real to me, and I know it was to many of you as well. And though this chapter brings an end to their physical journey together, I want to believe their bond will last forever—because sometimes, love doesn't end just because someone's gone.

If you're still reading, thank you. I hope you can carry the memories of these two, their moments of joy and tenderness, as they will continue to live in the heart of this story. The pain of their loss is still so raw, but I can only hope that their love will remain, a beacon for us all.

Thank you for sharing this with me, and with them. I love you all, and I love these two characters with all my heart.

Gracie <2