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T h e   H o l l o w s   I n
O U R  F R E E D O M
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S K Y

"What do we do?" I asked, voice shaking.

My mum ran her hands through her hair; I had never seen her look so scared.

"We have to–"

"–you said no one would get lost." I said, eyes welling up as I began to grow frantic.

We had lost Jace and Alexi.

"Well we can't just stand around—we need to find my son!" Jim yelled.

My mum looked at me. "Sky." It was all she said, but I understood.

She was worried for me. She was worried that if she took us off track and into danger, I'd get hurt.

"I can do this, mum." It took one more moment, and then she grabbed onto my hand again, perhaps tighter than before. We ran out into the middle of the field, into the middle of the danger.

We didn't stop. Not even when the enemy started to approach us.

When it became prevalent that we were in danger, Jim yelled, "I've got them!"

All I heard next were a series of gunshots.

My mum tightened her grip on my hand and ran faster.

My body burned, but I did it all for Alexi, all for Jace.

I don't know why my mum had taken us this way—I think sometimes she could feel the danger.

We hit the woods in no time, and I soon ran into something.

It wasn't a tree trunk, however, since it steadied me with its hands.

I opened my eyes, which I had squeezed shut upon impact, and saw Jameson looming over me. His expression was grave and panicked. I was going to embrace him, when I heard yells from beyond us.

I ran around Jameson, beginning to make sense of the words.

"Lex, stop."

I heard sobbing too.

"Lex!"

I took a few more steps forward, and then I felt a coldness rush over my body.

I fell down in shock, watching from a metre away as Lexi scrambled around, blood all over her hands as she tended to what looked like a massive gun wound. On Saph.

My mum pushed through everyone, dropping down beside Lexi and assessing the scene.

"Lexi." She said.

"I have to–" the sobs jarred her words. "I have to help her. She's bleeding. I have to help her." The repetition was driving me crazy, and soon enough, I felt Jameson join me, wrapping his arms around me in an attempt to calm me.

That's when I let out a loud sob. My eyes met Jonah, who kneeled by Saph's side, body shaking. He was crying too.

Alexi was the only one in motion, tears spilling from her eyes as she pulled cloths from her bags and pressed them to Saph's wound.

I was faintly aware of Kath and Jim joining us, but I could only look at Saph.

Unmoving, not blinking, blood pouring.

"Lex–"

"I can do it." She said, shaking.

I watched my mum grab some cloths from Lexi's bag too, but not to place over Saph's wound, but over Lexi's hands. She engulfed them in the cloths and drew them away from Saph, pulling Lexi into her. I watched as Lexi shook violently, and then as my mum shifted her around, pulling her in close and holding her.

My mum squeezed her eyes shut, and I could feel her pain. Not because she was my mother, but because I knew what it felt like to be a leader and fear that you'd lose a troop.

And then came the tears.

I had been crying before, but as Lexi was removed from Saph's body, I felt it overcome me, consume me, drown me. Lexi could've never saved Saph, but the notion of her trying to do so kept the darkness at bay.

But then it stormed over and strangled us all, squeezing out any last hope. And it all poured out from our eyes. Every single last drop.

One by one, the group left the sight. In silence we went, even the harsh winds slowing and quietening.

My mum handed Alexi to Jace, whispering something to him. He nodded and held onto Lexi tightly, leaning down and whispering something into her ear.

I turned around in Jameson's arms, letting him shield me away from the world.

Moments passed, and it seemed as the world started to tilt sideways. Like there was a sudden imbalance.

I turned as I heard twigs snapping to see my mum and Jim holding a black bag. They were holding it horizontally, and inside laid Saph.

Sapphire Davis.

Jonah followed behind, tears still fresh in his eyes, wounds still fresh on his heart. You could just see the pain, feel the pain.

We started for the field, Jonah having had a private conversation with my mum.

By the time we had reached our destination, it was sure to be lunch time. The sun, however, did not comply. It hid, and let the clouds cover it, wrapping its fingers around the heat. And then the clouds cried.

We stood at the side of a running river, a murky blue stream that ran off into the distance.

Someone, at some point, found a wooden box. I didn't know where it came from, and I didn't want to know.

"She wanted to be set across a river that ran as fast as she had always wanted to. She wanted it to take her off the edge and let it deliver her to her new life."

Lexi parted from Jace, embracing Jonah suddenly as he broke down. He clutched onto her, sobbing into her neck.

We all watched as my mum and Jim carefully placed Saph's body into the wooden box. Jonah parted from Lexi, falling down at the side of the box and pulling back the black sheet. Saph's face was revealed, and Jonah pushed her hair away from her face before leaning down to kiss her forehead.

I broke away from Jameson, kneeling down at the other side of the box.

By the side of the river were bluebells, and when covered by raindrops, they reminded me of sapphires. I picked some and placed them in Saph's hands. I then looked up and reached out for Jonah's hand.

He took mine, and we held hands over Saph's body.

Sapphire Davis' body.

Soon, it was time to say goodbye.

We stood at the bank, and watched as my mum stood by the box, hesitating. Then she pushed it, and the water caught hold of it.

As it floated away, the clouds parted and the sun shone down, its rays hitting the box and bouncing off, its spectres lighting up every part of the land.

I watched as Alexi dug around in her pocket, pulling out something. Jonah watched as she produced it, and nodded when he realised what it was.

A lighter.

Sapphire Davis' lighter.

Alexi struck at it, and a flame suddenly arose. She threw her arm forward and let go of the flame. We watched as the box caught fire, and then it disappeared beyond the clouds.

"She wanted to be cremated so that she could shed her skin and her spirit could find a new body to haunt." Jonah let out laugh at that. Except, it held little to no  humour.

We stared out into the distance until the rain ceased and a rainbow appeared, its colours shimmering under the sun.

I wasn't sure how much of an afterlife I believed in. I wasn't sure I favoured Saph's impression, that your spirit finds a new body. Maybe I believe something along a similar lines; I'd like to believe ones spirit doesn't just cease to exist.

I only knew one thing.

Sapphire Davis was dead.

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okay I know y'all are upset but honestly that was probably one of the easiest chapters to edit in b-side so far

honestly idk what I was doing but it most certainly wasn't keeping an eye on the grammar

anywho

uhh

I'll leave you to cry now

-did you remember the Kleenex ??

FABULOUS SONGS

Songs that played when I was writing this chapter (in order):
Ruins - Ryder
HeartLess - Madison Beer
Time Is Dancing - Ben Howard
Fix You - Coldplay :(
Count the Saints - Foxes
I Have Questions - Camila Cabello
Reasons - Bahari (FIRST BOOK 👌🏼)
Haunted - Grace Pitts
The Power of Love - Gabrielle Aplin
Skinny Love - Birdy
In This Shirt - The Irrepressibles
Tomorrow - Daughter

END OF FABULOUS SONGS

Date written:
10/05/18
11/05/18

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Next update: Wednesday
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CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO SPOILER:

The aftermath.

The passing of Sapphire Davis leaves one of our favourite fighters feeling less like a fighter by the second.

RIP Sapphire Davis
you absolute trooper

lastly

RIP Jonahire

goodnight, angel