“Just the thought of crashing

  through that sounds scary.”

  I speak my mind, trying

  to vision that happening.

  “It won't be. We will be free.”

  Tetsu smiles at me a warm

  smile.

  “If we stay here any longer

  and feed into despair, we

  will die a second time and

  become reprobates.”

  “You mean wicked just

  like Ronin and Cerise?”

  I asks Tetsu who nods

  in agreement.

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  I think back to the glass

  painting of the Holy

  Rose.

  I really do want to leave

  this God forsaken place.

  I know Tetsu desires

  the same thing but

  where will we end

  up after?

  I rest my head on

  Tetsu’s shoulder,

  feeling so cold.

  Tetsu feels warmer

  than me.

  I wonder why.

  More images of the Holy

  Rose flashes through

  my mind.

  “Allow me to save you

  both.” A voice whispers

  in my ear.

  A voice that surely wasn't

  Testu's.

  Who was that?

  Sudden peace washes

  over me and I close

  my eyes.

  My mind is quiet

  and my heart feels

  at ease.