Chapter 220: A Terrible Truth (2/2)
Zinnia walked up to Alton taking his hand, nodding. ”It is.”
”Why… Why are you here?”
”To save you, silly.” She frowned, looking at Alton's missing hand. ”I can't even imagine how difficult these last three years have been. I should have never left… None of this might have happened if I didn't. But I'm here now to make things right.”
Zinnia took Alton's hand, dragging him out of the cell. The prison block was empty, with guards scattered all across the walkway. ”How did you find me?”
”It took a while to believe me. But I would never give up; I couldn't. Alice and the others are waiting for us outside. Team Rhapsody will rise again.” Alton stopped making Zinnia confused as she turned around. What's wrong? We've got to hurry.”
”I can't…”
Zinnia's face dropped as she walked over, holding his arms. ”What do you mean? I'm here now; you don't have to hold that burden on your shoulders alone anymore. Whatever the CEOs have done to you, whatever Scarlett did, doesn't matter. We have to save Victoria from these monsters. I can't do that without you.”
Alton looked at his feet with a dead look. He kept idly, shaking his head, looking more traumatised by the second. ”Doing so will only get you killed. Get me hurt; I can't sacrifice you for my mistakes… Please leave me in peace.”
Zinnia looked devastated, hugging Alton squeezing him tightly, begging him. ”Alton, please, we can help. We're heroes till the very end.”
”My name isn't Alton, and I'm no hero,” Cascade whispered, blasting Zinnia back, freezing her against the wall. ”And I won't send anyone else to their deaths.”
Turning around, Alton stopped hearing Zinnia's voice change back into Acceptance's calm and collective tone. ”Accept a terrible truth. This false fantasy of yours is a shamble. Allow me to show you.” Alton's head turned as Zinnia, now acceptance, burst from his chains, pinning Alton against the wall. The moment this happened, Alton snapped awake, looking horrified as Acceptance's laugh echoed. ”Don't you remember the last time we had this conversation, Alton? You fell for the same trick twice. Shame on you.”
Alton held himself back, panting. ”Just then… That. That wasn't real?”
”Not at all. But your intention very much was. You'd push the people who wish to save you away just to suit your own self-pity. You claim you don't want to send anyone else to their death, but this will just do the deed in through the worse possible outcome.”
Crouched up, hiding away, Alton stared down, mumbling. ”Leave me alone, just let me die in peace. This is what I deserve. I betrayed everything I stood for and paid the price. Why can't everyone accept that and leave me in peace?”
Acceptance stepped through the cell, staring down at Alton. ”The world cannot accept that lie anymore, Alton Brantley. The world needs you to defeat V.I.R.A.L for a better tomorrow.”
”What?”
”If you will not accept that, then I'll have to push you along and show you what you fight for. I will show you a terrible truth.”
Alton held his hand out, ready to fight, but his willpower wouldn't let him. He had none as he felt himself fading. ”No, don't… I don't want to…”
”Sleep, sleep, Alton and awake to a new world of truth and cunning. Foresee what has happened and what will happen. Accept your fate to find your salvation.”
****
Alton was jarred away by the sound of a school bell. Snapping up, he looked around to a classroom he didn't recognise. He felt his shoulder being tugged as he turned lost. ”Oi, Kurt class is over. You coming or what?”
”Huh?” Was all Alton could splutter out.
”What does huh mean?!” The boy barked back. ”We're are hanging out after school, remember Hatching? Stop brooding, and let's go.”
Alton looked out the window, frozen in shock, seeing someone entirely different in the reflection. The person matched his body movements confirming the truth. The boy he saw had short, messy red hair and green eyes with freckles to match. He was left even more dumbfounded hearing the name. Alton's eyes widened as he whispered to himself in shock. ”What the hell is going on?!”