I don’t know how many cycles I have been through since Kat. Dozens, at least. Hundreds, probably. For the first few cycles after her, I did my best just to keep going. But after a time, something strange happened. I found myself able to forget. Not forever, and it wasn’t really forgetting. But one day I woke up and she wasn’t the first thing on my mind. And then it happened two days in a row. And then a week. I never forgot Kat or Moon or that cycle, but I found myself able to live without the constant pain of loss.
In time, I found myself able to live, and to love, without hating myself, and without hesitation. I knew that pain awaited, but I fought for love anyway. I fought for life. I made a conscious effort to make friends in every new universe. Occasionally, I even found love. I knew that the loss would hurt, but I never forgot Kat’s words on the flight back from Marseille. I would rather do everything we can in our time together than never have known you… the time we’ve spent together makes it worth it.
I was now reaching the end of another cycle. I hadn’t dated anyone here, I hadn’t fallen in love, but I had made friends. I had told them months ago that I would be gone, and I didn’t want to leave them, but I knew that, as always, I would be okay. My last day there, we had a party. I said my goodbyes, and I went into my new reality with a smile on my lips.
Except I didn’t feel the rush as I normally did. Instead, I woke up in Their chamber. I was surprised. Not only was this a deviation from the pattern I had been trapped in for so long, but I hadn’t heard from Them since Kat’s cycle.
“It’s been a while,” I said, feeling a bit lame.
They spoke. I mean, They really spoke. It wasn’t indistinct murmuring this time, but a chorus of voices in unison that I could understand.
“You have walked the path, Adrianne Wilson.”
I gaped at Them.
“You have learned the why and learned to know. You have persevered, and your journey is now over.”
“What do you mean it’s over?”
“You are free. No longer tied to a new reality every cycle. Your life is your own. When you wake up, you will be there forever.”
My mouth opened and closed silently, and I felt tears spring to my eyes. “You mean… no more cycles? No more leaving every six months, no more losing everyone?”
“Yes. You have learned to know.”
I collapsed into the chair. It’s over, I thought.
“What was the path?” I asked.
“You already know,” They replied.
I was silent for a moment. “What are you?” I asked.
There was no verbal answer. I felt a wave of emotion pass over me that I could tell came from Them. It was warmth, compassion, and pride. I realized I didn’t need to know what They were. All that mattered was what I had learned, and that now I was free.
“Go, Adrianne. Live and love and walk your new path. You are free.”
My eyes snapped open, and I felt the now familiar rush as my mind adjusted to this new reality.
For the last time.
I calmed myself down and stretched, looking around the room. This was it. This was my real home.
It looked to be a small apartment. One bedroom, one bathroom, tiny kitchen. It would do. I did all of my usual steps of checking for phone passcodes and bank accounts. Everything seemed good. I had full access, had money and food and everything I needed to survive. I nodded to myself, and looked for a coffee place nearby. I needed that cappuccino, after all.
The little coffee shop was crowded, but cute. I ordered a cappuccino and a croissant and sat at a table, losing myself in my phone as I familiarized myself with my situation in this world. I didn’t even notice when someone stepped up to my table. “Excuse me, is this seat taken?”
My heart leapt into my throat. The voice was familiar. Too familiar to be a coincidence. I didn’t want to look. It can’t be, I thought. It just can’t.
“Sorry to bother you,” the voice went on, “but I come here to write every Tuesday and Thursday and it’s always super packed. But the wifi is free and the croissants are so so good and the coffee is pretty cheap.” I swallowed hard, and looked up to see familiar wavy brown hair, and met her beautiful, kind, green eyes. Eyes that I never thought I would see again. My mouth opened, but no sound came out. She sat down across from me and stuck her hand out to shake.
“My name’s Katherine, by the way, but you can call me Kat. Nice to meet you!”
Something told me that I was in trouble. And I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
Note from the author
If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading the Most Beautiful End. This is really my first foray into this longer form fiction. I’ve really enjoyed writing it, and I hope you’ve enjoyed reading it! I put a lot of myself and my own emotions into this story. The lesson that you’re meant to take away from it is something that I had to learn the hard way, and this story is my way of getting those feelings out and connecting with my own emotions. It’s been a journey to finish this story. I’m not done writing though, for sure. I still have more short stories to write, and more longer stories. If you liked Most Beautiful End, please don’t hesitate to check out some of my other writing! I recently uploaded a story called Body and Soul that I think you might like, and there’s plenty more on the way.
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