The Proposed Prophecies
Chapter 33: THE GOODBYE

Later on that day, the last aircraft had been filled with Alters in Miami airport. Liv watched them walking up the long metal stair case and the people in the crowd clapped their hands. She thought of the steps of the reestablishment, its rules about brainwashing and her signature on it. She exhaled deeply and looked at the aircraft, which was massive and shaped in a circle. She stood right beside the stairs when she saw Jake walking towards her, his hands in cuffs and each step followed by a guard behind him. She wasn’t sure what would happen to him now that he was accused of the murder of his father, Axel. His arrogant walk made her roll her eyes but when she saw Tommy and Ashley run up to him, hugging him tightly, she realized that there were things he had never faked. He knelt down but was unable to return their hugs as his hands were in cuffs. Tommy and Ashley cried, begging him not to leave. “I promise I will come back one day.” Tommy had his little arms wrapped around his neck and the tears were rolling down his puffy cheeks. She saw her mother Helena stepping in and urging Tommy and Ashley to step out of the way, to let the Alters leave.

“I guess I have lost the fight,” Jake got up, looked into her eyes and paused. She was unable to say anything back but she agreed. He had lost his fight. The plan had been so thoughtfully arranged and yet Axel was one step ahead with the addendum, without being certain about what exactly would happen in the future.

“I wish you could forgive me,” he whispered and she looked into the crowd of people where she saw Ashley still being pulled by Helena and Tommy in her arms crying. “I love you and I always will, no matter what happens in the future and despite what happened in the past,” he said as the Alter guard pushed him to move.

“Wait.” She ordered and the guard stopped. She walked to Jake, facing him for the last time. “I forgive you Jake. But you can’t return, ever,” she whispered and he nodded. She truly meant it. She wanted to move on, and she forgave him but she wanted to forget him at the same time. “Move!” the guard pushed him again and they passed her by. It was hard to look at him walking up into the aircraft. The Alters might sentence him to death, she thought. She exhaled and felt sadness, despite a lingering feeling of betrayal. But no matter how much she wanted to hate him for all that he had done, she couldn’t. He was still the guy that made her knees tremble and her cheeks burn with his dark stare.

The Alters followed groups into the ship. She even saw Joann who winked as she walked by. “This is not goodbye, L.!” she said and Liv rolled her eyes. Suddenly she felt Carmen’s hand on her shoulder. “She duped me pretty well,” Carmen said implying Joann. She looked at Liv who laughed. Carmen wasn’t the only one who thought that way. Jake had done the same to her. “I think they both got us pretty well.“ She said and hugged Carmen. She was glad that Carmen was alright. “I lost you the day you passed out. I was not allowed to go inside the room with you and the doctor. They told me you were pregnant and ….” Carmen didn’t finish her sentence but hugged her tighter instead. “I am sorry about your baby.”

Liv was unable to answer. She was scared that she would burst into tears just thinking about it. It was a strange bond she had felt with the baby she never got to hold. “Me too.” She whispered.

The last two Alters to board were Evan and Eve. Her heart ached as she saw him approaching. He smiled at her and she smiled back, trying to keep the tears back. “Can I have a goodbye hug?” Evan stopped and Carmen slowly stepped back and gently placed her hand on Liv’s back and pushed her closer to Evan.

Evan’s warm hug made her smile and cry and the same time. “You will be the best leader of them all Evan,” she said and felt his arms tighten around her. “So will you,” he whispered. She was afraid to let him go. She might never see him again, she thought. His arms slowly left her body, leaving the coldness behind despite the hot sunny day. “Goodbye Liv,” he said and she tried to smile but it was harder to fake it than she thought. “Let’s keep moving, my dear.” Eve urged Evan and held on to his arm just like she had done in Miami when Liv had seen them together in front of his apartment complex. “Goodbye Evan,” she said quietly and wiped her tears. She watched him walking onto the aircraft. He turned back once his foot had left the last stair. She felt Tommy hugging her waist. “Why are all these people leaving?” he asked and Liv placed her hand on top of his head. “Their time here has come to an end and they have to go home now.” Liv wiped her tears completely, trying to avoid crying in front of Tommy. “I don’t want them to leave,” Tommy said. “Me neither,” she whispered.

“Liv!” she heard Becky’s voice coming from the crowd as it slowly moved closer. She was breathing as if she had run a marathon. “I heard the good news,” she yelled and hugged Liv. “What good news?” Liv asked as she spotted a doctor talking to Eve in the entry of the air craft. “That you are in charge, silly! You are the boss and I can be your assistant.” Liv still could hear Becky’s voice but the doctor kept her attention. She was holding something in her hands. She couldn’t see far but it looked like the doctor was holding a baby the same way you hold a newborn. “Liv?” Becky said but Liv couldn’t answer as a strange feeling brushed through her body. The door to the aircraft was closing and Liv’s eyes were unable to leave the doctor, who suddenly looked back. “Something is wrong,” she said and wanted to run to the door but someone grabbed her arm, stopping her. She looked back and saw her mother Helena. “Let them leave, honey,” Helena said and Liv spotted her father, Christopher, nearby. His face looked sad as he stood behind Helena. “We still have a lot of work to do.” Helena added, indicating her head towards the infected dying people beyond the wall of Miami. “You have people and leftover Alters that need your leadership.” She turned around slowly and started to walk. “Who told you the baby had died? Did you see it with your own eyes?” Liv asked as Helena stopped. “Eve told me, of course. And yes. I did see a dead baby.” She turned back, looking into Liv’s eyes. “Your baby is dead, Liv. I know it’s hard to believe, but it is the truth.” Helena stepped back and placed her hand on Liv’s cheek. Liv thought Helena would never lie to her about this. She exhaled and wiped her eyes.

“Let’s go, honey. The people are waiting,” Helena said and Liv nodded her head in agreement. As they walked away, Liv looked back at the aircraft as it started to raise above the clouds, into the sky, from where she still could see it moving further and further away. She wondered if she would ever see them again.

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