"So. Thomas."

Tommy, dad, and I were all sitting together at the dining table, each of us enjoying our dinner...for the most part. Dad was doing a lot of questioning, probably because he didn't expect me to choose someone.

"Yes sir?"

"My daughter is the one woman who you'll want to share your life with?"

"Yes sir. She...she just caught my attention from the moment that door opened. Time froze when I saw her for the first time. Your youngest is a gorgeous woman, sir. But, she is more than just her looks. She showed me around today and I got to know her personality better. I've never been more in love."

He gave my hand a longing kiss before letting it go. Even though he was acting, it felt somewhat...nice.

"Well, I'm glad to hear it. We shouldn't waste any time for you two to go ahead and get married.

"I agree, dad. You know, you said that Lizzy and Emilia would meet Tommy at our family dinner later this week, but I have another idea. Why don't we just get married later this week instead? To hurry things along, that is."

"You want to get married this week?"

"Mhm."

He looked at Tommy, who gave him a simple smile in return. Then my dad sighed. He let out a long, heavy sigh as if he had just gone done doing a full day's work.

"...Weddings...typically take longer than a week to plan."

"That's if they're big and fancy. Ours doesn't need to be big and fancy, right Tommy?"

"She's right."

"Okay then Ember, what were you thinking?"

"I say we keep it small. I don't know too many people, so it wouldn't matter if they came to our wedding or not. We can have it in our backyard because of its size and-"

"And what about your dress? It'll take more than a week for all the proper fabrics to be imported-"

"Dad, I don't need any of that fancy stuff."

"Well, I'm not letting you wear something cheap."

"I won't. I'll...um. I'll figure it out."

"I have a suggestion."

"Yeah?"

"Wear her dress."

"...Mom's?"

"Yes. You're just around the same size she was when she wore it. I think that it'd fit you perfectly."

"...But that dress is one of a kind, isn't it? Like it's shimmer. Mom loved sparkly things so she wanted her dress to be sparkly too."

"Right. Everything was made in her eyes, from the sleeves to the skirt. She designed it all. She didn't even let me peek at any of the designs, not until our wedding day came around. The memories we made on that day are my second favorite."

"What's your first?"

"When my daughters were born. Ember, I want you to know how proud I am of you. You deciding to get married means that you're just one step closer to becoming a proper lady like your sisters."

Ha! If only he knew.

"Yep."

I pushed myself away from the table.

"I'm full, so I'll leave you two to talk for a little while. In the meantime, I'm going to see if I can find mom's dress."

"It's in the closet. In a white box."

"White box in the closet. Got it."

I felt a little bad for leaving Tommy there by himself, but I had to get out of there before dad went on about his "proper lady" stuff. Besides, I didn't think that dad would be too harsh on Tommy since he's the only guy to propose to me anyway. I traveled upstairs to my parents' room, where they always used to stay since the mansion was built. Like dad's office, their bedroom had a blue and gold theme, with the furniture in the room remaining the same for as long as I've been alive. A framed photograph of my parents on their wedding day sat on a nightstand, which instantly caught my eye. I picked it up with a sigh, wanting nothing more than to have Ellie tell me her perspective on the day once again. She told me so many times about how she was swept off her feet. She always said she felt like she was living in a fairytale, and the way she was smiling in the photograph proved it.

"I hope you don't mind me borrowing your dress," I laughed. "Dad said I might as well. I don't think that I'll be nearly as beautiful as you were in it, though."

I went into the closet in search of the box, which didn't take me long to find. Once I opened it, the familiar fabrics of the dress greeted me, as if I were saying hello to an old friend.

"That's a beautiful dress."

Tommy's voice nearly made me drop it.

"Tommy!"

"Huh?"

"You're supposed to be down there! Not up here! And how'd you even know where to find me?"

"I asked around. The staff is really nice around here, you know. I hope they're paid well."

"They are."

"Good. And I didn't abandon your dad, either. Not like how you abandoned me down there. He had business to tend to."

"Hm, like always. And I didn't abandon you."

"Yes, you did."

"Wh-okay well for your information, if I didn't leave, my dad would've just gone on and on about how I need to become a proper lady. I don't feel like listening to yet another speech."

"You won't have to listen to them for much longer. After all, we are getting married this week."

He began to glide his hand across the dress, but I smacked it away.

"You can't look or touch! It's bad luck."

"Seriously? Do you believe in that?"

"My mom did."

"Well-"

That's when his eyes landed on the photograph. His expression turned stunned, as if he couldn't believe what he was looking at.

"Ellie Robertson is your mother!?"

"Kinda."

"What do you mean, kinda? That's her right there, I'm sure of it."

"Yeah."

"...And...did you never plan on telling me this?"

"I didn't think it mattered. It's not like we're marrying for love anyway."

"Fair enough. But I can see why your dad is...the way he is. He wants you safe. Especially since your mom was so famous. You don't look anything like her, though."

"You don't think so?"

I picked up the photograph and held it next to my face.

"I'd say that we're twins."

"You two are not twins," he chuckled. "But she does have a slight smile on her face. It looks a lot like yours."

"...Yeah. My sisters are the ones that look more like her. You'll get to meet them soon."

"And speaking of meeting things soon," he began to say, clapping his hands together. "We have a city to meet soon, don't we?"

"We do. Just give me a few minutes to get ready."

"Alright. Once you're done getting ready, go outside with your horse. I'll meet up with you at the front of the mansion, but don't go past the guards stationed there until I give you a signal."

"And what signal would that be?"

He showed me his hand, revealing the golden band on his finger.

"This one."

"Let me guess, you plan on bragging about how we're engaged to them?"

"Maybe something along those lines, yes. I plan on telling them how I managed to steal the heart of the woman who was diagnosed with ghostskinfluenza."

"Okay, now that you say it, it does sound a little made up."

"I can't believe you fooled those other idiots who came before I did."

"I'm a good actress."

"I guess you are."

"...Give me thirty minutes."

Even though I agreed to sneak out to see Midnightsville with him, I felt like a nervous wreck. I was both excited and…scared. All because I’ve been sheltered in this mansion for the majority of my life. Things had to change, though. There was no way I was going to continue to allow myself to be afraid of stepping out. Going out of my comfort zone is what I do best. I had no intentions of backing out. Especially now, when I had Tommy’s help. So I slipped out of my dress and put on the type of clothes I adored the most-a simple shirt and pants, along with my favorite, and most comfortable, pair of brown boots. Then I decided to put my hair in a singular braid, making sure it went all the way down before slinging it across my shoulder. After that, I heard a knock at my door, but I assumed it was Tommy so I didn’t bother looking out as I opened my bedroom door.

“Hey, is something wrong? I thought you said that you’d be outside with the guards-”

“With the guards for what reason?”

The sound of Margaret’s voice stopped me dead in my tracks. I had to think of something. Fast.

“Sorry Margaret, I thought you were Tommy. He’s going to talk with the guards to let them know that we’ll be wandering about tonight.”

“Ember, we both know that’s a lie.”

“It’s not-”

“Where are you going? And be honest with me this time.”

“I’m going out, Margaret.”

“Out where?”

“Out…side. I’m going outside to see Onyx.”

“Do you need me to accompany you?”

“No.”

“…Alright then. I just wanted to check up on you considering that earlier you were…well. You know. And now all of a sudden you’re engaged and planning out this wedding and…I wanted to make sure that you’re doing okay, that’s all.”

I believe that Margaret always had a soft spot for me, especially since I was the youngest daughter. She was more than just a maid to our family, and she really did care about us. Sometimes, however, it felt like she cared a little too much.

"I'm doing okay," I said, smiling at her to give her reassurance. "Tommy's a good guy. I like him, and that's why I chose him. We're actually about to go out in a few minutes."

"This late?"

I gave her a look.

"Okay okay," she laughed. "I understand that you two need some alone time. Just make sure that you're careful. And if he ever does anything to you, remember your training."

"I doubt that dad even wants me to remember it anymore. I still can't believe he dismissed Julius."

"He only did it because he wants you to become more of a lady, that's all. And you've been tough ever since you were little. You don't need training anymore. You know, when you were six, you were kicked pretty badly by a horse. You probably don't even remember it."

"I don't."

"That's not surprising. After the horse kicked you, you had to rest for a long while, and your parents were worried sick about you. They thought you were close to passing away. But, miraculously, after only a day of resting in bed, you were right back to your normal self. You should've died from that kick. But somehow you stayed alive."

"...That's...incredible. I can't believe nobody told me that."

"Your parents were terrified enough as it is. They didn't want to talk about that moment ever again."

"That makes sense. What happened to the horse, though? Did they give it away?"

"...Let's just say that horse meat was eaten for supper the next day."

"Margaret!"

"What? You know how much your father loves meat. He's practically a carnivore."

"He is, I agree."

"Mhm. And you have plenty of other near-death experiences as well, some of them I don't even know about. So please don't let tonight be another near-death experience, Ember. Come back home safe."

"Wh-I never told you that I was leaving the mansion-"

"You didn't have to tell me."

"...Are you going to tell dad?"

"Not if you come back home safe. Promise me you will."

"I promise."

"Then go have fun. Oh, and be careful with Tommy, please. I know you two are engaged now but you did just meet. If something feels off about him, don't be afraid to-"

"Nothing is off about Tommy," I laughed. "He's a good guy. And you know I can defend myself when necessary."

"Mhm. Carry your gun."

"I will!"

And how could I forget? My lovely pistol, which I left sitting on top of my dresser. Once I grabbed it and everything else I needed, I left to go find Onyx, who was probably asleep in the stall I left her in earlier. Onyx was my everything. I remember seeing her for the first time. I received her right after Ellie passed. At first, I didn't want her. But dad told me she was an Arabian horse. Ellie's horse was an Arabian horse. Her horse had a black coat, just like the one Onyx has. Onyx was like her twin. And, with time, she grew on me. Now we're bonded. She can feel my presence even if I'm nowhere near her. That's why I wasn't surprised when I saw her perk up when she saw me walk up to her stall.

"Ready to go on an adventure?"

She neighed loudly as if she knew we were about to get into some trouble.

"Come on."

I hastily put on her gear, trying my best to not make Tommy wait on me even more. Once I got everything settled, I went ahead and rode her to where Tommy told me to meet up with him. His expression brightened a bit once he saw us coming his way.

"I almost thought you weren't coming."

"Oh come on, really? We're engaged and you thought that your future wife wouldn't want to sneak out in the middle of the night? You must not know me as well as I thought you did..."

"I'm sorry, I wasn't sure how the symptoms of ghostskinfluenza would make you think."

"Can you let that go already?"

"Never."

"Ugh."

His eyes wandered from me to Onyx.

"That's an expensive horse."

"And she's worth every penny. What breed is yours?"

"Ah, Frankie...he's a Mustang."

Tommy gave Frankie a nice, solid pat on his copper-brown coat, making sure to add in a little rub by his dark mane.

"I found him a while back. Well-I say that I found him-but he actually found me. I was wandering through some fields and...there he was. He was cautious of me, of course, but after I gave him time to trust me we became good friends. He's tough as nails."

"How sweet."

"Yeah. Alright now here's the deal. I'm going to distract the guards, and I'll make sure they'll have their backs turned away. When I give you the signal, I want you and..."

"Onyx."

"Yes, you and Onyx to ride like the wind toward Midnightsville. I'll catch up with you guys eventually. Sounds good?"

"Sounds wonderful."

"Great. Wait here."

So I waited. I peeked around the corner to watch him, curious to see what he planned on telling the guards.

"I'm just surprised nobody has proposed to her yet," I heard Tommy comment. "Sure she's...a handful at times. But she's absolutely gorgeous. Inside and out."

"She is beautiful."

"I agree."

"I'm glad y'all think so because I got these golden rings...here, let me show you. Come closer."

"Ah, we really shouldn't-"

"It'll only take a minute I promise. It ain't like something gonna happen out here anyway. All the crime is in the city, no?"

"...We'll let you have a minute. No more."

They turned their backs.

"Ah...hold on a second, I can't really catch the gleam of it from this angle. Let me hold it up to the moonlight."

He raised his hand up. Oh! The signal! I sped off like I had nothing left to lose. I could hear the guards yell from behind me, but by then it was already too late.

"I'll get em, don't you worry!" Was the last thing I heard Tommy say. I guess he was planning on "catching" me, though I was already several meters ahead of him. I never knew that running away from home like that could feel so...freeing. Like I was a prisoner who just escaped jail. I couldn't help but laugh. Joy ran through my body just like how Onyx was running down the path leading to Midnightsville. I knew eventually that I had to slow down, however, so I found a safe spot for us to settle and wait for Tommy to find us.

"GOTCHA!"

I yelped at the feel of his arms grabbing my waist.

"Don't do that!"

"What? I told those guards I would grab you. I ain't a liar."

"Yes, you are. You talked about these golden rings as if they're made of the rarest type of gold in the world. And the way you complimented me was-"

"I was being honest. Nothing I said was a lie."

"...Oh."

"Ah, but these rings are one of a kind, according to my friend who sold them to me. His shop is right in the heart of the city. It was either that golden ring with that sparkling diamond in the middle or a silver one. He told me most ladies prefer gold so I-"

"I actually prefer silver."

"Really?"

"Yeah-but it doesn't matter anyway, it's not like we're actually-"

"If you want a silver ring I can get you a silver ring."

"Tommy, it's not a big deal."

"Maybe not, but if we want this marriage to seem like it's real, I have to know what your preferences are. So if you prefer silver, you'll get silver. Plus, my friend sells a bunch of other things as well. You may find something that catches your eye."

"...Well...a souvenir wouldn't hurt."

"It wouldn't at all. Now follow me and be careful. The beggars around this city can be extremely persistent."

I didn't hesitate to follow him through the city. Midnightsville. It felt unreal as our horses trotted past the welcome sign, and we were greeted with all the sights, smells, and sounds that the city had to offer. People bustled through the cobblestone streets, each with their own unique style of clothing, some poorer, some richer. Darkly-painted trolleys moved through the centers of the streets, stopping every now and then to allow the people to board and depart. To our sides, people shouted to grab the attention of others, attempting to make a sale with whatever goods they had. There were general stores, saloons, barber shops, tailors, ice cream parlors, and theaters all lit up with glimmering lights that shined like the stars above us. No wonder mom loved this place. It was incredible.

"Down this way."

We turned toward an alley. A dark, suspicious-looking alley. Onyx paused for a moment before entering, obviously feeling cautious of the area.

"I know it, girl," I whispered to her. "I brought my gun with me, so don't you worry."

Once we got to the end of the alley, poorer-appearing people-most of them with dirt and grime on their rag-like clothing, stared at us as if we were foreigners. We went around another corner before Tommy decided to hop off his horse.

"This is it. The back door is over there."

"I thought you said your friend's shop was in the heart of the city."

"It is. ...Just...in the hidden part of the heart. But don't worry, this place is safe. You have nothing to fear."

"For you it's safe because you're a man with big ol' man muscles."

"You have muscles too. More than most women I've seen. But trust me, Ember, I won't let anything happen to you. You have my word."

He offered me his hand. Of course, I took it. I trusted him. Even if I barely knew him. So after I hopped off of Onyx, we both walked into his friend's store together and instantly met with random antiques scattered all across unorganized shelves. I saw mostly decoration items, with a few pieces of jewelry here and there. Surprisingly, there were other customers inside, them dressed in better clothing compared to the people outside of the store.

"No refunds!" I heard a man shout. That had to be the store owner. "Sorry, not sorry!"

"Milo!"

The man who shouted peeked his head past a wall after hearing his name. He was a skinny man who looked like he had no pounds of muscle anywhere on his body. His brown hair was slicked back with what looked like so much hair grease that it shined every time he moved his head. His outfit was simple-a vest and bow tie, along with some dark pants and shoes that needed to be shined. But his glasses were the icing on the cake, with the lenses enlarging his eyes so much it made me wonder what size his eyes actually were.

"Ah! Tommy! How do you do?"

"I'm doing just fine, and I'm with-"

"You proposed to her!? Wow, ain't she pretty."

"Thank you," I laughed. "This shop of yours is..."

"Messy, yes I know, I'll reorganize it sometime this week. Now tell me, how is that ring? Is it a perfect fit?"

"Somehow it is, and he didn't even know my ring size."

"Then it's meant to be, isn't it? Tommy, why are you back? You know I don't give refunds."

"I know, Milo. I was hoping to trade the ring out because my fiance here is more of a silver type of woman."

"Ah...I see it."

"Plus, she hasn't been in Midnightsville in...well, it's been a while. I was hoping to find her something memorable in here."

"Ah. Excuse me, ma'am, what's your last name?"

"Evans."

"Well, Ms. Evans, I have plenty of options for you to choose from. Necklaces, brooches, bracelets-"

"Do you have any revolvers?"

Everyone went silent as soon as I asked that. Maybe I said that a bit too loudly.

"R-revolvers? You use guns?"

"On occasion, yeah. I have my pistol with me right now, but I've been looking for something else to have. You know, for self-defense."

"Well, who needs self-defense when you have your future husband here with you, hm? He's got all kinds of muscle. I bet if I threw a punch at him-"

"Milo, you'd mess up your hand trying to punch me. Please don't do it."

"...I won't."

"I don't like depending on men."

"...You're not like the other women I've met. Tommy, you got yourself a special one. And for that, I think I'll give her a special offer."

He pulled a box from behind the shelf he was standing by. It looked like a basic box, nothing more. But once he opened it, he revealed a shiny, uniquely engraved silver revolver that had a dark wooden finish at the grip. I nearly let out a gasp.

"It's a double-action, specially crafted. It has a longer barrel for a better range and can hold up to six bullets before you'd have to reload. The engravings were made by some mysterious artist but...they did quite a job, don't you think? I mean, the floral patterns are just incredible."

"I'll take it. How much?"

"One dollar."

"What?"

"You heard me correctly. I'll sell you the gun for one dollar."

I looked over at Tommy, who gave me a simple nod at my confusion. "I'd take the deal if I were you, Ember."

"O-okay then. Deal."

I slapped a dollar on the counter. Milo slid the revolver over to me.

"Consider this as a welcome-back gift, my friend. Is there anything else you'd like? Are you a wig-wearer? I have plenty of wigs in the back."

"Uh-"

"I'll just go ahead and exchange this ring," Tommy coughed. "Do you still have the silver version?"

"I do, hang on."

While they were doing that, I decided to go swap my guns out.

"Tommy, I'll be right outside. I'm just going to put my older gun in Onyx's saddlebag."

"Alright, I'll be in here if you need anything."

I didn't think much about what I was doing. I only planned on being out for a quick minute, nothing more. Something was off about our environment, however. Onyx could sense it. Her body was tense the entire time we were outside of that shop. She knew something I didn't.

"Onyx?"

She let out a few huffs, indicating that she was stressed about something.

"Don't worry girl. We'll be out of here soon. I don't like the feeling of this place either, trust me. But after we leave here we can check out the other parts of the city, hm? We can go get some ice cream. Don't tell dad I plan on sharing with you though."

That's when I heard it. Some deep boom somewhere off in the distance. Thunder. I couldn't believe it was going to thunderstorm during the one night I decided to sneak out.

"I should go let Tommy know it's about to storm," I sighed. "It was fun out here while it lasted. At least I got to see the city again."

"And tonight will be the last time you see it," a man's voice said out of nowhere. Before I could even blink, I was blindfolded. I could feel my arms being tied with rope behind my back. I was so overwhelmed by the feeling that I couldn't even think straight-which meant that I couldn't think of how to defend myself.

"We know who you are," I heard another man chuckle. "Ember Evans. You were just in the right place at the right time, weren't you sweetheart?"

"You have no right to call me sweetheart!"

I was answered back with a sharp kick in the stomach. Gosh. These men were insane.

"What do you even want from me? I have nothing."

"Liar! You have everything you could ever want and more inside that big mansion of yours! But we don't want a thing from you, princess. It's what we want from your dad that matters."

"What could he offer to you that would make you go through all this effort? Money? He has plenty, he is a successful businessman-"

"Is that what he told you? Frank!"

"What, Reggie?"

"She thinks her dad is a businessman!"

"Well, he is ain't he? Just not the nice type of businessman."

"I guess you're right."

Hearing the way they talked about my dad made me sick to my stomach. I hoped that they were talking about the wrong guy.

"So are we taking her down to the bridge or what?"

"I still don't know...boss said we should wait."

"Who cares? He won't know it's us that took her if we hurry. Besides, I'm tired of waiting. I want my money now. And the sooner we break her daddy, the better."

"Alright then, if you insist."

The next thing I felt was me being thrown onto the back of what felt like the rear end of one of their horses. They tried to calm Onyx down, but she wasn't having it. I knew that Tommy would've heard her cries if she kept on.

"Come on, Reggie. Her horse won't shut up."

"Make it shut up, then!"

"I'm trying! We should just go. The sooner we get to that bridge, the better. Plus, it's gonna storm real bad, so we should hurry on."

"Alright, alright."

We were on the move. I tried to shout for Tommy, but one of the men knocked me hard in the head every time I tried to let a single word out. I had to assume that we were moving through alleys because there was absolutely no way they could get by the main streets with a woman blindfolded right next to them. I could hear the thunder start to close in on its distance, feeling its vibrations even as I was on the back of some random guy's horse. We eventually slowed down to a stop, and I was thrown off the horse and onto what felt like...train tracks.

"Wakey wakey," one of them giggled. When he removed my blindfold, I was finally able to get a good look at one of them. He was dressed like he was of the lower class, with an outfit filled with plenty of holes and a gapped-tooth smile that showed signs of decay. His partner in crime, Reggie, I think, had the same look, though Reggie had shaggy, dark hair and Frank had blonde curly hair.

"Aw, you sure are gorgeous, ain't ya? How about this, if you decide to marry me, I'll let ya off the hook."

"No thanks, I'm already engaged."

I looked around. We were on one of the bridges leading up to the city, but this one in particular was high. Incredibly high. I didn't have a fear of heights, but being stuck on it made me feel queasy. It didn't help that I was tied up either.

"Well, we might as well get married. Ain't nobody here to come rescue ya."

"I don't need anyone to rescue me."

"Oh yeah? Go ahead and untie yourself then, sweetheart. Don't be afraid to take your time."

"Frank," Reggie hissed. "Let's go ahead and get this over with before somebody notices us on the tracks. Or before a train comes."

"So what do you wanna do? Let her get run over? Or throw her off?"

"I'm thinkin'."

"Think faster, dimwit!"

I let them argue. They were distracting themselves plenty. Plus, the more they argued, the more it began to rain. After about five minutes, we were all soaking wet. I would've complained if the water hadn't helped me loosen up my hands.

"And another thing! I'm a better man than you'll ever be! And boss-"

"When boss finds out what we did, he'll kill us, Frank! He'll kill us all!"

"I'll kill you alright."

I heard a gun cock behind me. But that voice...it sounded... familiar.

"...Tommy?"

It was him. He looked like a mess. His hair was all over the place, his clothes soaked like ours. He looked pissed. Real angry. His eyes were unrecognizable compared to the friendly look they had hours earlier.

"...They're...they're your men!?"

"They're idiots. Get behind me."

"Why should I!? Why should I trust you?"

"This wasn't how things were supposed to happen, Ember."

"And how were things supposed to happen!? I can't believe how gullible we are, letting a gang leader into our home! What was your plan, to gain our trust and rob us blind!?"

I stood up and threw the rope at him in frustration.

"You're sick!"

"Ember, listen to me. I know I seem like the bad guy right now. But I promise you, I am not the bad guy. Your dad...he's not who he says he is, Ember."

"You're lying. My dad...he's got his issues, sure. We all do. But he's not a bad man."

"Ember-"

I felt something cool press against my head right then and there. I knew what it was instantly. I was going to be shot. I should've known from the beginning. All I could think of was the mansion at that point. Dad was right. I never should've left.

"You went against the plan," Tommy sighed, extreme tiredness in his voice. "We were going to be rich if you would just be patient. I had things under control. I have his blessing. We were going to marry, and I was going to let her go."

"No, you wouldn't have, Tommy. I can already see it in your eyes. This woman isn't like the rest. You-"

"You are losing your doggone mind, Reggie! Have you forgotten your place!? Do I have to remind you once again that I was the one who got you and Frank back on y'all's feet? You two had seven cents to your name, do you remember that?"

"I-"

"Do you remember that!?"

"Y-yes but-"

"And this is how you repay me. You think you know what's best but you have no idea what you're doing."

"Killing her now would weaken him!"

"And is that your decision to make? To kill her? Or is it mine?"

"...You're not always right about everything, Tommy. You think you know everything, but you don't. Killing her will be the best decision."

"If you shoot her, I'll shoot you."

"Then I won’t shoot her."

After he said that, I felt a push. One, hard shove that threw me enough to fall over the edge. I gasped as I fell, fearing the worst for my life. The thought of death filled my head as I fell, hearing the sound of gunshots firing as I continued down the bridge. So many emotions ran through my body at once. Fear. Pain. Confusion. Sadness. All of it at once just filled my head. All I could do was reach up to the sky, desperate to be saved by something. It only took me seconds to hit the water. My body went numb the moment my back slammed against the surface, and I began to sink toward the bottom, unable to feel a single thing in my body. That's when, out of nowhere, some kind of miracle happened. Lightning struck. I felt this electric pulse run through my body as I continued to sink, but at least I could feel something. I opened my eyes to see a blur above me. After what seemed like a while, I could feel something pull me upward and above the surface. I couldn't tell what it was. I couldn't tell who it was. All I could do was feel. I was being carried away, and eventually laid to the ground where the mysterious figure examined me.

"Ember."

"...Tommy?"

I was starting to gain my vision back. It was mostly blurry, but I could figure out that it was Tommy who was holding me because of his voice.

“Thank goodness you’re alive.”

I wanted to push him away. He might’ve saved me from the water, sure, but I wasn’t about to thank him for it. Especially after his men were the ones responsible for me being there in the first place. But I felt weak. Exhausted. I had no choice but to rest my eyes. I couldn’t keep them open anymore. The last thing I remembered about that night was Tommy holding me close-as if we were an actual couple. I didn’t know whether I wanted to “marry” him or not anymore. I just wanted to go home.