Chapter 8: Sweet Past

Memories of the past flooded her deranged mind. The happy face Annie whenever Beth had candies for her and the child would run to her and hug her as thank you. And the shy look of Luther when he abashedly accepted the car toy she gave him. Or the smile to ears of Martin when he held in his arms the latest manga of Naruto as her present when she had an interview in Japan.

Beth was their aunt as well as the person who knew their favorites more than their parents did. Even if busy, she would call them one by one every week to have a chat. If her time were hectic, she would still find a few minutes to hear their voices.

They were the closest to a family she never had.

In those maddening times, their words kept her sane, and their wishes and blessings kept her going. When she was so sad about being alone and no one to talk to, the sweet voice of Annie comforted her, the harsh words of Luther soothed her, and the mature advice of Martin lighted her decisions.

She was thankful that she got three more angels who rebuilt her sky and walked her land when she lost her Skywalker.

Perhaps, she was not angry with the whole family. Maybe it was all Theresa's fault. Beth suddenly felt remorse and guilt. Her arctic aura was gradually thawing as the kids' usual friendly smile was seen once again. "Come. We can be a family. Me, Luke, and you three, we will be happy," the family was speechless, their mind a mess.

'What? Hadn't they shot dead my daddy? What is Auntie Beth talking about?' Seeing the bemused and perplexed faces, the reporter told them.

"He is not dead. He is just there..." as Beth turned her head and pointed towards the living room, she saw a silhouette of a tied man holding something shiny and hopping fast towards them with muffled noises.

Before she could finish her sentence, a fountain of blood gushed out, painting her view. 

Suddenly, she felt weak and mouth agape. She could not help but look down. There, she saw a six-inch knife puncture her body. At the fifth intercostal space, right at the position of her heart.

Though feeling tired, she lifted her pained face and saw the person who stabbed her. The acute loss of blood blurred her vision, but even without clear sight, she knew the visage of his dream man.

From the illumination given by the lightning reflected on the knife, albeit unclean and full of blood, she can still clearly see the chiseled face of the man she always saw in her dreams, the man who was with her from their childhood till now. That man is her Skywalker and her source of strength, and that man currently possesses eyes she never saw before, not even once. Eyes that are capable of killing. Eyes she never knew could appear in the man she loves.

Bing and her goons were so shocked. It went so fast they were not able to stop Luke.

Her hands found their ways and removed the gag in Luke's mouth. She feebly caressed the face and looked directly into his eyes as her weight leaned into his body.

Her lips were now smiling, for she saw the face of the man she wanted to see for the last time. She knew it was the end, the previous closing shot.

She took this moment to paint the face she wished she would never forget into her soul. Even though she tasted the flavor of rustiness in her mouth, her smile was truly genuine.

For those few moments, Luke realized what he had done to his 'younger sister.' The weakened Beth could no longer support her weight, as the gravity pulled her down and Luke with her. 

The bloodshed eyes reverted to normal as tears flowed endlessly, and his now unblocked mouth and said, "I am... I am sorry, Beth. I'm truly sorry," Luke tried to embrace his childhood friend and put pressure on the wound. But he could not.

His hands and feet are tied, and he can only hold the knife, which was already thrown away.

He tried so hard to remove the ties, but no matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn't.

Beth kept quiet for a few seconds, cherishing simple moments, before her quivering lips spoke, "It's okay. I should apologize to you and...huh huh... to the kids." Her eyes are clouding her view, but she does not care as the only person she wants in the world is just right before her eyes. She inhaled deeply as pain scrunched her smiling face and continued after a forced swallow, "Now go. Rescue your... huh huh... family, my Skywalker." her voice thinned out as blood trickled the side of her mouth and one last tear escaped her eyes.

"NO!!!" the thunder could not defeat the sound of anguish—the anguish built upon a time, friendship, and endless sweetness and bitterness of pure love.

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Everyone in the room chose to be silent.

The happenings were so fast that Raul and Councilor Bing had no time to call an ambulance or help Beth. They did not even expect that the tied and unconscious Luke could stand up, find a knife, and stab Beth. “We are so dead," both of them thought at the same time.

Congressman Lazaro spent a lot of time persuading this successful and serious reporter to work in secret for him on his way to politics. And in all of his accomplishments, Beth has a part to it and the tilting factor in winning his elections most of the time. Later on, to strengthen their connection, although quite old, the congressman wooed her.

At that time, Beth still loves Luke, so she said okay to Congressman Lazaro, but on one condition, "This will be kept as a secret, only to be told to the people of our circle." And the Congressman nodded.

That was why Beth could ask for Luke's safety regardless of what was previously planned. He was just tied, and after all of these are gone, she will marry the congressman to assure the man of power her staunchest support in the upcoming election.

She and Luke will leave and have her fantasy life. Or so she imagined.

She was selling her soul to a demon for the man of her dreams—what a fair trade.

Sweat dripped out of their pores as nervousness consumed them. "What are we going to do?" asked Raul.

Bing has a nasty expression, and her smile turns into grit. Her hopes of running for Vice Mayor all drained down the sink. She looked into Raul and said word per word between her gritted teeth, "Kill... all... of... THEM!"

-----

"Come on, Beth. Faster, or we're going to lose this last chance. Today is your birthday, and I want to see the movie Star Wars especially Luke Skywalker," an excited young boy motivated her friend. Still, upon seeing her gasping for air, he smilingly said and extended his right hand, "Hold my hand for the force is with us."

The young girl immediately grasped the helping hand. "Yes, my Skywalker," she muttered under her breath as they ran along and entered the river of force.

------

Martin and his siblings were glad to see their father, and Theresa was so delighted she could not speak a word. Her eyes smiled for her when she looked at Luke.

After seeing his family safe, Luke laid Beth's body down slowly using his own body and crawled towards his family. Tears and bits of snots combined with his emotions. He was so afraid that his actions put his family in danger and possibly dead—really dead.

But before he could fully reach his destination, a strong pair of hands held him down and knees pressed on his neck. In his peripheral view, he can see his family wailing again and begging. The strong people of Bing also held them.

Time stopped once again. The sonorous sounds of nature drowned irrepressible voices.

Yet again, he felt hopeless. He wanted to hug them at least one by one and tell them how much he loved them. But with where the situation is heading, this seems only to be his wish.

His movement hindered, and breathing blocked, he forced his eyes to look at them, and with great pain, he could only mutter voicelessly and smiled, "I... love... you... all." Final tears began to rush out.

His silent words were more powerful than the sound of thunder in their ears, and his smile sharper than the lightning in their eyes.

With a "Bang!" right before their eyes. Their father died once again, and this time he is genuinely dead with no hope of 'reviving' once more. His tense body became listless as his adrenaline glands stopped working.

Blood flowed like an open dam out of Luke's body. Eyes open sadly at his family, gazing at them as if sculpting that last moment into his dying consciousness. Memories flooded in as genuine happiness of being granted to him this happy family he will never forget, even on the other side.