Chapter Five: A Broken Hourglass

*Boom!!*

 “AHAHA!!” The man laughed hysterically, as fire erupted from every corner throughout the entire building, causing it to collapse.

“Diablo!!”

“Mom!!” I ran towards her paying no attention to the exploding debris that was flying everywhere around us. But it may not have been the best of ideas, as a large chunk of concrete burst out of nowhere and headed straight towards her.

I was out of reach and all I could do was watch. I was about to lose the only one who cared for me, the one who took care of me from birth, and the one who still wanted me even after my father had left.

 I still remember the time I acted so heroic in front of her. The time where I wore a cape and I promised I’d defeat the guy who stole our father away. Of course I was childish and didn’t understand the basics of death.

 But now it seems that the childish part of me arises once again because I just didn’t want to have to face my mother dying in front of me. No, I refused for her to die here and now.

 I felt a surge of power arise from inside of me as my whole body dashed in front of her as everything seemed to have slowed down. Then it hit me, an outrageous amount of pain and suffering as I felt my bones break and my flesh and skin tear away.

 I fell to the ground aside as my mother she became drenched in the blood of her own son. She was silent, unmoving. She looked close enough to be pronounced dead.

 “AHHH!!!” She screamed as she caught up to what had happened. The shock of it must have been frightening. A sudden smile formed on my face, as I laughed a little.

“THIS ISN’T FUNNY DIABLO!! YOU”RE GOING TO DIE!!”

“Oh, r-right.” I knew she was right. No one could survive this. I looked down upon my body. I was whipped clean of skin and flesh. Guts and blood slipped out of my soon to be lifeless body. As I saw shards of my ribs tear through my skin. I had high levels of blood loss as my skin became pale.

“YOU TOLD ME EVERYTHING WAS GOING TO BE FINE!! YOU PROMISED NO ONE WAS GOING TO GET HURT!!” Her eyes began to tear up uncontrollably. Her whole body was shaking along with her voice. I knew she was broken inside and out, dead and gone, but possessed her lively body.

“I knew it wasn’t going to turn out fine.. I knew it.. And I did nothing about it...” She was no longer there. She was too heartbroken and filled with grief.

“I know and...” I choked up and began to cough up blood. I guess that’s what happens when you get crushed and lose most of your body to a large rock. I guess I was hoping for a more entertaining death.

“...I-I’m sorry, but please get out of here!! I gave my life to save you.. NOW PLEASE GET OUT OF HERE AND LIVE YOUR LIFE FOR ME!!” Her eyes widened as she became stiff.

“I’m not going anywhere...” Tears were streaming down the side of her face. As sparks and fire illuminated the room allowing me to see her face.

“Mom, you kinda don’t have a choice.. Aimi wouldn’t be able to stand both of us dying.” When I said those words, I began to cry as well. Me having to leave my sweet little sister behind along with my mom was too much for me to bear.

“So please go.. And take care of Addy too, with me gone the mission will be postponed and she won’t have a place to stay.”

“I can’t just leave you!"

“Mom please there isn’t that much time left..”

“I CAN’T.. I’M NOT GOING TO LEAVE YOU!!”

“Mom.. I will always be with you.. Maybe not physically but will be there mentally and emotionally. Think of it as a long vacation trip. I won’t be far, and you can alway talk to me whenever you want.” She was silent. She just sat there, holding her hands over her chest.

“A vacation trip to the stars.” I said with a gentle smile and then coughed up more blotches of blood.

“To the stars.” She said, looking up into the sky. She then stood up.

“Okay but you better answer me back! Okay?!”

“Yes mother, I will.” I smiled

“You better.” She let out a soft smile of sorrow. She then kissed my forehead as I closed my eyes.

“Goodnight. I love you.”

“I love you too, mom.” I then heard the footsteps of her running off. As it became silent once again. I prayed for her safety as I hurt all over. More of my pain came from inside as my whole life flashed before my eyes. I was going to miss everyone I had ever known, but at least I got a kiss from a girl before I died, too bad I won't ever see her vibrant purple hair anymore, or her hot body either.

Addy Anahera, I’ll be seeing you. Some of the first words she ever said to me. Can’t believe she would’ve been the one I. Diablo of all people, would have fallen in love with. Guess it was nothing special anyways.

Maybe Addy was right. Leo... maybe he is dead. I don't mean it in a bad way, but if he is dead and if there is such a thing as an afterlife, then maybe, just maybe, Leo would be there too.

I opened my eyes once again. And to my surprise I saw a clear starry sky. I was so focused on my thoughts that I didn’t notice that the entire store collapsed to the ground right before me.

Though any normal person would have cared, I didn't. I could see the sky one last time and thanks to the surrounding fire I wasn’t so cold.

“ADDY!!” I had heard my younger sister’s voice in the distance I turned to look with the strength I had left, though I felt any normal person would have been declared dead by now.

There I saw her, the love of my bullshit life, sitting on the ground looking depressed as hell. I felt bad, but I knew I couldn’t do anything. I was just glad I saw her one last time.

My strength soon left me. And the darkness began to swallow me once again.

It honestly felt like the beginning of my journey all over again. The darkness of the water, my inability to breathe, and then a bright light. And for a little while I felt that maybe I’d see Addy in that dreamscape world again. But I already knew that wasn’t going to happen.

I stared into the sky as I fell into the peaceful arms of death. And felt my life drain away from me. In a matter of seconds I was no more than a corpse. But a hopeful corpse at that, at least I died saving someone who cared so much about me. I smiled once more, then it all went silent and dark.

“Seems our target is dead. Guess that’s it then.”

“Guess so.”

“Well isn’t that just perfect, and boss worked so hard.”

“Guess we should head back.”

“What about the girl, ya know the purple angel punk?”

“Hey, Leo? Something wrong?”

“D-Diablo? H-He’s dead.”