The Last to Stand
By: Saitaina
This story takes place ten years after graduation.
The graveyard was eerily silent as I walked through it. Never had
it been so quiet. I walked past the many graves of fallen friends
and classmates, sighing softly as I read their names, remembering
their faces. I had tried, tried to protect them and failed.
We stood together once
now they were all gone, killed by a
lunatic. I paused at a grave. I never got to say I was sorry
for
everything. I put her through a hell in my own way. I placed a
rose on her grave and touched the headstone. Cold stone for
someone so warm. I brushed away a tear that dared to fall after
all these years. Good-bye Willow. I whispered.
I continued on, knowing I had to hurry. I passed my parents
stones barley pausing, I would see them later, now was not the
time. I caught sight of a stone with a British flag on it out of
the corner of my eye. I walked over and smiled at the Latin words
in place of the Modern English phrase Requiescat in pace,
May he rest in peace. I laid a rose on his grave. Fare thee
well Rupert.
I stopped next to his grave and smiled at the small, plain plaque
of the one next to him. Janna. Simple, plain, much like the woman
herself, but there was so much hidden in that name
she had a
passion and a strength we had never really noticed at the time
but
in the end the strength had failed her and she ran. Ironically,
enough she had run strait into she was running from
the arms
of death.
I continued on, wrapping my coat tighter around me. It grew cold
as I ventured into the shade of the trees, or maybe it was the
fact that these people died more violently in than the rest. I
started picking up my pace, trying not to think of the hideous
and grotesque ways so many of these people died. I quickened my
pace more then tripped over a broken headstone. I was sent
sprawling on a grave and landed with a grunt. I lifted my head to
see who tripped me and smiled sadly. Xander. I
whispered, then shivered as images of his bloody body filled my
mind. I held my still queasy stomache as I remembered stumbling
upon his headless body. Just his body
ending in a bloody
stump
no head
never a head, not even at the end of my
nightmares. Never, never. I mentaly slapped myself to stop my
train of thought. I tried! I reminded myself
I tried to save
him. I placed a rose on his head stone and kissed it.
I sighed and looked around searching for the last grave. I found
it in the shade of a weeping willow tee. I kneeled at her grave
and pushed a strand of hair out of my eyes. She was beauty
defined, even when they found her body torn apart. I laid the
last of my roses on her grave and touched the small heart that
adorned her headstone. Im sorry Buffy
we tried.
I stood shakily and took in the graveyard in one long, sweeping
glance. In my years as... Watcher... I've buried... too many
people. But these were the only I've truly loved.
How touching
A voice said from over my shoulder.
I spun around and stared at the girl that was once
at least
for a short time, one of us. Faith
I knew Id find you here
I wonder why. She
said softly.
Because just like you I cant forget. I looked
back at Buffys grave. No matter how hard we try.
Faith smiled. I dont want to forget
I like
remembering
I like remembering how I tore Xanders head
off his body.
I growled and lunged at her. Faith never had a chance to utter a
sound, well, she uttered one
a gurgling sound as air bubbled
up though her torn wind pipe. I stood back from her body and
wiped my dagger on my jeans. I walked away from her. I didnt
scream, I didnt cry. Why bother when no one can see or hear
you.
I only smiled at the irony of it
that it was I, Cordilia
that was the last to stand.
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