Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-One
The Amazing Schnee Amusement Park had everything. Animatronics, machines to tickle the fantasy and the imagination of people, a house of mirrors, the usual teapot and crash-driving circuit and many more rides of various natures and, of course, the piece of resistance. The Amazing Rail-Rail Hyper-Velocity Turbo Rollercoaster, which merged together virtual reality with the emotions one could feel only a roller-coaster, was fully operational and hundreds of people had already gone on it, gushing about becoming space-pilots in the future.
Salem and I shared some cotton candy, I attempted and failed to win her a plush prize by a shooting stall, much to the chagrin of the robotic worker beyond it -especially since there was no point in making the entire thing unwinnable by default. Though Salem did take the gun and manage a flawless series of shots, earning what looked like a massive teddy-bear and then handing it over to me with a bright smile.
I smiled back.
Deep down, I was thinking about just how cute Stenophylla had been that day she had begun pouting, and hadn't stopped until I had realized that she wanted a hug rather than the usual head-pats.
I was melting in cuteness overload by that point.
The Rollercoaster loomed over us, the final destination for either one of us, or the unfortunate realization that it might not work, and I'd be dead the next minute.
It didn't matter.
Mankind would survive me. It would survive the foolish Wren Schnee, who had attempted to spite the Gods.
That is the beauty of mankind; you can put it down once, twice, again and again-but we'll rise right back to bite you if you let us.
"The seats are one person only," I mused as I glanced at the next row of coffin-shaped seats appeared and opened up, letting the passengers off. They all had spaceship-like appearances, and each of them cost a small fortune to make since I couldn't know in which Salem might get on. They all had high-octane synthetic fuel for that final push out of orbit, in case it was needed. "From what Stenophylla told me, you get to play a small game while inside, fighting off alien invaders within a ship of some sorts."
"Interesting," Salem mused. "I suppose I will see you later then? We may end up comparing scores, though I doubt you'll get much out of it," she giggled as she said that, and I grinned in return.
"I'm not that good of a shot, but as long as I got your heart, it's all right," as I cheekily said that, she made a fake blush and slapped my shoulder with an affronted, yet pleased, look.
"You incorrigible man," she rolled her eyes.
I handed off my giant teddy bear to the nearby robotic attendant, taking extra care that it would be treated with as much care, and protection, as it ever could. The Android acknowledged my order with a nod, and then proceeded to keep holding on to it.
I helped Salem inside one of the coffins, and then stepped in the one right behind her.
Once the coffin's main doors closed, I was welcomed with a digital screen in front of me and some joystick-like rendition of a ship's command console and cloche. Instructions were laid in front of me, and as I sighed and concentrated on the game at hand, the rumbling of the rollercoaster began to pick up.
We would go underground for some part of it, and the appropriate coffin would be removed from the rest of the column, loaded within a magnetically-charged cage and then energy would pour through, the rollercoaster's insides would open, and the ramp going up would be reinforced with mecha-shift rising capacitors.
I played the game in the meantime. Fighting off invading ships would keep my mind and the edge I felt off me. I fought, I battled, minutes ticked by.
The ships were all soundproof. It was the only way to keep the noise of the charging up hidden.
Then, the ride came to an end.
The doors opened, and I stepped out to a shocked crowd that was still holding their ears and crying in pain.
I took a deep breath, and looked to my left.
We were missing one ship.
I pushed the earpiece by my side, and with the driest mouth I had ever felt in my entire life, asked a very simple question. "Is...Is it done?"
Stenophylla buzzed into my earpiece.
I took a deep breath, and began to walk away from the park. It was a slow walk. I left the giant Teddy-Bear where it had been. I thought about Salvatrix' happy face when I told her that I'd like to listen to her sing. She had bloomed in smiles and happiness.
One hundred fifty seconds were an eternity to pass, but it was the time it would take for Salem to no longer be a problem. If she realized something was off, and blew the casket off-she might still make it.
There was Magnistipula's fierce independent side. I loved seeing her act like a tough lady, only to then silently ask with her eyes where her hugs were. Hug me dad, hug me too, her eyes would say, and I couldn't help but agree to that.
I came to a halt near the exit of the park. My limousine was waiting for me.
I looked right, and I looked left. Then, I looked behind me.
I took a deep, shuddering breath.
Stenophylla buzzed in my ear.
I collapsed inside the limousine, the door closing behind me.
My cries, my screams, everything that had been bottled within emerged like a tempest. I laughed amidst the most terrified of cries, and screamed my wrath in the midst of all of my despair. Avenged. I had avenged them. I had avenged them all.
This was my victory.
Mine.
Mine!
ME!
No Heroes, No Kings, No Gods, only me. I, Wren Schnee, had won.
I slammed the back of my body against the soft backseat, and croaked out a few words to the driver that had remained non-plussed and silent. "The cemetery, please," I whispered.
There had been no body found. There hadn't been a message from her. I didn't know if she was alive or not, but a grave had to be made.
I had a bouquet of Atlas roses in my hands, and as I knelt in front of the grave in question, I deposited it ever so gently and gingerly touched the stone with my left hand. I smiled, I pressed my forehead against the cold stone.
"Hey big sis," I whispered wistfully. "Sorry I'm late." I made a hint of a small smile. "I've avenged you," I whispered, "I'm so sorry I couldn't do it earlier but...but I've avenged you." A bitter chuckle escaped my throat, which sounded more like a half-strangled sob. "And...and now..." I murmured, "Now I must avenge the first Mankind." My eyes burned from tears I refused to shed, and yet fell all the same.
Everything was their fault. Their arrogance and their selfishness would see punishment. If not in this life, if not in this age-then, definitely, in the future.
I walked away in silence, leaving the tombstone behind me.
Here rests Winter Schnee.
Forever loved, never forgotten and always in our hearts.
