Chapter 33: Atonement
A few days pass and there’s another knock on the door. Jace goes to answer and expects the worst. He’s correct as another one of his former friends has been located. This time they went to the old church on the abandoned side of Bluestone. Jace can’t immediately place his finger on who it may be, but he gears up nonetheless. As he makes his way across town, he begins to think to himself. Is this worth it, even if he can’t save anyone in the end? Would he rather try or watch those he cherished destroy the island he loves? He clenches his right fist in anger, digging his nails into his palms. The pressure causes small drops of blood to flee from his hands, mimicking the rainfall surrounding him. When he finally arrives, he walks in and notices a familiar face sitting in one of the booths.
Jace: “Ren! It’s you!”
Ren: “Yeah? It's me.”
Jace: “And you seem normal too!”
Ren: “What?”
Jace: “I just got done fighting Henry. He went psycho and was gonna kill me. I think…I think I may’ve killed him-.”
Ren: “WHAT?!”
Jace: “I know, I know! It sounds horrible, b-“
Ren: “What the fuck do you mean you may’ve killed my best friend?!”
Jace: “He attacked me with the intent to kill and I panicked and-"
Ren: “You panicked?! Is that all your great schemes are?! Panic decisions that have miraculously saved your ass more times than not?!”
Jace: “I wanted to save him, Ren.”
Ren: “Well, you clearly did a poor job.”
Jace exhales out of his nose in anger. The warm air grows more tense.
Jace: “I can still save you.”
Ren: “How?”
Jace: “The microchip is attached to your brain stem. It would be difficult, but-“
Ren: “So it’s a certain death no matter what if you’re involved with it.”
Jace: “And what the hell is that supposed to mean?!”
Ren: “You don’t realize the collateral damage you’re causing based on your petty quest for revenge! You haven’t saved anyone, you never have!”
Jace: “But-“
Ren: “My entire town is gone because of you! That asshole at the top of the tower didn’t even know who we were until you started making a catastrophe of everything!”
Jace: “Ren, I’m sorr-“
Ren: “They never found her, Jace. My aunt got vaporized by a fucking space laser of all things because you want to taste that sweet, sweet revenge!”
Jace: “I-“
Ren: “Don’t speak. Nothing you say will make this better.”
Ren stands up and walks to the aisle. He stares Jace down before turning around and looking at the stained glass behind him.
Ren: “I did a lot of bad things while growing up. I have a lot that I’m not proud of. I ran away because I wanted to escape the responsibility for what I did, but internally it never left me. That feeling of guilt, that feeling of knowing you did something you shouldn’t have done. It eats you up inside.”
Ren turns back around and walks towards Jace.
Ren: “I’m not a good person. It’s a miracle I was allowed to live this long. Sometimes I feel as if it isn’t fair. Why do I get to live normally while those I hurt are forced to live changed lives?”
He clenches both of his fists as fire begins to swirl around them. Jace raises his fists into a battle stance.
Ren: “Then you came along and changed my life without even trying. I went from hating you, to trusting you, right back to hating you.”
Ren raises his fists to match Jace’s stance.
Ren: “If you fight back, I will burn you to a crisp.”
Jace: “Like I even had a choice.”
