Ex Lacrima Remnant
Track #34 – Applause
The door went up.
The alarm went down.
The timer went around.
And all the crowd cheered.
As soon as peace was found.
Mal coughed.
Coughed.
Spat blood.
Coughed.
He couldn’t hear.
He couldn’t think.
But breathe.
He could breathe.
He
he was
still
alive
?
He then
saw
the violinist
crumbling down
on her knees.
Mimi let
her violin fall.
She let
herself crumple.
In tears.
Broken.
Sobbing.
Like a little kid.
Her hands
on her sightless eyes.
She did it.
Like the old hag said.
She did it.
And she cried.
Because she wanted her
to be there
to hug her
to take comfort
in her scent of tobacco
in the touch of her forehead
in the warmth of her arms.
But that was
impossible.
She was gone.
She wasn’t there.
To see her succeed.
And that made her feel
even more
broken.
Mal saw the gate
rising up
as the last thing
before his mind
went to rest.
Hazmat suits.
Keepers in armor.
And.
In their midst.
Her.
Dashing.
Dazzling.
Shining.
So he
just gave up
and finally fell
into a slumber.
Mimi still crying.
On her knees.
Without end.
Drenched in her sweat.
In her tears.
Till.
She.
Felt it.
Something.
A hug.
Warm.
Scent of flowers.
“A… aunt… Caro? A… aunt C… Caro? Is… it you?”
She sobbed.
She cried.
Like the kid that died that day.
“I… I can’t… I can’t see you. I…”
She hugged
back.
“…negative. I’m…”
“Prim…?”
“Correct.”
Prim was hugging Kryzalid.
No, not Kryzalid.
Mimi.
As soon as the door opened.
As soon as the emergency ended.
She went to her.
She enclosed her
in her arms.
As Mal taught her
At the mall.
Hugs feel good.
And with all those tears.
She really looked like
She needed one.
Despite being
a criminal.
“You kept your promise.”
Prim whispered.
Trembling.
“You can have…
all of my lymph…
even now.”
Mimi squeezed her, squeezed her with all her fading strength.
“Prim… I… I…
I just… I just want to go back in time to that day in the greenhouse!
The day… the day we met!
I want to talk with you there, instead… instead of running away!
And… and ask you… out! As… as a friend! E… even just as a friend!
I want to go places with you and … and my other friends!
Singing, dancing… all together!
Then… then…
I want… I want to bring you to Aralu… so that you can meet my aunt… my aunt…
My aunt Caro… aunt…
Aunt Caro. A... aunt Caroooo!”
She swallowed her tears, rivers running out of her eyes.
”Ha… ha… then… then… have dinner, joke, watch PV together. Have… have a sleepover at my place, maybe?”
Sobs. Uncontrollable sobs, shaking her from the core.
“If I did, maybe… If I was stronger that day… maybe… I… things would have…”
Inhale. Exhale. Breathe. Cry.
“I… don’t want your lymph. I don’t want anyone’s lymph! I just want… I just want my innocence back!”
She felt Prim’s hand on her hair, on her cheek. Warm. She was warm.
Silence fell. Punctured by sobs. Slowly stopping. Slowly. Stopping.
A tired smile, among the fading tears.
Time doesn’t tick backwards.
Only forward.
The deed was done.
She had.
To move on.
“Hey, Prim…?”
“…Mimi?”
Mimi rubbed her forehead
against hers.
“…your touch…”
before her senses started to dull
“…is so soft…”
and she let herself lull in Prim’s arms
just a little longer.