Run from your problems, but you cannot run from yourself.
Epilogue: Stryke/Ryker
Stryke/Ryker's POV
Twelve years ago....
I wandered at the back of the graveyard. LP and Rae's car was parked at the front. Trying to hide mine, I parked in the far back, out of their sight. I watched them bring flowers to the fresh grave of their mother. As they walked away and drove out of view, I hurried to where they placed the flowers. I knelt respectfully at the headstone. The letters scrawled the mom's name and date of birth and death.
The flowers they brought were pink roses. I touched the delicate petals carefully and took a deep breath. I don't know why I was doing this, but I felt that both of us needed closure.
"Um, hi." I talked to the stone, or the image of the spirit of Rae's mother. No one else was here in the late evening hours to watch me make a spectacle of myself.
"So, I really screwed up my life and I got into the wrong kind of crowd. Now, your husband used to be very caring but kinda rough. Now I'm sorry that I allowed this to happen, to take your little daughter away from you. I understand that you'll probably want to smite me down from wherever you are up there...." As I spoke this, I watched to see if any lightning would come down.
"So, I really care about your daughter, but I know she really loves Austin, and so that's cool. I'm not going to pressure her to do anything, but I want to make it up to you and her for bringing your family pain. So, I do, I honestly swear that while I still can, I will not let any harm come to LP or Rae. In order to pay back for what I've done, I'll protect them to the best of my ability. I'm trying to turn my life around, so I hope you'll forgive me, but I'll understand if you don't, because I wouldn't even forgive myself." I admitted bleakly. The weight of guilt I was under seemed to lift a little. It wouldn't make up for everything, but it was a start.
In the present....
I had officially change my name to Ryker, just a way to get away from the past. Unfortunately, I was about to bring up bad memories as I entered the threshold to Warped. For an hour I wandered around until I found myself in the crowd for Of Mice and Men. I listened to their set, but paused as I got to the last one.
"...my beautiful wife..." I turned to see who Austin was pointing to. Although my stomach dropped to my feet, I wasn't surprised. Rae kissed her husband before walking off. Their last song, I barely heard as I went through the words over and over in my head.
Good for her. I finally decided on that and exited with the rest of the crowds. I felt myself being drawn to the gate, watching the members of the band pass by.
I locked on to her. She turned around and saw me, but didn't say anything. All she did was follow Austin. Maybe she was looking past me.
Twenty minutes later, I was sitting at a bench, alone. The seat shifted a slight bit as someone sat down. I moved to make room.
"So what is it, Ryker or Stryker?" A familiar voice asked. I turned in astonishment to look at Raelyn. I fully expected her to call on security to drag me out and throw me in prison.
"Ryker. I'm settling with the better one." I told her after I got over my amazement. She smiled.
"I always liked that one better." She smiled and stared off to the passing crowds. A few people smiled and waved to her. After twelve years, I finally showed up to her and she never forgot.
"I feel as if security is on their way...." I murmured. She scoffed a little.
"No, they aren't. I just stopped by to say hello, curious on how you were doing." She stated simply with a dazzling smile. I could only nod.
"No hard feelings?" I asked. She closed her eyes and bobbed her head.
"Nope. Let the past be the past, and move on. You know what he says, Let Go and Let Live Again!" She sang, holding up the horns, rocking out to her own little groove. I looked at the lyrical tattoos on my arm and agreed, slowly letting the fear melt away.
"It's only baby scars." I responded.
Twelve years ago....
I wandered at the back of the graveyard. LP and Rae's car was parked at the front. Trying to hide mine, I parked in the far back, out of their sight. I watched them bring flowers to the fresh grave of their mother. As they walked away and drove out of view, I hurried to where they placed the flowers. I knelt respectfully at the headstone. The letters scrawled the mom's name and date of birth and death.
The flowers they brought were pink roses. I touched the delicate petals carefully and took a deep breath. I don't know why I was doing this, but I felt that both of us needed closure.
"Um, hi." I talked to the stone, or the image of the spirit of Rae's mother. No one else was here in the late evening hours to watch me make a spectacle of myself.
"So, I really screwed up my life and I got into the wrong kind of crowd. Now, your husband used to be very caring but kinda rough. Now I'm sorry that I allowed this to happen, to take your little daughter away from you. I understand that you'll probably want to smite me down from wherever you are up there...." As I spoke this, I watched to see if any lightning would come down.
"So, I really care about your daughter, but I know she really loves Austin, and so that's cool. I'm not going to pressure her to do anything, but I want to make it up to you and her for bringing your family pain. So, I do, I honestly swear that while I still can, I will not let any harm come to LP or Rae. In order to pay back for what I've done, I'll protect them to the best of my ability. I'm trying to turn my life around, so I hope you'll forgive me, but I'll understand if you don't, because I wouldn't even forgive myself." I admitted bleakly. The weight of guilt I was under seemed to lift a little. It wouldn't make up for everything, but it was a start.
In the present....
I had officially change my name to Ryker, just a way to get away from the past. Unfortunately, I was about to bring up bad memories as I entered the threshold to Warped. For an hour I wandered around until I found myself in the crowd for Of Mice and Men. I listened to their set, but paused as I got to the last one.
"...my beautiful wife..." I turned to see who Austin was pointing to. Although my stomach dropped to my feet, I wasn't surprised. Rae kissed her husband before walking off. Their last song, I barely heard as I went through the words over and over in my head.
Good for her. I finally decided on that and exited with the rest of the crowds. I felt myself being drawn to the gate, watching the members of the band pass by.
I locked on to her. She turned around and saw me, but didn't say anything. All she did was follow Austin. Maybe she was looking past me.
Twenty minutes later, I was sitting at a bench, alone. The seat shifted a slight bit as someone sat down. I moved to make room.
"So what is it, Ryker or Stryker?" A familiar voice asked. I turned in astonishment to look at Raelyn. I fully expected her to call on security to drag me out and throw me in prison.
"Ryker. I'm settling with the better one." I told her after I got over my amazement. She smiled.
"I always liked that one better." She smiled and stared off to the passing crowds. A few people smiled and waved to her. After twelve years, I finally showed up to her and she never forgot.
"I feel as if security is on their way...." I murmured. She scoffed a little.
"No, they aren't. I just stopped by to say hello, curious on how you were doing." She stated simply with a dazzling smile. I could only nod.
"No hard feelings?" I asked. She closed her eyes and bobbed her head.
"Nope. Let the past be the past, and move on. You know what he says, Let Go and Let Live Again!" She sang, holding up the horns, rocking out to her own little groove. I looked at the lyrical tattoos on my arm and agreed, slowly letting the fear melt away.
"It's only baby scars." I responded.
Notes
Okay, so Stryke may not have been everybody's favorite character, but he still deserves an ending, doesn't he?
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THE NEXT CHAPTER IS THE LAST CHAPTER! ;_;
Thanks for sticking with me, everybody! Love you all!
@AngieRofl
Yay, I'm sooo happy you loved it! Third book is still in progress and I'll try to update fairly frequently!! I'm with you on staying up....If it's two in the morning, I'll just get on my phone and find a new story to read!!! XD XD
8/16/14