Together Forever - Chapter 5 (Final)
"Julie! Jewel! Calm down! It's me!"Strong, warm arms held me tightly, supporting me. My knees were weak and my body was shaking violently."Elise, please. Elise, please. Don't leave me. Don't leave me," I rambled incessantly."Jewel!" the arms holding me gave my body a strong shake.I quieted instantly.The person led me to a sofa and sat me down. I blinked tears from my eyes and I began to focus on my surroundings.The furniture was a neutral color and the walls and carpets were of soft, complementing tones and shades. Natural sunlight streamed through the windows, causing me to blink and narrow my eyes in confusion."Welcome to the world, Jewel," a soothing, familiar, feminine voice said to me.I turned to the sound of the voice, not believing it."Elise..." I breathed and fell forward into her open arms."But you said you weren't going to destroy it...""I had to make you believe that. I had to get you to focus on nothing but me to send you back. The electrical impulses in your brain had to be strong enough to get you back here. Besides, silly, I still had to wait until now to destroy it or else you would have no way of coming back."I fell silent and looked across the room where the Connector stood, silent, waiting for its next command.Elise stood up and walked over to the Connector. Her long claws danced over the keypad, punching in a complicated command. The machine clicked, hummed, whirred, whined, and fell silent. She then reached around to the side of the machine, ejecting a small disc. The corners of her mouth upturned into a small, knowing smile."Come outside with me," she said, the knowing smile still on her face. She offered her paw.My paw entwined with hers and I rose to my feet, following her. The disc in her other paw glinted in the sunlight streaming through the window.Elise's hand closed around the door
handle, ready to pull it open.Sunlight. Natural sunlight."Wait," I said.Elise looked at me."Where are your records?""Gone," Elise replied simply."The programming?" I inquired.Elise raised the disc and snapped it in half in front of my face."And the Connector?"Elise stole a quick glance back at the machine. She shrugged."Just a useless heap of metal, glass, and plastic. I'll take it apart and recycle it tomorrow."I nodded slowly, struggling to accept this sudden, drastic turn of events. My eyes lingered on Elise's paw, still clasped lightly around the door handle."Elise," I said slowly, my heart beginning to beat faster from my rising joy and elation."Mmm?""What is the world like?"Elise smiled and turned the door handle."Let's go take a look," she said, pushing the door open.Warm sunlight caressed my face and fresh air filled my lungs."Together?" I asked.Elise nodded."Together... forever."