Can’t Win Me Back

Jasper felt a pain unlike any he had ever known.

It wasn't a physical agony like having flesh torn away, but a slow, excruciating torture akin to being slowly sliced by a blunt blade.

It was a hundred times worse than dying instantly.

His mind raced through a chaotic sequence of images, like a black- and-white movie playing backward.

He saw people retreating and leaving —Javier, Anne, Newton, Landon, Lauren, Jonah, Axel...

He reached out desperately, trying to grasp any of them, but they were slipping away, one by one.

Finally, the image settled on Alyssa's radiant face.

"Lyse...

Don't go..." Tears streaming down his face, he lunged forward, wrapping his arms around her.

But she dissolved into golden dust, vanishing into the frigid air.

"No! iy A beep sounded in his ear as if everything had been reset.

him, and he fell

was just

stood motionless, staring at the

he was dead, but deep down, he was

heard footsteps

see Remy emerging from

his face, Remy

the island." Without even a glance at Jameson,

leaving you to clean

sure you have no objections,

stood motionless, his face

man who

had been drained of all his worth—now thrown away

of

scoffed, laughing

life has been

the deafening roar

casting its shadow

thunderous crash, and with that, the seemingly

rained down, cutting Jameson's neck, cheeks, and