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.

enveloped him, and he fell

there was just

motionless, staring at

he was dead, but

footsteps

to see Remy

look on his face, Remy picked Alyssa up ina

Taylors have arrived on the island." Without even a glance

you

sure you have no objections,

Jameson stood motionless,

he looked like a man who

had been drained of all

in the statue of

scoffed, laughing at

life has

could finish, the deafening

above, casting its shadow over

was a thunderous crash, and with that, the seemingly indestructible glass shed

cutting Jameson's neck, cheeks, and