We are the last. None are left, except for us. We have run from their scattered remains, but the ones that did that to them can do it to us. I wish that I was a hero- that I could say I want to die bravely-but I don’t. I want to run and hide and beg God to just make it end. That’s what I would do if it was just me, but I guess she brings about the best in me.

We dive behind an upturned tree, or maybe it’s the wreckage of the building. I don’t really care which. I glance around and see they haven’t found us yet. That won’t last long. I breathe heavily and feel the smoke enter me from the fires, and I can taste blood rolling down my throat, trickling down my arm and neck. Is it mine? Please, don’t let it be hers.

She and I close our eyes and pant like dogs. I reach out, eyes still shut, and feel her hand tightly grasp mine. We open our swollen eyes, and mine sting from salty tears. Hers are piercing, and they ask me if I have given up. I shake my head, and her mouth smiles. Her eyes are always smiling, though. She knew I wouldn’t stop. I ask her “What now?” because I can hear a rumbling approaching. It’s not fair, I think. After everything that’s happened, it can’t be finished like this. She and I are supposed to be together forever, that’s what we promised each other. I tell her this and she nods, then embraces me. Her face is now determined.

We break apart, hearing them coming. I grasp my weapon, but she untangles my fingers from it like an angel caressing a thundercloud into peace. She throws hers to the ground. I ask her what she thinks she is doing, and she tells me to trust her.

I can see them coming now, and my heart is racing. She has told me I am brave before, and strong and smart, but I think that she has always been the real strong one. The one who found me, who I found when I thought there was nothing to find. The one I fell in love with, and wanted to grow old with. Now we will never get the chance. There is nothing more. We have but minutes, no, seconds to live.

She seems to know what I am thinking of, holds both of my hands.

“Stand up,” she whispers.

“What?” I ask incredulously. We are now unarmed; doing so would be suicide. “I won’t, I will fight to be with you until I can’t anymore.”

“That’s what they want us to do,” she says, her lips so close to mine, coated in dust above her ruby sheen. “That’s what they can beat. It’s what they know and understand. But this,” she says, kissing me, “They don’t know…not the way we know it. Let’s show them they can’t take that away.”

“But they can,” I murmur. She puts her finger on my lips.

“No, they can’t. I’m going to keep us together, but you have to trust me. Do you?”

“More than anything.”

“Good…” She brushes the hair, that beautiful strand that’s always getting in the way, behind her ear. “Then kiss me.” We embrace again, and I feel her starting to stand up. I am so scared, but I love her. I shut my eyes as tight as they will go, and we stand up in full view of the ones coming for us. We are kissing like never before, we are one being, no longer too, as the fire engulfs us and I don’t have time to scream at the split second of pain before it is gone. We are still kissing, and I don’t understand how that can be. We gently and slowly break apart, and look around. We are in a meadow greener than any I have seen, speckled with bright yellow flowers, and I can hear rushing water in the valley down below. There’s a pool at the foot of a thin waterfall. My shoes are gone, and the grass tickles my feet, with the wind cooling my face.

We look at one another, and I don’t know how this can be. She tells me it doesn’t matter, because it is, and we are holding hands and running down the hill together, and nothing can stop us.