War Of Worlds

Theo's hands trembled as he dialled emergency services. The phone rang for what felt lie ages.

"Come on! Pick up damn it!" he yelled desperately.

Finally, someone answered.

"Oh thank god! My name is..." 

Interjecting was a programmed voice.

"Hello, you have reached emergency services. At this time, there is no available unit to respond to your call. We apologize for..."

Without hesitation, Theo threw his phone aside.

'Useless bastards! No available units my ass! I'm sure they are just off drinking and ignoring their jobs as usual.'

With no hope of getting help from officials, emergency services, and the closest medical centre being nearly half an hour away, he had no way of helping Maria who with every passing minute walked closer and closer to the edge.

At this point, Maria barely had the strength to lift a finger, despite that she reached out and cradled his face in her palm.

"Don't worry Maria, I'll figure something out. You're going to be just fine!"

"Theo..." Maria said, her voice hoarse and shaky.

"Don't speak! You'll just make it harder for..."

"No! I need... to say this. You have been in my care... for the past seventeen years. I Have watched you grow, develop.... and mature faster than any other child. And I'm so happy... to have watched that. But in that time... I knew... I was not enough... for you."

"What are you talking about? Maria, you are my everything!"

"I'm not blind Theo. I've seen the way... you stare wishfully at families. The longing... in your eyes at those times... is undeniable. And I'm sorry... I couldn't... give you that."

With her other hand, she reached for the pendant on her neck, and something strange started happening. As Maria seemed to be slipping farther and farther, her necklace began emitting a faint glow. Below them, a ring of bright white light appeared.

"What the!"

"Look at me Theo!" Maria demanded as the lights intensity slowly grew. "I am sorry I couldn't... give you what you wanted. And I don't expect... you to forgive me for what is about to happen. But please... know that... everything I did... I did for you."

"Maria, what are you talking about?"

The ring of light grew in size and intensity even faster, till it encompassed the entire room. Their bodies were soon covered in the radiant light, and soon, their bodies began breaking into particles.

"What is going on?"

They broke apart bit by bit, faster and faster. The sight was jarring and Theo's heart raced, threatening to leap from his chest.

"Maria!"

"Remember Theo, I did... everything, and kept... everything away... for a reason."

Finally, in a brilliant flash of light, they both vanished.

***

Moments later, Theo opened his eyes, and was in shock as he somehow found himself somewhere unfamiliar. It was a large room with nothing in sight. The white paint on the walls was pristine. The floor was covered in crystal like marble tiles, and the door behind him looked to be made of sturdy and immaculate oak.

"What the hell. Where am I?"

It was all so beautiful, so different from everything he had ever known in the outskirts. But he had no time to linger on all that, turning back to Maria, who was still cradled firmly in his hands, but before he could, the door behind him swung open.

From it, a group of men rushed in and towards them.

"Who are you people?" Theo demanded with a scowl now overtaking his grief stricken expression. 

"Hello Theo," a deep, commanding and menacing voice asked.

Quickly turning towards the voice, Theo's gaze fell on a middle-aged man. Quickly looking him over, he saw the an was dressed in a neat suit. His hair and thick beard were a deep black with streaks of white woven between. His eyes were a bright emerald, he was wearing a watch that looked more expensive than the building he had lived in all his life.

"Now boy, I understand you must be a little confused by all this..."

"A little?" Theo interjected. "A little cant even begin to describe how ridiculous this whole thing is!"

"Well, be that as it may, I assure you, we are here for nothing but to help you, and Maria."

"How do I know you're not here to kill her like the bastards that did this? Or if you aren't the bastards tat did this in the first place!"

The man chuckled.

"Well, you have a point there."

He raised a hand, and something materialized from sparks of light. "I can't prove it." In his hand a pipe had appeared. He placed it in his mouth, and in that instant, whatever was in it lit up. " But as much as I agree that I have no proof that I won't harm her, if you leave her like that, she's going to die."

Theo looked back at Maria, who was getting paler and paler.

'Shit! He's right. If I leave her like this, she is definitely going to die.'

He turned to the man.

'But, this guy.... I don't know what it is, but something about him seems off.'

Theo's instincts screamed at him, almost demanding him to be cautious. But at the same time, the urgency of the situation gnawed at his rationality. Maria's breathing was growing shallow, and the quickly changing hue of her skin sent a wave of panic through him. He couldn't afford to hesitate, as the thought of losing her was too much to bare.

The man took a slow drag from the pipe, exhaling a plume of smoke.

"So Theo, what is it going to be?"

Despite his better judgement, he set Maria down as slowly, and gently as he could, stepped aside, bowed and said to the man.

"Please, help Maria. She is all I have."

"Very good Theo." the man said snapping his fingers.

In the next seconds, a group of people rushed past them and began working on her injuries.. And while they worked to help her, the man ushered Theo out of the room.

Stood in front of the door, Theo racked his brain trying to understand.

'Who were those people? What was it they wanted with Maria? Or was it me? No that makes no sense. More than all that, what did Maria mean by all that she said?

**

"I am sorry I couldn't... give you what you wanted. And I don't expect... you to forgive me for what is about to happen. But please... know that... everything I did... I did for you."

"Remember Theo, I did... everything, and kept... everything away... for a reason."

***' 

None of it made sense to Theodore, but with everything having already happened, he could do nothing but accept and hope Maria survived. Speaking of the topic, his gaze shifted to the man standing a few steps away with a pipe in his hand.

"Are you done rationalizing?"