All the World Has Come To See the End

[nope†]

((Leila Langford continued from The Hour of Triumph))

She wasn't strong enough to do it.

It hurt to admit, but it was true. Her third attempt had left her sobbing and crumpled against a tree. It was pathetic. Any courage she'd still had when she'd climbed the ferris wheel so many days ago was gone. She should have done it then. She should have jumped. It would have been so much easier then. But the illusion of having accomplished something, having done something worthwhile was too strong. She thought she could survive. She thought she could even win.

She knew better now.

She wondered where Vi was for the hundredth time that morning. She was alive, at least. Leila was convinced of that. There was too much of her to die. Vi had always seemed so invincible to her. She was still jealous of it now, of the thing that made Vi so indestructible, that always had Trent's eyes kept glued to her, that had always kept her eyes there as well. It was the difference that made sure she would live while Leila died.

She was on her feet again, eyes fixed to a distant steeple.  Hilary had been strong enough. She'd needed help pulling the trigger, sure, but she'd had strength enough to know to. Leila should have known then too. There wasn't any winning, any surviving. There were just two ways out- your own, or someone else's.

But it didn't matter now. She'd made her choice. It would be on her terms.

She just needed to find that strength again.

She kept her eyes on the steeple

((Leila Langford continued in And You Will Never See This Face Again))