A City Of Embers

• Zahlia Wilson, Grade 11
• Short Story
• 2019

She stood there, staring at the burning city, her home once, and thought of all the people that had been lost. He stood just behind her, admiring her as she glowed.


"We beat him." She whispered into the approaching night, her sweet voice barely audible even to him.
She sighed, turning towards him, he opened his arms as she stepped into them. They embraced, the burning city behind them.
He was proud of her, she had accomplished so much even with so much opposition. He held her tightly.

They didn't see the movements in the rubble at first, but when bricks began to tumble down the pile they turned towards the noise.
He stood slowly, emerging from the rubble, ignoring the pair who stood to his left. He rolled his shoulders and, grimacing, stepped from the burning ruins.

"No, he can't have." Her face was pale as she spoke, clinging to the man next to her. He just stared, watching the figure walk towards them, a shadowy silhouette created by the flames behind him.
They had fought so hard, they couldn't defeat him again if he chose to fight. He stopped only a few metres from them, then spoke, "Look. Look at the city! Look what has happened, they're all gone." He was angry, gesturing behind him.
She stepped forward, "You caused this. This is your fault." She took another step forward, now able to see the insane man in front of her clearly.


He froze, "Me? I did this? No. You...you monster, you did this. You cannot blame me." He sounded broken at last. She reached for something in the rubble next to her as she took the final steps towards him. Her partner, standing behind him now, pushed the man to his knees. He barely fought it.
When she brought the sword to his throat he didn't even try to move away. She grinned, he would be easy to dispose of now.
"You let them die. You couldn't stop it. I. Won." She laughed, "My poor, dear hero, how does it feel to finally lose?"
Without looking up he bared his neck to her, "I let them down. I let them all down. I may as well have killed them myself." He looked up, directly into her eyes, startling her with the intensity within them, "Kill me. Do it." He looked down.
So she did. She plunged the sword into his heart and he collapsed, gasping for air, unable to draw any in. He stilled quickly, dull eyes watching the glowing embers of the city he had loved.

She felt the gaze of her partner on her and looked up into his eyes.
He was so, so proud of her.