Tearing Me Apart - Chapter 17

Disclaimers: This is a work of fiction. Any similarities between the characters in this story and real people (appearances, names, etc.) are purely coincidental. This story may contain homosexual material, including love and sex, so if material like this is illegal in your region or if it discomforts you, please leave.

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Tearing Me Apart

Chapter XVII

Olivia ran back to the sofa. She leapt expertly onto the cushion right beside Devon. Wearing a smile, Devon accepted the book and allowed his niece to snuggle right up to his side.

"Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?" Devon read with an animated feel voice. "I see a red bird looking at me."

Olivia laughed softly at her uncle's vocal impressions. She loved to have him read her stories.

Now small-voiced, Devon resumed reading, "Red bird, red bird, what do you see? I see a yellow duck looking at me.
"Yellow duck, yellow duck, what do you see? I see a blue horse looking at me.
"Blue horse, blue horse, what do you see? I see a green frog looking at me.
"Green frog, green frog, what do you see? I see a purple cat looking at me.
"Purple cat, purple cat, what do you see? I see a white dog looking at me.
"White dog, white dog, what do you see? I see a black sheep looking at me.
"Black sheep, back sheep, what do you see? I see a goldfish looking at me.
Goldfish, goldfish, what do you see? I see Uncle Devon looking at me."

Olivia laughed wildly, and said, "That's not you, Uncle Dev! Heh, that is you!"

Devon giggled with his niece because the illustration that was supposed to be of a school teacher was instead an illustration of Devon with wings.

Nate approached the two on the sofa and told Olivia, "S'time for bed, brat."

Olivia giggled again as she was gently picked up and carried upstairs. Devon walked into the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea.

Even though Devon was a nemlai, and had been for over two months, he still liked to do things the human way. Things like cooking a meal, walking to get the mail sans wings, taking a shower, grocery shopping, and boiling fucking water for tea.

While Devon stirred honey into the hot liquid, he felt tavki suddenly close by. He turned with a smile, and was greeted by Alaeh, dressed in nothing but its little white wrap.

"How're the stats, love?" Devon asked as Alaeh stepped up to him.

Devon wished that Alaeh would smile. Or make eye contact.

And then Devon felt it. Alaeh's emotions. Alaeh was feeling anguish, and fear, and sorrow, and guilt.

"Alaeh?" Devon asked with his hand on Alaeh's forearm. "What is it? What happened?"

Alaeh, apologetic, answered, "Eighty-one percent of the world's total heating now is economic for the environment."

"That's great!"

"But the aim was eighty-five by the deadline. Transportation is now eighty-nine. The goal was ninety-five. Crime rate is ninety-eight where the aim was one hundred."

"Yeah but what society truthfully has no crime whatsoever?"

"Eighty-two percent of brashi societies across the universe have no crimes to speak of," Alaeh replied, it's sorrowful blue eyes finally connected with Devon's. "We nemlai normally would care very little about that, but Kiorna was in such a horrid state when I woke."

With tears prickling at his amber eyes, Devon said softly, "The deadline is tomorrow."

"Kiorna has less than nineteen hours to rectify all of this to satisfy us nemlai. It does not look promising, Devon."

"So- so what? Tomorrow you'll wipe out Earth's human population?"

"Yes," Alaeh whispered, also almost crying. "I truly am sorry, Dev. I have no choice. And I would choose brashi annihilation regardless because life on this planet was immensely painful. It was the worst I had ever seen on any planet."

"Wha- what about... what about my family? My- my friends? What about people that had environmentally friendly heating and transportation before, who have the friendliest of hearts? They all die?"

"I know it seems unfair that those who made incredible life choices have to suffer the consequences of society's poor ones. We are judging the brashi on this planet as a whole. As a single unit. It has always been done this way."

Devon sniffled and wiped a tear away before he asked his mate, "What about me then? What if I choose to die with my friends and family?"

Alaeh's lip trembled slightly before it answered, "That is a wish that you are free to make, as I told you before. I will honour it."

"And what if I fight you? What if I stop you?"

"If you fight me, I will have no choice but to battle until either you forfeit or one of us perishes. If you defeat me, another nemlai, or more, will resume the task."

Alaeh tried to wrap its arms and wings around Devon to comfort him. Devon caused trillions of particles in the air in front of Alaeh to explode. The blast was not big, but it pushed Alaeh away from Devon about six feet.

Devon continued to bawl as he said, "We can change. You've seen it. We can- we can be better. I promise."

"Devon," Alaeh said softly, apologetically.

Alaeh tried to walk toward Devon again. It was about to embrace Devon, but Devon pushed Alaeh away again.

"Just- just give us one more chance. Please. Alaeh, please."

But Devon knew that there was no changing the nemlai's minds. So he covered his eyes with one hand and held his own middle with the other. Torrent after torrent of hot tears fell down his face.

Alaeh cried also, for it could not handle seeing its mate in such pain. Alaeh wrapped its arms around Devon's shoulders, and held him tightly as they both shuddered.

Four minutes later, when Devon finally could cry no more, Alaeh whispered, "I suggest you say your goodbyes after a night's rest. Whatever your choice tomorrow, it will be the last time you see your family and friends."

And that only caused fresh tears to form and stream from Devon. His body shuddered violently, and his heart was completely shattered.

He cried himself to sleep. Alaeh, with its own tears still streaking its face, did the human thing and carried Devon bridal-style up to their bedroom.

Alaeh didn't sleep that night. It cuddled up to Devon as if he were dying. Which, he could be, if he chose it. Alaeh gently stroked its fingers through Devon's dark hair, and placed gentle kisses to his face.

Devon woke with a looming feeling deep in his chest. He tentatively opened his whiskey eyes, and saw Alaeh watching him. Alaeh's eyes were puffy and red from crying so much.

"D'you sleep at all?" Devon asked groggily.

Alaeh simply shook its head in reply. So Devon just laid there, staring up at the grey ceiling. Alaeh once again began stroking its finger through Devon's dark brown hair.

Depressed, Devon said, "Humans die today."

"I will never not be sorry about this, Dev," Alaeh whispered back. "Even if you choose to perish, I will apologize to you every single day."

Crying silent tears, Devon responded, "I- I choose to die with- with my people. Okay? I know it's not fair to you. I'm sorry. I-I love you. You spent all your life alone with no mate, and've had me for just a few short months. I'm- I'm sorry."

"Shh. Shh. It is your decision, Dev. I will love you regardless. I will live regardless."

"I'm still so, so sorry."

"Worry not for me, my love," Alaeh said softly while wiping the tears from Devon's face. "I forgive you, even though there is nothing to forgive. Nobody can take this choice away from you."

As the tears continued, Devon pleaded, "Hold me?"

Alaeh happily complied. It scooted that much closer to Devon until its chest was flush against Devon's side. Devon used Alaeh's strong, warm bicep as a pillow.

They snuggled for the better part of an hour, sullen and despaired.

Downstairs, Devon stared at the table. Lisa was wearing a fuchsia elbow-sleeved dress and made up for work, and reading emails on her cell phone. Nate was wearing a navy suit reading a newspaper. Olivia was simply eating diced cantaloupe, strawberries, and a slice of toast while talking to her parents about a giant slide at the park.

Lisa saw Devon and Alaeh watching, and asked with concern, "Devon? Are you okay?"

Devon shook his head minutely, and answered, "No. Today is the deadline. Two hundred days ago, Alaeh greeted the world."

Despondent, Lisa concluded, "We haven't met the nemlai's standards, have we."

Saddened yet again, Devon told his family, "We have less than eleven hours to say goodbye to our friends and family. I will teleport you anywhere you want to go to say goodbye to your friends and family, or sightsee."

"Oh my god," Lisa breathed. "Oh my god!"

Lisa rose from her chair, as did Nate. They met at the end of the kitchen table and embraced. They cried in their hug for a moment before they went over to Olivia. Devon couldn't help but to cry even more. He watched helplessly as his family feared literally for their lives.

"Mommy?" Olivia asked worriedly. "Why are you crying?"

To try to keep her dauber from becoming scared, Lisa answered, "Mommy's just crying. Sometimes we just have to let it out."

At Lisa's request, Devon touched her's and Nate's temples and removed current sorrow, sadness, and pain from their minds. He then teleported the four of them to Birmingham while Alaeh went to the UN to make a live broadcast to the world.

"Good day, brashi of Kiorna," Alaeh said in the live broadcast.

Devon sat on Stanley Edgart's sofa watching the news. Beside Devon were Stan and his son Evan, with Stan's wife Jane and their daughter Kelsey on a sofa chair. Both adults had cried their hearts out in the pantry so that their children wouldn't see.

"As you recall, I had made an announcement two hundred days ago regarding the health of the planet and its countless species. We nemlai had set conditions for you brashi to comply with, and we would spare your lives if those conditions were met. I am here to inform you that crime rate stands at two percent across the planet. The planet's total heating is nineteen percent fossil fuels. Transportation conveyances are eleven percent fossil fuels. Twenty-seven percent of brashi are homeless. You brashi have not met our conditions. You have eight hours and forty-four minutes to offer your goodbyes to your loved ones. You have my deepest of condolences."

Devon flew through various cities and towns all over the world. Virtually every single person was frantic and crying. There were riots, home break-ins, robberies, and the whole world was just afrenzy. And, to top it all off, the law enforcement personnel were doing nothing to stop it all. So Devon, as he flew about, transformed oxygen molecules into Anicom, which was a mist that rendered animals unconscious.

Devon landed in the middle of Las Vegas Strip and was about to create more Anicom.

"Nemlai!" some man shouted at he top of his lungs.

The man fired a shotgun round that met Devon's back and wings. Devon barely felt the pellets, they felt like cotton balls bouncing off the skin.

Dozens of people on the road fired their own guns at Devon. Devon cared very little, but created Anicom anyway because these people could hurt others.

In one half of a second Devon connected mentally with Alaeh, found its location in Banff, Canada, and teleported there. Alaeh's back was to Devon, as Alaeh was staring out at the mountains and setting sun and the colourful clouds.

Alaeh told Devon, "The wolnif will not affect you. In order to end your life, if that is truly your wish, I will have to kill you myself."

That statement brought fresh tears to Devon's eyes, for the billionth time that day. Devon couldn't stop the tears from falling, he hugged his mate from behind. Alaeh placed both its hands over Devon's on its waist, and bent its wings backward to hold Devon that much closer.

Finally, Devon spoke, "Isn't- isn't anyone else able to kill me? Another nemlai?"

"If you- if you wish it," Alaeh answered pitifully. "One nemlai has never had to kill another, but it has always been assumed that the mate would perform the deed. It seems fitting, allowing us a last goodbye. But--"

"--I just... I don't want to cause you any more pain."

"It will pain me more if another did it. You are my mate. I am destroying your race."

"I want you to do it. After. When all of humanity is gone."

Alaeh turned in Devon's embrace. Devon pressed his forehead into Alaeh's neck. They remained standing, silently crying, for minutes.

Devon sat down on the ground, and Alaeh sat between his legs. Devon wrapped his arms and wings around Alaeh, accepting of his fate. They just sat enjoying the view, and each other's presence and love.

"Tell me about your very first memory," Devon said blandly.

Confused, Alaeh replied, "Why not just extract the memory from my mind?"

"Maybe because I'm still clinging onto my humanity. C'mon. Just tell me."

Amused, Alaeh answered, "I woke on Zalohaer, a very small planet created just for us nemlai. I was lying on a giant leaf from a reuri tree in Gamofig, which is a lake. I sat up, and before me was the most serene lake you will ever see, surrounded by small trees bearing the fruit vesple and the greenest of grass. Off in the distance was a fast-approaching winged creature. It was nemlai. Stiltavi."

"Mm," Devon smiled. "That sounds beautiful."

"What about you?" Alaeh asked. "What is your earliest memory?"

"Well, before I became a nemlai, my earliest memory was of my mum's boyfriend Jared. I was three-years-old, a couple of years before social services took me away. Mum and Jared took me to Kings Heath Park for a picnic. Jared was pretending to be a monster and chased me, said he was gonna eat me he was. M'laughing away, running for my life. Jared caught me, and he nibbled on my neck and his beard stubble tickled. Holy fuck it tickled."

"Mm," Alaeh smiled. "Now that you're nemlai?"

Devon laughed darkly before he answered, "I remember being in the fucking womb. Mum was five months pregnant with me. I could feel the burn of alcohol on my body and brain. I could feel the sting of cocaine she'd snorted that day. That's my new earliest memory."

Alaeh responded apologetically by giving Devon's thighs a gentle squeeze.

After a few moments of silence, Devon said, "I can't believe humans are being wiped out in four hours. Can't the other nemlai give us more time?"

"No. Two hundred days is double the usual amount of time we give a brashi society. The brashi here are greedy, harmful, and selfish. An abominable amount of suffering has occurred and we cannot let that continue."

Heartbroken, Devon simply nodded his head. He squeezed his arms marginally, trying to comfort himself. Alaeh turned and craned its neck, and planted a sweet kiss to Devon's cheek.

After hours of leaning its back against Devon's body, talking, and cuddling in silence, Alaeh quietly said, "The time limit ends in sixteen minutes. I will have to--"

"--Just cwtch up a bit more?" Devon whispered with a prickle of tear in his eye.

Alaeh did not move. Alaeh did its best to try to bring comfort Devon by pressing its back firmly against Devon's chest. Alaeh also gave Devon's knees a gentle squeeze.

With a great lump in his throat, Devon begged, "Al- Alaeh, please."

Pained, Alaeh replied, "Devon, I have no choice. Kiorna and its brashi were not created to be so devastatingly divided. Honey bees, a vital part of life, are so close to extinction. Something so small and seemingly insignificant cannot be overlooked. The Divine would not approve of the state in which this planet is. I am truly sorry, my love."

Alaeh stood from Devon's embrace. Devon held back sobs as he stood as well. Devon tried to grab Alaeh's hand in his tears, but the being moved its hand away.

"Alaeh, please," Devon pleaded. "Please don't do this."

Alaeh, also teary, faced Devon and said affectionately, "I will always love you, Devon. Always. You will forever be in my heart and in my mind."

Devon bowed his head as his body shuddered in emotional pain. He felt Alaeh embrace him with one arm, and plant a kiss to his forehead.

"Alaeh, please," Devon begged again, his heart completely broken. "You're- you're tearing me apart. You are following a road that I cannot travel."

Heartbroken as well, Alaeh replied softly, "I know. I know. I am a soldier who is following orders. I am unable to disobey. And I do not want to disobey. This is difficult for me as well but it must be done."

Devon cried harshly, and buried his face in the crook of Alaeh's neck. He wrapped his arms around Alaeh's bare ribs, and his hot tears fell into Alaeh's chest.

Gently, Alaeh whispered, "Dev, let me go now."

"I- I love you, Alaeh. I love you."

"I lo--"

Devon cried even harder as his fingers drove brutally through Alaeh's back. His tavki had attacked Alaeh's, which created an opening for Devon to attack. Devon's sobs were great, and grew a hundred fold as he felt the warm blood engulf his hand, which slowly went deeper into his mate's body.

Alaeh's blue eyes connected with Devon's. Alaeh's eyes conveyed pain, and fear, but also understanding and acceptance.

Alaeh stuttered, "De- Devon. It is okay. It is okay."

That was the most painful thing that Devon had ever done in his entire life. Harming his mate, seeing and feeling Alaeh's acknowledgement, seeing blood spill from Alaeh's mouth, and feeling the light in Alaeh's mind dim. Devon screamed as he pressed his forehead to Alaeh's cheek.

"I'm sorry," Devon said. "I'm sorry."

"It is o- okay. Fi- fight for your people. Fight f- for you. I love you. I love..."

Alaeh's body went slack. Devon finally removed his hand from Alaeh's body and held the being as he continued to sob. He then laid Alaeh, lifeless, gently on the ground. He screamed a blood-curdling, ear-splitting scream that would have scared the Devil himself.

The End.

I owe a huge thank you to Hugh J for the backyard party idea that was written in chapter 16. That plot line was beautiful and sweet and made for some great feels. Thank you, Hugh!

You're Tearing Me Apart!

As you can tell, that's where I got the title of this story from. Alaeh had a job to do, and it broke Devon. Obviously, I knew the ending of this story before I knew the beginning or the middle. That's the first thing that I knew I would eventually write.

Thank you guys so much for reading. I am honoured that you joined me on this journey. Thank you for the hundreds of emails about this story, and thank you for encouraging me to write more. I had a great time writing it, even when I had found myself not knowing where to take this story.

tyler.christopher36@yahoo.com