happens.

*                                                                                                                       *

      Em's running.  She leaps off the cliff after Jay.  She sees him falling.  But now, he's Cole again.  She's confused.  Then she sees Cole hit the ground.  She looks again.  It's not Cole, it's Jay.  He hits the ground, his scars bleeding.  The image flashes between Jay and Cole everytime he hits the ground.  She doesn't understand.  Then she hits the ground.

*                                                                                                                       *

       Em sits up and cries.  She saw the incident clear in her head.  Jay hitting the ground, multiple times with blood all over him.  The image hurt.  She could almost have relived it.  There was something though, at the back of her mind that she couldn't figure out.  Right now though, it didn't matter.  She just starts crying again.  The sun is just beginning to rise above the horizon.

       "Em?  Em?"  Cole walks up behind her.  Em doesn't even listen.  She just keeps crying.  "Em, I...." he's cut off by Em.

       "Look Cole, I don't love you.  I loved Jay and only Jay.  I didn't realize that at the time, but I know now.  I will never be able to love again.  I don't have a heart to love with anymore."

       "Em, you don't understand.  I...."  He's cut off again.

       "Well look'ee here boys."

      Cole turns around to see a whole pack of the wolves that had come up to them when Em was still thin.  There are enough to kill him and Em if they try.  He sees this, but tries to keep them from knowing.  He just stands if front of Em.  He's not going to lose her.  Not now.  He needs to tell her the truth.  "Back off.  Go kill yourself some deer."

      "There aren't anymore deer.  The herd has left.  A pack from the west has chased them away.  You are the only good source of food around."  The lead wolf chuckles as the pack moves in.  "We haven't had a good meal in three days.  There's been a shortage of deer because of two certain intruders."

       "Leave us alone.  You have no idea who you're messing with."  Cole doesn't move.  He's ready to fight for Em again.  This time, he won't lose.

       "Come on.  Don't make this more difficult than it has to be.  Tell ya what.  If you don't put up a fight, we might let your girl go."  The leader licks it's lips. 

        "I won't take a chance on a might."  Cole turns to Em.  When he turns around, he sees her standing up.  She has no sign of tears on her face.  She turns and takes her place beside Cole.  

       "Don't hold back.  Go right ahead."

       Cole's shocked.  She's giving them her life!  She's letting them kill her!  No!  This isn't right.  She can't die!  But before he can react, wolves have already leapt at her.  He starts to fight them away.  Then he realizes she was fighting back.  It was a trick!

       Em fights the wolves.  She may not love Cole, but he's been so nice to her.  He doesn't deserve to die.  No one does.  She kicks and bites and hits until she's backed up to the pond.  Before she can get away, two wolves leap and push her into the water.  She tries to swim but the wolves hold her down.  She can't breath.

      Meanwhile, Cole is pushing back the other members of the pack.  When he hears a splash, he figures it's one of them.  When he hears another little splash, he realizes it was smaller than the first.  When he doesn't see Em, he knows.  He turns and jumps into the water, not caring about his secret anymore. 

      Em is losing time.  She can't breath.  She breathes in water in her panic.  She chokes.  The wolves swim up and go ashore.  Em sinks.  She doesn't care if she dies.  She might as well die now.  She doesn't even think of Cole.  Her heart has never grown back.  She just doesn't care.

      Cole swims down to her.  He can see her.   The wolves have let go.  She's still sinking.  He keeps going down to get her.  He's losing air.  His lungs are contracting.  He pushes away the burning sensation and keeps going down.  Deeper, deeper, deeper, then, he reaches her. 

      Em, sinking, looks up for her last glimpse of the light.  As she floats down, she sees Jay coming to get her.  To take her home.  She closes her eyes and lets herself go as Jay pulls her toward the light.  She surrenders.  She's done.

Ch. 10

     Cole pulls Em out of the water into a small cave under the waterfall.  Only he knows about this cave. They're hidden from the wolves this way.  "Em, Em, c'mon, wake up."  He nudges her.  She doesn't move.  Cole starts to panic.  "Em!"  He puts his head against her chest.  He hears no heartbeat.  He starts to do what Drew had showed him. 

      Em wakes up choking.  All the water in her lungs comes out and she chokes and coughs breathing again.  She feels arms around her.  She closes her eyes.  It's not Jay.  It's Cole.  I'm still alive she thinks.  She lets her head lay on Cole's shoulder.  But when she turns to see Cole, it's not Cole.  She catches her breath and backs away. 

      Jay is standing in front of her.  But, it's like a mixture of Cole and Jay.  It's like Jay with Cole's scars.  Then, her dream flashes in her mind.  The changing of scars to bleeding scratches.  All in the same spot.  There is no Cole.  Cole does not exist.  There is only Jay.

      She can't speak.  She stands there with her mouth open looking at a very uncomfortable Jay.  She watches him as he shifts around and tries to find a way to explain himself.  "Jay.....?"  She finally breathes out those words.

      "Ummm, yeah.  I don't know where to start.  Ummm, you have Drew to thank for my life........" 

      "Jay?  I....I don't understand.  I thought you were dead." 

      Jay doesn't try to explain anymore.  Em just isn't in the right state of mind to process this information.  Almost drowning and lack of oxygen has got her head all messed up.  "Em, how 'bout we just get back to the cave.  I'll explain everything in the morning."  He walks up to Em.

     "No.  No get back.  You're not Jay.  I saw Jay die.  You're not him.  You may look like him, but you're not."  Em backs away.  Her heart is in denial. She doesn't want to believe it.  There's no way it can be true.

     "Em, listen.  Can you not hear my voice?  Can you not see that I am who I was without the scars?  Or has pain blinded you?  Do you not love at all anymore?"  Jay looks at Em for the first time for who she has become.  Not what she used to be.

     "I can love no one but Jay.  There is no way you are him.  He...he...."

     "I love you.  I cannot let you go.  Drew kept me alive.  I don't know what he did, but he knew you loved me.  He told me you never really loved him more than me.  I didn't believe him.  He came up with this whole plan.  I would be dead right now.  I was like you!  I didn't care!  I came to find the one I