Expression of Love (before battle)
Nelly was right. Heathcliff the Erlking had already disappeared into the rooftops.
The only chance Vergilius gave us... the awakening I managed with my clock...
The very last of Heathcliff's hopes...
Yeah... It's...
... over.
Endless vortex of colours, mixing into a sludge.
A splash of grey paint over the heart that once gleamed violet.
A splash of bloody red paint. Splashes of faded colours.
Again and again... until there was nothing but blackness.
Unseen by all. Unnecessary to anyone. The colour of the pitch-black night.
The colour of the Backstreets.
Another power outage...
<... Huh? Where did Heathcliff go...?>
Yeah, he disappeared all of a sudden...
What are you talking about? I'm right here.
A predictable ending, is it not? He returned to the Backstreets. The place where our dear Heathcliff belongs.
Poor Heathcliff. Once again he turns his tail, tasting nothing but defeat and despair.
Stop... stop it. I don't want to hear any more of it!
Pitiful... isn't he? He would not have changed one bit, no matter how much time he spent in your company.
Look at Heathcliff the Erlking. Heathcliff the devil.
The very same end that awaits Heathcliff.
<I disagree. You probably can't hear a thing I'm saying... but I still do.>
<Because...>
I'm hurting. I don't want to be here anymore.
... So I must marry Linton in the end.
Because it would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now.
Oh... bloody hell. It's this memory again.
Cathy and Nelly must be talking about me in that room.
Haah... I have to get out of here. If I had to stay and listen... my heart will crack and fall apart... until it completely shatters.
And this bloody clock noise is back...
... It could only mean that time's passing, no matter how much I suffer.
But... would waiting, letting time pass, change anything?
What difference would it...
Fine. I'll wait a little. So shut up and -
Marrying Linton would give me the means to help Heathcliff. I could make him a better person.
So he must never know the immense love I have for him.
…….
No. This time...
I don't want to shut this open door.
I'm still scared. Terrified, even. But...
Cathy, I'm sorry.
I've disappointed you.
Because I was too afraid to hear your true feelings.
I know. This future... is a future that will never come true. Not for us.
I wrecked everything with my hesitation.
I hurt more than just us; I hurt Nelly, too.
I have to start... fixing the things I've wrecked.
…….
<Because...>
<... I don't want my Heathcliff...>
<... to live the rest of his life in regret.>
<That is why... despite everything...>
<I want Heathcliff to forge on to the rooftop.>
…….
Those flowers bloom in places like desolate moors or steep cliffsides.
So they may appear more lonely than anything else in the world.
…….
Do you want to know why I still love this flower the most?
All other flowers lose their colours and fade as they wither away.
But this flower... even as it withers and wilts...
... remains the same colour.
So when you're gone, I will dry these flowers and decorate my room with them.
Uh... what, like make rings of them flowers? Don't say something so foolish.
Why would I ever leave you?
So stupid...
I never once realized what she meant by those words.
Everything you've ever said, Catherine... was an expression of love.
Oi, I'm back.
<Heathcliff!>
Where the hell did you go? You blipped out of existence when the lightning struck, and...
Are you okay, Heathcliff?
No. It hurts. It still hurts like hell. But...
I will move past you and make my way to the rooftop, Nelly.
... You're... what?
Heathcliff the Erlking will not be my future.
You, him... you both had access to every knowledge, but made the same choices anyway.
Not me. I'm going to make a different choice.
... Thank you so much for looking after us, Nelly. It must have been very hard.
Among the three individuals mentioned in Miss Catherine's will...
Since Hindley and Linton are now both clearly deceased...
... it can be said that, at least on paper, the ownership of Wuthering Heights has been transferred to Heathcliff.
I'll give you a new future, Nelly. I'll give you freedom.
So start writing as you will.
Write your own tale. Or whatever else it is that you wish to do.
With that, Heathcliff left Nelly behind and began making his way to the rooftop.
Nelly collapsed to the floor, making an odd noise that sounded like a mixture of laughter and sobbing.
I'm... free to go...? I've been... freed? Then I... I can finally...
The hell are you lot doing down there, faffin' about? Come on up.
<…….>
<For the first time... I really have no idea what you're thinking right now.>
Thinking?
I don't really 'think' that hard, mate.
I just clearly know what I have to do.
That's all.