Flip Side

Part Two

at this point, the water is almost encompassing the level of the debris mound they're standing on. he pushes her back slightly, and envelopes her hand in his. she looks up at him, surprised. he steps backwards, and pulls her towards the highest point of the rubble pile. he finds a relatively flat spot near the peak and sits down on it, with his knees spread apart, then tugs her down so she's sitting between his legs with her back pressed against his chest.

they sit like this for a while, watching the water rush in from above. when the water begins to lap at the toes of their shoes, she turns, and, because his legs are bent at almost a 90 degree angle, pushes her legs through the triangle gap under his knee. she wraps her arms around his stomach, and he moves his arms so they rest on her back with his fingers loosely laced together.

the water is covering their legs up to just below the waist, but neither of them make a move to get up. after all, there is nowhere they can go that is higher up, and any effort would just be delaying the inevitable.

when the water is just below their ribcages, she lets out a single choked sob. he leans down and lightly presses his lips to the top of her damp head, letting them stay pushed against her for several moments, before relaxing his face and turning to the side so his ear touches her skin.

the water covers their collarbones, and she tilts her head up to look him in the eyes. she says she guesses they really aren't getting out of this one. he nods, and states that they're at least going out together instead of alone.

he stands up on his knees, getting as close to the top of their prison as he can. she treads through the coldness towards him, before wrapping her legs around his waist as the water caresses their chins. her hair floats everywhere behind her as she leans her head back to breathe in the last six inches of air space left.

moments before they both go under, he aims her chin towards him, swiftly capturing her lips against his. before she can respond, he pulls back.

they both inhale deeply before their heads are underwater. they hold the oxygen in as long as they can, knowing it's the last they'll ever have. finally releasing the air, they suck in, this first burst of water filling their lungs sent them thrashing away from each other, the only sensation engulfing their bodies being fire.

the second rush in is worse, and she opens her mouth in a scream. they choke and gag, flailing around with limbs occasionally smacking into the heap below them. the water is murky, but the light filtering in from the day outside illuminates the first few feet of water, making fuzzy shapes visible.

eventually they both stop moving, floating around in the cold, barely conscious. he notices the blurry outline of and outstretched hand reaching towards him. he reaches for it, interlacing his fingers with hers. mustering the little strength he has left, he tugs her arm, making her drift towards him. neither of them have the strength to pull their arms around each other, but having their hands connected allowed them to draw as much comfort as they could, given the situation.

his eyes grow impossibly heavier, and he fights to keep them open. they burn, but the pain is nothing compared to the dull, burning throb he feels everywhere except the hand touching hers.

she doesn't fight against her eyelids, letting them drift close. she focuses on the feeling of his skin on hers rather than the agony radiating from her chest outwards. his consciousness is fading fast, the light in his eyes dissipating quickly.

just as the darkness infiltrates their minds completely, he aims a single thought directly at her, knowing fully well it'll never reach its destination. the blurry murk around him turns to black as his eyes slide down for the last time.

"See you on the flip side."