City of the Fallen - unedited

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Lunch with the family is awkward, as Colton and I don't really talk much. I'm starved however, so I'm too busy eating anyway.

I feel bad that I asked him about how he died, but he didn't have to take it that far. Clearly it hits a very soft spot, but that only makes me more curious as to what hurt him so badly. Why was he so scarred by it? I didn't react that way, so it had to be way worse than my death.

I just wish we were on good terms to begin with so that this trip wouldn't be so bad. Things would have gone a lot smoother.

It's hot. I feel like a nice cold shower right now, but the only thing I'm going to get is an ice cold bath in a dirty lake.

I hate being hungry all the time, the feeling of my stomach aching just because I need food is irritating and inconvenient. My feet actually ache after I walk long distances and I run out of breath quickly. My muscles get sore after using them so much and gravity pulls me down more the more exhausted I get. All of these are things I forgot about after I died.

"Can we play at the lake tonight, Mommy?" Ekram prompts, wiggling in his seat with excitement.

"I suppose that's alright." Emine replies, carrying a few dishes back inside. "You both have to get ready then while I wash these dishes."

Kara and Ekram's eyes light up with delight and they both instantaneously dart towards their house. I guess that means Colton and I are staying in tonight unless he actually wants to watch the kids play around in the dirty water.

I glance behind me to make sure none of Arslan's family is watching us. I drop my towel and sink into the freezing water, then sock my small cloth into it.

I rub it all over my face, my arms, my chest and the rest of my body and make sure that I'm doing it as quickly as possible so that I am able to get out of here before Colton arrives.

Aaaand he's here.

"Beat me to it, huh?" He sets his towel down onto the bench and begins undressing. I turn around and lean back, wetting my hair.

I hear him jump into the water, and a few water droplets land on my face.

I finish my bath and reach for my towel just as Colton reaches the surface.

I widen my eyes at him, telling him to look away while I get out of the lake.

He abides and turns around, and I quickly step onto the dirt and wrap the towel around my chest.

"How can you sit in there for so long?" I ask him while I shiver like crazy. The air outside is warmer than the water, but I am still freezing.

"I don't know, I guess I'm just not a wuss like you." He replies.

"If I was a wuss, I wouldn't have agreed to leave the Afterworld to save my brother." I counter.

He grins. "Fair enough."