Dark Eyes

Chapter 10, Memory

I have made you guys wait long enough, i hope you like this chapter, we see more of the softie side of Drace. Read and review!

"Athene smiled, as her brother, Cassian, sat at her bedside. She had not smiled in such a long time, it felt strange, but she couldn't control the giggle that escaped her lips now. Roxanne had just broken her heart, and she had laid in bed, crying over her, for quite a while now. Her brother's heart broke, at the heart wrenching sobs he heard in the middle of the night. He hated Roxanne, for making his sister suffer, but more than that, he hated her for making Athene blame herself. Athene had cried over that girl enough, and even though she stayed friends with Roxanne, Cassian knew Athene still felt for her.

In the moonlight that streamed through the window, Athene looked so fragile, so small. And he liked to remember her that way, the sweet girl, who used to make flower garlands out of daisies, who used to get excited by the little things in life, like the sunset, or the rain, or the little dragonfly that flew and sat down on her nose. Her sweet laughter echoed through the walls, as she ran, hiding under the white cabinet, and stifling her giggle, to not get caught by Cassian while they played hide and seek. He liked to remember her as such. Little. Sweet. Innocent and untainted by this world's turpitude."

It felt so cold. So dark. So empty. She opened her eyes, to find herself laying down on a clinic bed. She tried to get up, but the pain in her abdomen told her not to. She sweated because she didn't even know what was wrong with her, and then, she looked down to see her stomach bandaged, and herself in a jersey. It was numbered 5, and her foggy brain couldn't remember who wore it. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat, it felt so dry that it hurt.

She opened her mouth like she wanted to scream, but all that came out was a croaky

"Wa..wat...wa...wate...water."

Nothing. No one. She felt helpless. Silent tears poured down her flushed cheeks in a frustrated attempt to get up. It hurt. She gave up trying to get up, and just laid there. Drowning in her tears and it even hurt to cry. She gently lifted her hands up, from where they rested on the thick, beige coloured blankets draped on her body. Her hands shook, and she could hear herself breathe. She looked around in silence, analyzing her situation. There were fresh Gypsophila flowers, known as baby's breath, woven in brown paper, and gently placed in a glass vase at her side table. They were her favourites, and she quietly wondered who'd got them, and who even knew they were her favourite. Light streamed through the window, and made rainbow shadows dance across her arm. Frustrated tears quietly streamed down her cheeks, as her body longed for water. The worst part was that the glass was right there, but she was too in pain to take it herself. Her eyes roamed around, all the beds were empty, except one.

A little boy sat on the bed. His curious eyes staring at her. When he saw her looking back at him, He gently smiled, one of his cheeks, sweetly dimpled.

"I am sorry that I am not able to help you with that. I wish I could get up, but the nurse told me not to."

At his gentle words, she grinned at him.

"N..No...It's o...okay. Tha...thank...you." Athene replied in a raspy voice.

"Don't speak. It will only hurt your throat more."

Athene simply nodded.

"It's so hard, isn't it? Being here all alone?"

Athene simply stared at the boy.

"It's okay, I woke up when you were brought in. My mum promised me a big bowl of ice cream, if my fever went down, and it has. I am just waiting for her to come and take me. You know, you look a lot like her. Her name is Katherine. What is yours?"