Days of Decay

Chapter Thirty One

There are few times in life when you think to yourself, how am I supposed to move on from this? The answer is plain and simple. You move. That thought consumed Asha as she lay on the bed, numb yet tingling. It had been an hour since Jude left her, but she could still feel his pin-needles all over her body. He hadn't grown tired of the game, not for a long time. The dark-haired girl wasn't sure she had any scream left.

She shifted herself as much as she could, feeling an ache at every point of entry. The pain was instant, but the recovery was long and dull. She felt empty, defeated, broken. There was absolutely nothing she could do to help herself, and it killed her. It killed her knowing that her friends were likely suffering the same, if not more. And she couldn't help them.

The sadness and betrayal had left her body in a slow whisper.

She felt nothing.

Her mind tried its best to show her a happy memory, to push some life into the damaged heart that lay under her ribs. She caught glimpses of her family, smiling and laughing. The holiday to Mexico where they roamed the orange flower covered streets munching on Gansitos. Laughing at Ella when she came home drunk for the first time and threw up over the priceless, imported rug. Her mum and dad dancing the salsa in their living room like they'd invented it. She tried to think of it all, before it was too late and she wouldn't be able to see it again.

Death was something that she'd been preparing herself for ever since Nox arrived. Even before then, she was always cautious of it, always aware that it would happen. She counted herself lucky that she'd lived this far. Being on a bed, tied up in the Samaritans' grasp simply didn't surprise her.

She felt ready for death and she refused to go out angry.

So instead, she lay quietly, staring at nothing, letting the minutes pass. Judging by the lack of light coming through the cracks in the boarded-up windows, she was alone until the deep night.

Her thoughts on death jumped around in her mind, dancing and teasing her. And she did ponder them. But after a while she started to feel like something was wrong. She didn't want to die.

She wasn't ready.

There was so much more to do, and the thought of not being able to do anything more filled her with panic. She had to get out. She had to fight for her survival, just like she'd been doing for the past six months. Her whole life had been catapulted into hope when she met Max, and she would be the world's biggest twat if she let that hope fizzle and die. She couldn't give up, not when the stakes were so high.

She had to find a way out.

With a new attitude fresh in her mind, she was ready when the door handle twisted open. No more doing nothing, she would take a stand and be fierce, because if she didn't, she'd lose herself and everything that came with it.

"Hey," Harry said quietly as he closed the door behind him.

"Fancy seeing you here," Asha replied coldly, lazily letting her gaze fall on him.

"Sarcasm, that's a good sign," he smiled lightly, but a deep sadness glowed in his eyes. "Jude asked me to bring you these. If you need them," he said, holding out three white pills.

"Asked or demanded?" Asha questioned. Her idea of escape forming.

"Huh?" Harry looked confused.

"Jude, he acts like your master. Not a nice one," she replied.

"It's not like that," he reassured with a shake of his head.

"Really? Because it seems to me that he intimidates you, and you cower in his presence. Don't bother lying, Harry. I can see it written all over your face. Everyone can. So, why lie? It's not like he's in here, is it? It's not like he'll punish you for admitting that he practically owns you. He'd probably love it," Asha said firmly.