Mehk and Itna

The Melds

As the sun rose, Itna did the same. Slipping out of the tent, she stretched, then put on her tubetop. Mehk walked out looking as if he hardly slept at all, "You look tired, did you not sleep well?"

Shaking his head, he looked at her, "No, just kept having this dream..."

"What was it about?" she asked curiously.

"Nothing." Mehk replied quickly.

"Oh, but now I'm curious. You gotta tell m-"

"No, Itna." Mehk interrupted defensively, "I'm going on a run."

"Mehk... I-" Itna started, but was cut off by Mehk tossing off his shirt and running off into the desert. Worried, Itna followed close enough to watch him, but far enough away so he wouldn't notice her. After awhile, she noticed he wasn't stopping. Worry growing, she moved a bit closer. On and on, circling the oasis in a quarter-mile long diameter circle, Mehk continued nonstop against the soft sand and beating sun. Sensing something wrong, Itna began moving closer to him.

As she gained on him, she saw him stumble for a minute, slowing down. Nonetheless, he carried on. After several more moments of stumbling, Mehk collapsed, trying so hard to continue to run from his thoughts. Seeing him collapse, Itna sprinted over as fast as she could, "Mehk!" Sliding to a stop, she knelt by his side. "Oh god, Mehk. Please, please be okay." She sighed out in relief upon seeing his chest moving up and down slowly. Looking back in the direction of the oasis she tried to think of how to get him back there.

Mehk shifted, his eyes opening slightly, "Itna..."

She nodded, "I'm here, I'm here."

"I pushed myself too far, I couldn't have the dream come true. I needed it to not come true..." Mehk tried to stand.

"Mehk, stop. You need to calm down. Whatever it was, it was just a dream, okay?" Itna held him.

"No! It wasn't. You don't understa-"

"Then help me understand! Please, Mehk." Itna glanced back at the oasis, seeing Mehk sway heavily as he tried to rise to his feet.

"I-I can't let you get hurt... Not like the others... Not like the other melds!" Mehk replied. "I was the last... You... Can't... Get... Hurt..." He finished, collapsing onto the sand again.

"Mehk? Mehk! Shit, how do I get him back to oasis?" Grabbing his arms, she began trying to pull him, but to no avail. Looking around, she desperately tried to think of a way get him back to the tent.

Mehk coughed, trying to get up again, "H-help me up." With Itna's help, he got to his feet and step by step they made their way back to the oasis. As they approached, Itna led him to the tent carefully. Leading him in the tent, she laid him down, then rose to go get him some water. Grabbing her arm, he stopped her, "No."

Turning back, she sat down, "Okay."

Bringing her closer, he held her close, "I love you..." He said weakly before drifting off into sleep.

"I love you too," she whispered to his now sleeping form.