Just Survive

Chapter Ten

- Ashley Gray -

Droplets of water splash onto my arm, the coolness of the substance making my skin tingle. This is the first thing I have felt in hours, maybe even days as the ache coating my body has transcended into numbness. My skin feels as though it's peeling back from my bones and then sewing itself back to my tendons like a doll in a repair shop. It's like I've been unconscious for my entire life and I'm finally waking up from a nightmare. With my mind foggy and my eyelids heavy, my clogged ears sound as if I have a moth fluttering about inside them. It can't escape, forever trapped in darkness too messy to understand. I don't know what is happening around me, I can't move or open my eyes. I simply embrace those droplets on my bare skin and wait until all my senses return to me. I hope that where ever I am, I'm not alone.

"I'm so sorry." I hear a deep voice sound with muffled pronunciation like a song playing through broken speakers so all you can hear is the bass.

"I could've done so much more..." The voice continues, the sadness clear-as-day, embedded in their tone like words embossed into a grave-stone. "I'm sorry, Ash."

The words send shivers down my spine, my whole entity shaken as the voice breaks into quiet sobs. My hearing becomes more and more clear with each heart-wrenching sob, my eyelids lighter and lighter with each pump of adrenaline at the sound of the voice I grew to love. The numbness fades as my body fills with warmth at the recognition of the familiar presence. The droplets of water on my arm rain harder now, the tears soaking my skin. I recognise the soft voice that whispers to me now which means they made it out alive - I saved them.

With all the power I can muster and the sheer will to see his and everyone else's faces again, I force my body into action. Energy floods my veins. With a gulp and gasp of breath, I push open my eyes, seeing Cody with his eyes closed and his head down. The salty tears drip down from his chin and onto my arm still. My heart breaks. The sobs diminish into small sniffles. I gaze at his drooping eyelids and tear-stained cheeks for a moment as I try to come to terms with what is happening to me and around me. The physical ache fades away as I look at Cody, lost in his presence. Though, the pain in my heart doesn't numb like my body as I watch another tear drip onto my hand that's cupped within his.

"Cody." I try to speak. My voice comes out in a hoarse whisper which rattles in my dry throat.

He freezes, his head not lifting, just paused in place while his eyes widen in disbelief.

"It's alright." I try again, still sounding like I'm choking on gravel. I no longer whisper but instead mutter my concerns, my vocal cords slowly adjusting.

Cody's head flies up, his eyes wide with shock and glee. He bounces out of the uncomfortable chair and pulls me into his arms and despite the immense amount of pain, I return the gesture. His hands roam around my back as if he's making sure that I am in his arms.

"You're okay?" He quizzes, pulling away slightly to look me over, making sure that the moment is real.

I can't answer, also bewildered by the fact that I am sitting here, alive and breathing. The last I knew, though it's a blurred mess, I was being taken down by a thousand corpses.

"They kept telling me to..." He ponders for a moment, but he can't say it. "You know -" he continues, - but I just couldn't. His eyes fill with such sorrow as he looks at me with a mixture of worry and happiness.

I can see the guilt in his eyes, he blamed himself for even thinking about having to put me down but it will be the only ending for me. I'm bound to catch the fever soon. I'll start burning up until my body can't take the pain any longer. When that time comes, I hope they kill me before I have the chance to become a real monster.