Cure

Chapter Three

Luz and I continued to talk back and forth sharing memories from our past before the world ended and even our own past together after it ended. And as the sun began to set I told Luz I could take the first watch. She'd attempted to argue saying how she'd had plenty of sleep while she was healing all this time. One look from me was all it took for her to give in. Not before giving me a stern look and demanding that I woke her up when I grew tired that is.

She'd been asleep for a while convincing me that the floor was far more comfortable than the couch. I'd been staring blankly at the ceiling as I lay on my back and tried to busy my mind to pass the time. Though suddenly I heard Luz stirring in her sleep and I got up to observe her. She began to toss and turn as her breathing shifted growing faster.

"Luz?" I mumbled faintly before getting up from the couch and making my way to her. She began to speak indistinguishable strings of words. Luz seemed to be acting scared. "Luz," I started, shaking her shoulders. "Luz, wake up!" I said louder growing scared for her. She shot up with her eyes wide while looking around her in panic.

"Luz," I placed my hand on her shoulder and she reacted to it by violently pushing me down, my back meeting the cold hard ground. It happened so fast I wasn't prepared. Looking up my eyes wide, locking with hers as her hands were placed on my shoulders keeping me down with force.

In her eyes, I saw fear. I moved my hands to comfort her only for her hands to grip my wrists harshly and pinned them to the ground next to my head.

"Please don't hurt me." She whispered this in a broken voice as I watched tears build in her eyes. She blinked, letting them fall to stain my shirt. There wasn't much I could do given the position we were in and the state she was currently in mentally. Her eyes seemed distant as if she was not actually here with me.

"Luz, it's me. I'd never hurt you." I tried to keep my tone level but seeing her like this hurt me. Her grip on my wrists loosened until it disappeared entirely. My eyes shifted between hers searching for an answer to what I could do. I knew Luz had issues with space, but with me, she'd grown comfortable. Yet looking at her now I knew that I had to be careful with how I handled myself and how I chose to react to her.

"Luz, I'm right here. You're safe with me. I promise." I whispered gently and I watched her eyes scan across my face. "What can I do Luz? I want to help but I don't want to do it the wrong way." I asked her feeling my heart race from everything. My gut twisted at seeing her like this and I felt rage build within me from what she'd said.

This group, had hurt her in the month and a half we were trapped there and there was nothing I could do to fix it. I couldn't save her fast enough and it made me hate myself, but it also made me hate them more. I will hurt them. I'll make them pay for ever laying a finger on her I swear. My mind snapped back from a sudden movement and I watched as Luz got off of me. She sat facing away from me as I pushed myself up into a sitting position and listened as she broke down crying. 

"Please just hold me. You make the pain go away." I heard her voice crack. Listening to her words I made slow moments to sit next to her. I wanted to be careful not to scare her. Slowly I raised my hands up but stopped before I touched her.

"Is it okay if I..." I trailed off in question and she responded with a nod. I slowly wrapped my arms around her and I felt her tense up for a moment before she relaxed into my hold. I brought her closer, pulled her into me, and hugged her tightly hoping to force these nightmarish thoughts she'd been having out of her mind. I'll make them pay for this, but for now, I needed to be here for her. Everything else can wait until later.

"I'm trying to fix everything, Amity, but I can't. I don't know what to do. Tell me what to do." I held her close as she began to cry harder. "Please Amity." She begged me.