Capture the tide.

Chapter 11

Joseph's POV

Joseph fell in and out of consciousness on the softness of an unfamiliar bed that smelt of animal and perspiration, barely remembering how he'd gotten there in the first place. The only thoughts that plagued his head was that his body was so hot that it felt as if his skin had been set alight. 

Groaning his intelligible mutterings of prayers and pleas to himself as something cold and wet wiped across his brow before it was quickly removed, the heat rushing back in to consume his entire being before it was again replaced by the cool damp thing. 

Joseph sighed and groaned with relief and aguish as the never-ending cycle continued for what felt like an eternity. Hot, cold, hot, cold. The cold never staying long enough to replace the constant pain.

A murmur of voices rose and fell around him, but he couldn't place the sounds or words as his head pounded so loudly in his ears that no other sound could penetrate. A high pitch squeal that reminded him of a hunting whistle tormented his every waking moment before he fell back into the depths of oblivion.

A blur of light fluttered in the darkness as dark shadowed figures rushed around him in utter chaos, he could tell the voices were shouting as they mingled with the endless pounding and ringing in his ears.

"There... wrong... anything... die" small words amidst many sentences leaked through the cracks, he barely recognized any of them besides the last. Die. 

Whatever is wrong, whatever had happened. He very well might die; he could feel it... consuming every part of him until there was nothing left. 

As much as he tried, Joseph couldn't hold on to any of the emotions that rushed past him in the boundless moments where his body was aflame and his mind was sent askew, plagued by the mighty drums. 

A small feminine hand grasped his, the skin was smooth and cool as a thumb traced over his knuckles, easing the torment if even for a second.

"My sweet boy" His mother's warm tender voice broke through the cracks, somehow easing the tension in his mind and body as if it were blown in on a phantom wind towards the deepest part of his soul. 

Relief flooded through his body so swiftly that he shivered at the strength of it.

Joseph opened his eyes, watching as the murky shadow by his bedside slowly lifted until he could see the outline of his mother's gentle features, her eyes lined with silver as she gave him a small tender smile. Her hand reached forward and brushed his slicken hair out of his face before returning the cold water-soaked cloth to his brow. 

The usual warmth of her hands felt like sweet ice on his molten skin as she placed her palm on his cheek, Joseph attentively watched a tear slide down her face like it was the most fascinating thing in the world.

Why are you crying, mother? He wanted to ask, as he watched the tear slip down her ages skin. Once it reached her jaw and dropped onto the sweat soaked bed her once gentle eyes cut to his, now full of love and determination as they glowed a soft gold against the dimly lit room. 

"Sleep" she said in a voice filled with power; a sound so different from her own.

Joseph's eyes widen with shock at the sound of it, his body tensing as he made to jump to his feet only to be betrayed as instead everything slackened and he was whisked into a cold cool abyss of unconsciousness. Finding comfort amongst his winter slumber over the blazing reality.

Joseph didn't know whether it was hours or days that he continued his journey in and out of consciousness, heat overtaking his body only to be whisked away for seconds at a time before it resurfaced and sent him racing back under, towards the winter wonderland of his dreams where there was no light but only darkness and cold and he was grateful for it.