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THE DAYS HAD BEGUN TO BLEND TOGETHER. hours blending into one another, minuets passing that felt like seconds. the sun rising and setting on a never ending loop. time mixing into a messy bleak of nothingness. time meant nothing to natalia when she could hardly focus on staying alive, when her legs felt heavy and her eye lids threatened to close. when the lack of water had begun to get to her, when the last time she had eaten had been nearly two weeks prior. blood and dirt clung to her skin, her lips dry and cracking. her brain had begun to get foggy, her stomach churning and tightening in ways that had her doubling over to clutch her empty stomach. her ribs poking through her skin, her belly ring shrinking into her stomach more and more as the days passed on and as her stomach grew smaller and smaller. everything ached, and her will to live was slowly shrinking with each day that passed, with each time she fought to stay awake through the night to keep sopfia safe from the dead that lurked within the dense trees. natalia was only delaying the inevitable, trying to make herself seem strong, by continuing to move, by not allowing herself to stop. she was only putting everything off. she was going to die, natalia knew she was. she wouldn't lie to herself, she couldn't make herself think better of the situation she was in. natalia was simply beginning to accept it, because there was nothing else she could do. she was lost, they both were, and it felt like only a matter of time before it all ended.
her body burned, legs feeling like jello, each step had her feeling like she was on the verge of her legs buckling. her vision spotting, light headed and dizzy. every muscle within her body begged for a break, everything ached in pain, ached for water, for food. they felt like they'd give out with each step she took, wobbling and knees threatening to give out, shaking like she had finished working out, finished a long run for track. her stomach burned with hunger, and her throat and mouth felt like sand paper from the lack of water she has had. blisters burned on the bottom of her feet, dirt clung to her skin, her hair stuck out in different directions, her shoulders and cheeks burnt from the sun, her shoulders blistered, her skin cracking. they'd run out of water, and they'd been out of food for days. it only added to the uncomfortable feeling she already had. natalia felt dizzy, eyes going through tunnel vision every so often. she wanted it all to be over, and she hated that she was thinking how she was. deep within her mind natalia knew people were waiting for her to return, waiting for when she and sophia finally made an appearance after being gone for so long. yet she also knew, that if she was lost on her own, she would've used one of the four bullets, she would've pulled the trigger and put herself out of her misery. sure that the others had already moved on, continued on their way to fort benning, and that was not in natalia's cards. she wouldn't be able t magically make it there, she couldn't even get herself out of the woods.
her bottom lip quivered, teeth sinking into the inside of her cheek, shaky breaths escaping her lips. hand shaking by her side, she tightly squeezed her eyes shut. trying to ride the thoughts from her mind, free herself from the cave of thoughts that wouldn't leave her alone. she had been determined to get out, to get through the tree line, find supplies, and find her people. find her parents, find carl, find lee, they were truly the only things keeping her from putting a bullet in her head at calling it a day. sophia peered up to the girl who had begun to slow, wobbling from side to side, her head tilted back, trying to suck in deep breaths, fill her lungs. the teen shook her hands by her sides, forcing her blood to move within her body, force herself to keep going, not let the temptation of taking a break win. natalia waved the child off, shaking her head at the girl, clenching her jaw, teeth grinding against one another. a crease formed between her brows, knowing deep within her chest she didn't have much time, if they didn't get out soon, she wouldn't be getting out. a small wince escaped her lips, her steps faltering, her hand clutching at her side, nose scrunched up, teeth digging into her bottom lip.
