Marcid

Thirty-Three - Kory

Kory's eyes fluttered open, the warmth of a body that was against him almost immediately made him sluggish once more. He had just woken up, and he was already getting tired. He looked at the body that held him securely, recognizing Raymond swiftly from his flower-patterned shirt. He was the only person in the group to have literal, true clothing and not the rags like everyone else.
Everyone else. Him, Zeke, Konrad, Ophelia... Who else? Something didn't feel right. His memory felt hazy again. There was another girl, wasn't there?

It didn't matter now, did it? He lifted his body ever so slightly to look around. Kory found Zeke sitting near a dead body, blankly staring at it. The sight made a shiver crawl down his spine. Kory asked himself if something had happened hours prior. All he could remember was a loud gunshot in front of him, but it wasn't towards himself. It was towards someone else. A girl. She was Asian, her black hair nearly touching her elbows. Her skin was pale. He remembered little yet so much about her at the same time. Kory turned his body carefully to look at Aaliyah, her lifeless body getting paler by the minute. He made sure Raymond didn't wake up.

His focus felt unclear. Nearly everything felt like a blur once again. Just like when he woke up as if it was for the first time in a long time. Unaware of what happened to him, yet always trying to connect the dots. At least he knew what happened to himself. He also knew what happened to Aaliyah. He watched her pull the trigger, and he could have stopped it. He really could have. He could have stood up, grabbed the gun from her shaky hand, and stopped her from killing herself. But he didn't.

The gushing winds pushed Kory's curls in front of his face, blocking his sight momentarily. He pushed them away, making a futile attempt to tuck them behind his ears. The winds would blow them away, anyhow. He shivered, leaning back against Raymond's warm body. He had the warmth of a father. Or so Kory assumed. He never had one. It felt comforting for an older figure to hold him in such a way. He felt cared for and loved. The word 'loved' felt foreign to him, now that Kory had the silence he so longed for. The silence didn't feel as good as he imagined. He misses the chatter of the other kids he knew in the lab, even if it overwhelmed him. It reassured him ever so slightly that he was in the moment, here. He wasn't dreaming this time. This was real, was it not?

He'll figure it out soon enough.

He turned his head to find the older couple, finding Ophelia and Konrad talking to each other in hushed tones underneath a tall tree that gave them shade, protecting them from the hot sun. Kory suppressed a frown. He hoped they weren't talking about him, though it felt impossible for that to even happen at the moment. Aaliyah had just killed herself. It was all everyone could think about, no? Kory wondered what Raymond thought of all of this. He was the only 'grown' adult here. He looked to be about in his early thirties, though his choice of attire made him look quite younger.

He felt a bit envious of the two. They were in love. It wasn't one-sided. Nobody would give them a second glance if they were walking by, holding hands. If it was him and Zeke, people might just whisper rude things to their friends. He wasn't sure. He had never been outside before.
Kory huffed, his thoughts starting to ruin his mood. He felt beads of sweat streak down from his forehead, his curls nearly sticking to his face. It was still hot outside despite the frequent winds.

He lifted himself off of Raymond, making sure that he wouldn't wake up yet. Something told Kory that Raymond needed some rest.

He stood up, cautiously walking towards Zeke. The smell of Aaliyah's dead body quickly hit him. Kory covered his nose, suppressing a gag that was nearly let out from his throat.

Zeke looked up at Kory, his blank gaze softening with faint emotion. At least he was showing some sort of emotion, Kory thought. [font won't let me do italics] Kory sat down next to Zeke, continuing to cover his nose. The stench was unbearable, he was surprised Zeke was able to sit near her for this long. Especially with the bugs now starting to infest inside of her. Kory noticed flies buzzing around her corpse, worms, and other insects digging inside her skin. Silently, Kory examined Aaliyah. The way her jet-black hair that nearly looked blue from how dark it was still held its natural shine and softness, even with days without a proper bath.

Her expression was peaceful, dry tears staining her cheeks. Her eyes were dull, lifeless. Her skin was paler than usual. Some parts of her hair were dry with her own blood. Dirt was underneath her fingernails, which she would normally complain about if she was still alive. If she was still alive. The words felt stuck in Kory's throat. He wanted to say 'I'm sorry,' but for what? Not stopping her in time? For confessing? For coming back? He didn't know where to start.

His lips parted, as if ready to say something. Nothing came out.
Zeke's gaze turned to Kory, his fingers twitching as he stared. "It's not your fault," Zeke mutters, his voice raspy from how long he went without talking. "She was doing what she thought was best, right?" He says. Kory looked at Zeke, seeing his eyes overflow with tears. He still held his emotionless expression, even if his eyes spoke for him.

"Maybe." Kory sighs. "I don't know what she was thinking." He fidgeted with the fabric of his shirt. "I just know she loved you." His words made Zeke give a confused look.

"What?"

"I think she did it to protect you."

Zeke weakly smiled, shaking his head. "You should have heard her when you..." His voice faltered. "Anyway, she thought I was the one who killed you."

Kory's expression softened, a smile subconsciously turning his lips. "Really?"

"She did it for you. Not me."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Oh."

Kory hesitantly shifted closer. Zeke hadn't noticed he did it yet. "Remember when I said that...I loved you?" He tried not to stutter.

Zeke looked back at Aaliyah, meeting her lifeless gaze. He nods. "Yeah." He whispers. "Why?"

"I still love you." Silence stabbed Kory in the back. Panic rose in his spine. "I shouldn't have said that, sorry." He stammered.

"I think I love you too." Zeke said.