Scars Between Us | A short story

The Aftermath of the Battle

The room was dark, bathed in the faint glow of the moonlight streaming through the curtains. Vi's body jerked suddenly, her breaths shallow and rapid as she fought against invisible enemies in her sleep. Her fists clenched tightly, knuckles white, and a quiet, pained whimpers escaped her lips.

In her dream, Jinx's face was close—too close. Wide, manic eyes filled with tears, her voice echoing, accusing. "You left me, sis. You let him take me. You let me die." The words cut deep, tearing through Vi like jagged glass. The crash replayed endlessly, the searing heat, the sound of her sister's scream swallowed by the chaos. She reached out, desperate, but her hand grasped at nothing. Always nothing.

"No!" Vi bolted upright, gasping for air as though she'd just been dragged from the bottom of the ocean. Her chest heaved, sweat dripping down her temples, and her eyes darted around the room, wild and unfocused.

The sound stirred Caitlyn from her light sleep. She blinked groggily, her one good eye adjusting to the dimness. She turned her head to see Vi sitting at the edge of the bed, her shoulders trembling, her hands gripping her face as if she were trying to hold herself together.

"Vi?" Caitlyn's voice was soft, groggy but laced with concern. She pushed herself up slowly, her body still aching from her injuries. She reached out, her fingers brushing Vi's arm. "What happened? Are you okay?"

Vi flinched at the touch but quickly realized it was Caitlyn. Her head dropped, her breath shaky. "Sorry," she muttered, her voice hoarse. "Didn't mean to wake you."

"Don't apologize." Caitlyn scooted closer, her movements careful, and rested her hand gently on Vi's back. "You were having a nightmare, weren't you?" Vi nodded but said nothing, her jaw clenched tightly. Her body was stiff, like a coiled spring, ready to snap.

Caitlyn hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "Was it... Jinx?"

Vi inhaled sharply, her shoulders tightening even more, and Caitlyn immediately knew she was right. She didn't push further, though, letting Vi decide if she wanted to talk. Instead, she simply rubbed slow, soothing circles on Vi's back, her touch steady and grounding.

After a long pause, Vi finally broke the silence, her voice barely above a whisper. "I couldn't save her, Cait. She's gone, and... I couldn't do anything."

Caitlyn's heart ached at the raw pain in Vi's voice. She slid closer, her body brushing against Vi's as she wrapped her arm around her waist. "You don't have to carry this alone," she said softly. "You did everything you could. More than anyone else would have."

Vi shook her head, her fingers digging into her thighs. "I should've done more. I promised her... I promised I'd protect her, no matter what." Her voice cracked, and she swallowed hard, her throat tightening. "And I failed."

Vi exhaled shakily, the tension in her body beginning to ease, though the guilt still lingered in her eyes. "It feels like... I lost everything."

"You haven't lost everything," Caitlyn said firmly, her hand finding Vi's and threading their fingers together. "I'm still here. And I'm not going anywhere."

Vi turned to look at Caitlyn then. "You shouldn't have to deal with this mess. I'm... a wreck."

Caitlyn's lips curved into a faint smile, even as her eye glistened with shared emotion. "You're my wreck.."

Vi let out a breath, somewhere between a laugh and a sob, and leaned into Caitlyn's touch, resting her head against Caitlyn's. For a moment, they sat in silence, the weight of the nightmare slowly lifting as Caitlyn's presence grounded Vi in the here and now.