Subject 48

Still Smiling

... nope. This time it's very different.

Am I dead? I didn't imagine to feel drenched when I die. And this pain. Crap that hurts,everything hurts and I'm all wet, what the heck is going on?

My eyes reluctantly opened and I cried out as the sizzling light hit my pupils. The sky was a blurry Orange and there were little grey particles floating to the ground like snow.

I gently pushed my arm out to catch whatever they where. I saw my own hand, and got frightens. They were looking kinda pink, with ashes And scratches decorating then in painful cross crosses.

Oh. Ashes. It's raining ashes. Yup I'm dead.

"Rory, you awake?" A familiar voice called.

My head slowly turned, but quickly stopped because waves of pain races through my neck every time I turned.

"Don't move, just rest up. you're gonna be a little stiff for a while." Elliott said as he walked over to me.
Yah stiff, that's a Nice way to say it.

I gasped when I saw him... his hands were red and blistering, one of his pant legs was almost gone and had made ugly yet kinda bad as* black etches all along his body. His eyes looked red and there was a long sleek scratch throbbing across his cheek.um yeah no, he couldn't look bad. This guy would never pull it off.

In fact, even in these circumstances a sweet smile still managed to crack on his face, and his eyes looked hopeful.

"Elliott... what happened" I groaned

"We got into a clearing, were safe now." He spoke softly, his voice was soothing and I just wanted him to keep taking, say nice things... Let me hear his voice until I feel asleep and the pain melted away.

I have a weird mind.

Back to reality, I noticed he was wet too, and in fact we were both in a huge bunch of water.

That's new.

I forced myself to look around. Both of us seemed to be at the edge of a lake, myself sitting in water up to my neck and leaning against a large rock. It's kinda odd I didn't just sink beneath the water. Than I noticed rocks were sitting still in a circle around me, keeping me in place. Haha, Elliott must have done that. Clever.

I tried to raise my hands into the air to see the damage but instantly regretted it.

They quickly began to heat up and sting so I plunged them back under the cool water and felt instant relief.

Elliott, who could actually move, strode over and slumped down beside me.

"Sorry, you got the worst of the heat, even though I had to carry you out." He mentioned, completely nonchalant about the whole situation.

"You carried me out?"

"Well... more like dragged but yeah."

" my hero" I laughed, but it awkwardly turned into a rusty gag since my throat felt like clogged sandpaper.

He smiled at me, his head tilted and his face mirrored amusement.

Slowly I regained my breathe and managed to calm down. "Thanks though" I gasped

"Yeah, no biggie.not like I saved your life or anything " he said through a smirk.

"I owe ya one." I said.

His smile grew and it turned into laughter. That real, human laugh that I hadn't heard for so long. I just... I just wanted to stay here, even in all my pain. Who knew someone's laugh could make me so... happy.

I mean something! Not someone, the laugh was what made me happy of course....

"I'm starving, how are we gonna get food, since, if I remember correctly everything got burnt to a crisp" I complained.

" Yeah, it's cool I already know how to set up traps. And with the fire, all the animals well be scared and hungry. Well have a catch in no time." He said with a confident grin, making me feel at ease. Not full though. Nope. Still hungry. I want food.

I think he saw the eagerness in my expression, his eyes seemed to grow softer and I could read empathetic all over his face. He did that head tilt thing, just slightly, I'm not sure why he does that. It's kinda his quark I guess.

He was still looking at me, and all I could do was look back, defenses against his perfectly bright eyes, looking into mine.

Elliott leaned over to me, his face got kinda close. Too close. Or not close enough I don't know. What are your doing though. Seriously. Than, in a voice I've never heard him use he whispered.

"I'm sorry... I wish I could take care of you. You deserve so much better."