Written in Life

(Chapter 18)

I opened my eyes to a room filled with smoke and light bounced off each cloud to hit me straight in the eyes. I covered them with my hand. I tensed. Was I still in my story. Please no. I sat up slowly and looked around carefully and saw a figure walking towards me. I pressed my back against the bed post and my chest heaved up and down. It came closer and I screamed.

"Hey, hey, hey! Calm down, sugar! I'm not gonna hurt ya!" a woman yelled over my scream. She was a darker, fat woman with layers of cloth and rings covering every inch of her body.

"Who are you?" I demanded. She raised her brow and crossed her arms.

"I nurse you back to health, and that's the tone you give me?" she said. I sighed.

"I'm sorry," I said." You just.... I didn't expect.... thank you." She smiled and held a wet sheet against my head. It burned and I let out a hiss.

"Hold that there," she ordered. I did as told and looked around at swinging lamps and crumbling earth.

"Uh, have you seen a guy here...?" I asked.

"Black hair, green eyes, majorly good looking? He's been coming back every hour like a bee attracted to honey," she said. I felt my face get hot and she laughed." I won't tell no one, don't worry."

I smiled and heard a knock at the door. We both looked at each other, surprised. She pointed to the bed and mouthed 'now'. I climbed under the covers as quickly as I could.

"Is anyone home?" Cody called. The woman went to the door, throwing me a thumbs up before disappearing behind a cloud of smoke. I held the sheet to my head and my face got hot. Cody emerged from the smoke, the woman following.

"You're awake," he said. He walked up to the bedside and knelt down so our eyes were level." You feelin' okay? You look really hot," he said. I nodded.

"Both are true," I said." How long have I slept?"

"Two days," he said." I thought you would wake up earlier, but I guess you got hit pretty hard." He gestured to my head. I nodded.

"You have no idea," I said." I'm really sorry that I dragged you into my story. It was a really bad idea." He just stared at me, wide-eyed.

"Wow. You must have got hit really hard... your apologizing," he said. He laughed and I couldn't help letting out a little giggle. What was going on? I don't giggle! He smiled and looked at me, my face getting hot.

"God, can we open a window? It's boiling in here," I said. The woman in the corner nodded and flung open the shutters. Smoke flowed through and the room looked clearer. Cody was still staring at me, his expression dead serious." Is anything wrong?" I asked nervously. He leaned in and looked closer.

"You're beautiful," he whispered. He leaned in closer and I pushed him back gently, my heart pounding heavily in my chest.

"Cody, it's the story," I whispered. He blinked and seemed to wake up out of a trance, shooting back. He quickly stood up, looking extremely embarrassed. There was a distant sinking feeling in my stomach, ignoring it. I flipped my legs over the side of the bed.

"Uh, I don't think you should be-" he started.

"I'll be fine," I assured. I stood and took a quick hold of Cody's arm before I fell.

"No way child! You are sittin' your ass down back in that bed!" the woman argued.

"No. I'm standing. I haven't been awake for two days and I plan to take advantage of the time I have before I decide to fall asleep again," I pressed. She sighed.

"Then at least let me bandage you up," she said. I gave in and sat down on the bed while she got her supplies. Cody crossed his arms and looked at me suspiciously.

"What?"

"Okay, what's up?" he asked. I shrugged.

"You tell me because I have no idea what you're talking about," I said.

"Apologising, giving in in arguments, your blood pressure rising when I'm around? Something's up."

"Okay, I'm sure it's just side effects from the story, and plus..." my voice trailed off." How did you know my blood pressure raised? I couldn't even tell."

"We're the same race. We have certain bonds," he said coolly.

"And when were you going to tell me about these 'Bonds'?" I asked.

"When you learn how to use your powers in the first place," he said, as though I should've known. I shrugged it off. Another thing I never do. The woman bumped Cody out of the way with her large hips and I tried to hold in a giggle, failing. The woman smiled and wrapped a cloth around my head, rubbing an oily substance on my wound that burned. She backed away and helped me up. I said thank you and I noticed I was in a quilt skirt and a loose tank top that showed my whole stomach... the only thing that scared me is there was nothing underneath. Cody was in a white tank top and a quilt cloth as well. Well that isn't something you see every day. We walked out of the hut and I froze.

There was water all around me in swirling pools and my stomach dropped. Cody looked back at me.

"Are you coming?" he asked. I didn't answer and he walked back to me.

"Th-the water," I breathed. He looked to the pools.

"Yeah?" I took a step back.

"Maybe I should go lay back down. I d-don't feel so well," I said, turning. He caught my arm and I looked at him. I shook my head." I-I can't s-swim."

"You don't have to go in," he assured." Here." He held out his hand. I looked at it unsure. He sighed." Look, I know fear. I deal with it every day. This is something that'll help." I took a step back and looked to the safety of the hut. He turned my head so I looked at him." Can you try?" he asked, almost pleading. I looked to his outstretched hand worriedly and looked him in his newly green eyes. I took a deep breath and placed my hand in his. Our hands intertwined and a shot of energy went through me. It was almost like a drug, numbing the fear... well, most of the way. He took a step foreword and I followed him closely, cowering away from the large amounts of water. Shimmering tails cut through the water, making me flinch every time they sent up a few drops.

"Why are you so afraid? You were fine before," Cody said beside me.

"Yeah, when I had a handful!" I spat." I was scarred for life when my father committed suicide by drowning himself in my story. That's why I joined the army. It's the farthest thing away from water as possible." I felt vulnerable, confessing my weakness.

"Cody!" someone called. We both turned and I felt a chill go up my spine. Renae rushed toward us and froze when she saw me." Bernie..."

"No. Just stop. I don't wanna talk to you," I said.

"Bernie, please-" she tried.

"STOP!" I shouted." You wanted me to stay away, so I'm respecting that. Don't come near me."

"Bernie, I take it back! Please, be reasonable!" she shouted.

"I was being reasonable when I broke my rib trying to save you!" I shouted.

" Regrettably from something I couldn't." A look of hurt passed over her face.

"I didn't notice how much I hurt you." Cody looked lost by my side trying to piece things together, looking completely confused.

"Well, now you do," I hissed. I turned to leave.

"Wait!" I turned back. Renae had tears in her eyes." Will you try and listen to me for once you bitch?!" I stood there in shock. Never had I ever had a word cross my mind about her that was provoking. She never told a lie. She took a deep breath and looked at me with her glassy blue eyes." I would at least like to be acknowledged that if I wasn't here, you would both be dead," she said. I looked to Cody. He nodded, knowing what I was asking. I looked at Renae.

"I didn't know..." I said.

"Follow me," she said, turning and walking away. I looked to Cody and he shrugged.