Sub Zero

Chapter Thirty One

After collecting the license plate and the remaining belongings in the car, we follow Hiyori away from the highway. Part of me was hoping that we'd blow up the car like they do in the movies, but I suppose that it would just draw in unnecessary attention. Any other day i'd crack up at my  "humorous" idea.

I don't know exactly where we're going, but from picking up on some of Finn and Hiyori's conversation I know that we have to open up some sort of portal to get us to the Plaowc community.
And I'm afraid if we have to travel too far I'll pass out. Despite the chilled air, I wipe a bead of sweat from my brow. I feel lightheaded as I gasp for breath, my chest tight and stomach churning.

I shouldn't have used so much magic. I feel so weak, I could collapse. I try to fight the sick feeling back down in my stomach by drawing in a large breath of cold air. As soon as I open my mouth to breathe, my throat closes up and I fall into a coughing fit.

"Are you alright back there?" I hear Finn call from in front of me. When did he get so fast?

Instead of answering I try to catch up to him. He shouldn't be ahead of me! This is my element, and his opposite! He should be the one struggling to keep up.

I scrunch my eyebrows together as I try to shake the fatigue from my consciousness. I take another step forward. The top of my converse wedges itself into the crevice of a buried rock and I lose my footing. I yell as I fall to the ground, my arms shooting out in an attempt to catch myself from hitting the ground too hard.

My knees collide with the cold sand and snow. Cold precipitation immediately begins to soak into the fabric of my thin jeans. My elbows are bent and my palms are planted firmly in the sand. I curse as I try to stand on shaking legs.

Someone grabs me by my upper arms and hoists me up. "Seriously." Finn mutters as he sets me back on my feet. I turn around and stare at him, bewildered. "When did you get there?" I ask, confused from his sudden change of position. He rolls his eyes. "I flew  blondie, how do you think?" I blink.
He sighs loudly. "Come on. We don't have time to waste." He says, turning around and continuing to walk.

I take a deep breath and follow him. At least, I try to. As soon as I try to move a wave of exhaustion hits me with full force and I collapse. Along with the exhaustion comes a veil of unconscious stupor.

"Crystal!" I hear Finn yell. He stumbles up to me, the sand and snow making his sneakers slip and slide. My eyelids droop. "I'm tired." I murmur, my head nodding as I try to look up at him. All I want to do is sleep. I want to curl up somewhere warm and sleep.

He kneels down and grabs my wrist. "Come on!" He says, nervously glancing behind us at something in the distance. I notice how he scrunches his eyebrows together in agitation. I smile sheepishly and slump forward.

He makes a small noise as my head meets his shoulder. He instinctively wraps his arms around me so I don't fall over. His muscles are stiff.

I breathe in his scent as I bury my face in his neck. "You're so warm." I say quietly, my lips grazing his collar bone. He shivers. How can he be cold? He's practically radiating heat!

"What's gotten into you?" He says, his voice cracking. I wrap my arms around him. "I'm tired." I say, whining like a small child. My breath comes out in a puff of vapor. "And cold." I add.
I'm not actually cold. I've never actually been cold. I'm just lacking heat. Sometimes heat feels nice.

"You literally are the cold!" Finn gripes.  He tries to pry me from him. I groan, aggravated that the warmth is trying to escape. "Get. OFF!" He yells through gritted teeth. My eyes close and I go limp as I fall asleep.

But then it's cold again. My eyes lazily open as I feel around for the heat source. I grab onto something; his hand. "Please." I say quietly, looking for him. I have to see his eyes again. I have to know he's here. But I'm so dizzy. I can't see.

"Fine." I hear him mutter. What does he mean by that? Can I see his eyes now?

I feel him shift behind me. My arms are lifted and draped over his shoulders. He pulls me up with him. I slump against his chest, my eyes closing again. "Wrap your legs around my waist." He mutters. My eyes crack open. "What?" I whisper, my brain still sluggish. He sighs loudly,  and lifts me up by my thighs. I gasp quietly and have enough sense to wrap my legs around him. He begins to walk, huffing quietly at the effort of carrying me.

"Am I heavy?" I whisper, my head resting comfortably against his shoulder. "No." He says bluntly and shifts me to where my weight is more even. I yawn. "You could have given me a piggyback ride." I say, aware of his heartbeat against mine. "Are you a pervert?"
"No!" He says angrily. "I just thought that this would be warmer. You were cold." He states. My heart skips a beat. Can he feel it? Can he feel my heart stop momentarily?

I smile and nuzzle further into his neck. "So you do care?" I whisper curiously. I can feel a snowflake land on my eyelashes. "What in the world are you rambling on about?" He huffs. I yawn again. "Nothing."

I allow myself to finally drift off to sleep. I can feel his heartbeat against mine. It's like a lullaby, the way it beats so rhythmically against mine. His warmth seeps into every part of me and thaws my blood. When was the last time I welcomed warmth so easily and willingly? When I drank a mug of hot chocolate when I was five? Or was it when I wrapped my comforter around me tighter when I had the flu? I don't really remember. But this warmth is different. It's so comforting; it doesn't make me feel sick or uneasy at all. I love this warmth.