The Limbus

Ch. 4- Life in Death

"Alex..." Rose finally spoke. She had fear in her voice, trembling and groggy from the crying. I looked to her, staring into her eyes.

"What happened to Matt?" Her question froze me. I didn't have an answer. That seemed to be the regular for me ever since I got here. All these questions around me and no way of even solving this.

"Are we going to die?" Her words snapped me out of my trance. I looked at her and noticed we were still in an embrace, so I tightened my grip on her to assure her.

"No. I'm not going to let you die." The words slipped out without me even thinking. But I didn't need to think to know that I can't let Rose die. I don't know why, but I couldn't bear the thought of her dying in front of me like Matt did. I looked at her clock. Only 2 were there, so it looked like Matt was right about the clocks. Hers said one hour on it. Not much time to think of what next to do. I get up, leaving Roses grip, but she doesn't want to let go. I get out of her arms but extend my hand to help her up. When she stands up she hugs me again. She obviously considers me her safest area. I push her back slightly but keep holding her hand. She seems sad but looks content.

"Let's think of what Matt said. He knew said he knew everything, so anything he said may be able to help." I think of what he said, trying to get past the thought of that horrendous sound. I can still hear the ringing of it's shriek in my head. "He said to think medically. I don't exactly know what he meant by that, but it has to do with ourselves before this. And we were completely unable to feel pain before, and I'm going to assume after as well, but why when that figure came... That was the most intense pain I've ever felt, and I've broken both my legs at once before." I try to think of a comparison but that's the best I can think of.

"Well, you were in a crash, he had a headache, and I had chest pains. Medically speaking, these sound like ways of deaths. Like heart attacks and strokes. You were in a crash, so death from that could be easily possible, especially if your car was as destroyed as you said. Do you think that-" I cut her off before she has a chance to say it.

"No, I don't want to think of this place as that." I seem calm outside, but inside I know it sounds true. No pain, perfect weather, all my injuries and clothes were fixed, few people, limited time, the list could go on and on.

"But," I continue. "If this place was some kind of purgatory, how would we get out?" My question put Rose in a state of confusion. She seemed to be in tremendously deep thought.

"Umm, I don't even know where to start. But I'm thinking this. We aren't dead. Well, not yet at least. We are in comas, like those last few fleeting moments of someone's life before the soul departs." Her words send chills down my spine, if I even have one. Are we even real? Is this all just in my head, our heads?

"So are we like a spirit or some kind of ghost? Is this what a soul is? This all just adds more questions to what this place even is. Rrrrraaaagghhh!" I lash out and punch the wall nearest to me. My arm goes right through. Once again, no pain. My breathing is heavy. I can't take much more of this. So we are still alive, but when that clock hits 0 we die then? Why do I have 24 hours but Rose and Matt had less than 2 hours? My thoughts are cut short by Rose. Even with my arm in the wall, she finds a way to hug me from behind.

"I know you may have a lot of anger and questions. I do too. But I know that we can solve them together. I mean, we did figure out this much." She buries her head in my back. I start shaking. I don't know how, but I'm crying again. Not from pain, maybe not even sadness. Perhaps fear of what's going to happen, what's going to happen to Rose. I fall to my knees as my arm slips out of the hole and falls to my side. She falls with me, still holding me from behind.

"Rose." I speak softly. I couldn't raise my voice if I wanted. She doesn't move, but I could tell I had her full attention.

"I don't know why, but you are the only one I can think of right now. Not my life before we entered here, not Matt and whatever just happened to him, not even my own safety in this place right now. You are the only one I care about right now and the only one I want to save." As I spoke these words she removed her head from my back and lets me go. I turn around to face her. She was crying too, but only a few tears. She had a smile on her face, so I knew it wasn't bad. I leaned in to give her a hug, but something in me snapped. Halfway through my thought process changed. I changed to give her a kiss. She didn't even care, but rather accepted it. She kissed me back. We stayed like that for what seemed forever, but was only a minute. After we are done, I get up and she does the same.