Human

The Death Mark

I watch as the pair take turns to sleep. They don't light a second fire, but huddle for warmth, using the extra layers of clothing as a substitute for heat. By the time the sun seeps through the trees, Ray is on watch while Asha sleeps. He sits quietly next to her, her head rested on his shoulder, he's removed his jacket to cover her as she has taken to shivering violently, curled up in sleep. However he seems troubled by other thoughts and is staring ahead of them, fists curled and eyes glossy, almost distant to the place he is now.

Asha stirs muttering profanities and her eyes snap open and she screams out jerking Ray from his trance. He turns to see her paled complexion and grabs her around the shoulders and gives her a sideways hug. "Its okay, it was a dream, it can't hurt you." She shakes her head and looks out at the trees.

"It was more than that. I watched more people die. More people suffer and there was nothing I could do." Her eyes teared up "I watched my family die again. They said it was my fault for being a token of bad luck."

Ray couldn't find the words to reply judging by his attempts at replying. Instead he squeezed her closer and she buried her head in his shoulder. Minutes pass before either of them move. Asha stands and states she needs the toilet.

"Don't look." She walks towards a tree surrounded by bushes, she turns and looks at Ray who is watching her walk away "I said don't look!"

He smirks and covers his eyes "Okay. But I'm not promising anything!"

"Jerk."

"Oh! So you want me to come over?"

"Fine I take jerk back."

"So I will remain seated."

She laughs and disappears, returning a few minutes later. Ray was packing the spare clothing and blankets into the bag and looking for food. "What's for breakfast?"

Asha grins "You waited for me like a child?"

"Well, yes. I thought it was impolite if I started without you. After all,most of it is your food."

"I wish you'd stop saying that, what's mine is yours now."

"I know I know but I still feel inclined to wait. After all you are a woman."

"What are you referring?"

"Well a gentleman should wait upon a lady." He mimics in a posh accent.

Asha laughs softly "Very well," curtseying mockingly she opens her bag and pulls out two snack bars, one has been squashed "how would the fine gent want his bar o chocolate served? Broken or in one piece."

"I shall take the broken one my lady," he bows and the pair giggle "for a woman such as yourself only deserves the best." She throws him the bar and breaks part of hers off, giving it to Petal, they both pick up a bag and trudge through the leaves into the woods.

Whilst walking the sun rises and so does the heat. They stop to refill their bottles in a stream and by midday both have removed their jackets, Petal trails behind the pair, intrigued by the puddles of dried mud but disappointed when the fail to cool her down. Asha wears a green vest with a print visible on the front, and four of her marks can be seen. One is on her forearm, two near her shoulders and one on the side of her neck. Ray studies them as they walk, looking away every time Asha senses his eyes on her. This continues for about ten minutes before she stops and turns to him.

"Just take a long hard look. Because I might actually hit you for silently judging me."

Ray raises his hands in defence "I wasn't judging! I counted four, I was looking for five and six. No judging though, they're actually quite beautiful."

She furrows her brow and scrunches her nose "Beautiful? Never heard that before. The other two are elsewhere on me, and they're personal, so I cover them. "

"Are they super personal like....you have one on you arse?"

"Ew! No. One is on my side and the other is at the bottom of my back."

"So you'd have to wear like a crop top for me to see them."

"Probably."

"Did you bring one with you?"

"Ray!"

"What!" He laughs "I was just asking, they're fascinating to look at. I wonder why we both have them but in the whole twenty one years if my life I've never met anyone else with them."

"I don't know....maybe fate wanted us to meet at a certain point so we could see we are not completely alone?"

"I'm happy to keep that as a reason."

"Yeah. Me too."

They walked on in silence. Which seemed comfortable to them both. Every now and then they'd jokingly push one another or break into a fit of giggles when Asha trips over her feet.

That's when I feel a sense of guilt, because these human beings continue to baffle me, they continue to smile through the darkness and make light of the bad things and to top things off they compliment each other perfectly. I don't know what the marks mean but from my dear old friend Death, they were not created by him, and he is as honest as one can be.

I just pray that these two continue to rise over the horrors my world continues to offer.