The Realm of Muertos [Under Editing]

Chaptaer 5. Tears

TRIGGER WARNING: PTSD IN THIS CHAPTER!! If you are not comfortable with reading this sort of thing, you might want to wait a chapter. I promise, you will know everything you need to know from this chapter in the next if you decide to skip this chapter.

I don't own anything.
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Orson's P.O.V.

It's morning. Andor hasn't come back yet and there's been no sign of Rook planning to leave his room anytime soon. I don't remember ever worrying about others in my entire lifetime as much as I am worrying in my dead time. With a sigh, I begin making some breakfast out of whatever I could find in the fridge.

I make omelettes for the three of us. The smell doesn't seem to bring the two rebels out (which is kind of a childish act if you think about it but I guess I was hoping it would work) So I plate an omelette and bring it to Rook's room.

Rook is there, lying on his bed and looking like he's died. The thing that gives him away is his blinking eyes. I'm not comfortable with talking to someone who's upset. I never know what to say. So I figure the best thing to do is to state the obvious. "I brought you something to eat." Wow. That sounded terrible. Great job, Orson.

Rook sits up and takes the plate. "Thanks... you didn't poison it, did you?"

"You bandaged me up. Why would I poison it?" I smile and somehow it makes Rook smile back.

"Thanks," he mutters again. Rook takes a few bites. "Dis ish de-wish-sus," he says with a mouthful.

I'm glad he thinks so. He already looks better than he did two seconds ago. I begin to wonder why he was so upset. Should I ask? Before I can answer that question, my voice box makes the decision for me. "Is everything alright between you and An-Cassian?"

Rook nods, but his head dips down and pain clouds his brown eyes. "Yeah... Cassian... Cassian's going through a hard time. Unlike you, he didn't have a very pleasant time crossing over to the the Realm of Muertos."

"Should I go check on him or should I let you do that?"

Rook doesn't answer for a while. When he does, it's barely audible. "Is he in his room?"

"No. He went outside and never came back in."

"Then yes, please go check on him. And bring that staff over there." Rook points to the corner of his room. I walk over and pick up the staff. Why a staff? My confusion must have shown because Rook answers with "You'll have a better chance of survival if you have to fight monsters."

"Thank you," I said and leave the room, the staff clutched tightly in my hand. I'm a hopeless staff fighter so I just have to hope that no creatures decide to pounce on me.

Andor isn't hanging around the house. Nor is he anywhere in seeing distance. I grumble and begin walking around the perimeter of the area, making small marks with the staff so I can find my way back to the cottage. Where is he? I'm assuming that he's just hiding and hasn't been eaten by a bigger animal yet. After all, he did defeat that creature that attacked me last night.

Eventually, I reach a beach area. I see Andor sitting in the sand, staring out across the horizon. He glances my way when I approach him. "What do you want?" He mutters.

"I wanted to make sure you're okay."

"Since when did you care if a rebel is okay or not?"

"Since I died. Apparently, the line between the rebels and the Empire disappears and now we're all just ex-fighters of the physical war."

Andor pauses to consider my words. "You want something from me, don't you? Or did Bodhi send you this way without a choice?"

"Well... I kind of volunteered to look for you and yes, I do want something. I'd like to know what happened when you crossed over to the realm of... realm of the dead." I couldn't remember the name he and Bodhi had used for the realm.