HalfWorlder #Wattys2017

Chapter 30-Emergency surgery

Wep was still alive.

He had morphed into a man some few minutes after the Aten went silent. After the blue light had bounced out and back, he changed. I thought it signaled he was finally dead from the wound Khonsu had inflicted, but Seshat had screamed, "He's alive" and brought most of us running but for a few.

Dad and mom were still holding Morty who had finally stopped screaming and become still like death itself. He numbly stared into the distance. Maybe he was reliving his life with her in his mind? Cradling her as a baby? Watching her take her first steps? Or maybe his mind was peacefully, finally numb? Whatever it was, he wasn't well.

He just lost everything.

Ryan and Amisi knew enough to leave me alone and stood off to the side, as did Ra and Isis, taking a cue from them.

I was angry.

They stood there as silent outsiders, not knowing exactly what to do. Not knowing exactly what to say. They had planned for everything but the aftermath. The life and the death they would cause.

We let them stand there and went about our own business. They had waited this long; they could wait a little longer. I wiped the snot and tears away from my nose and my dirty face and got down on my knees next to Wep. Seshat moved behind him and gently held his head.

His eyes cracked open just slightly. "Did we do it?" There was something wrong with his voice.

My words were cryptic. "No. She did it. Alexandra did. She saved us all."

Wep swallowed hard. I closed my eyes and tears squeezed out unabashedly. I wiped them away hard and sniffed again. His eyes moved to where they fell and something in his face changed.

He knew. I saw the moment his eyes registered it.

"She's gone, Wep." I choked out the words. "Khonsu killed her. Show him Seshat."

And she did.

I got caught up in the vision too. I watched Alexandra run along with Khonsu like they were in a race for the same finish line. I caught the way her mouth curved up wryly the second before she took the bullet for me, in the second she knew she had won. I marveled at her. I saw how her body and head had jerked back as she was hit. I saw her sail through the portal and become lost to me, sealed away on the other side, leaving me nothing to bury in the watery halls of the catacombs. I saw Khonsu kneel beside her and check the pulse at her neck as blood pooled around her chest, a sort of dark purple through the haze of the blue portal. I saw the blue sparks and blood spatter and how it had saved us all. I watched as our love and her death stopped the Aten from destroying the Earth. How Alexandra saved everyone and lost her own life in seconds.

We emerged from the vision, each of us trying to breathe. Wep was filled with grief and sadness and new understanding, but he didn't speak. He didn't need to. It was strange, but we drew odd comfort from our shared pain and loss.

After, he tried to move, but grabbed at his throat in pain and made a horrible gurgling sound. Seshat's eyes narrowed in anger. "He broke your neck." Her hand flew to his shoulders to still him. "Don't move, Wep. Even you could become paralyzed."

He grunted. "I don't feel right. My hands are tingling."

"Excuse me ... I'm sorry" Isis walked up. "Perhaps, I can help?"

Wep narrowed his eyes but didn't move. "Isis." His voice sounded like gravel. He said it like he was speaking to an old friend, but one he wasn't happy to see.