Death's Exception

Chapter Thirty-Six

My brain shuts down.

All I can focus on is my breathing. My vision blurs, and I stumble backwards; slamming my head against a wall. The little boy lays breathless on the ground, and Titus is standing, his eyes darting between the soldiers and me. A soldier grabs his arm, but Titus knocks him out with one blow. Easy. The other three soldiers attack Titus, but he twists a gun out of the unconcious soldier, and holds it out, his arms shaking visibly.

I avert my eyes from Titus and stare at the woman kneeled beside the corpse. She seems hopeless, and not able to understand what is laying before her. She brushes the hair away from the expressionless face of the boy, getting blood on her hand. She stares at it with wide, questioning eyes. She looks around the room, tears leaking from her eyes. I doubt he was her son. I doubt that they were kin in anyway. But I can imagine them spending the majority of their lives learning how to survive with each other. I imagine the little boy cuddled up with her on a cold night. Because sometimes in life nothing makes sense, and everything is terrifying, except for that one person. The one person; be it your mother, your friend, or your lover, they are the only thing that holds you together in a life full of chaos. I imagine this woman adopted this little boy as her son. Not legally, but there was this understanding between the two of them that she would take care of him. She would help him, and love him.

Mothers come in differient shapes and sizes, and they don't necessarily have to be kin to love.

"Rory?" I don't take my eyes off of the woman. But I acknowledge him with the slightest nod. He must have gotten through the soldiers, which surprises me. He is not the most muscular of men, or the most capable physically. He places his arm on my shoulder, and pulls me into his chest. I take my eyes of the woman, and make eye contact with Titus,

"We have to go." He nods, and lets me walk over to the woman. Her eyes are weary, and compliant as she stands. Titus and I are astonished at how aware she has become. She seems as well off as me, and it makes me wonder why Dr. Finley locked this woman away.

"My name is Melody." Her voice is shaky, and her stature is worn. I bow my head, and hand her my jacket. She puts it on.

"I am Rory, and this is Titus. We are here to get you out of here." Melody nods, and starts to walk. I notice her leg is slightly turned inwards, causing her to limp. A scar laces around her knee.

"I am dying." She says bluntly through heavy exhales. I catch myself wanting to retaliate WELCOME TO THE CLUB, but I catch myself for Titus' sake. Titus walks up to her and holds out his arms.

"May I?" She looks up at him, Titus towering over her about a foot. Melody gratefully nods, and he swoops her up. We enter back into the walls from whence we came, and begin the trek back to our car. I try not to lose it when a mouse scampers over my foot, but I can't help but gasp loudly.

"Is everything okay?" Titus whispers. I only nod. In the silence, the face of the boy keeps flashing in the back of my head. Everything I could have done differently haunts me. If I had just moved the gun to the right, or knocked it out of the man's hand- I choke back a sob. The demon is winning. I am a monster. I squeeze my eyes shut. I don't even know his name. 

We exit the building and Titus lays Melody in the backseat. He shuts the door, and pulls me aside with a furrowed brow. 

"Are you okay?"

"I am fine." I lie. He reads right through me, and kisses me on the forehead. I steady my breathing, willing myself to remain calm. The kiss works to unravel me, but I ignore it. 

"She is right. She's dying. We need to get her to a hospital." I look back at the jeep, and see her curled up in a ball in the backseat.

"What is wrong with her?"

"Her heart is overworking itself. It is only a matter of time before-" It is like he can't say it. His mouth opens, but he snaps it back shut again. Like if he said death it would appear and take me as well as Melody simultaneously.

"It gives out." He nods. Crushed, I get back into the car. I let Titus drive, and I look back at Melody with a smile.

"Let's play a game." Titus starts the car, and looks at me through the corner of his eye. Melody perks up a bit.

"I love games."

"It is the best game there is. It is called the favorites game. You ask me what one of my favorites is, and I ask you what one of your favorites is. Simple as that. You go first." Melody smiles, some of her teeth absent.

"What is your favorite food?" I laugh, thinking about the bread that Hilda gave me at The Growing Vine bakery.

"Freshly baked bread." Titus smiles wildly.

"And you?" Melody says in the direction of Titus.

"Strawberries." He says.

"What is your favorite song?" I ask gently.

"Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." I look over at Titus, and he has the same look on his face. This woman has nothing wrong with her, and she has no more health problems than I do. Why was she a discard? Why was she any less acceptable than me?

"Do you know why they locked you up?" Melody is not fond of the question Titus gives her. It isn't as fun as the other ones. She closes her eyes, and breathes deeply.

"Because I remembered." A million unanswered questions fill my head at one time.

~~~

I am at loss of novel ideas and I just really hope I have one before I finish this novel. I want to do a love story, but I don't know. I am not entirely fond of gooey and cliche things. So, we shall see.

I hope you guys are enjoying this so far! I know I am. :) It is like the first novel I am actually kind of proud of! Wooooaaaahhhhhhhh

COMMENT VOTE AND DO ALL THAT CRAP BECAUSE I LOVE YOU

~Mattie Mae