Death's Exception

Chapter Forty-Six

I pull over on the side of the road, trying to catch my breath. I press the palms of my hands to my eyes and I sob into them. I pull my knees up to my chest, and I press my face into them. My muscles tense and my body shakes with every thunderous sob. My chest is in excruciating pain, and I immediately regret leaving Titus. I try to straighten up, and continue driving, but a pain like someone stabbing me in the chest causes me to keel over. I gag from the pain, and rest my head on the window. I lose myself in the scenery around me. The early morning sun leaks through the branches of the trees in full bloom, and the grass beside the road glimmers from the dew that has settled upon it. The sky has streaks of pink weaving through its original blues, as the sun rises above the tips of the trees. Billowing ivory clouds fill the sky, their edges lined with bright yellows and golds. The road winds up thorugh the mountain of Colorado, the jagged rocks jutting out and over the roads, silver snow skirting the way. I squeeze my eyes shut, convincing my body to simply let go. That it can die. It is okay. My lungs squeeze together, and breathing become a chore. I am dying, and there is nothing I can do. I feel my lips bleed onto my tongue as I bite into them. The palm of my hand aches because of my nails that are pressed into it. I reach to my backpack, and with great difficulty, manage to pull out my phone. I dial, first, 911.

"911, what is your emergency?"  I feel my voice leave me, and all I can do is gasp into the phone. I let out a cry of frustration, and scratch my wrist violently. I try to make some coherent words but all I can make out is, "Dying." Which makes me extremely irritated that I couldn't make it to Dr. Finley. I couldn't do this one thing by myself. I hang up, hoping they will come find me in time. I rest my head on the window, unable to focus on anything else but staying alive. The car starts to become frigid, and I start to shake. In, and out. Inhale, and exhale. I claw at my wrist, trying to subtract the pain from my chest. I squeeze my eyes tightly, convincing myself that it is okay. That everything is okay. That I am okay. That Titus is okay.

Inhale, and

I feel Titus' hand on my neck, and I feel his lips on mine. I feel his breath warm my cheek, and he traces my jaw with his fingers gently. I open my eyes, and I see him. I see him in the car beside me, his arms around me, tightly pulling my head against his chest. It is no longer me telling myself that everything is going to be okay, it is now him. His words comfort me, and the pain seems distant now. I am no longer fighting alone. My vision blurs, and it suddenly becomes harder to see and feel him. His arms are being pulled away from me, and I start to panic. I realize that I am not breathing and my mouth flies open, searching for any oxygen, but all of it denies me. My head is thrown back as my chest heaves upward, and all of my muscles tense.

But everything melts away.

~~~

My four walls.

My eyes flutter open, and I recognize them immediately. Nothing is different, except my painting is absent. I try to move, but I regret it as my body punishes me with a searing pain ripping through my blood stream. I recognize the trachnea in my throat, and glance over at a machine that monitors my heart beat. The same leather bindings are tied tightly around my ankles and wrists. I look over at Lilly's chair, and see Dr. Finley scribbling in a notebook, his gigantic boots propped up against my bed, dirtying my rough pink blanket. He looks up over the edge of his square glasses, and smiles a little. For a second, I forget that he is evil. For a second, I forget that he is out to make my life hell. But the anger rushes through me all at once. I strain against my bindings, forgetting how much pain I am in.

"You almost died." Tears rush down the side of my face as I glare at him, my loathing unable to be satisfied.

"You should have let me." I spit.

"It isn't that easy, is it?" He stands over me. I wince. "Oh, darling, do not be afraid of me." His rough hand drags across the side of my face. I close my eyes, unwilling to look him in the eye.

"Don't touch me." He leans down and presses his lips against my forehead.

"Oh, how I missed you, my dear." My bottom lip slightly protrudes, as I continue to cry. The pain and the anger is just too much. "How can I cheer you up?" He seems genuine, and it makes me want to throw up.

"Nothing!" I shout, but my throat hates me for it.

"Perhaps a phone call from your love?" My face relaxes, and I look back at him. A bushy eyebrow raised as he holds a phone for me to see. I swallow hard, and out of distress, I nod. He taps something on the phone, and it begins to ring. I watch the phone closely and desperately. Someone answers, and I immediately perk up.

"Hello?" Titus' deep voice sounds rough. Angry, and sad simultaneously.

"Titus," I plead.

"Oh my god, Rory. Rory where are you?!" I hear him start to cry, and my heart yearns to be held by him. My chin trembles.

"I am okay, everything's fine." I lie, hoping he will not question anything further.

"Rory, where are you?" He sobs into the phone. 

"I- I am with Dr. Finley at the CSI. I am so sorry." The phone goes silent. I feel terrible.

"DO YOU REALIZE HOW SELFISH YOU ARE?!" I gasp, and I start to cry harder.

"Titus, please. I am so sorry. I didn't want to hurt you-"

"You didn't want to hurt me. So you left. You left me with no knowledge of where you were, or what you were doing." His voice hardens. I grit my teeth.

"This isn't about you. You are the one being selfish. I needed to come here and help the people like me. To avenge my mother, and to eliminate the possibility of Dr. Finley doing this to someone else!" He laughs coldly in response.

"Don't make me out to be the bad guy here! Because you are." My eyes widen.

"I am the bad guy."

"Rory, that isn't what I meant-"

"I am the monster in this situation. That is what you meant."

"Rory-"

"My name is Aurora."