The Land of Shadows

Chapter Nine

I woke up confused, scared, and in desperate need of physical contact. I wasn't sure where I was, but I knew there was a warm male body next to mine, and that body was awake. With my breathing wild, I pulled him too me and kissed him, keeping my eyes shut. From the moment our lips touched, I knew it was Matt and I remembered everything. If I kept my eyes shut, though, I could almost pretend he was Zach. 

I kissed Matt roughly, desperate for any physical contact. I was so homesick in that moment that it was all I could do not to push him aside and cry. After the sudden kiss, I rolled over and sat up, breathing heavily with my heart thumping hard. I felt sick to my stomach. He reached out to place a comforting hand on my back but I jerked away. "I feel sick," I manage to whisper. He nods in understanding and sits up. "I'll leave you alone for a little," he offers. I nod and stagger to the bathroom. I hear the bedroom door close behind Matt just as I start heaving. 

I don't know what's suddenly came over me, but I'm sicker than I've been in a long time. I've been starved, beaten, and tortured and came through just fine, but now that I'm actually being treated like a human being I'm sick. I don't, however, spend my time pondering on how unfair that is. I spend it continuing to throw up until all I can do is dry heave. I don't know how long I spend throwing up before the bedroom door opens again. I don't even look up from the toilet, I just stay crouched over it until I feel a feminine hand pull my hair back. 

I look up as Myria dabs a cool washcloth over my forehead. She starts singing softly under her breath, or maybe I'm imagining it. I close my eyes and let her voice wash over me. Before I know it, I'm weightlessly falling. I never hit the bottom. 

But when I open my eyes, I'm in a different bed in a different room, and it's hot. For a moment, I think I'm on fire. I can even hear the crackling. But looking around, it's just a sterile white room with a lot of beds seperated by curtains. No fire in sight. But the incessant heat remains, so hot that I'm shivering. I whimper and close my eyes again.

The second time I wake up, I don't open my eyes. Matt is hovering near my bed, I can feel his prescense and recognize it. I also knew it was him because he was talking. To whom, I wasn't sure, but I assumed it was a nurse. "Well what's wrong with her?" he asked, seemingly agitated. "She's caught a fever, Matthew," the nurse says sternly. Matt growls. "I need her to recover so I can question her," he mumbles wildly. I remember my promise to cooperate with him and I struggle to keep my body limp. "There will be no questioning for awhile. Now get out until she's well again. I don't want you compromising her health," the nurse ordered. I hear Matt huff, then walk out of the room. I can almost picture it. I drift off again, floating.

The next time I wake, I'm being shaken awake roughly. I blink my eyes open, even though they're so heavy, and find myself looking directly into Zachariah's golden eyes. I start to sit up, trying to tell myself that he's just a hallucination and he isn't really there, but he pushes me back down. "Thank God I found you," he whispers hoarsely. "Look, I've not got much time. But I swear to God, Allie, I'll get you out," he murmurs, leaning forward and kissing me on the forehead, his every touch soft as though I were something fragile that would break. 

I reached one hand out and unsteadily traced the scar going across the left side of his face. "You're really here," I mumble. He nods, clasping my hand to his cheek. "I'll plan for the next two days. Midnight of the third I'll be back to get you or I will die trying. The army's on it's way. They're close. You're close to getting out," he says softly but frantically. I feel a faint smile creep up onto my face. "I love you, Allie," he whispers, kissing my hand before standing and disappearing out the infirmary door. I let my head fall back onto the pillows as well, feeling oddly like crying. 

Now that freedom was so close, it wasn't tempting.