The Core

Chapter Two

February 2017

"I can't...No, Eli I-I-Can't..."

Esme's quivering lip stumbled for words, a brick of guilt and worry blocked her vocal cords, weighing down her words. A single, chilling tear rolled down her burning cheek. Her pale yellow summer dress, once an icon of happier times, was now dishevelled and mangled in tracks of mud and splatters of blood. Streams of scarlet were still seeping slowly through the flimsy cotton, soaking and saturating it, leaving the wounds on her ribs to cement their mark on her body, and her mind.

Standing on the edges of the world, they were trapped in on the roof, surrounded by the concrete barricades that topped the building like seawalls. Howling, wailing winds whistled in their ear drums. The overcast, thunderous sky held back a brewing storm, rolling towards and above them like a rising wave, ready to swallow them in their midst.

"Esme, look, we can go back in there, and I promise you, nothing bad will happen"

Eli spoke endearingly and softly towards Esme, trying to bring her back inside the apartment building. Being the one half of twins, Eli felt a sense of responsibility for Esme because they had grown up side by side. They didn't have anyone else. Only each other, of that they were certain, even when everything around them was not.

Esme's head spun as she tried to recollect her thoughts.

"wait-wh-wha-what" Breathlessness caught her in between thoughts.

Her eyes tried to adjust and stabilise. Her heart pounded hard in her chest and blood coursed fast through her veins. Tears flooded her eyes now and the cloudy scene turned into a blurry spill of grey watercolour. Brisk winds warped through her clothes and against her skin, painting goose bumps as it brushed it.

Esme pressed her eyelids together, trying to forget her surroundings. Forget her reality. Forget what happened. Blinding light emerged beneath her eyelids as her memories of it all flashed vivid and violently, traumatising her for the brief moments they appeared again.

"Esme, ESME-...."

Eli called again, his heart rate rose and his palms sweat with nervousness. Why wasn't she responding?

Esme opened her eyes again. But, every waking moment she had she felt the rotten burning touch on her skin where she was attacked. The pure recall of it over and over made it feel like she was there, in that moment, over and over. The torment did not stop. The thought of it made her sick, weighing heavy in her stomach, churning whatever little she had that morning.

"ESME"

Eli panicked, fear clutching his chest. His legs were no longer in control and he raced towards her, unsure of the consequences. But he had to. He had to protect her. He had to save her.