XIII

I

I can feel it

Or rather, I can feel something

I'm not sure what it is

I try to move my limbs

What ever it is I'm feeling, it's all around me

And it doesn't seem to move

There's someone screaming

I can feel the vibrations

In my throat

Ignoring the pain, I lift my hand

And raise it to where my stomach should be

It's there, and it's hot

It's damp

Warm

Drenched in some kind of fluid

I can feel it start to rain

Slowly,

Really slowly

I blink, and find that it's not raining

That the something I feel

Is you, holding me, and you're crying

I lift my hand to your cheek

Rubbing my thumb against it

I note how I'm painting your face with such a crimson colour

You're screaming

You're telling me

To hold onto you

That I'll be okay

That I'm gonna make it

And we're gonna be okay

I laugh

Or am I gargling

There's a pool of fluid in my mouth

Suddenly, you shift

You bring yourself to a wall

And nuzzle your face into my neck

There's something wet on my shoulder

But I can't tell what it could be

I can't tell what's going on

You whisper to me

Something inaudible

But I can feel your breath shaking

I bring your head up

With the strength left within me

And remove the space between us

I whisper to you

But I'm not sure of what I said

It's so. . Difficult to hear right now

I've seem to have broken you

As tears frantically escape your eyes

And fall upon my torn body

You lean into my hand

Caress it with yours

And tell me to hold onto you

But how can I

I've started to feel drowsy

Can't I sleep for just a second

You feel me loosen

So you squeeze my hand

But I can't feel it

I'm sorry

But I'm really tired

So I'll hold onto you

As I sleep . .

To which I wake

Drenched in fear

Of what I was shown

As I lay in this bed

I begin to question

How fragile one can be

How fragile we truly are.