𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒍𝒇 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 ➪ «𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑦𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑥𝑜𝑛»

ch. XXX - 《we endure》

oOo

Was there a single word that conveyed absolute, world-shattering devastation?

There was so much happening within Diana at the same time that she didn't know what to think, how to react, how to even speak. The chaos shut down her mind to the bare basics.

She felt everything and nothing. The seconds ticked back and forth, keeping her stuck waist-deep in the quicksand of time.

Her eyes stung and when she blinked time resumed its unfair march, unforgiving.

With what little strength she had left, Diana's sisterly instinct forced her to crawl on all fours to her brother's side.

Felix sobbed and whimpered, his slumped shoulders shaking, his hands grabbing frantically at his locs. He was whispering something too low and raspy for Diana to hear.

Her chest felt constricted with emotion that she wasn't yet capable to discern. Felix jumped when her hand touched his back. His twisted expression of pain didn't budge, but he buried his face in his sister's embrace as soon as he recognized her.

Diana remained silent except for her gentle shushing and wordless comfort. Their arms were fast around the other and Felix's tears had already soaked Diana's shirt so that her shoulder felt wet.

Diana felt something rise up the back of her throat, making her breathing shallow, but she couldn't discern what it was, her mind was too muddled. She simply rocked her brother and cradled and caressed his head.

Her eyes were wide on her parents. They lied mangled and sprawled in a pool of their own blood. The metallic scent stung her nostrils and tickled the back of her throat and she sensed the bitter stink of vomit coming from her little brother.

The pieces of the puzzle were compatible, but her mind refused to put them together.

They both sat there, paying vigil, one scarred, one stunned, both exhausted. Diana didn't know how long it took, but eventually, Felix's sobs subsided and his deep sighs tickled her shoulder, raising goosebumps that tightened her skin almost painfully.

"Where's Alice?" Diana managed, the words no louder than a sigh.

Felix's head shook from side to side from where it was buried in the crook of her neck.

Diana unglued herself from him and cradled his face in both hands. She saw the whites of his eyes in the dark as he stared down at her with a look of desperation. "Don't leave me," he croaked out, clinging to her with desperate hands.

She hushed him, stood on wobbly legs and tugged him up gently until he towered over her.

What was she to do? She was at a loss, nothing made sense anymore. There was a physical ache in her chest; she ignored it, pushed everything down, forced all semblance of emotion to the edge of her being. She needed... she needed rational thought, not sentiment.

Diana felt like she was on autopilot. She straightened out a folding chair and forced Felix onto it. One second her lips were pressed against his forehead, the next she was kneeling next to her dad.

She wanted to help them, to patch them up, to heal them, to put her goddamn skills to some fucking use!

She felt herself shaking and balled her hands into fists. Her breathing came out shaky, sobs threatening to come out while she tried her damn best to suppress them. Tears fell as soon as she shut her eyes.

No! She schooled her breathing and wiped her cheeks.

She raised her hands but didn't know what to do, where to begin, where to touch.