Love and the Undead (gxg)

Chapter 11

Note: I'm listening to Empty Gold by Halsey rn. So good xD
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I wake to the fresh, sweet smell of nature in the morning. It is very early. I can hear a bird nearby, singing it's morning song. I take a deep breath through my nose, and open my eyes. Turning my head to the side I see Iris. She's facing me now, still laying on my shoulder. She looks so peaceful. I smile softly, and then I realize that I can't feel my legs. What... Oh. Erebus is laying curled up on my legs still, snoring softly. I wonder if I can get up without waking them.. I decide that I'm going to wait a little longer. I'll wake Iris up in a bit, once the sun is at the most beautiful point of its rise. Tilting my head, I look over the edge of the hammock. I see my bag sitting there where I left it last night. I gingerly reach out, trying to grab it with my right arm. It is just out of arms reach. I stretch a little farther, trying to be as still as I can. It's tough going because I only have one arm and I can't move much since Iris is on the other shoulder. I just barely get hold of one strap, and try to pull it towards me. It's a slow process, with me looking back at Iris every few seconds to make sure she's still sleeping, but eventually I get it. Biting my lip in concentration I carefully unzip the pocket that I keep my cigarettes in.. only to discover that they aren't in there. I think back to last night, and then I realize- they're in my pocket. I sigh at myself. All of that for nothing. I roll my eyes, and then reach down and pull them out of my pocket, along with my lighter. Placing the cigarette between my teeth, I light it, taking a deep breath in. That's better. I look over at Iris again. I don't notice that the smoke from my cigarette is going right in her face until I see her scrunch up her nose. Awww- wait no. That's bad. I start blowing softly, trying to get the smoke to go another direction, but the breeze is working against me. She coughs softly in her sleep and that decides it. I take one last drag, and then with my right hand I reach over the edge of the hammock and put the cigarette out in the grass. I look around, and decide that I have effectively wasted enough time. The sun is coming up more, and the sky is clear. It is breathtakingly beautiful. I turn to Iris, whispering her name. She doesn't move at all. I reach out with my hand and poke her nose.

"Pssst."

She scrunches it, and I grin. I poke it again, and then she finally opens her eyes.

"Hey, you." I say in a low tone.

She smiles, responding "Hey."

"Sleep well?"

"Mhmmm, I had a very comfy pillow." She answers, smiling again.

I chuckle quietly.

"Anyway," she says, "why'd you go and wake me up at the literal butt crack of dawn?"

I smile again.

"Well, remember when you said that you wanted to try rolling a joint?"

She nods her head enthusiastically.

"Come on, then. I have the perfect idea."

Actually I'm not even sure that she'll like it but confidence is key, right? Even if it's just pretend, like in my case. She sits up so that I have my arm back and can sit up as well. As she climbs out, I reach down and pet Erebus to wake him up, and he licks my hand.

"Hey, will you call him please? I can't really get up with him on my legs." I say to Iris, laughing.

She does so, and he jumps from the hammock and runs over to her. I smile at the two of them for a moment before I remember that I'm supposed to be getting out of the hammock myself. I stand, pick my backpack up with one arm and sling it over my shoulders, and then I look around. What I want to do is climb a tree and sit and watch the rest of the sunrise from it as we smoke. That one will do, I think to myself about the tree with the lower branch that we tied the bottom of our hammock to the night before. I walk over to it. I have to stand on my tiptoes to reach it, so I know that Iris won't be able to reach it, even if she jumps. Hmmm..