The Next Generation (A TMI Story) COMPLETED- But May Be Revised

Out of the Ashes we Rise

Its quit simple; just stand and walk around in the ashes. I know it seems scary. I know its dark there. but maybe, just maybe, you might discover something. you might even save a life. - Unknown

Jason POV: I chase through the grass, running past the bodies without a single glance.

Hold on Lydia...

On the other side of the woods, I lay her down on a patch of grass that hadn't found fire or Jonathan's river of hell. I first check her breathing. It was fine, slow, but not anything to worry about. I reach out to check her temperature. Her forehead was burning, and soaked with sweat, but out here on this side where the air was cooler, that will die down. It was the burns and her lungs that I was worried about. Breathing in heat like that inflames your lungs, blocking oxygen from entering your body, and in time, killing you.

I take her head, propping it on a log that was covered in soft moss for easier breathing. She was stirring again, her eyes moving under her closed lids as though in a dream. She must have hit her head hard before I found her or she would have woken by now.

I take a chuck of moss from the tree, flipping it green side down on her face where the cut was. It was dry now, and needed water to clean it off, but there was no water around and I don't have time to find it. I had to get to Jade. I'm not sure what I will be doing, I just had to try. It didn't make sense to me why I even cared. I didn't know any of them. I never expected for them to find me. I never even knew that this girl and her sister were my family till today. But, even though I can't explain it, couldn't understand why I cared about whether they lived or not. Maybe it was because Lydia saved me, and I wanted to do something for her for doing that. Or maybe I just wanted to know them better, to know who I could've been. Where I would have lived if he never took me away. Maybe I just wanted to feel like I had a reason to be alive after all the past years wishing I would die, praying for my death. I don't know. But beyond my reasons, I lean down and whisper softly,

"I will save your sister. I promise.."

Lydia began to reach out then, leaning her head over. I thought she was going to give me a hug for one horrifying moment, but she takes her hand to her face, coughing like a madman.

Blood covers her hand, her lips and teeth scarlet.

She lifts her eyes to mine, pain clear in them, but not nearly as much pain as there was strength. She gives a nod.

"I'll come with you. I just need my stele."

"No you need to rest, or the swelling in your lungs won't go away."

"Fuck that, Jason. I'm going whether you like it your not. This is my job. You find a different one."

Now this I was not expecting to happen. She was nuts to think about going back in that fire after I Just saved her from it.

"I will not. I'm the only logical choice in going in there. You'll burn. Speaking of which, you already have. And your coughing blood."
"I'll cough snakes for all I care. I'm going. And you can't stop me."

"Are you sure? I bet you couldn't even carry a weapon right now,"

"Oh, you wanna fucking go?"

Lydia starts pushing herself off the ground, going to her weapon belt, taking her knife out in front of her. Her hands were steady even as they pulsed with resistance. She could drop it just as easily as she held it. She couldn't fight a person like this.

"Ok... come at me. If you can,". I had no idea how to use any weapon, only knew how to fight hand on hand combat a little. Only with using logic, not any real skills.