Annihilation

Chapter 14 - Timing Is Everything

ELIAS' P.O.V

"Elias, wake up," Cassius grumbles, violently tugging at my shoulder as I attempt to rise from the slumber I was in. "Your turn. The last turn for anyone; after this the copter will arrive and the country will be of no connection to us." As he curls up under his blanket, I decide to wake Tatiana so that I can have a final moment with her. We've been living as if every moment is the final moment we'll have. This really is the last time we're going to be here for a little while and that scares me.

Tatiana's reaction to waking up is too similar to mine; she groans slightly as the light attacks her exposed eyes. "How long do we have now, Elias?" Tatiana questions, looking around for the clock we left here. She picks up her pillow and moves it nearer to me, still keeping her eyes peeled for the clock. It happens to be to her left; she squints in the darkness and manages to see the small hand between the five and the six. "Not long, I'm guessing."

Slipping my hand into hers, I smile at her and watch her gaze at the stars as they begin to disappear. The sun, far in the distance, finally leaves a heat that we've missed all this time we've been on the roof. The conditions aren't exactly bad up here, but we crave warmth and yearn for comfort; blankets and old pillows can only do so much to protect and cushion your body up here.

"Tatiana," I sigh, looking into the eyes that can't be identified as one colour. She looks back at me, her breath held as if she's scared to exhale towards my face. "I'm so sorry that all of this has happened. Dyson and Lyndi didn't deserve to go. "It feels like forever since Lyndi passed, succumbed to the scum below us. "But there has been one positive outcome from all of this: I've met you. I've met Cassius and Lucien and everyone else along the road. That is something that I'll always cherish and I'll never let anything else happen to you or your friends as long as I'm alive."

Taking a deep breath, I feel my face flush and my hands shake. Tatiana must notice this, because she slips her hands into my shaky and clammy palms before her head rests on my chest. "You're absolutely amazing. Never have I met someone so willing to sacrifice their life to ensure that I'm happy. The truth is," she stops, looking at my eyes again with a deep red colour spreading across her face. "The truth is that I'd never be happy again if I had to see you die."

It's so weird to think that we're the only ones left and that we genuinely love each other. Lucien and Cassius are only my friends because we needed all the help we could get in order to survive. I don't see myself becoming Cassius' best friend and bullying people as my hobby. Tatiana is the most amazing human I could ever meet, and I will ensure that we're never separated, not after all of this: her parents and friends are dead and we're the only people she has left. We all have each other and I will fight with all my strength to make sure that we're never harmed again.

"Elias, can I do something?" Tatiana asks, looking anxious, as if I'm going to reject her request on the spot. I nod and she smiles slightly; it's half cheeky, half grateful. "Close your eyes." No further instructions are given as I lie on my side and wait for her. Finally, I feel her breath on my face; it's as if she's finally come to life, finally stopped holding back and being scared of what others think.

The next thing I know is that her lips are pressed against mine; I open my eyes slightly and see her beautiful face up closer than I ever thought I would. Sure, we've hugged and held hands and even pecked each other's cheeks and stuff, but this is a proper kiss. As I begin to kiss back, I feel her smile and I see her eyes open. She lets go of my hand and snakes her arm around my neck, pulling me in deeper. Thank god she doesn't kiss like the zombies beneath us. I wonder if they've attempted to advance into the building yet...

As she pulls away, I can't help but smirk at the daring attitude that she's taken two weeks to develop. "I hate to completely break the moment, but can we check to see where the spawns of Satan are lurking, please?" She just giggles like a young schoolgirl before nodding and moving slowly across the freezing roof we lie on. It's like a commando crawl over to the edge of the roof.