Beyond the Void

Chapter 40, Just thoughts

ANDREW

One moon and four tens since the Mark of the Other One blossomed.

The sky was all he could see. The branches returned and wanted to take Andrew into their embrace once more. He was walking on his back. The steady rhythm of steps coursed throughout his body.

But he was not walking, it should have occurred to him from the beginning. Gingerly, he raised his head. He was being carried on an improvised stretcher. Someone tilted their head over him. The sky swallowed him again.

"I am kind of thirsty." He was really thirsty. His throat was painful and dry. Someone was ripping dry paint out of it. He turned his head on its side to see where they were. He felt a falling sensation, and the earth took him into its embrace.

He came to feeling snow droplets melting on his face. "I need to pee." The words had come without thinking. He laughed, turned on his side and slammed onto the ground.

He kept laughing. He remembered his first moments on the gateway hill. The blurry world around him slid into focus and he recognised the others. They were in a panic.

"This needs to stop. Constantly worrying about me like I am a sick person." Someone had painted the world in black and chrome. The shadows were white. Everyone was lying around a flare of white spikes and shards.

Someone moved right next to Andrew. That someone was probably looking at him. "This place looks weird." The next moment everyone around the white flare was in panic.

...

The entire world shifted. Andrew tasted vomit and blood in his mouth. He was still lying down. He really needed to pee. Where was he? Colours swirled in front of his eyes when Andrew pushed himself upright.

For a little while, Andrew stood there, bent over, leaning against something. A warm smell told him that a fire had been lit. Was he alone? Why was no one concerned about him standing up? His heart was pounding as Andrew was considering all the possibilities.

The light was returning. It must have been early in the morning. Around him were the sleeping figures of everyone. Becca had huddled up in Anna's arms. It looked like Kauri was supposed to be on watch as he was sitting right next to Andrew, his back against the tree Andrew was now leaning on.

He was staring into his lap and seemed fast asleep. Despite the dim morning, it was clear how much more Kauri had lost weight. His cheeks had sunken further, and the firelight cast deep shadows around his eyes.

Everyone looked absolutely worn and ragged. Many of the men sported uneven beards, and the women's hair had turned into a single unkempt mass. Andrew thought about waking Kauri up, but decided that relieving himself was more important.

He had expected to be much weaker, Andrew thought, as he wandered away from the campsite. His right arm was still in a sling around his shoulder. But it did not hurt as much.

It was a hassle getting his entire wardrobe out of the way. They had not taken his armour off. It was a wonder he had not wet himself. He was seriously hoping he had not wet himself. The way he smelled, it was a good possibility.

He and Anna had made it. Everything was a blur, a vague memory shrouded by the rush of power coursing through his veins. A cold sensation ran down his face and his heart was pounding with such ferocity he had to lean against a tree.