mark of the moon child

The Lie

"Elle!" Jay shouted before he reached for her hand. The black water wrapped itself around his hand, creeping up his arm as it started to pull her in deeper. "Elle, wake up!" He was slipping away into the water when he felt her hand squeeze his. He grabbed onto the edge of the pool and pulled her as hard as he could. To his relief he could finally see her begin to surface. With one last pull he collapsed onto the side of the pool with Elle on top of him.

Quickly but gently, he shifted her towards him and realized that her eyes were still closed. Jay placed his fingers on her wrist as he looked towards her rib cage, searching for breath. When neither pulse nor breath showed themselves his heart found its way to his throat. Pure panic spread itself through his body as he tried to think of a way to bring her back. Breathing into her and pumping her chest would not work, not in this world. His mind raced frantically until one thought made it stop. If she really was what he thought she was, he could maybe save her. If she wasn't, he would seal her fate.

He shifted her again, this time so he sat behind her, lifted her, and pulled her in close as he'd wanted to do in the hospital. Jay wrapped his arms around her body and held her tight. He closed his eyes and whispered in her ear, "Forgive me for this." 

Then focused everything he had in his mark, on her.

His mark turned bright red, the light so intense it would blind an open eye. His skin began to burn from the searing heat his mark emulated and he clenched his jaw shut taking in sharp breaths as not to scream from the pain. He held Elle tight and seconds later felt her body tense. Jay felt heat come from the back of Elle's neck as her head went from limp and lifeless to shooting up and over his shoulder from the shock of the pain that ran through her entire body. 

Her eyes opened to the widest they've ever been, and when she could finally gasp a breath that felt like knives were slicing through her throat, she let out a cry that echoed on the cave walls and pierced the ears. Jay quickly moved one of his hands over her eyes and squeezed his other arm tighter around her body.

When the moment finally passed, though it had felt like time had stood still for an eternity, Elle's body collapsed against his. Jay removed his hand from her eyes and let it fall to his side, his other arm limp against her body, and let himself relax against the wall of rock behind him as she let herself sink into his chest.

"What.." She tried. "Wha-" Her breaths were still shallow, her throat raw from her screaming.

"Don't speak, not yet." Jay said between his own panting breaths. "Focus on your breath first."

They stayed this way until both their breaths steadied and their pulses slowed to a more regular beat again. When Elle felt she had the strength, she lifted her head from his chest and slowly, so very slowly, lifted her chest so she could sit up straight. Jay opened his eyes and at the base of her neck, slightly to the left, a mark was burned into her skin.

"I was right." He said, though his breath was steadier, he sounded exhausted. Elle reached for the back of her neck as he said it. She could feel where her mark was, it burned still. She hissed when her fingertips touched the sensitive skin. "It's going to hurt for a while. Best leave it alone."

"Leave what alone? God, I feel like I swallowed blades and was hit in the head by a wrecking ball. What happened? What am I wearing? Where am.." Elle faded to silence. Everything came back to her as her mind cleared. She looked around the grotto, saw the pool that had turned back to it's pure blue. "Oh, God. Oh Go-" She hissed as the mark on her back burned from her quick movement and her hair brushing over it. Before she could reach for it, Jay quickly moved his hand to her hair and gently, slowly, gathered and swept it over her right shoulder leaving the mark uncovered. And, while still securing her hair to the opposite side, he lightly blew cold air over her burning skin. Relief came over her as the pain subdued itself. Chills climbing up her spine.