The muffled thump and the searing in her shoulder told her all she needed to know. She felt her body crumpling involuntarily, the world tilting in slow motion.
"Fuck. That was a good one."
She heard voices screaming, Samuel's usually calm, clipped British accent chattering quickly. She strained but couldn't make out the words. She felt a quick stab of annoyance - she fucking hated not knowing what was going on.
The realization that she was dying swept it all away. Blissful peace pulled her under. She couldn't be sure, but she thought that maybe she was smiling as she floated away.
Six years old. The family had known hard times, but through it all they'd had one another. The farm in the middle of nowhere, Louisiana, had blessed them with a way to make a living. Her Oma was cunning enough to keep them all alive. They had come several times, but every time they had gone away empty handed. They searched for the Children of Mythos, but they found nothing at the idyllic home.
But she knew. She knew that she was one of the Children. Ever since she had been a child, her mother had whispered the stories to her. Tucked away in her closet so no one could hear, she would fill her daughters mind with the glorious tales of Mythos and the prophecy surrounding him and his progeny. The child was enchanted by the stories, by the idea that some day she would make a difference in the war. She had no idea that her future would hold no glory, just pain and blood and tears.
For now, the legends were enough.
She jolted up out of her bed, biting back the scream. She could feel stitches in her shoulder pulling, though none of the ripped. She fell back into the hard pillows with a sigh, her eyes flicking to the corner as the familiar voice broke through the haze of pain.
"Sorry, D. They don't have much in the way of drugs here. We did what we could..."
She chuckled a bit and shook her head, "S'ok, Sammy. I figured I was a goner anyway."
He paused for a moment, peering at her and nodding, his voice low, "So did we. That was a close one. D, you've gotta..."
She interrupted him, holding up a hand, "I know. I've gotta be more careful. I do what I can, Sammy. They're gonna kill me some day, I can't live forever."
The flicker of emotions across his face was as she'd expected. Pain and worry mixed with the love he held for her. She'd told him they couldn't be together like that, not when there was a war to win...so he'd contented himself with being her surrogate body guard, watching over the woman he loved, no matter the risk to his own life. He smiled a bit and shrugged, "I know, D. Just...don't hurry it along if you can help it, ok?"
He rose gracefully, and she noted - not for the first time - how lovely he was. He brushed her forehead with a kiss, smiling softly, "I'd like to keep ya as long as I can."
She squeezed his hand, returning the smile, "Yeah, I know Sammy. I'll try. I'll try."
He grinned and nodded, heading out of her room, presumably to alert her nurse that she'd awoken. She sighed and closed her eyes, brushing away the tears before they fell. Though she'd vowed to tell him everything, she could never confide this in him. That every time she met death, every time she found herself on the cusp of blessed release - part of her hoped that they wouldn't be able to save her.
One of these times, she would get her wish.
No comments:
Post a Comment