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BELLE SHIFTED. SHE sighed, but as soon as the sound left her lips her eyes flew open. Why was her chest heavy? Was it her heart? She looked down. No. It was Honora's head, ear pressed against the fabric covering her chest. She let herself sink back into the blankets. She'd never been so relieved to have woken up, in fear that she never would've seen the sun again.
Honora woke up quickly after. Her breath got caught by the silence, until a heartbeat pounded in her ear and it was returned. She moved slowly, craning her head up to look at her friend with a solemn smile. Belle grabbed her hand, holding it tightly. Honora noticed the slight shake to her skin.
"Hi," Belle whispered, her voice crackly. She didn't know if it was because she'd just woken up or at fault for the amount of tears she'd cried the previous night.
There was an unspoken vow in the air. It hung between them, dangling in front of their noses, begging to be broken. It was a vow of sorrow, a vow of last times. Honora had never wanted to freeze time as bad as in that moment, two heartbeats still pounding, two girls still living. She hated how low her hope had fallen.
She forced herself to smile despite the desperate clawing of a scream at her lungs. "Morning," she muttered. "Did you dream of anything special?"
Belle looked away, her eyes focusing on the man sleeping in the armchair across the room. "The future."
"That still exists, you know?" Honora said. Belle didn't respond. It was too early to cry.
"You should go," Belle murmured. Honora shot her a look, slightly offended.
She scoffed. "Rude," she teased, a familiar, playful spark lighting up her eyes. Belle shook her head, gentle laughter flowing through her body.
"You can do nothing here," she said, her tone falling serious. Honora swallowed uneasily. "If you want to help me, you must go."
