Cold Ashes

Chapter 12 - Aftermath

An eternity passed for Ryan. There was no telling of how long it had been, but the world was different, it felt and looked like a lie. The colours everywhere brightened and shadows seemed to lift off the walls, reaching for him in his trance.

It felt like the hundredth time when he opened his eyes - this time to see Leah sitting a little away, at a dirtied window, watching at the madness below. Sharpening a rusted knife.

It was the groan of an empty stomach, dizzy head and confusion that informed her that he was awake. And she was far from courteous with her bed-side manner.

"So you're awake." She growled, continuing to meticulously sharpen her knife.

"Leah..? Where are we?" Ryan asked, a little unsure if this would be another spectre waiting to haunt him.

"No more goddamn questions, okay?" She dropped the stone she was sharpening with and used the knife as an extension on her hand. "You can drop the ignorance because it's getting fucking stupid now."

"What happened?"

"You know damn well what happened!" She stood up, throwing the knife furiously down. "What the hell were you thinking? That stunt you pulled could've gotten us both killed!"

It was then he remembered. Although he didn't quite believe what he saw, it was there, the spitting image of his brother in shackles and bonds. Dragged around the market square like an animal waiting for slaughter. Crying for him, his big brother, to help.

What else could he do? Just stand and watch him get hurt? Hallucination or not, his brother wouldn't be in pain again - he made sure of that.

"I'm... How did we get out?"

"Oh, now he asks, does he? Now he wonders how little Leah saved his miserable life! Goddammit, Ryan, you're such a-" she finished off with a frustrated groan.

Leah was getting real tired of Ryan. Of his constant ignorance, cruelty and absolute stupidity. Didn't he get it yet? Didn't he understand what this world was like? He had been in the wilderness, that was more than enough for him to actually get it!

"Look, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

"No, I guess you didn't. I guess you wanted to blow your brains out when we first met, or - or maybe run away last night without another word. Like none of this matters. Well, guess what, it matters to me."

"I know it matters, of course it does. It means everything to me."

"If you really meant that then maybe you should try actually talking to me. Isn't that what people do? Confide in each other?"

"We're talking now."

"We're arguing now. There's a difference."

"What d'you want me to say? Look, I'm sorry about everything I did to hurt you. I don't even know what I did wrong, but whatever it was, I'm sorry for it, okay?"

"There you go again! You don't even know what I'm upset about!"

"Is it the necklace? Look, I didn't know you didn't like that kind of thing, I didn't think it'd offend you."

"It didn't offend me-"

"Well, what's the problem then?"

"I just- well. I-"

"See? You don't even have an answer! I was trying to be nice, and you just throw it in my face!"

"It's not even about the stupid necklace! It's about you always being such a douche; you want to leave one second, then you can't keep off me, then you're just apologising for shit you don't even understand!"