The Child Who Holds the Power

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

 Josh's POV

 I knew I'd been asleep for a while before I'd even opened my eyes. I could feel the difference a few solid days of rest could make. My whole body had been ravaged with exhaustion. The lack of sleep hadn't helped and I guess the pressure of the whole situation we'd been in hadn't really helped either. But now it was all over and we were back where we belonged. We both got out of it alive, if maybe a little battered and bruised.

 After a long time of just lying in the comfortable bed I finally managed to get myself up. I literally threw on the first pieces of clothing I found and went in search of where Jezebel was. Hastily I ran a hand threw my probably insanely messy hair and stuck my head around a door into a guest room. The room was empty but the next one I tried wasn't. My eyes immediately fell on the unmoving body in the bed.

 For a second my heart felt like tried to claw its way out of my throat until I saw the small movement of her chest rising and falling. I gasped in a breath and put my hand on the wall to steady myself. I had to tell myself a few times that we were both fine. She was fine and so was I. I dragged my eyes away from Jezebel and met the worried gazes of four others.

 I hadn't even noticed anyone else in the room when I walked in. Jezebel's parents were sitting in chairs not far away from the window in the room and my parents were there as well. I vaguely recalled a hushed conversation taking place in the room as I walked in but I guess I'd been so focused on finding Jezebel I hadn't really paid much attention to anything else. My mum made as if to reach out to me but she pulled back at the last moment. Maybe she sensed my need to have some sort of physical contact with Jezebel.

 She was sleeping almost directly in the middle of a queen sized bed so I sat down on the edge and reached for her hand. It was just as warm and smooth as ever. For a few fleeting seconds it was as if nothing had happened and we were just normal kids going out. But we weren't. We'd been through a lot more than normal teenage couples had been. We'd made it through everything alive and together. I loved the beautiful, strong, inspiring girl asleep next to me.

 The words seemed to tumble out of my mouth almost of their own accord. My question was directed at Jezebel's parents and the air seemed to buzz as the question hung in the air. The room remained quiet for what seemed like an eternity. Jezebel's father looked speechless and her mother didn't even seem to hear what I said. I glanced at my mother suddenly feeling worried and saw her nod slightly and had a knowing smile on her face.

 I was surprised when it was Jezebel's mother who answered. For the first time since I had met her I finally saw the real woman under the cool outer façade. She nodded only once, but with honest conviction. She smiled at me and saw through her eyes how hard the last 15 years had been and especially the last month or so. She had to make some hard decisions I could see it written on her face, but she seemed truly glad to make this decision.

 "You make her happy after all the pain I put her through. She deserves to be happy and so do you," she smiled kindly at me before looking back at Jezebel.

 From there discussion took a slightly darker and serious turn. I was told that it had been closer to three days since the two of us had magically transported home. So that meant we'd both been asleep for over two days straight except I'd woken up. I listened without saying anything as the parents discussed whether to put Jezebel on a drip or something so she was getting some water and sustinance into her since we had no idea how much longer she was going to be out for.

My father who had been quiet for a while pointed out, "But she's been unconscious for nearly three days now and hasn't shown any signs of dehydration or any physical deterioration at all. I think we should leave it for now and just monitor the situation."