The Girl With The Crimson Eyes

25: Tomorrow

Zeo

Unknown voices echoed in the distance, unintelligible words drilling into his head. Zeo felt like floating on a gelid river of dark waters as dense as blood. The current dragged him somewhere, far away. A metallic flavor lingered in his mouth, making him dizzy.

Every time he began to doze off, an electric shock awakened him, sending excruciating pain throughout his body. Zeo tried to scream, but his voice was a wordless cry no one would ever hear.

Zeo . . .

He recognized that sweet voice.

Zeo . . .

Yeah, it was her.

A flash before his eyes and the horrible pain crushing his chest woke him up. He gasped for air with all his remaining strength. Everything was dazzling white. His whole body burned as if dipped in acid, he could feel his skin melting and his eyes falling apart.

Everything turned into silent darkness again.

Isolated events from the past wandered his mind like ghosts, but the only vivid memory hammering his brain was her.

"Remnya . . . " Zeo mumbled with his eyes still shut.

"Zeo?"

He recognized that voice, the same sweet voice from before, the same strong accent from always. Zeo felt warm fingers wrapping around his hand. He tried to squeeze them but couldn't. Instead, he whispered again, "Remnya?"

Zeo felt a warm body bumping into him as strong arms wrapped around his torso. He recognized her lemon-vanilla perfume and the strawberry shampoo fragrance of her hair.

He finally opened his heavy eyes and saw her black hair tangled around him. Zeo heard her sobs, sobs he hadn't heard in years.

Remnya was hugging him so hard he could feel his bones cracking, but Zeo didn't care. Tears rolled down his cheeks uncontrollably, and his body recovered some of its strength. Zeo wrapped his arms around Remnya and cried with her.

Nothing else mattered; she was in his arms again. It was only them in the world.

"Rem . . . " Zeo whispered in her ear. "Why are you crying?"

"Dumb idiot!" she yelled. "I thought you were dead!"

"I would never leave without saying goodbye, Rem."

Zeo felt her hot tears soaking his shoulder. He didn't want to let her go, ever, but reality slapped him across the face, reminding him of what this second chance meant for him.

"Rem," he murmured, caressing her back and silky hair. How he wished that moment lasted forever, but he had something to do. "We need to talk, Rem."

"Yes . . . we do," Remnya replied between sobs and sniffles and then released his body.

Finally, Zeo could see her face. Remnya was a mess of tears, her eyes and nose red like a tomato, and her hair tangled and glued to her wet cheeks. Zeo smiled so much that his jaw hurt like hell.

Remnya rushed to wipe her tears and brushed her hair off her face. It was such an odd sight. Zeo thought he would never see her tears again. It had been so long. Immense guilt crushed his weakened heart.

"I'm sorry, Rem . . . " he said, lowering his face and narrowing his eyes. "I couldn't do anything to protect you."

Remnya shook her head eagerly. "No, no! It's my fault! I should've gone with you when you told me! I was stupid! I'm sorry!" Tears rolled down her cheeks like a raging stream.