Time Limit - f.h

9 | Power

I walked over to my window, looking out at the sunny conditions of Texas. Young children ran along the streets in shorts and bright shirts, their mother's trailing after them, gossiping to their neighbours in bold, knee-high dresses and heels.

"I'm going to be too warm, aren't I?" I softly chuckled.

Five walked up to stand behind me, gathering my hair and brushing it onto my back, tilting his head into my neck and hugging my waist.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, leaning into his touch and whispering, "I'm ready,".

My hair lifted slightly as a warm breeze enveloped us and when I opened my eyes, we were outside. I'd asked Five to take me to Lime Meadow, mine and Elliot's private sanctuary, so that we could bury him in peace. The world around us was the nearly the same as it was when we visited yesterday: fox hunted rabbit, birds flew to feed from the soil, passing their findings on to their babies as they learnt to fly, flapping their wings to the natural songs of wildlife- pure and innocent. Except now, Elliot became part of the setting, already placed in his stolen coffin, the ground around him dug up and not yet put back. 'He would be happy here' I thought and made it my honour to plant bright and blooming flowers in this spot every Saturday.

It was only me and Five as he led us to the grave, taking my hand in his. I was focussing on my feet when I felt a small squeeze around my fingers. I looked up and found him watching me, his eyes flickering from mine to his bicep. I laid my head on it as we stopped. Serene silence surrounded us as a single tear fell from my left eye.

"I love you Uncle Elliot," I spoke aloud under a shaky breath.

Silence.

Five's eyes looked me up and down from his bowed position as though he was going to say something. Instead, he rocked back and forth on his heels and cleared his throat, "You ready to go back?"

I blinked as I met his gaze, eyebrows furrowed, "What?", the word coming out as a mere whisper.

He stared into the distance as he replied, seeming almost awkward, "Well, you're done, right?"

"No, Five, I'm burying him. That means putting the soil back," my voice was getting louder, and he matched it.

"Diego can do that, he did it in the first place,"
"He's my uncle!"

"Yeah well technically he isn't, Tara, and I have more important things to do,"

"What, instead of being there for me?", there was no reply. "Five, I need you right now,"

"Well not everything can be about you Tara,"                                                                                              
"I never asked for it to be! If you never came, Elliot would still be alive!"

I stood there, mouth agape as his hand left mine to run across his face and through his hair. He spoke softly and sarcastically as he said, "The world's ending, Tara. I need to go deal with that,"

Without time to object, he left me with only a short blue haze before disappearing in the open field.

"Fine!" I shouted to nothing, kicking the soil under my feet and collapsing to my knees, repeating the same word in a weaker tone with my head in my hands, "Fine,"

"Awe, lover's quarrel?" I scurried to my feet, rapidly turning around, "There's no reason to be scared," she soothed.

"The last time I saw you, you were trying to murder Five. There's plenty reason to be scared Lila," I seethed through gritted teeth.

"Oh yeah. I guess you're right,"

BANG.

•

My eyes began to beat open, struggling to adjust to the savage light pounding on me. The rest of my surroundings were in utter darkness. I was sat in a solid wooden chair, bound to it by harsh rope that wound around my ankles, thighs, back, elbows and chest. I was trapped. I strained against the ties, kicking and squirming, but they only tightened, creating cold white lines on my skin. I surrendered and let myself fall back, thinking about how the hell I'd gotten here, and I remembered everything.