My Little Bird | Blue Eyes (Under minor grammatical editing)

Chapter 16

I jolted awake to the sound of a gun blasting into the air. But unlike the first time the same nightmare had haunted me, there was no echo, no evidence that a firearm had spat lead into the air in any other place then my dreamscape. My eyes were filled with familiar but unknown sights and for a frantic moment I gave in to the primal fear panic within, but before I got the chance to jump up and run to who knows where, I was held back by a pair of arms. I looked up, heart and lungs palpitating at the sound of my name in a voice that was dreadfully human. The face looking down at me had a straight nose, ocean blue irises, and dark sandy stubble covered his jaw, while the same curly locks sat atop his head. I struggled to recognize this man, until a name appeared in my mind.

"Malcolm." I breathed, and threw myself at him, hugging him to try to control the tears that were threatening to spill.

Memories of the previous day came flooding back much too quickly to be real. It was too painful to be real. I felt Malcolm wrap his arms around me, shushing me and rocking me quietly like a child. He kept whispering sweet nothings in my ears, but all they did was stir the churning emotions raging in my psyche. How could he sit here and tell me it was going to be okay? Caesar was gone. I couldn't even begin to imagine what Blue Eyes must have been feeling. I wanted nothing more than hug him and help him through this time of anguish, but I had no way of doing that. I had no clue if he had been among the shrieking apes that had stampeded past us last night, and honestly I was afraid to know. I wasn't given long to sink into my thoughts, Malcolm brought the confusing mental ramblings to a halt.

"Rain, we have to go. We can't stay here." He whispered.

I sobbed and sniffed, trying to get a hold of myself enough to nod and stand. When I finally accomplished the feat, I allowed Malcolm to pull me out from under the fallen titan's roots, and faced Alexander and Ellie, who waited patiently outside. Malcolm handed me to Alexander and he drew me under an arm, and I let him comfort me as I wiped my cheeks of seawater. Alexander did his best to comfort me as we moved through the forest, I followed along despondently like a kite's tail, flapping along in the winds.

For much of the journey, we had to slide down the rain slicked hills, finding footholds in roots. Alexander made a point to help me most of the way, as he had noticed the silent tears that continuously fell from my cheeks. Only when I swatted him away did he give me space, but I was fully aware of his watchful grey gaze on me. My body was swathed in shadow, but dirt covered my legs and arms, as well as my face. I huffed in annoyance at this whole situation. I wanted to blame Malcolm. I wanted to blame the humans. If they hadn't come here, this forest would never of known the deadly baritone blast of gunfire. But the rational part of my mind knew I was being unfair. The reason they arrived here was because of the damage caused by the earthquake all those days ago. There was no one to blame as of yet.

"We must be getting close." Malcolm said from the front as he looked back to check us over. The man continued down the hill, while Ellie, and Alexander stuck to the shadows of the hill as they worked out ways to get down, I following.

"I think I see it, it's down here!" Malcolm called.

I almost ran into Alexander's back when the two came to an abrupt stop. Alexander's breathing grew labored, and he called for Malcolm. Confused, I stepped to the side and foreword, to see what had Ellie's attention. I immediately froze when I seen what the two older humans had seen. I moved foreword, dropping to my knees with a cry of pain and despair. I hung my head and held my face as I no longer tried to control the tears. My shoulders trembled in agony as I sobbed. There, lying in a damp heap on his broad back, was Caesar. His paled face stared up at the sky, blank. On his shoulder was a bloody red splotch, his stillness fractured my skull. I shook my head in denial at the proof of what I had been fearing all throughout my most recent conscious hours. Caesar, the kind, noble king I had so much respect and admiration for, was dead.