It was like water was filling her lungs, the way she was heaving through her breaths, her fingers digging into the soil beneath them, mud and blood mixed together. Her hair draped down either side of her shoulders, it was dripping wet still from the rain and the damp fog wasnt helping that either. When she looked up relief washed over her body, it was Emma, she was standing there in front of her, dripping wet hair and the dress she was wearing was soaked to the bone. Her eyes examined her little girl and she found the strength to reach her hand out but Emma just giggled and skipped off into the distance like she always did, leaving Jac even more confused and angry.
"Speak to me! Kian...Fletch, please..."
"What is there to say? You're creating these scenarios for yourself"
"No!"
She refused to believe it and anger coursed through her body at Fletch's words, the more irritating thing about it was Kian's lack of words and that anger was so present at that moment she got up and headed towards them both, her fists pounding into Fletch's chest as she took her anger out on him and his nonchalance, he didnt even flinch though, a solemn look on his face and his feet rooted into the ground; it hurt. All she wanted was answers but even now she was unsure if either of them would be able to provide them for her.
"Speak to me, please, please speak to me, either of you!"
"It's not that simple, Naylor"
"Kian, you know how it is...you understand"
"Do I?"
Even now she was questioning herself, her eyes were red raw and bloodshot from all the tears that had built up in them. She raised her dress up, holding the material so it made it easier for her to move. Every now and then the tears would drop onto her skin or her dress and one last look over her shoulder she saw Kian and Fletch standing there, arms crossed causing her to choke back a sob. Her feet moved through the grass, her feet covered in more mud as she walked in the opposite direction to them both as the tears fell from her eyes. Eventually, she gave up with holding the dress she was wearing, the material returning to being dragged along the floor, her eyes downcast.
"Careful"
"W-What...Sacha? Why are you here?"
"We're all here, don't you see?"
"Have you seen Emma?"
Her eyes glance past him, she narrows her eyes before turning back to look behind her where Kian and Fletch were still standing there. With that she allowed her eyes to fill with tears, before turning back to look Sacha in the eye, she stepped aside and continued to walk onwards, her dress once again being dragged along the floor. Ignoring everything around her seemed to be the only way she could fight the feelings of anger and upset in her head and quell the tears slightly. Her hand slid across her neck and she closed her eyes at the gooey red blood on her hand causing her to let out a choked out sob.
"Jac"
"Stop this"
"What's bothering you?"
"All of this, please help me, everything...hurts"
"It'll be ok, soon you'll get the answers you need"
What was that supposed to mean? It just made her sob uncontrollably, deep, dark, heaving sobs as her blood-smeared hand covered her mouth as her fingers trembled. Finding the strength she began to run away from all of this, she just needed to get away from it all, stop all of this so she ran, for what seemed like ages and her legs eventually tired out and she collapsed to the floor rolling onto her back and letting out endless tears. The dampness of the grass soon seeped through the back of her dress and her body was allowing itself to be warmed by the sun above that was beaming down onto her skin, illuminated further by her stained white dress.
"Mummy?"
"Emma? Emma...where are you?"
"Over here!"
"W-Where?"
Her head didnt even shoot up, the overwhelming heaviness in her head was present, almost like a lengthy tiredness that wouldnt shift. Propping her body up using her arms she saw Emma standing to the right of her and her daughter was smiling widely at her causing Jac to return a smile. She found the strength to sit up, stand up and then walk over to her but Emma took her hand, it was ice cold and her daughter's skin was slightly paler than before. It was almost as if she was draining her daughter of her colour, it made her shudder in fear.
"Emma let go"
"No, mummy"
"Emma!"
Her daughter just wouldnt listen to her, hell-bent on guiding her to somewhere or other. Jac watched as blood dripped from their joined hands, she tried to let go but Emma seemed to have some sort of psychedelic superhuman strength and the panic rose in her body once more. She tugged her arm but she couldnt release the grip that Emma had on her, and yet again the fog descended on them both and Emma kept walking, pulling her along as she went until they reached the start of the jetty. Emma tugged her onto the platform and the splintering wood was once more, unforgiving on her feet as they got to the end.
"No!"
"What's wrong mummy?"
"You need to go, get away Emma!"
"Why?"
"Go!"
For once in this hellish nightmare, her daughter obeyed her, skipping off back down the jetty completely unfazed at what she witnessed. Jac's eyes broke into more tears when she witnessed a floating body in the water in front of her, half clouded by heavy, dense fog. She gathered her dress and slid into the water collecting the body in her arms, dragging it out of the water using her wavering strength. Kneeling down she placed a hand slightly away from the breast bone and broke into another wave of sobs, her dirty hands marking their territory.
"Kian, please no...not again"
"These things happen for a reason, Jac"
"No! Why is it happening?"
"It's your mind, its...tainted, almost...dead, inside, I guess?"
"Fletch...please"
Her eyes narrowed as she screeched at the pain in her head, her hands pressing into her skull as she pulled at her hair, Emma watching on with an all too eerie fascination before taking hold of Fletch's hand. She watches him turn on his heel and take Emma with him, Jac used all of her strength to try and move her body but nothing, there was nothing she could do, she was rooted to the ground and her dress, sopping wet, adding to that weight beside Kian's lifeless body as she watched Fletch take her daughter away from her. She knelt to the ground and cupped her hand around Kian's cheek, her thumb brushing his gaunt and pale face, his soaking wet clothes on bare display and then she ran her fingers through his hair before shaking her head and letting out a sob. With one last sliver of hope, she rested the side of her head against his chest, hoping for something that she knew wouldn't come, the white shirt he was wearing once again stained with the blood pooling out of her head, yet another part of his shirt ruined by her, yet another thing she could ruin him with. Why did it have to end up like this?
