Singing of the dead (Novel one)

CHAPTER ELEVEN: JANUARY'S COLD

As the new year moved forward, every day of January was colder than the last. Rain poured on and off daily causing the ground to become heavy with water and mud, the attacks from the chill of the wind also multiplied daily. As the hours on the clock went by each day Atlas became weaker as the infection spread across his body, talking had even become almost impossible and supplies for treating him had worn thin. Atlas was dying. There was only one thing left that Isabelle and Jessica could do to help him. Go to the pharmacy and see if any antibiotics were still there.

It was the 6th of January and at 08:00 Jessica and Isabelle geared up with Jess holding a baseball bat and Isabelle wielding the very same axe that had caused this mess. Jim stayed and with the little sanity he had left attempted to comfort his grandson.

"You'll be okay boy, that Jess and that other girl will get what you need, I'm sure your mum and dad will be back soon as well. Hopefully you can still make training next week. You have a sparring session with Max, and you can't slack off in the ring with him." Jim slowly shadows boxed the air at the end of his sentence.

"Grandad. I. Won that. Spar. 2nd round. Knockout." Atlas' chest raised after almost every word and his lungs let out audible stressful breaths."

"Oh yes. You did good but got lucky, what's that girl your sister is seeing, you know the boxer."

"Ch-loe"

"That's the one, you should train with her she is a killer. My Glenda likes that one. When we found out... your sister... um..."

"Is-abe-lle"

"That's it, her name must have just slipped my mind, when me and Glenda found out she was... you know... she was so nervous to tell us, and I'll be honest with you I've never understood it, but that boxer girl is a real good one and whatever makes... um... your sister happy is good with me. What happened any way boy? A winter cold? Your nans cheesecake will fix you up."

"I miss – Nan."

"I'm sure she won't be too long, I think your mum has taken her shopping, who is that girl who went with Jess? Is that your sisters' new partner? What happened to the boxer?"

"Th-at was Issy."

"No no, that girl with your Jess. You'll have to excuse me I need to use the toilet; can I get you anything?"

"Water..."

Jim stood up and only took a couple of steps before he stopped and grabbed his backside over his trousers and came to the unfortunate realisation that he had accidently defecated himself. Jim looked around the room in a panic and saw his Grandsons body laying on the blood covered couch struggling to breath and his mind cleared and became rational again as he understood the serious danger Atlas was in, and how useless he felt as he knew not only his body was failing but also his mind. He wanted to look after his grandson and do everything he could, but he couldn't even hold his own body waste in. Jim stumbled back and landed on to the sofa and began to weep uncontrollably and struggled immensely, unable to articulate his loving words to his grandson.

"I wish the lord would just take me."

Atlas used every fibre of strength remaining in his body and sat himself forward placing his hand on his grandfather's lap, and tried to talk but his words could not make it out due to his exhaustion from moving so instead forced a smile in his pale face. Jim placed one hand on his head and the other around Atlas and hugged him.

Go on boy hit the pads, come on harder. Faster. Keep going, times almost up. Atlas' phone then beeped indicating the exercise was over. Atlas unstrapped his boxing gloves with his teeth and threw them to the side and fell on his arse panting, sweat dripping from his face as he picked up his phone and turned the alarm off.