Cold Ashes

Chapter 18 - Confession

Heather always was a naïve woman.

The door of the single hospital room opened, and there she was. The one that they were all talking about, just standing outside, as if waiting for some miraculous news that had occurred after the first day.

Her hair was long, thick and brown; she had some muscle that built her a little, but she was skinnier than Yvonne expected. Her eyes bright but also dark brown, intelligent and aware. She was a pretty girl, Yvonne concluded; but her nose wasn't at all to her liking, neither were her eyes - far too close together. Her face could be considered nice, but the others were signs of distrust, in her opinion.

"Is he awake?"

And eager too. She didn't like that. "No. You'll have to come back another time, he's not waking up tonight. Maybe never-"

"He will."

"How would you know?"

She smiled a little. "I just do."

The woman huffed. Finding the memory of her sister - that old, stupid woman - flare up her annoyance. The child walked over in an exquisite gown, with a style that she hadn't seen in quite some time, at least, not since before the apocalypse.

It was probably copied from any magazines that just about survived for some of the factory workers. When she passed her, going immediately to his side, the woman couldn't help but feel sorry for her and her foolish hopes. So she threw down a little more to keep her spirits high.

"It might help to talk to him."

"And say what?"

"I don't know. Something that'll make him want to wake up."

And with that, Leah was left alone. She had been able to choose what she wore this time, but all that was in her wardrobe were dresses of such insane value and beauty. It would be enough to only sell one dress to feed all the kids in the shack for months on end.

Even thinking about each one of those upturned, bright, young faces made her heart ache. She would give anything to go back - but there was no way Viceroy would allow it. She barely got out of her tower without being seen, let alone the whole palace.

"Hi." She didn't know how else to begin. The patient's face was still a little pale, his breathing regular but his eyes closed. It made her hurt in ways she didn't want to think were possible anymore. "I guess you're not waking up yet, huh?"

There was no reply. She didn't expect one she was just... hoping for one.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything, Ryan. I guess that was obvious, but I just..." she shrugged. "I didn't know what else to do. You were... well you were... dying. Dead, really. But they somehow brought you back. They bought you back.

"I should really sound happier about that... shouldn't I?"

She held her hands in front of her - trying to think of what to say next. If there was anything to say next. Seeing the pale blue material that covered her thin skeleton. The guy who was full of life moments ago, with light hair, white paper skin. The eyes that she saw were blue. Not anything special, but they had changed - it took so little time. But when it happened she already knew what had happened and still couldn't say it out loud.

"I didn't really want to wear this, y'know. It's so stupid and I feel stupid wearing stuff like this all the time. Like I'm some sort of fucking princess. I never have. Like that necklace thing... I guess that sorta set me off that one time, I mean something like that could feed them all for months. Just one thing, isn't that crazy?" She paused. Again there was no reply. "I guess you'd just agree with me. I think you would, anyway. 'Cos it is insanity to have to wear this around. Can you imagine Heather? God her face'd be a picture, wearing this weird posh crap, she wouldn't know what to think."