He Was Dying

Chapter Ten

   Time shrank as the blistering sun rose further and higher into the sky. It was taking a huge toll on my body, and I could tell from even a distance it was effecting the Others as well.
Nurse's teleportation was sloppy and inaccurate.
Wraith couldn't stay transparent for very without their knees buckling.
Hillbilly seemed unfocused. He stopped using his chainsaw to travel because I could tell it made him dizzier than usual.
Trapper stumbled everywhere he went, even stepping in his own traps.

   But me...

My head spun. My ears rang. Way to often a piercing pain would shoot up my nerves and rattle my bones. My legs trembled and my breathing was uneven.
I wish to not go into detail of how I nearly fell of my roof.

  Because of this slowness, I knew this was the perfect time for the four to escape the yard. And for some reason, I was proud.
As a monster, you are taught to take advantage of the weaknesses of your enemies, especially when they are under effect from it.
And here the Others and I are, at possibly our lowest point of performance. If the humans don't escape now, I don't know how else they ever will.

  Before I knew it, my hunch turned out to be correct. I glanced towards the North door, which emitted rusty creaks of metal. Squinting, I saw the blue sweater of Delirious standing at the exit panel, grip on the lever, yanking it downwards.

He was calling out to two others behind him, who I could tell were Luke and Evan due to the red attire they wore. Where was Bryce?

  My tall ears twisted to face behind me. I turned, the tapping of roof shingles catching my attention. He stood feet away from me, still in his dirty grey track pants and pale burgundy jacket.
His lips curled in a saddened smile as he spoke. "The others are opening the door. I suppose this is goodbye, then?"

My shoulders slackened as I felt a pang of heartache. He was right. This was goodbye.

  Bryce suddenly darted for me, enveloping my lower torso with his arms. I stumbled slightly, wavering for a moment as the movement surprised me. Awkwardly, I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed.

For some reason.. I truly did not want to let go.

But a moment isn't a lifetime, and the embrace broke. Silence. The sun's rays reflected off his strawberry blonde hair, blue eyes shimmering. His sneakers soon lifted, then he stepped away.  Bryce crawled off of the roof and after a while, I could see him rushing to join the three at the gate.

The exit was wide open, nothing in their way, but they didn't leave. They stood there, waiting, mouths moving but I wasn't sure if they were actually have a conversation.

  I chose to investigate. Hopping off the top of the cabin, I made my slow walk towards them. Passing a few ash-topped trees and walls of crushed metal, I approached the four of them who stood in the bright, grassless clearing.

"What is wrong?" I asked.
  Evan turned to me. "A good amount of things, Omega," he said.
My facial features were etched with confusion, and I could see Luke could tell. "We think escaping is a trap." I asked him to explain. He continued, "I mean, do ya see any of those other four 'round here? No. If they're smart-- which they are, believe me-- then they'd be patrolling, day-weary or not."

That was true. A moment of silence passed before I cleared my throat in a raspy, rough cough. "There is barrier."
"What?" Delirious blurted out, turning to me.
   My ears twitched, my attention shifting to him. "Barrier. Keeps us in, keeps outside safe."

"'Us'? You mean.." Bryce paused. "The four and you?" I nodded, not sure what he was getting at.
"But Ohm!" He exclaimed. Interesting that he dropped two syllables of my name. I was confused if that was accidental or on purpose. "You can't stay here-- with them! They're angry, aren't they?"

   I looked at Luke, Evan and Delirious. They gestured for me to continue. "Of course, they are angry. They are monsters. Monsters are stereotypically angry and scary according to humans, aren't they?"

Delirious tilted his head at me. "But you're no monster, Ohm."

  "I'm not saying I am."

"Good," Bryce said after being swallowed in silence for a moment. He turned to the other men. "That means you can't say I kissed a monster."

  In synchronization, the three and I mumbled, "What?"

Bryce confidently strode toward me, forced me to lean down by yanking the collar of my hoodie. And he kissed me.
A second later, I melted into the endearment. My arms wrapped around his torso, slightly lifting Bryce into the air.

Blissful moments passed, and we seperated. Whistles and howls came from our left, and it seemed Bryce and I both forgot we had an audience. Luke was whooping; Delirious laughing and giving a thumbs up; Evan had two fingers in his mouth, whistling wolves.

  A blush grew along Bryce's cheeks and I could feel my face heating up as well. I put him down, Bryce glancing me a perfect and precious smile.

  "Hate to break it to you guys," Evan said. "But we gotta go."

Evan, Delirious, and Luke walked towards the exit slowly, exchanging whispers and few keeping their heads down. They stopped, looking over their shoulders at Bryce.
"C'mon, man, we have to go," Delirious said, his eyes looking at the yard behind us wearily.

  Luke stared at Delirious, patting him on the back with a nervous smile. He looked over at him, it appearing the reassurance was failing. Delirious seemed anxious. Distressed. Scared. Of them? Or of me?

Delirious had turned away, walking along the pale, sandy path that led out. Brick columns stretched into the sky to his left and right, dull and chipped. Plants erupted from the dry soil, snaking past rocks and rotting branches.
   He halted, glancing back at us. Raising an arm, he waved me goodbye. "See ya, Ohm." Delirious' black sneakers brushed the crisp yellow grass, the ground so dry I could hear the crunching from where I stood beside the entrance.
He then disappeared into the thick morning fog.

  Without hesitation, Evan ran after him, him, too, vanishing into the mist like a red beacon. Luke stepped forward, a frown melting down his features. He turned to me, sent a wave, and left as well, picking up the pace to catch up with the other two. His one black and one white eyes shot me a silent farewell.

Bryce latched back onto me, smiling as a warm puff of breath escaped through the vents of my chest. "Will you be all right here?"

  "Alone, you mean?"

"Yeah; will you be all right alone?"

"I think so, having been by myself for as long as I can remember."

He nodded against my body. His arms fell from around me like limp rope. My hand lifted and it found a spot atop of his head. A slight purr rumbled in my throat and I gave his forehead one last peck.

  Bryce approached the exit, crystal blue eyes planted on my grey, sunken pair. A sad smile twisted his face, cheeks flushed with pink but dusted with dirt.

  "Farewell, Omega."

"Good-bye, Bryce."

His head turned and drooped, and a small drip of water splashed on the soil. He cried as he walked away.

  Ashes fluttered down, carried by the wind in black and grey flocks like starlings. The sky turned dark, and I could feel my energy being returned as the above turned from yellow to orange to dark red. Stars began to glimmer in the atmosphere, and I could still see the pale burgundy of his jacket.

I was about to say something, not all too sure who to, when a large hand shot from the forest and clamped across my jaw. My knees bent and my legs gave out. As my feet were dragged through the dirt and grass, I could still see past the door.

  I could see him turn around.