Nocturnal [COMPLETED✔️2018]

Chapter Twenty Two: Run

The smell of smoking wood and dust sweeps into my nostrils, and a cough gets stuck in my throat as I realise the pain in my ribs is so terrible, I am physically unable to exhale.

A ringing fills my ears, and my vision swirls as my eyes shoot open. There is a grogginess inside my head that feels like I haven't slept in years, and at this moment, I feel like closing my eyes and catching up on my missed sleep forever and ever and. . .

"Nic?" I hear a small choke a few feet away from me. I look slightly to my right and see a hand protruding from the debris.

How the hell are you still alive?  is the only thought that crosses my mind as I realise it is Jonah who is speaking. If this were any other time, I would feel nothing but joy to find that my best friend isn't dead, but right now, I feel sorrow. He is still suffering, and there is nothing I can do.

You can destroy the book, though.

Using a throbbing arm, I feel around myself to find it, only for my skin to come into contact with splintered wood and dirt. Now that my senses are coming back to me, I feel that there is a plank of wood lying across my middle, and it is too heavy for me to move it.

"Jonah?" I call, but I don't get a response. "Jonah."

The feeling of a pressure lifting from me makes my eyes snap forward, and I realise that the hole above my head is being obstructed by a dark silhouette. When the figure takes a step forward, the piece of wood that had been squishing me in their hands, a sob escapes my throat.

My head shoots from him and then back to the hand that I can see mere feet away from me.

"Please tell me that's not your body," I choke in a whisper, and Jonah smiles.

"It doesn't hurt so much any more, Nic. It's okay, don't cry."

With his arm still twisted and blood still running down his face, along with the fact that ghosts are now mostly earthbound, I know that he's not telling the truth. I can see the pain in his eyes as he throws the plank of wood to the ground and then holds out a shaking hand to try and help me up.

"No, please. It wasn't supposed to end like this."

"You need to get up, Nic. You're the only one that can stop this now. I'll be here with you the whole time. This isn't the end."

I shake my head, even though it sends pain through my neck. "Then you'll be gone. And Dad and Eb will be gone, and Mom too, probably. I can't live by myself, Jonah. I can't."

My tears are so heavy, I can hear them drip to the floor once they run from my face. My lungs and throat hurt so bad, I'm surprised I can even get a word out, but nothing matters any more. Nothing.

"I might as well just give up," I whisper. "It'll be easier that way."

Jonah's expression turns stern. "No. No, Nyx. You've fought so hard and you've survived it all. I'm not letting you give up now. Will you at least try? For me."

I look into Jonah's eyes and with a gulp, I nod. I ignore the fact that every nerve in my body is straining with pain, and begin to pull myself up. Jonah uses his semi-good hand to help me up, and my chest tightens at his touch. A shiver runs down my burning body as I realise that this may very well be the last time I ever feel it.

Once I am to my feet, and the shock begins to wear off, my injuries make themselves more apparent. Both of my bare arms are cut and bruised, and the wrist that I twisted a few weeks ago when Jonah was possessed is twisted even more, a dull, throbbing pain filling the area. I definitely have broken some ribs, the difficulty breathing and soaring pain within them is enough to know that, and there is blood dripping from my mouth and nose. I'm injured, but not so injured that I have to give up.