Lea wanders around the outskirts of town, lost in thought. She couldn’t shake the image of Ember’s collapsed body as the fire spread behind her. A mix of fear and anger spreads in her. She still wasn’t sure if Ember would be okay, Kaylee hadn’t exactly sounded confident when assessing her after they managed to drag her back to base. She feared for Ember’s life, but also felt enraged by how careless she had been. She barely noticed the change in scenery as she went further out of town. With a quick glance she realised she had walked to the fields. She was walking along the wooden fence surrounding them when she noticed a familiar face on the other side. A woman crouching down, her hand resting on the dirt under the sprouts. Her eyes were glowing a gentle pink shade, her focus fully on the ground below her. Lea hadn’t quite registered she had stopped in her tracks as she stared at the woman, a faint smile forming on her lips. That had been a memorable night and one of the few times she wouldn’t mind repeating it. A few moments pass before the woman looks up, noticing Lea staring at her. She looks stunned for a moment, but as the realisation dawns on her a smile spreads on her face. She recognised her too. She slowly stood, brushing some dirt off her trousers before she started walking towards Lea. As she approaches the fence she speaks.
“Lea, what are you doing here?”
“Just out for a walk, but seeing you here is definitely a nice surprise.”
The woman blushes slightly, her voice timid.
“You know I work here, so it shouldn’t really be much of a surprise.”
She chuckles shyly.
“Either way seeing you has definitely improved my day.”
Lea leans against the fence, resting her elbows on the top of it with her face in her hands. The woman smiles at her.
“I’m glad to hear that. You’re always welcome to come visit me, although maybe next time not while I’m working.”
“How come? Something specific on your mind?”
Lea gives her a flirtatious grin, making the woman blush even more.
“O-oh, uhm, I…”
The woman struggles with finding her words, her train of thought quickly interrupted as Lea leans in and traces her fingers along the woman's chin with a playful smile. The woman’s face goes completely red, but she doesn’t pull away. Completely entranced by the touch, she can’t help the small gasp that escapes her. Lea instantly responds to the noise.
“I definitely wouldn’t mind hearing you say my name with that kind of voice, again.”
The woman's eyes grow wider as she leans away from her touch, chuckling as she touches her arm, clearly flustered. Lea smirks at her, she loved seeing this kind of reaction from people, especially women. She enjoyed when her touch and words had such an impact. The woman takes a moment to recover, her breath shaky. After a moment she finally manages to speak again, her voice bashful.
“I should really go back to work, but… maybe I’ll see you again soon?”
“I’m counting on it.”
Lea shoots her a wink as she watches the woman walk back towards the field. She smiles towards Lea, still visibly blushing.
As Lea resumed her walk, she found herself feeling a bit better. It had been a nice distraction from her worries. But now that she was alone again, the feelings slowly crept back. She had chosen to go for a walk while waiting for Ember to wake up, but she wasn’t quite used to being alone like this. Being stuck with her own thoughts was not something she enjoyed, but staying in the house and just waiting had felt worse. She desperately wanted Ember to wake up and be okay, although she wasn’t sure if she would hug her or punch her when she came to. She takes a deep breath, feeling her lungs fill and deflate slowly. The soft and warm rays of sun on her skin was a welcome sensation. Anything to distract her from her mind. She looks up at the sky. How much time has passed? She wasn’t sure, but the sun was definitely higher than earlier. She couldn’t know when, if, Ember came to. She shook her head. She couldn’t think like that. Ember would be okay. She had to be. There wasn’t another option.
Lea plops herself down in the grass, picking at it. She recalled the events of when they had returned. Kaylee had seemed almost frightened at the sight, unsure what she could even do. Mother on the other hand… Lea’s hands shook momentarily in anger. Mother had been very displeased at the sight, though she hadn’t appeared worried. Not that she expressed that wide a range of emotion. Sometimes Lea wondered if Mother was even capable of that, if she was she didn’t show it. Although Ember always seemed convinced that Mother cared, Lea didn’t share those feelings. She rips out another strand of grass, twirling it between her fingers. Her eyes flash a ruby red as she throws the strand. It swirls in the air, rotating upwards, then back downwards into circles before it shoots into the ground hard. She rips out another strand and repeats this. It wasn’t the most effective, but it was a decent distraction for her.
As the sun reached its peak, Lea let out a long sigh. She couldn’t wait longer, she needed to know. She rose slowly, brushing off loose grass strands and started her journey back. She tried her best to not think about what she would return to, pushing away any thought that came to mind. As she approached the door to the base she couldn’t keep the feelings at bay anymore. It all came rushing at her, making her body quiver and her heart race. She tensed herself in an attempt to regain control, then stepped through the door with determination. She wasted no time, walking straight to the room upstairs where Ember’s limp body had been residing earlier. Lea’s mind desperately begging internally that she was still there.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
The door to the room is open. She spots Ethen first, leaning against one of the walls, he appears exhausted. He looks at her with a weak smile as he sees her. She freezes in place, fear overtaking her. Move legs, dammit. At this point she feels her heart beating in her throat as her stomach turns. She glances at the part of the room she could see, besides Ethen, she could only see the windowsill and the withering plant on it. Kaylee had probably forgotten to water it with how busy she was with Ember. She shakes the thought, she needs to move. It takes her a moment of convincing herself before she takes the step into the room, her head slowly turning towards the bed. Her eyes grow wide as tears start building before she could hold them back. She is alive. Ember’s expression was exhausted, she looked like she was in pain. But she was awake, breathing. Lea hadn’t even registered her movement as it happens, before she knows it she is collapsing into the bed, her arms wrapping tightly around Ember. She chokes on a sob as she clings on tightly. Ember winces beneath her, but quickly returns the embrace. Lea can’t stop the tears flowing down her cheeks, but at this point she stopped caring. The relief had drowned out any other feeling. They both stayed like this for a while, as Lea’s breath steadied, her heart slowing down. She pulls away slowly, staring into Ember’s eyes. Lea freezes. For a moment, just a single moment, she could have sworn Ember’s eyes had been grey, but by the time she registered it, they were glowing dimly again. Had she imagined it? She doesn’t have long to consider it further before Ethen breaks her train of thought.
“Lea, are you okay?”
He sounded concerned, having noticed the way she froze. She shakes the feeling as she stands fully, turning towards him.
“I’m okay, I just… I’m relieved she is okay.”
Kaylee suddenly speaks up from behind her, only then did she register her sitting next to the bed.
“Okay might not be the best descriptor here…”
Lea looks at her with a worried expression, panic slowly building again. Kaylee speaks with a careful tone.
“She is alive. But… I honestly don’t know how. And this isn’t something I think I can heal, she will have to recover on her own.”
“I will be okay…”
Ember’s voice was faint, almost a whisper. It sounded like the words had barely come out, her voice hoarse and rough. She smiles weakly towards them in an attempt to reassure them. Although the struggle she had with speaking seemed to only have worried them further. She wanted to speak up again, but her body refused to let her spend more energy. Lea feels a whirlwind of different emotions pile up in her. Without a word she quickly leaves the room.
Days had passed, Lea hadn’t gone to see Ember again yet. Ethen had been keeping her updated and despite Kaylee’s concerns, Ember had been recovering slowly. She had been starting to move around on her own again and much to everyone’s surprise Kaylee couldn’t determine any permanent damage. Lea wanted to go see Ember, but every time she thought of it, her anger started building. She didn’t want to lose her temper, not now. But the feelings weren’t fading over time like she had hoped. If anything they had only grown stronger. She couldn’t stand this and avoiding her friend wasn’t solving anything either. She slowly twirled one of her knives against her hand, tracing it against her skin, making sure to not let it pierce. Screw it. She throws the knife to her side, it flies through the air quickly connecting to the nearby tree, digging deep into the wood. She needed to get this over with. Maybe just talking could help ease this tension in her. With a sigh she walks up to the tree and pulls out the knife. The indent in the bark blending into the many others. She walks slowly towards the room, each step she felt herself slow down further. She comes to a halt in front of the closed door. With a shaky hand she grabs the handle, forcing herself to turn it. The door creaks as it gradually opens. She takes a sharp breath before stepping inside, quickly spotting Ember standing by the window. Ember looks shocked at first before she smiles gently towards Lea.
“Hi…”
Lea doesn’t answer, her words feel stuck in her throat. She tries desperately to hold her emotions at bay. An uncomfortable silence fills the room. Ember stares at her for a while, trying to decide her words. She didn’t want to worry Lea further, she wanted so badly to calm her down. Her voice is weak as she speaks.
“I… I’m going to be okay, I promise.”
“You…”
Something in Lea snaps in that moment, at those words. Was that all she could say at this moment? Another false promise? Another lie? The anger overtakes her, her words leave before she even registers them.
“What about me, Ember?”
Ember looks taken aback, confused by the question. Lea speaks again quickly, her voice growing harsher.
“What about my feelings?”
Ember looks unsure of herself, unsure how to respond.
“I… what do you mean?”
The anger in Lea turns to fury. How could she not understand this, understand her pain. Understand her frustrations, her hurt.
“Do you not realise how much you hurt those around you when you almost kill yourself like that?”
She was shouting at this point, unable to control her temper. Ember tries to answer, her voice feeble.
“I-”
Lea lets out a scream and throws her knife forward, her eyes flash a ruby red as it slips out of her hand. The knife flings forward into the air then suddenly curves towards Ember, gracing past her face, her hair moving in the wind from the speed of it as it digs deep into the wall behind her. Ember stares at Lea speechless, completely stunned before her expression turns to anger. Then almost as quick as it came it faded, her face softening into a sorrowful look. She blinks slowly as her voice comes out shaky.
“Lea, I-”
“Just shut up!”
Lea’s yell echoed in the room, her words filled with rage. She glares for a moment, then storms out of the room, slamming the door behind her. She runs outside as fast as her legs allow her. Her entire being shaking and her breaths unsteady. Her heart was racing, the loud beating drowning out all other noise. After a while she finds herself at the edge of town, unsure how long she’d run for. She collapses into the ground, feeling a lump in her throat as tears start trickling down her cheek. Before she knows it she is sobbing into the ground. Something takes over her as she screams into the soft grass, shaking uncontrollably. Minutes go by, maybe even hours, she isn’t entirely sure. After what feels like an eternity the tears stop flowing, her hands tightly wrapped around her head. She gasps for air, struggling to fill her lungs between her sobs. She tenses herself further, her chest aching in pain. She couldn’t bring herself to stop and simply stayed like that, drowning in her emotions.