Pihow Part 2
(AN- I finished spiral, and the ending was sweet. Glad Elliot isn't a true Styx, for those who know what I'm talking about. At first I thought that was what the picture on the cover of spiral was. I may write a story about that.)
Will's POV:
With the stealth that ninja's dream to have, Elliot creeps forward. And with my usuall stealth of... a drunk ape with chains strapped to its heels, I follow. But my stealth has been improving, where that was one ofthe only things keeping us alive up at the deeps. It feels weird saying that, because I am still not used to the fact that I am lower than what I previously thought to be the lowest possible. In fact, way lower. And, thanks to the decrease in gravity it doesnt take much to walk quietly anymore. I kinda just bounce, almost in slow motion.
I watch Elliot walk through the darkness with my lens, and I try to keep my eyes from wandering down her spine and the curve of her hips.
I fail.
She is so beautiful, and I want to tell her so bad. The scars mean nothing to me. And if someone were to love a girl who has been through so much, the scars shouldn't make a difference in the least. And I hold myself back so much, that I feel a tear slide from my eye. I make no attempt to wipe it, as I dream about how it would all change if I confessed my feelings to her. But the only way I can see this action going is off the deep end. Of course she doesn't like me like I do her. If anything she likes Chester more than me. Apparently his muscular build gives him the upperhand with her feelings. I hate myself for thinking that, thinking Elliot is as shallow as any other one of the popular girls at home. I know there is something else about Chester that catches Elliot's attention. Something that I do not have. Something that she apparently thinks I will never have.
My face resembles ones who just came back from a funeral of a distant relative that he had never known. The sad, unmoving face but there isn't anything that would cause me to cry. It isn't like there was anything in the first place to cry about. 'Elliot thinks you are boring, get over it' I yell inside my head. Of course, that doesn't help any. No mater who the discouraging words come from, even myself, it will never help anything. I build up on encouragement, but it isn't like I have been receiving any lately.
Throughout all of this inner conflict I am distracted, and a cave spider, this one the size of a normal house's oven, leaps onto my chest. It's legs grab and start to squeeze. I feel the razor-sharp spikes digging into my back and sides, it's face in mine and its pinchers clicking together. "Aaah!" I use all my frustration and convert in into anger at this hairy, abnormally oversized arachnid on me. I manage to reach the gun I dropped, feeling the spikes dig deeper. As my vision blurs I take that rifle and aim for an eye and ram it. As it is in deep I pull the trigger. I shoot it once, twice, four times. I let this sucker have it, five, six, seven, I forget how many times I shoot. It's spikes thrust deeper for one last spasm, then slide out. I kick the beast off of me and feel blood pouring from every place those spiky legs impaled my flesh. Not feeling too hot, I sink to my knees, the dark orange surroundings, and a yelling Elliot, become greyscale and I collapse. Feeling hands pressed to my chest and hearing Elliot's panicked voice, though I cannot understand a word, I am somehow calmed, then I black out, the pain in my sides are unbearable.
My eyes snap awake and I feel every part of my body as if they are on fire. Unable to surpreses a scream I struggle, the points of puncture burning worse than all. My vision is red, and I am not wearing Drake's eyepiece. I see things, things I don't want to see. I feel things, things I never wanted to feel. I panic as spiders swarm over me, their hairy legs slicing up my body. I see them large, small, many different colors ranging from pinks to vibrant greens and everything in between. They grow and shrink, all of them intent on tearing me apart. Their pungent aroma itself is enough to drive terror in my heart. I kick at them, but it doesn't affect them. It feels as if it never even touches them. All of a sudden I cannot move. No longer able to control my limbs I sit there, biting my tongue from the intense pain. 'Why?' The world spins faster than a rollercoaster, and I'm flipping around. I'm slammed against rock like a broken, bleeding rag doll on some twisted iPod app. My head pounds, and the pressure increases until it feels I am being crushed by the weight of the entire world. 'This can't be happening' water fills the room I'm in, spraying into my face. While I drown, being ripped around by a painfully strong current, I see Elliot. She is smiling! How can you possibly be smiling at this? At this I get furious, and I scream her name. But I am underwater, so the liquid fill my lungs, and I pass out.
I wake up a second time, this time there is still pain, but nothing like last time. I move my head as much as it possibly can, which isn't saying much, and look around at my surroundings. I conclude that I have been hallucinating, based on the fact that I'm not ripped to shreds and I'm dry. Either that or I have been resurrected from the grave and surgically repaired to look normal again. I don't feel like I died recently, although I do have this horrible taste in my dry mouth. I look to my left now and see Elliot, sleeping. She is fairly close to me, about to where I can reach out and touch her beautiful face and my arm would still be bent. I go to move my arm to do this, but the searing pain holds me back. I let out a small breath of pain and to my surprise Elliot's eyes snap open.
She scoots unbelievably fast the remaining two feet between us and she sits down leaning over me. "Will." I think I hear her voice quiver. "Can you hear me?"
I feel my focus breaking, my eyes roll around and I find it very hard to spit out words. Words that I want to tell Elliot so bad. But all I can say is. "Yeah.." very weakly.
I start slipping again, and maybe Elliot notices this, but she grabs my hand. At first there is pain where she grabbed me, but then it is just her warmth. The warmth has me questioning, is this a hallucination? Hallucination or not I wan't this to last. But that intruding blackness takes over my vision as my head spins and, although I scream at it to go away. But alas, again I give in to the blackness that I have accustomed to, but will never get used to.
I don't comprehend it fully, but I feel as if I was strapped down, or as if I weighed a few dozen tons. My own self keeping me immobile. Time passes. So much time that I forget myself in the silence. I drift, all the while pressed against the stone floor. What happens around me I cannot say. Nor can I tell you how much time has passed. Sleeping, but not dreaming. This is what that feels like. Although even if i sleep for so long I never stop bein tired. Though as the time passes I feel my arms go numb. So do my legs and my chest. Wow, my head hurts...
I wake up with a quick intake of air, this time feeling much more in touch with reality. If this is reality, I never want to falsely assume, in this situation or in any other.
I sit, no I lay, down on the ground and stare into the darkness over head. There is this large sheet like cloth draped over me. From what i can tell that is the only thing im wearing. I listen for anything I may be able to pick up, footsteps, talking, even breathing. Anything that would serve as a sign that would tell me that I am not alone. I see the luminescent orb perched on a rock about six or seven feet away from me, and I test my ability to get up.
It fails.
I slump back down to the ground and wait. I know Elliot wouldn't abandon me, and if she did, I know Chester wouldn't. Well, I hope Chester wouldn't. He'd probably follow her like a stupid puppy. 'Hey Elliot! Watcha up to? We are gunna ditch Will? Sure I'm up for it! Lets go!'
I can't surpreses a yell as I kick out in the darkness with anger, which makes the puncture wounds sting. I can't believe how childish I am acting right now. Maybe that's why Elliot prefers Chester over me. Dang-it, Will, cut it out! You aren't helping yourself thinking about that stuff. Just bite your tongue and focus on the silence. Let the silence become your thoughts. Think silence. Yes, that sounds nice.
Just then I hear footsteps, but by that time I noticed footsteps in the first place the noise has already ceased, because the being who owned those footsteps crouches next to me.
"Water?" Elliot hands out a canteen to my lips. I nod and sip on the cold liquid. My hands feel like they weigh a ton each, but I lift one up and touch Elliot's arm. Apparently after some effort I realize my vocal abilities aren't of any proper working condition, so I just use my eyes. "Thank you."
She reads them perfectly. "Your welcome." She leans down and hugs me. "Welcome back Will."
Pain washes over me. I force all my effort into bringing my arms up to pat her back, in an effort to get her to stop. She squeezes me tighter and I start to see red. "I thought I'd loose you Will. I was so scared." She shivers. "You didn't stop thrashing. For days you would lash out and scream, then you just stopped."
Elliot relinquishes her hold on me and I breathe a sigh of relief. She sits up and pours out everything that has happened since I was out, and she seems to be enjoying the fact she is doing so. She talks for an hour, and for an hour I listen. This is the most open I have seen Elliot, well, ever. The more she talks the more comfortable I get, and the more tired I get. I don't know why, but being in a coma like state doesn't replenish your energy at all. My limbs start to feel heavy again and I use all that I have to keep my eyes open.
I didn't have much. My eyes close and I fall asleep, this time it comes naturally.
Slowly starting to hear breathing right next to my ear I gradually regain my senses. I look to my left and see absolutely nothing. Nothing but darkness that stretches on for who knows how long. Then I look to my right, and five inches from my face is Elliot's face. She sleeps soundly and I try my best to not make one single sound, because I know how easily she can wake up.
After a few minutes she starts to stir. Her eyes open and she stares into my eyes. "Good morning" is what I wanted to say. What actually came out my mouth was "qudbduxk" I frown and try again. "D'eidjdhs"
"Good morning to you too." Eliot laughs. She gets up and pulls the fabric off of my chest. I am relieved when she doesn't take it all the way off. She addresses my wounds and grabs a shredded up shirt and wraps it around all the wounds. "You over heated." Elliot says, looking to the side, avoiding my gaze. "Had to keep you from burning up." She grabs a pair of my shorts and hands them to me. "Put them on. I've seen enough of you naked." After a short pause I hear her mutter to herself "for now."
My eyes widen, and I feel all funny. Im not really sure if that is what she said, but it sure sounded like it. Great, now Elliot has seen me naked. I guess this makes up for the time Chester proudly presented Elliot's boobs when he opened the door. I shake my head and try to respond. "Blvisozpa" I put my hand over my mouth.
"Can't speak?" Elliot starts toying with me. "Something wrong? You don't want to put on the shorts?"
"Gkducbs!" I glare at her and I quickly stand up, letting the blanket thing fall off and slide on my shorts. Elliot didn't turn away when I did so.
"You know for the next five hours I will do absolutely anything you want me too." She smiles.
I frown. "Dbsovqo"
"I'm sorry, I don't understand you. What do you want me to do?"
"Biysbakkr" I get extremely frustrated.
"Hmm, for a moment there it looked like you wanted me to tell you why you can't talk, but that can't be it now can it." She smiles and steps closer.
Great. Elliot is at a position where she can and probably will do anything to me. "Tyspsna!" I stomp my feet.
Elliot puts a finger on my lips in a shushing manner. "It's alright, I understand. I'll leave you to your own jumbled thoughts." She starts to walk away.
"Mmbdgvs" I grab her shoulder and spin her around.
"You want me to stay?" She acts surprised.
I blow up. "GOD DAMMIT WOMAN!"
Elliot looks at me for a few seconds. "See? That's better. You just need to articulate more." She laughs.
I frown. Whatever she did worked though, no matter how frustratingly annoying it was. "Thanks" I say.
"You're welcome." She smiles.
"This is going to be a long five hours for you." I smile, and her eyes widen.
"You didn't take that seriously?" She says.
"Oh I did, now get me a shirt." I say.
Elliot, being one to keep her word walks over to a bag and throws me a shirt. I put it on, feeling much more covered than before.
"Where is Chester?" I ask.
Elliot looks away. "I don't know. He left when you were thrashing because he couldn't handle seeing you like that, and he has been gone ever since."
"And you didn't go looking for him?" I ask.
"No, because I wanted to stay by you to make sure you didn't die." She says.
"I thought you cared about big ol' Chester more than me." I say his name like it didnt taste good, and I look away from her.
"Why do you think that?" Elliot asks quietly.
"Oh I don't know. You never cared about me! It was never 'hey Will, come help me with this' or 'hey Will, why don't we go in the woods together.' No! It's always you and Chester running off. And you know as well as I do that Chester has the hots for you. Is it because he is more muscular? It is because he is more handsome? Willing to do anything you say?" I say.
"I don't care about Chester more than you." She says softly.
"No.. I would have never known because you spend every waking second with him!" I yell.
"It's because I know that he cannot handle it on his own like you can!" She yells.
"What?" I stop being angry, and start being curious.
"Chester doesn't have what it takes to survive without a crutch. I'm his crutch, or at least was. Now he is gone." She says.
"We need to look for him." I say. I dig in the bag and grab my eyepiece. The static fades and I look around. "Do you know which way he went?"
"No." She tags behind me, something that usually Elliot wouldn't do.
"Lets go left. It is the direction we were walking, so he might have gone that way. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't head back to Martha's place." I grab my bag and start walking.
"Good idea." Elliot says. She looks through the scope of her rifle to see where we are going.
After a long time of walking I set down my bag. "I really need to eat." I say, dizziness sweeping over me. I probably haven't gotten a full meal since the spider attacked me.
"Alright." Elliot sets down her bag and pulls out some fruit.
"Where did you find that?" I ask.
"I found a bush with them. Don't worry, it's safe to eat. I already ate some." She takes a bite of one and hands me another one. "I set down one of your light orbs next to it so we can find it again while we were here." She pauses. "If that's ok with you."
"Yeah, I'll survive." I smile and take a bite.
Elliot scoots closer to me, until our sides our touching. "You really thought I didn't care about you?" She whispers.
"Yes." I say, staring at the endless orange surrounding me.
"Look at me." Elliot turns my face with her hands. I look at her face and it is slightly hurt. "Don't ever say I don't care about you." She takes her hand off my cheek and rubs her arm. "I do."
"W-what do you mean?" I ask. I cannot tell if this is a friendly chat or something more.
"I care about you a lot. More than Chester."
"But, what are you trying to say?" I ask.
"Your so daft Will." She looks in my eyes.
"What?"
"C'mon Will! You can't tell hints when you see them?" She asks.
"Are you saying that you.." I trail off, scared to finish the sentence.
Elliot leans foreward and kisses me lightly on the lips. "Does that answer your question?" She avoids my eyes.
"Pretty much so." I sit there unable to move.
"So, what are you going to do about it?" Elliot demands softly. So like her.
After much hesitation, I pull her closer to me. "This." I kiss her on the lips, and we share a small kiss. After we pull away I can see her blushing through my lense. Luckily she can't see me blushing, or maybe she can. I can never tell with this girl.
"We.. we really need to find Chester." I say.
"Yeah, that's a good idea." We stand up and strap on our bags. Elliot grabs my hand as we walk into the darkness in search of our friend, and I smile to myself.