I don't plan on posting until after Christmas but I have decided that I will be redoing Matter of Months! It will be different in many ways and hope to make it the quality of writing as this story, but we'll see. I won't release any chapters until I finish one of my Miraculous stories since I don't want to stress myself, but look out for that. Happy Holidays and Enjoy!
The pain was unimaginable. It was near impossible to ignore or step through. At the initial step, he fell to his knees. His body and mind were screaming at him to go back to the cell, but he couldn't. Soon enough, Cassidy's gasps caught his attention and gave him a reason to move. Gripping another cell, he managed to rise, feet wobbling as venom rushed throughout him. It felt somehow worse than when he'd been destroyed by the Arcane Order. The one difference was that almost all of the pain was internal, while most had been external the months prior. As a child, his mother had forced him to read the original Little Mermaid book and he felt like Ariel. In the original story, as human, every step felt like a dagger hitting her. It felt like that but worse. While the dagger struck with every vigorous step, fear consumed him much more than the worry of turning to sea foam had for Ariel. Every second he wasted on his own pain, he listened as the very tasks of breathing grew near impossible for the girl rested on his back. Her arms draped over his shoulders, originally gripping his neck. But as every second and soon minute passed, he felt her fingers slipping down. Though it made breathing easier, it also meant adding slight pressure to an area was hard. It terrified him, and unlike Ariel, he wouldn't fail. He'd get them both to safety and somehow get her back to her family in her own time.
"Hang... in... there," he said, grinding his teeth between every word. His breath hitched as his foot slipping on a tile, forcing him to his knee. He slammed his eyes shut, trying to be quiet so no one would hear. Once ever so slightly relieved, he struggled back to his feet. Inhaling deeply, he pushed up on his foot, body hitting the door. His feet pushed up against the nearest wall kept him standing upright. The pain of the leap ran throughout his entire body, paining everything, not just his side.
"Trying," she said breathily, slipping down his back. Quickly, Jim caught her bottom, wincing at the pain the quick movement caused. It would've been easier without her but leaving her wasn't an option. He'd promised a 16-year-old Cassidy that everything would be okay and he'd return her to her family. He hadn't been able to keep his promise to her, but by god, he'd be keeping his promise to this Cassidy.
"Try... to hold on," he said the last three words in a single breath, immediately regretting it as it caused the slow breathing she'd been keeping to fall of course. His attempt to rebuild the pattern failed when Cassidy tried to hold tighter. She tried to apply the slightest amount of pressure and he felt her legs go limp under his hold."Careful," he managed to say, screaming at himself that he didn't have time to stand around. He had to get out now."Hold on." he said quickly, removing a hand and pulling the door open. His arm stung and he prayed no one was out there, because they would've heard his nearly silent shriek. Cassidy began to fall but he was able to bring his throbbing arm back up."Hold on," he repeated, closing his eyes as he stepped out.
It was a do or die moment. He was used to those situations but none had been as terrifying as the one he was currently going through. Unlike those many other times he was near death, this time he didn't have any chance of winning a fight. Not only did he have extra weight on his shoulders - literally - but he was hurt, poisoned. Even against a gnome, he wouldn't prevail. So not only did he have to pray he wouldn't run into anyone, but he had to hope he'd even be able to find a way out. He'd been blacked out whenever transported between cells. Really he had to give them credit. Though he in no way approved of what they were doing, he had to admit they were smart with what they did. And he to pray he was smarter.
The halls were long, narrow, and winding, not running straight and curving in strange ways like some sort of maze. He had a query it was designed so people like him couldn't escape, but he thought sub-consciously that maybe it was just how the caves had been found. Either way, it didn't really matter how they were designed since the journey down them was just as painful either way. His fear only tripled remembering the venom. While in the cell it had been sterilized, but now outside, it could freely choose to continue slowly killing both. He grew more fearful, not aware of how long Cassidy had been there. If she'd been taken out every few hours for beating for a week or even a few days, the venom must've been close to the end of its run. She had less time than him. But if she were to die, on his back, what would he do? He hated thinking of it but had to. They only were killing them for blood. Besides that, there was no end plan for them. So if she were to die, he'd have to get rid of her. He despised the very idea, but if he got rid of her, they wouldn't have enough blood, possibly saving humanity. And what about himself? He could feel his heart rate slowing by the second. He wouldn't make it to the surface with her. He'd somehow have to get rid of himself as well.
Tears stung his ice eyes, stopping. He closed his eyes for just a moment, listening. From the beef time he'd been a troll, he'd learned how to focus and listen. When they'd first tried going to New Jersey, before all the Camelot business, freshwater was hard to find. He'd had to learn to listen and find it. Shutting down his brain, his ears found it. Water.
He turned, looking down a stairway that he suspected would lead to an underground canal. It was perfect."Hospital," she gasped, breath slowing after the one word.
"I'm taking you," he lied, tears running down his face. He wanted to take his time on those steps but used his remaining strength to quickly walk down them. Coming from the final step, he slipped, his and her bodies slamming against the damp stone ground. Pain flooded his body and cool water crept under him. His eyes opened. He stared up at the cave ceiling. It was a dark grey stone and rounded. The whooshing sound of water, slowly surrounding them, drowned out the noise of his slowing heartbeat. He'd drown if his heart didn't stop first.
With the very last comprehension he had, he observed Cassidy hadn't made a sound. Barely able to, he struggled to turn his head. His heart would've broke if it already wasn't, seeing the unconscious girl beside him. Her round face was so peaceful. So perfect. So beautiful like the first time he'd ever held her. That day, the day that he was so nervous if she would survive, if he'd be a good dad or if he'd fail her. The nerves washed away holding her for the first time. That tiny premature newborn hooked up to a million machines. In that moment, nothing else but her mattered. She was his entire world, and he was losing her. He'd lost her and himself.
His father had been wrong. Yes, he'd given up his daughter and abandoned his son, but he was doing what he thought was best for them. He could've tried to find the surface. Tried to let her see the sun one last time before death. He was a terrible father. He was doing something worse than leaving. He was dying. He'd chosen this death. Maybe if he'd tried to run, he would've seen Clare one more time. Gotten to tell her he was sorry and loved her and their girls more than anything. And even then, she would've known what happened. But she wouldn't. She could suspect or guess but would never where the body of her dead husband was.
His girls would never have their dad. They wouldn't remember those late nights he'd feed them. Cassidy wouldn't remember singing to Disney songs. Estelle wouldn't remember him struggling to not cry when she was. He would just be a story to them. Told by their mother, he'd be the tale of the father they should've had, the father who left them.
I'm sorry, he thought, watching as the water reached a height that it washed over Cassidy's face. Soon enough, they'd both be dead. Closing his eyes, Jim tried to not think of anything, but couldn't help but be sad that he'd never be able to teach his daughters to walk, walk them down the aisle, tie their shoelaces. He'd never get to hold Claire close to him, tell her how much he loved her, and celebrate their first wedding anniversary. Soon enough, the water washed over his face and he slowly inhaled his final breath.
Everything went black.
Then he woke up.
But he was somewhere new. A bright room. He felt like he was nothing but air, there was no pain but he couldn't move. He wanted to try but let himself just float, staring at the light. It took a minute but his eye adjust and he found himself standing in a small bedroom. The walls were painted lavender with pictures, magazine clippings, and photos posted to every free inch. Two beds were pushed against either side, the one on the right donning purple butterfly bedding and the other was darker and light blue striped. There was a desk at the end of either one, both of which had a large variety of school supplies scattered about. The window opened up onto a street, cars passing quickly.
His attention turned to the striped bed, as the sound of loud sobs filled the room. A black-haired girl lied on the bed, face stuffed into the pillow. Her sobs were long and depressing, burrowing farther into her pillow. She looked to be dressed as if she'd just gotten home from school, still wearing sneakers, and her hand clung to something around her neck.
Could this be a vision? That was all he could wonder. Ymir had said that his visions tampered with so not constant like Cassidy's, but still, perhaps this was. If so what did this distraught teenage girl have to do with him, and better yet, wasn't he supposed to be dead? He could remember feeling an unreal pain in his chest, body searching for air. Then he'd felt everything go still as if his body was finally giving up and the venom had taken over him. He was dead. So why was he here?
"No," she cried out, ripping something off her neck and letting it fall to the floor. Silently, the firefly necklace hit the floor, sitting there, lifeless. Her cries broke his tender heart, reminding him of the ones she made at night. But these were so different. These were cries of heartbreak.
"Cass," he breathed out, staring at her. He knew immediately what had happened. She hadn't told him in detail of that day, but he guessed it was one of the most tragic of her life. He knew that this was the day-
"Cassie," another familiar voice rang. He turned to the doorway, seeing an auburn-haired girl, Estelle. She had a deep from of sorrow etched on her freckled face and she hesitantly approached her sister. Her eyes were a stormy blue, letting him know whatever was going on, was sad for them all. The teen sat beside her older sister, trying to grab her hand, hoping to soothe her pain."Cassie, let me-"
"No!" she interrupted, sobs quickly turning to coughs, concerning Jim but not either of the two girls.
Estelle frowned, trying to reach out again, but resisted. Seeing her sister needed to grieve she stood up, placing the firefly necklace beside her." I'm sorry," she whispered, a single tear rolling down her cheek. Turning to the doorway, she stepped right through Jim, sending shivers up his spine.
Once the door closed softly, Cassidy sat up a little, wiping her tears that continued to run. From under her pillow, she pulled out a rectangular object that Jim could recognize as a pregnancy test. Looking down at the two lines, another sob escaped her." Rowan, please," she cried, the test falling from her hands as she hugged her legs, rocking back and forth.
Jim tried to step forward, wanting to do nothing but comfort his daughter, but it was impossible."Come on," he groaned, trying with all his might to move even an inch. Like his foot were cemented to the ground, it finally crumbled, causing him to stumble forward. Turning up, Cassidy was gone. He was in a forest. A very familiar forest with dark shadows and not a single soul.
"Baa..." a scraggly and exhausted voice called out.
Jim fell back, seeing all five of his children sprawled across the cold ground. Their bodies were thin and either white or blue. He expected their death was either hypothermia or lack of nourishment. The sight was horrid, their clothes hanging off their bodies, all entirely still. A frosty breeze passed quickly, dried leaves moving and covering the children. Closest to him was Emilia who looked to be alive, well barely. Her small pale hand was reached out to a Cassidys(Claire's technically) turquoise sweater.
She's cold, he thought, trying once again to reach out for the sweater. He couldn't move at all, less than the time before."Please," he begged, watching as Emilia's eyes drooped, hand still trying it's hardest to reach the sweater.
"Baby," she said before falling silent. Her small body fell still and stopped its pointless reaching. She exhaled, dead.
Baby? he wondered, blue eyes threatening popping from their socket as from the bundle he heard faint cries. The sweater moved and he was able to see half of a newborn baby's face. It was tiny, smaller than Cassidy had been and its skin wasn't bright pink like baby's skin was supposed to be. A very little amount of dark hair covered its head and the fluids of birth still covered its body. He guessed it wasn't even an hour old, eyes glancing to Cassidy who was closet to the baby. She laid in a position like she'd been holding it and blood surround the ground ar found her and her pants and even part of her shirt had blood on them.
He didn't want to imagine the moment. Cassidy had show zero likings to the baby when they'd visited the future but he had to guess they were a few months in the future. Still, watching Claire have Estelle was hard enough, but thinking how terrible it must've been for her, alone, terrified in the forest. He could vividly remember Claire screaming and even then she'd had an epidural, so he could only imagine what a natural, not doctor present birth had been like.
The baby screamed out, flailing its small arms. Tears wanted to fall, wanting to reach out and hold the baby, somehow bring his children back, and return home. But he couldn't move. He had to just stand and watch his... this is why she didn't sleep. He'd suspected insomnia was the reason since he knew her older self had it but was his Cassidy just scared. Did every time she shut her eyes, did she see all these horrible things. He didn't want that upon her. But it was his fault for placing it upon her.
"It's all a game," a slimy voice called out, unlike any other Changeling he'd heard.
"Who are you!" he screamed, though the voice couldn't hear him. This was a vision after all."Show yourself," he hoped maybe if he saw its face he could remember it for the future. Then he'd be able to kill it before any of this happened.
"It's all a game, and I won," it laughed demonically in a joyful glee at its work before it. I reached a long skinny black arm out, showing none of its body, but reminded him of the Other Mother from Coraline. It slowly grabbed the sweater, pulling the baby along. It dragged it over the hard, bumpy ground, the baby still crying out for its mother who was dead."Oh sweet thing, just what we need. The blood of Seer heritage, a great curse. But you will be of use to us," it cackled, the child's cries growing quieter as it ran off, with his grandchild.
No. he thought, fist tensing. He slammed his eyes just, repeating no, over and over again. He wouldn't let this happen. He would do anything he had too, to keep them safe.
Reviews and Critiques are Welcome.
