Ashton's View
Ashton's Log
After coming out of what seemed like hibernation my ears perked at the news she was awake. The fact that she was asking for me was even greater, she must be in something like her right mind. I thought about what I she must want. Perhaps explanations for the way I've been sitting by her side almost non-stop for a few days now, or why I kissed her cheek. I though of explanations for both but cast them aside when I saw her. She was standing up, tapping her foot restlessly. Her skin was pale, and her eyes were half closed as if she was a sleepwalker. When she heard my footsteps she turned and smiled.
"Ashton," she said while smiling. She took a wobbling step towards me. I ran to help her but it was too late, she came crashing to the floor. She writhed in pain and I could only make out two words, "Fucking foot."
"Sydney! Are you alright?" I held her head in my palms and she shook uncontrollably. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. Another word immerged from her perfect mouth. "Shit." So I took that as a no. I helped her to her bed and laid her down. Someone had changed her into pajamas. They were obviously new, for they weren't covered in dirt, and bold colors still shone about them. I attempted to talk to her again. "Are you okay?"
"I am now," she said while still shaking. She grasped my hand and I noticed how frail her hands were. The wanton complexion made her look helpless, as I figured she was right about now. I touched her forehead with my free hand, she whispered back "Help me."
Her violent shaking began again, similar to what had caused this whole epidemic. I yelled out for Max. She came running and she took Sydney's other hand. As she shook, Max took out a bottle of pills and shoved one into Sydney's mouth. "Swallow it." She commanded.
From what I can tell Sydney struggled with the pill and got it down her throat, but nothing happened. Max handed her a water bottle and she drank deeply, her shaking began to subside. She managed a weak smile. "I'm alright now Max, you can go."
Max didn't leave until her shaking had completely disappeared. I was left there still holding her hand, cherishing her touch. When I realized what I was doing I quickly let go and sat next to her.
"I remember something," she said wearily. Her great eyes closed in relaxation. I propped pillows to help her sit up. She smiled, and licked her lips, preparing them for speech. "I remember you. At Manticore. I remember the way you used to always stare at me.you even followed me a few times. Watching me, why was that?"
The question terrified me. So she had noticed! How could I be such a fool when I was young? My infatuation with her caused me to do un-soldier Like things, now I'd have to admit things. Things I never wanted to admit. My head spiraled back the first time I followed her. To a memory. I shan't write it down. Just that you know I had a memory, I trailed off into it. Absorbed in it. She touched my hand and looked scared.
"What's wrong? Are you okay?" her blue eyes open in shock, and her frail blue shaking. "Have I offended you?"
She seemed genuinely worried so I shook my head. She reached up and touched my hair, her smile was back. She closed her eyes and returned her hand to her lap. She stared at me through her eyelids and whispered softly, "I was watching you too."
I stared intently at her, breathing softly. She looked so peaceful, like a fallen angel. Then her words struck me. She watched me too? Maybe she felt similar to what I do.but how could it be?
"What do you mean?" I must have looked puzzled, baffled, and thoroughly confused because she laughed. Her usual hearty laugh was as thin as a string in her sick state. She still seemed merry as she explained.
"When I was just a small soldier, our leader told me that someday I was to work with you. She went on to explain why, but I was too young to comprehend anything she said. I just started staring at you, day in day out. A few times you looked back, and I'd look away. Embarrassed," her happy expression turned to one of pain. "When I turned 7 she noticed. She warned me to stop, but I didn't. I was slashed."
She revealed scars that resembled tiger stripes. It was ironic the way they looked, when I looked up to mention this to her she was crying heavy, silent tears. Through choking she spoke. "The knife hurt, and I was untouchable for weeks. I'd just sit alone and try to hurt anyone that came near. Then, they came, with a syringe. I couldn't remember any of it, but then in my coma over the past few days, it came to me in a dream. I remembered, I remembered how I wanted to know you, to meet you.to."
I cut her off. I don't know if what I was doing was wrong, but I reached for her head, and softly pressed my lips to hers. Somewhere in the background I heard Logan paging once again for 350, but the information was dismissed, because she was kissing me back. Our lips parted and her eyes remained closed, and her hand was in mine.
"Get some rest," I whispered, and then I left, slowly letting go of the hand I was holding.
Ashton's Log
After coming out of what seemed like hibernation my ears perked at the news she was awake. The fact that she was asking for me was even greater, she must be in something like her right mind. I thought about what I she must want. Perhaps explanations for the way I've been sitting by her side almost non-stop for a few days now, or why I kissed her cheek. I though of explanations for both but cast them aside when I saw her. She was standing up, tapping her foot restlessly. Her skin was pale, and her eyes were half closed as if she was a sleepwalker. When she heard my footsteps she turned and smiled.
"Ashton," she said while smiling. She took a wobbling step towards me. I ran to help her but it was too late, she came crashing to the floor. She writhed in pain and I could only make out two words, "Fucking foot."
"Sydney! Are you alright?" I held her head in my palms and she shook uncontrollably. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. Another word immerged from her perfect mouth. "Shit." So I took that as a no. I helped her to her bed and laid her down. Someone had changed her into pajamas. They were obviously new, for they weren't covered in dirt, and bold colors still shone about them. I attempted to talk to her again. "Are you okay?"
"I am now," she said while still shaking. She grasped my hand and I noticed how frail her hands were. The wanton complexion made her look helpless, as I figured she was right about now. I touched her forehead with my free hand, she whispered back "Help me."
Her violent shaking began again, similar to what had caused this whole epidemic. I yelled out for Max. She came running and she took Sydney's other hand. As she shook, Max took out a bottle of pills and shoved one into Sydney's mouth. "Swallow it." She commanded.
From what I can tell Sydney struggled with the pill and got it down her throat, but nothing happened. Max handed her a water bottle and she drank deeply, her shaking began to subside. She managed a weak smile. "I'm alright now Max, you can go."
Max didn't leave until her shaking had completely disappeared. I was left there still holding her hand, cherishing her touch. When I realized what I was doing I quickly let go and sat next to her.
"I remember something," she said wearily. Her great eyes closed in relaxation. I propped pillows to help her sit up. She smiled, and licked her lips, preparing them for speech. "I remember you. At Manticore. I remember the way you used to always stare at me.you even followed me a few times. Watching me, why was that?"
The question terrified me. So she had noticed! How could I be such a fool when I was young? My infatuation with her caused me to do un-soldier Like things, now I'd have to admit things. Things I never wanted to admit. My head spiraled back the first time I followed her. To a memory. I shan't write it down. Just that you know I had a memory, I trailed off into it. Absorbed in it. She touched my hand and looked scared.
"What's wrong? Are you okay?" her blue eyes open in shock, and her frail blue shaking. "Have I offended you?"
She seemed genuinely worried so I shook my head. She reached up and touched my hair, her smile was back. She closed her eyes and returned her hand to her lap. She stared at me through her eyelids and whispered softly, "I was watching you too."
I stared intently at her, breathing softly. She looked so peaceful, like a fallen angel. Then her words struck me. She watched me too? Maybe she felt similar to what I do.but how could it be?
"What do you mean?" I must have looked puzzled, baffled, and thoroughly confused because she laughed. Her usual hearty laugh was as thin as a string in her sick state. She still seemed merry as she explained.
"When I was just a small soldier, our leader told me that someday I was to work with you. She went on to explain why, but I was too young to comprehend anything she said. I just started staring at you, day in day out. A few times you looked back, and I'd look away. Embarrassed," her happy expression turned to one of pain. "When I turned 7 she noticed. She warned me to stop, but I didn't. I was slashed."
She revealed scars that resembled tiger stripes. It was ironic the way they looked, when I looked up to mention this to her she was crying heavy, silent tears. Through choking she spoke. "The knife hurt, and I was untouchable for weeks. I'd just sit alone and try to hurt anyone that came near. Then, they came, with a syringe. I couldn't remember any of it, but then in my coma over the past few days, it came to me in a dream. I remembered, I remembered how I wanted to know you, to meet you.to."
I cut her off. I don't know if what I was doing was wrong, but I reached for her head, and softly pressed my lips to hers. Somewhere in the background I heard Logan paging once again for 350, but the information was dismissed, because she was kissing me back. Our lips parted and her eyes remained closed, and her hand was in mine.
"Get some rest," I whispered, and then I left, slowly letting go of the hand I was holding.