Hopefully everyone had a great week! I hope you guys like where the story is going so far! Happy Sunday! Please review!
My heart beat is beeping softly in the background somewhere close by. I try to open my eyes even as every part of me screams in protest.
"Rose?" I recognize the voice immediately as Olendzki, I groan softly.
"You really have the good drugs." I moan softly. I hear a slight chuckle.
"What happened Rosemarie?" I try to crack a smile; I know she's fuming.
"I was training…" A sharp pain in my stomach makes me pause to suck in a deep breath. My eyes snap open in surprise and I'm met with her stern features. I force a deep breath and let the muscle spasm pass. "I was training and I felt like I was dying…" I clear my throat and lick my lips.
"When did the nose bleeds start?" She asks, her tone softening significantly. I must have been a sight last night, stumbling in here barely conscious and covered in blood.
"Um…" I close my eyes for a moment in thought. "A little over a week ago?" I mumble, sounding barely coherent even to myself.
She sighs softly.
"Get some rest, we'll discuss this more when you wake up again."
I barely remember a slight nod before I'm asleep again.
My dreams take me back to the accident. The smell of burning flesh. Twisted metal and pain. I hear Lissa screaming, I distinctly hear the rattle of blood in Andre's throat before I hear his last breath in my ear. I feel Lissa dragging my limp body. I hear her whispering to me to wake up, to not leave her alone, that she needs me.
I wake up.
The room is still dark, however steadily getting brighter. What day is it? I groan.
I have to get to my final. Oh god, what if I missed it?
I survey the room, spotting my phone. I check and see I have twenty minutes before I'm supposed to meet Alberta. In a calculated rush I lean up and turn off the monitors before ripping the leads off quickly. I find some spare gauze so I use it to keep pressure as I remove the IV from my arm. I find some tape to hold it down while I struggle to pull on my shirt and hoodie on.
I slip out of the clinic quickly before making a mad dash across campus to get to the training yard, or for today's purposes, the trial yard.
Alberta is there to greet me with three other senior guardians. She's glancing down at her watch when I get close enough to see make out the specifics of her profile. When she glances up and smiles when she sees me. I'm on time.
It's a little after dawn and before I know it I'm thrown head first into my trials. It all goes by in a blur. One pain filled blur. My stomach feels like a steadily tightening knot and it takes a level of concentration I didn't know existed in order for me to get through the hour.
When it's done I'm left breathless as I stand in front of my judges. Alberta has a kind of proud expression on her face. She waits until the other three leave before she pulls me into a hug.
"I am so proud of you. You did amazing." She murmurs. I can't help the wide smile that lifts my lips.
"Thank you."
She pulls back to regard me, her hands resting on my thin face.
"You've earned some rest, we still have to go through the formalities so first thing Monday we'll get to your ceremony and talk about your position here at the academy." She smiles kindly.
My head spins slightly and I manage a weak smile.
"It would be my honor." She's giving me a few days off, a few days that I could do nothing but sleep if that's what I chose. Olendzki will be ecstatic.
"I'll see you on Monday."
"Dark and early." I reply with a strained smile. She leaves me alone in the field. My legs buckle and I slide down to my knees. Tears burn my eyes as I take in the emptiness around me.
I did it. A sob catches me off guard. It feels like I have nails in my lungs as I cry but somehow I don't care. I'm going to be a guardian. I'd spent the last 13 years training for this moment. In all of those years I'd always imagined that when I walked off this field I'd be walking into the celebratory arms of my friends, my family.
I thought I'd share hugs with Eddie and Mason before excitedly bouncing around with Lissa, I thought I'd see Dimitri watching me with brilliant pride. I thought my mother would be here to see that I was worthy of the title of "Guardian".
But no. Instead I'm crying alone looking at the obstacles I'd literally just overcome with a building headache making me want to lie down and never get back up.
I feel eyes on me. I want to shake it off, no one would be up at this time. I let out a ragged breath before forcing myself to stand as I wipe my face.
I need to get back to the clinic. I should probably take a bag with me this time. I sigh and make my way to my dorm. I try not to linger too long, but a shower is too tempting. The water is refreshing and I feel my muscles momentarily relax, giving me a brief reprieve.
I dry off and dress quickly, making my way out of the dorm and back to the clinic, my stomach is starting to twist again and my vision splits, I stumble. I'm so out of breath, I try to take deeper breaths but it's like my body has forgotten how to. My world spins.
Suddenly there's warmth along my side. I glance down and am greeted to brilliant eyes. I force a smile.
"Hey Jer," I mumble. He nudges my side carefully before moving himself closer to me. I lean a bit on him and he settles in closer before giving me a soft growl and almost knocking me off my feet. "You want to be my crutch?" He bumps his head under my arm and I chuckle. "Dude you're freaking huge." I note, seeming to only now realize that his shoulder rests at about my waist, with the way he presses himself up to me with his head held at attention he's up to about my chest, his ears flick my chin when I finally lean into him.
I stumble my way to the clinic, my furry crutch never straying from my side until I get to the clinic doors which slam open and Olendzki comes storming out though she stops short at the sight of my companion.
"Rose..?" She puts her hands up in surrender and I glance down at Jericho, his ears are pressed back into his skull and he seems wary. I pet him gently, quietly telling him she's going to help me.
"He's a friend." I say with a slight smile. He leans out sniffing in her direction, glancing back at me for confirmation, letting me get my footing together so he can step forward to sniff her. Olendzki squeaks when he licks her cheek. I beam, even as black spots start to flit across my vision. "Told you. Now can we get back to the room… I don't think I can stand much longer." She seems to snap out of it before opening the door for me.
I walk past her, heading toward the room I had vacated with Jericho hot on my heels. I barely make it back to the bed before I'm hit with the idea that maybe I'm not so alone. He may be a wolf but he's the only friend I've got. I settle onto the bed and all at once I'm welcomed back into unconsciousness' arms.