The curtains shut tight. All time stopped. Ben watched his brother pace, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. He tore his knuckles, agitation an overpowering shadow. Anne's calm voice echoed through the walls of the hallway, but with every moment in time, her voice was breaking. The entire building was silent, as they waited with bated breath, for Lourdes to open her eyes.
Hours passed, and nights extended, but Hal Mason sat by Lourdes' side. The cream walls of the medic unit were isolating, it was as though they were the only two people in the world. Except this wasn't the way it was supposed to happen. The elder Mason imagined the scenario frequently as Lourdes' breaths became shallower. She should have been in his arms, eyes twinkling with life and her smile sparkling. With the pale shadow under eyes and the blue tint upon her lips, Hal wondered if those eyes would ever open again.
The mess hall was lively with fake enthusiasm, Tom Mason glanced around at the smiling faces, all of them, pretending that the world was shining bright and faith was still theirs, when in reality, the only human who had faith was lying lifeless in a bed at the other end of the building, with a boy with crushed dreams clinging onto her. Soft fingers wrapped around his, and squeezed.
The worry lines had formed underneath his beloved Anne's thoughtful eyes, every hour she spent checking on Lourdes, every hour, she was clinging too. Clinging onto whatever was left of the girl that had practically became her daughter.
"Any progress?" his voice deadpan, he already knew the answer.
"No." a beaten sigh escaped her, her hands wrapped around the steaming cup of tea, knuckles stark white with strain, her bottom quivered, frantic sobs overpowered her. Tom enveloped her in his arms, no soothing words, for there was none.
"She's so helpless, Tom." Her sobs grew louder, her hand bashed against the table, with every built up frustration poured out, fate had done it. Fate had broken calm and collected Anne Glass.
The teddy bear sat on the windowsill, gathering dust and moist. The pictures lay on the ground, colourless and bland. Matty sat on the bed, the tears trapped in his throat. He had fled breakfast when there was an empty chair beside him; it wasn't a good morning without Lourdes. Aliens, explosions, guns, all the destruction Matt Mason could fight through. But, losing his best friend? He couldn't go through that again.
A soft knock revealed a hesitant Ben Mason at the door.
"Hey Matty…"
"Please don't call me, Matty…" his childlike tone crumbled, as the wails rushed through his voice, his arms reached out for Ben's, as Ben encircled his arms around Matty's kindred frame, the visions filled the air. Mom dead. Daddy holding me. So alone. Why I am always alone?
"Why not, Matty-Matt?" Ben kissed Matt's sweat-matted hair.
"Because only Lourdes calls me Matty, it's our special thing, and I want it to stay that way".
Ben Mason bit his lip; his shoulders shook as he fought back the tears.
Hal startled with a sudden shudder, the medic unit door creaked open, revealing a dishevelled Maggie at the door, in her hands lay a battered Great Expectation, the corners were curled, and a strange, musty odour emerged from beyond the pages. The room was silent as both soldiers witnessed the hollow breathing echo in the air.
"I thought you might want to read her this." Maggie placed the book softly at Hal's reach, sensing the wink of confusion alight in his darkened eyes, she pushed it towards him. "I don't know if it's significant, but I've seen her read it. It's a good one." Hesitantly, Maggie stroked the cracked knuckles on Hal's bandaged hand; he had smacked it on the ground when Lourdes collided with him. I would give anything for her to be one with the hand injury.
"I didn't know she read…" Maggie held a gasp at the fragility of Hal's voice, the strong tenor that had inspired people, had saved people, it was non-existent.
"I guess we don't know her that well…" Hal reached for the tattered novel, the musty odour overpowered the room, for a moment, just a moment, and the room was alive once more, but crackling wheezing escaping Lourdes' lungs darkened the shadows once again. With a slight smile, Maggie left her companion to tend to his lover.
The rhythmic tone of Hal's voice was enrapturing, he soon found himself entranced by the flow of the narrative to which he was reading, his bitter thoughts had ceased, and his mind as alight, alight with hope. Alas, it took only one utterance to stop him in his path.
"I loved her against reason, against promise, against peace, against hope, against happiness, against all discouragement that could be." Promise. Peace. Hope. Happiness. Everything Lourdes had given him. Discouragement. Everything Lourdes sheltered from him. Hal glanced down at their intertwined fingers. He felt his soul rise. The ground shifted beneath him. The air whirled around him. He snatched his hand away, feeling the numbness subside. Only one thought coursed through his veins. "Oh screw it."
His hands cradled Lourdes' face; he pressed a chaste kiss to her icy, cold lips. His breath ragged and excited. "Lourdes, I need you, I've sat here for the past days hoping that a simple hand holding would bring you back. But, no. It won't. But, I'll pray for you. I'll fight for you. Lourdes, I know you. I know how strong you are, you've lost everything, and a simple head trauma can't weaken you now. I'll be your everything, Lourdes. Just please…please come back to me."
He slept there beside Lourdes, cradling him in his arms.
The sun waved goodbye, and the moon emerged to protect the civilians of earth, a boy and a girl lay there, captured in their own little world.
Watching them stood the boy's father, the boy's mother, the boy's companion.
His father lifted his head to the sky and prayed.
"If you're there, give them each other. If the world is going to turn to dust. Let them have each other."
In case there is confusion, due to the collision Lourdes had, she lost huge amounts of blood from a head injury, and due to the head injury she has not gained consciousness. Thank you for reading, update will be in a few weeks. x