Another one shot from Valerija's perspective. This one starts just after she closes the carriage door, and Ardelis goes to blow up the nest. I'll try and make up the horrible pacing from the last chapter with this one. Enjoy!
Don't own Dying Light still. The $4 500 to my name just wasn't enough.
I pulled the door shut and turned to face Rahim.
"Why would you not tell her? She deserves to know." He looked up at me, guilt spread across his face.
"I just couldn't." He drops his head into his hands. "Could you do it? Tell someone that the next time they see you, you won't even recognise them, that you're going to try and hurt them. It's better this way. This way she won't hurt as much." I slid down against the opposite wall.
"You really love her, don't you?" He nodded slowly. "She's needed someone like you the past few months. She pretends to be strong, like nothing can hurt her or keep her down." I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. "The truth is... she's hurting a hell of a lot. I can see it in her eyes every time I look at her, and it kills me. It kills me to know that she's slowly wasting away and there's nothing I can do to help her. She doesn't even realise it herself, she just keeps soldiering on. You've helped her to realise that she doesn't have to hurt as much, that there's still light in times like this. You've brought out the old her again, and she loves you for it. This is going to destroy her, I don't know if I'll be able to help her after this, but I can sure as hell try." I looked up at Rahim again, and saw tears trailing down his face.
"You're right, she... she might not ever come back from this, but I have something that might help." He pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to me. "Give this to her when you think she's ready. I know it's not much but it's the best I could do." He coughed heavily, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. It came away bloody. "Listen Val, I don't have much time left, but I want her to know that I'll always be with her, so please, give her that as soon as you can, and when the time comes, please make sure that she does it. Promise me you'll make sure it's her. A last goodbye." He coughed again and looked up, his eyes bloodshot. "You should get out of here now, I don't want to hurt you either." I stood up slowly, and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You're a good man Rahim. May we meet on the other side." I gave him one last hug, climbed out of the carriage, and shut the door. I sat down, ignoring the screams and banging from behind me.
"Let me out! Let me..." His words were cut off by a screech. The last traces of the person that was Rahim disappeared with that sound. A sob escaped me, and I dissolved into tears, careful not to ruin the letter still clutched in my hands. I heard someone coming up the ladder being the carriage. Ardelis. I hurriedly tucked the letter away, and cried even harder.
If I was taking it like this, how would she?