Crusted Away

Chapter 6 - Soaking in the Rain

Clouds of smoke exited from Carter huffing mouth as the only black hoodie he had was drenched in water. The hospital was only a hundred meters away now. His vision was in sepia and everything he seemed to see from his occasional glances away from the road and car had brought a sense of nostalgia. He looked ahead of him, a bus stop. Something as mediocre as a bus stop was flooded with rainbows, but he could see the rainbows fading into lifeless colours. 

Carter's speed was considered to be the equal of a cheetah, sly, agile, quick. His legs were often in systematic movements, he could make out his feet moving in rhythm with the other, his legs seeming to be connected by a single chainsaw. However, this time, his legs seem to moving without his control, like a cheetah running away from a hunter, not knowing its fate. Wanting to die escaping and not in the hands of the hunter. 

Memories flooded back to him. The tears over spilt from his eyes. He's a man, he shouldn't cry. Freya had distorted these ideas of reputation and made it into an idea of comfort. He's cried in front of her two times, but not once has Freya made fun of him for it, for having tears falling down his manly sturdy skin. She made it seem so easy. She made it seem like  nothing has ever happened to her. Her smile was intoxicating to him now. How could she smile when she's been going through such pain?

His legs made themselves to the huge entrance filled with white van with red crosses on them. He made it to the massive entrance of a hospital over ten stories. The next moment his eyes could clearly remember is him frantically asking the desk if there was a Freya Murphy. The front desk took him across countless of corridors turns until they had arrived the dermatology unit. He looked in front and glanced around. He saw a woman with grey hair, tied in a bun. Her blue hair made her almost too recognisable.

"Hi Nurse Kimmy! Do you know where Freya Murphy is?" His hyperventilating voice made it hard to make out the words. 

"Freya Murphy...? Who are you- oh! Carter?"

"Yes , that would be me, but can you please take me to her room?" His legs were preparing for yet another race. 

Kimmy looked in the other direction, her eyes looking downwards. She tried to avoid his gaze.

"You can but remember you can't touch her. Her skin is very fragile right now. She can't even turn her head anymore. She can only speak and blink. Room 13."

Thirteen was considered a cursed number, yet for Carter, it was magical. It was when he was 13 was when he encountered Freya at the party.  after passing through twelve doors, he swung open the door and shouted Freya at the top of his lungs and sat in the seat in front of her so she doesn't have to turn her head. 

"Carter, is that you? Boy, it was time you came. Look, I have some things to tell you before I go-"

"What are you saying?! You aren't going anywhere. You'll stay here on Earth with me! Now, tell me, why are you here?"

"Hey, you shouldn't shout in a hospital! First of all, I'm fine, I just have overly crusty skin, that's it."

Carter only realised then, her skin was in fragments and as if it had undergone drought. 

"Doesn't the doctors have a cure for this?" 

"Do you know that you sound really desperate right now?"

"So what if I am!" Carter's cheeks flushed with red almost immediately.  He stood up from his chair, his eyes closed. He looked straight at Freya and bored into her hazel eyes. Next thing he knew, his lips met Freya's. It was crispy and lacked lustre. 

He realised his mistake, and jerked away. He saw Freya's eyes in huge circles and her breathing instantly becoming more quicker by the second. He looked at the screen, and so was her heartbeat. It wasn't normal. It wasn't because of the kiss. It was because of pain. He caught Freya's wheezing voice telling him to press the red button. Instantly, a surge of nurses came in and took her away. Carter still remained seated in his chair. What had he done.....?