Fire Moon

13

THE SMELL OF BURNING FLESH aggressively pulled me from sleep.

I was choking on it. The smell so harsh in my nose that I jerked into a sitting position as the moonlight bled into the room softly and the surrounding darkness mocked me.

My hands were coated with invisible thick blood, my fingers refused to extend and curled down as if they were cramped. I was gasping loudly, staring down at them and watching the blood drip down onto my sheets.

This isn't real. This isn't real. This isn't real.

August had stopped snoring, mumbling, "Go back to sleep, pup," before turning away and the snoring resumed.

My tongue felt like a rock in my mouth, I couldn't speak and my brain refused to process any type of word. How would I explain this? I couldn't tell him what I did. I wouldn't tell him.

The smell was became so overbearing and I felt the contents of my stomach threaten to climb up my throat. My body responded instantly as I jumped out of bed, running to reach the toilet in time and tears dripped off the edge of my face as I vomited inside the green floral bathtub.

I flinched as I caught my own eyes in the mirror, red-rimmed and knowing. My tears fell more aggressively as I took in the own judgement. I deserved this. How could I live on with this weight on my back?

Peeling my eyes away from myself and I cleaned up my mess the best I could before I went back to my room. August was still snoring and hadn't noticed my absence. I curled myself into a self-destructive ball and prayed to the torturous moon that the nightmares didn't return.

August had kissed my cheek that following morning before telling me he had pack stuff to deal with and he'd see me later in the afternoon. I could barely move to watch him leave, the pain in my shoulder was burning me alive and I didn't dare tell him.

My sleep came in rough sections, only staying asleep for a couple of hours before I woke to a pool of my own sweat, my skin was feverishly scorching, slick with moisture and I couldn't bring the temperature down because it wasn't my flames that were doing it. The skin on my neck was pulsating my body with heat.

I flinched as a knock sounded on the door, "Eden?"

It was Miles.

Pain held my tongue and I couldn't respond.

"Sorry if you're asleep but I don't really know anyone else here but you and Urith," her voice sounded unsure and small, "and he's busy with Quinn."

I wanted to call her in but I could only focus breathing through searing heat that held me against the bed.

"Sawyer is strange and Bain is —" she paused and opened the door, popping her curly head through the small slit, "Can I just come in and sit with you?"

I watched her eyes widened at my state, she gasped and rushed in. Stopped only to shut the door behind her, "What happened?" she breathed, her eyes running over me to see the culprit.

My eyes were watering with the pain and I opened my mouth to try and explain but her honey eyes found the mark that burned my skin. The realisation on her face was haunting, her honey eyes drew dark as she understood the situation.

Her small dark hand reached for it, ready to heal my fevered skin but I winced as I held her hand away, "He'll— know."

August will know it was healed. Miles' mark was more than noticeable and I couldn't hide it from him. How would I explain it to him?

Her eyes were glassy as she looked down at me, "If he didn't notice you like this," her voice was full of anger, "then he won't notice my small mark."

I nodded slightly and she absorbed all that burning pain that had enveloped my entire body, I almost cried in relief as I felt it leave my blood and Miles held onto my shoulder longer than necessary.