Triplets (girlxgirl)

39- Aftermath

Life is a funny thing. We fight to keep living but we are only reminded of it with pain.

 The agony had woken me up though at that moment I wished I'd never had. My entire body was hurting and it was the only thing that told me I was alive. Unfortunately, the pain was nothing but a scratch once the memories started to come back.

I remembered the war. I remembered being separated from Jimhaya and fighting those assassins and I remembered the aftermath. Shock and fear filled me and I shot up from the bed I was lying on. I opened my eyes and saw white from the blinding lights over my head. Bad idea.

A massive headache appeared and my body protested from my sudden movements. With a groan I fell back down because the pain was too much to handle and my breath became uneven. A gentle hand touched my shoulder to steady me.

"Easy there honey" I heard Red's voice say "You are still recovering"

I concentrated on my friend's hand until the pain was remotely bearable. I decided to try opening my eyes again but more slowly this time. I noticed I was in a hospital room which came to no surprised. The room was a nice light blue-white colour. There were two doors, a window and small table but nothing else. I blinked a few times to adjust to the lighting above my head because it was too bright or maybe it was just me.

I was conscious that my left arm was securely attached to my body and I could feel my wings behind my back. They were outreached to each side and were supported by suspended braces.

I turned my head and followed the hand that was still on my shoulder up to my friend's face. Red didn't look good. Her hair was in a messy bun and it looked as if she had lost twenty pounds. Her cheeks were hollow and her clothes were baggy which was extremely uncharacteristic of her.

"Red" I tried to say but my voice was hoarse as if I had swallowed a kilo of burning charcoal. I cleared my

throat as best as I could because even that movement hurt. "Hey Red, you look like shit"

Red chuckled "Well you aren't much better" I smiled a little. Red raised a hand and hesitated before softly brushing my cheek.  "I'm glad you are awake, sweetheart. I'm so glad. I've missed you" she choked up. To reassure her, I took her hand in mine and squeezed it.

"yeah, I'm here" I whispered and my friend smiled at me relieved. "I missed you too" We stayed like this but something was really bugging me.

"Red, I know it's bright but why are you wearing sunglasses indoors?" I asked her. Her body stiffened. She removed her hand from mine and used both to grab the sunglasses. I gasped.

Her eyes were no longer the beautiful blue-gray I knew. They were replaced by white cataracts. The pupils were white and there were no irises. Burnt scars surrounded her eyes from the bridge to the nose to the far side of each of them and down to the beginning of her cheekbones.

"Jasmine, your eyes. What happened to your beautiful eyes?" I said as I turned to my side and raised myself with one elbow. With my free hand I grazed her scars afraid I would hurt her. It was incredible. There was nothing but emptiness.

"Some lizard demon spat acid saliva in my eyes and by the time we asked a healer for help, it was too late" Red said grimly. I sunk back into the pillows closing my eyes shut.

"This is so messed up" I said. I stayed silent for a few seconds before asking the dreadful question that had been on the tip of my tongue since I woke up. "What happened? Who else is injured? Did anybody die? What happened to Jamie?"

Red rested a hand on my shoulder again to stop my ranting. Her face held no expressions which indicated that the information was not good. I closed my eyes once again and listened to my friend. She explained what happened during the war and the aftermath. She told me that it was the principal that found me under the castle remains and that I almost didn't come out. She also told me that the Duke of Farnon, Riker and Hound were all dead.