Esmeray (Queen of Darkness)

02

As the edge fades in and out in my vision I take lazy steps matching the man's stride as we both stumble our way there. Everything hurts, everything burns, I just want to stop. To sit down and rest. For skies sake I don't even know if I'm lucid right now, or if I'm simply dreaming and me and the man both lay face down in the dirt by the gate. The pain is real though, it courses through my body like a storm of hail and fire. If it weren't for that, I really would believe this is just a nightmare. An image made up by my brain, to torment me. Sighing, I look over at my companion and see that he too is in pain. His face is scrunched tight, and his jaw works back and forth, his teeth rubbing together like saws. It's almost hysterical really, two bloody people walking through the streets, toward what looks to be their death. I almost laugh out loud. If only people knew how screwed up today was. If only they felt what I feel. Beside me, the man stumbles and I quickly reach out, hissing through my teeth as he bumps my dislocated shoulder.

"Sorry." he mumbles, as he straightens himself. "How much farther?"

Looking ahead I gauge the amount of steps we have to take, "Sixty steps, maybe more. My vision is unreliable right now."

Nodding he rolls back his shoulders and I flinch as he cries out. Grounder's are so stupid. Quickening his pace, he ignores my eye roll and walks in front of me. At least he's got strength left in him. His ride down is going to be.....bumpy. To put it mildly. Forcing myself to match him we both look between each other before urging ourselves on. Almost there. Just a few more steps. As the two metal pillars fall into view a sense of excitement fills my system. Finally, we reached them. I have never been so relieved to see those crumbling, beat up, pillars in my life. I could kiss them. Sharing my excitement the man slaps the pillar as we pass and I grin before kissing it. Drawing back I shrivel my nose. Ew. It smells like bird crap. Gagging, I wipe my lips with my sleeve. Behind me, the man laughs and I spin around and glare at him till he shuts up.

"What? It was funny."

Rolling my eyes I walk to the lip and stick my feet out over the edge, the clouds below looking like white blankets. I wish I could disappear into those clouds, hide behind the thickness of their folds. Fall asleep on their soft fluff, and lay awake watching the stars with a cloud as my cushion. They would be my hideaway. My home.

"What now?" The man asks, breaking my day dream.

"You jump."

Walking up next to me he looks down and shakes his head, "I'd fall to my death."

"Do you really think I would risk my life, drag your sorry rear end up here, just to let you fall to the ground and flatten like mud?"

Sucking in his lips he looks away from me, "Okay. Okay. So...I just have to jump?"

I nod and sit down using his arm as my balance. "If you jump there," I say pointing to where a leaf blows in the wind, "the breeze will carry you down to the ground. Mind you though, you'll have to roll once you come to the ground. Otherwise, you'll break your legs and be stranded."

Whistling he grunts as he squats down his eyes narrowing on his jumping point. I pray to the wind he'll make it safely. Otherwise, all this would have been for nothing. All my pain, all my risk, will be flattened and killed just like him if he doesn't do things right. If he doesn't make it home. I need him too. I didn't realize how much until now. I need him to be safe, to live. It'll ease my conscience, it will prove to me that not all parts of me are bad yet. That there is still good in me. That maybe this, helping him, will balance out for the things I've done. He has to make it. He has too. If not for him, for me.

"So this is goodbye."

I nod, "I hope to never ever see you again."

Chuckling he sighs, "There is one thing I'll miss about this...hell in the sky. No offense."