Serenity to Souls

Fatalities

I found myself on a cushion-laden bed, fluffy buds of cotton being pressed against my burning injuries. For each press, my body seemed to scream in agonizing pain, my eyes deliberately smashing shut - as if it was going to help minimize the torment.

"By the way, I never got your names..." I uttered through my torture. The two turned to face me. The woman smiled warmly.

"Ah, I'm Evelyn." she stated, her hands still compelling the cotton to absorb my ever-flowing lifeblood. Faintly nodding in understanding, I turned to the male, expecting his answer.

"Tyler." he responded, simply. His eyes met mine for a split second, before wandering off into outer space. Dismissive of me.

"Well, thank you for having me here." I spoke. "I'm sorry if I'm being a hindrance in your activities..."

Evelyn sharply jolted her gaze to me in an offended way, while Tyler regarded me in a concealing manner. "You're not disturbing us in any way, Danielle." explained Evelyn, her hand wavering in confirmation. As she continued treating me, she spoke again.

"Yet, I can't bring myself to believe that some aquatic weed gave you such fatalities."

I sighed, cursing my luck for bringing me to dictate such a foolish story to anyone. She was right, too, tantalizingly. What kind of aquatic weed would give me such monstrous cuts?

I perceived Evelyn trying to read me.

"You and Tyler share similar qualities..."

Tyler snapped his gaze to Evelyn, glancing at her with suspicion seeping out from his eyes. She laughed light-heartedly. "The two of you are generally reserved and radiate similar auras. I'm surprised both of you aren't siblings."

My face flushed red out of embarrassment, and I caught a glimpse of Tyler shielding his complexion using his hand. "How...observant of you, miss." he groaned. Evelyn hummed vibrantly in response.

After a while, Evelyn wrapped my injuries in a sustaining cloth. She patted my back gently, ensuring me of my healing. "Are you sure you don't want to stay with us for at least one day?" she reminded. I replied.

"My friends will be worried sick if they don't see me in the morning itself." I began. "But I truly appreciate your hospitality."

"Please, think nothing of it. It's my job, after all." 

She stopped, inspecting me once more. "Maybe I'll send Tyler to accompany you to your airport accommodation!"

I didn't know how I felt about that.

"I'm not really sure of-"

"It's dangerous for a girl to be walking on the streets at this time."

I halted. She had a point. Maybe, just maybe, accompaniment wouldn't be such a bad idea. 

I took up her offer.

...

I bid goodbye to Evelyn, following Tyler through the darkness, only his argon lamp as a luminous object. It was going to be a lengthy venture.

"So, how long are you staying here for?" he asked, not turning back. I widened my eyes.

"Don't worry, I'm not staying for long..."

Tyler stopped. "What do you mean, 'don't worry'?"

"I just thought that you'd want me gone..."

"Why would you ever think like that?"

"Well, I'm under the impression that you...hate me."

Tyler looked at me. However, instead of drastically questioning me, I watched as his eyes softened. "Does my expression really give away hatred?"

I tore my eyes from his gaze, unsure of what to tell him. To my surprise, he sought out my hand and held it caressingly. I inhaled sharply.

"Hating you is the last thing I'd do." he soothed. For some reason, he sounded like a different person, totally.

Abruptly, however, he retracted his hand, letting go of mine. He stammered. "I-I apologize for that, I don't know what got into me."

Unknowing of an appropriate response, I nodded silently.

...

Although it had only been a few minutes, my heart had been compelling me to pick a conversation with Tyler, if only I knew why.

It was the first time I'd thought of initiating such a thing.

...

"So...you don't hate me?"

Tyler whipped around. "Of course I don't."

This topic seemed to arouse him, and one part of me was pushing me to tease him on it. I never knew I'd give in to it. "Not even a little bit?"

He narrowed his eyes. "No."

"Really?"

Sensing hints of tease in my manner, he sighed, a smirk growing on his face. He leaned in closer, his face inches away from mine. "If you just wanted me to hold your hand again, you could've just said so."

I squeaked as a pang of heat collided with my heart, gradually rising to my face. "H-Hey! That's not what I intended!" I explained, drawing my palms to shove his nearing face away. I felt him chuckle against my warming skin. I bit my lip.

"Fine." he reached his hand out, offering it to me. 

"Huh?"

"You asked for it."

"No I didn't-"

"Well, I am, now."

I fixated my eyes onto his hand, reluctant. He edged nearer to me.

"I know you want to."

I cursed at myself more than I did at him. He was, unfortunately, not wrong. And yet, I was in disbelief that I could allow myself to feel in such a way.

I should just hold his hand, nothing more.

I slid my hand gently atop his.

In an instant, his hand firmly encased mine, his face lighting up. Again, that foreign sense of heat knocked into me. I felt a growing lump at the back of my throat, urging me to press my eyes close.

Suddenly, something hit me. He was probably using me. Perhaps he was trying to get me infatuated so he could flirt with me any time he wanted. Maybe I wasn't even important to him. A sudden spiral of rage twisted and turned inside me. "Tyler!"

He turned to face me, eyes brimming with intense joy. "Yeah?"

In sight of my expression, however, that bliss was replaced with profound confusion. "What's wrong?"

"Don't tell me you're flirting with me for the fun of it."

...

A long, uncanny silence stretched out between the two of us. The sounds of our surroundings filled the atmosphere, and I never realized how loud they were. Tyler blankly let go of my hand. A shiver ran up my palm as it adjusted with the surrounding temperature. Everything had gotten colder, all of a sudden.

...

"What did you say...?"