Run. || Alex Gaskarth A.U.

Chapter 11: The Contemplation Of The Night Sky

The night sky is something that I'm going to miss when I'm gone. Every planet that you pointed out to me, every star, every constellation--gone. And once again, I am struck with the same damn thought that this is extremely unfair. Why should you be the one who gets to live to see over a hundred night skies? Why am I the one that has to die? The one that has to perish in a searing hot explosion?

The sorrow that I feel right now is in every cell of my bruised and ice-cold body, and I know for sure that the sorrow will be with me when I die. To see one more night sky...it would make leaving this rotted Earth more peaceful for me. To say I'd die happy would be a lie, for I can't die happy knowing that nobody will know what became of the inquisitive and yet so ignorant--Amelia Wicker. For all you know Alex, I could be safely snoozing in the tent that I stole from you.

But I'm not going to think about that, because thinking about that would be too much.  Too much of a weight to bear on my sinking shoulders. Too much for my mind to be able to handle.

So I'll remember the the night sky, the satellites, the meteorites, the asteroids, the sun, the moon, the planets, the constellations, and the fact that perhaps, beyond this Earth, there is a better place, a better galaxy.

And maybe, a better life.

~

Because we were lost, I had the feeling that it would be another while before we even started to approach the Runaways camp. I could sense that Alex was getting frustrated that we were (once again) walking in a direction that we had no idea where it would bring us. Truthfully, I would have lost it with him if it wasn't for Jack.

But then things changed, and after rummaging through everyone's supplies, it turned out that Jack had a compass, which surprised everyone (including Jack himself). Alex took the lead then, insisting that we travelled North, because according to him, the Runaways were North. Jack and I knew better than to argue, and even Kasper seemed to sense that letting Alex play the leader was a good idea (and that pissing him off wouldn't end nicely).

So we travelled North until the sun set and I could hardly see my own hand in front of my face. The air turned colder the longer we travelled, and when the stars came out. I suggested that we called it a night.

Alex said that he didn't want to stop, but the bags under his eyes begged to differ. Come to think of it, I wasn't sure how much sleep Alex was actually getting. Most of the time when I would wake up from an uneasy sleep, Alex's sleeping bag would be empty. At first, I would panic, the fear that Alex had been kidnapped always popping into my mind.

But then, when I would begin to think the worst, I'd fine him lying in a patch of long grass, his hands placed under his head, his eyes gazing at the night sky.

I left him to it every time, deciding that talking to him would just irritate him, and that he was best left alone. Although we had rekindled our friendship, I wasn't sure if I had broken down the barrier between us completely. The fact that I was still slightly nervous to approach him at times was enough to confirm that.

"You know, a bit of sleep wouldn't kill you, Alex." I said tiredly, rubbing my eyes that felt stiff and sore. At my voice, his legs began to slow down the walking pace, and I felt a prickle of hope run through my tired body. "It wouldn't kill all of us to just have like, a night's sleep." I added, trying to get him to give in.

The thoughts of sleep must have been really getting to him, because eventually he stopped walking altogether, and he let out a loud sigh. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to rest." he muttered, stifling a yawn to confirm my suspicion of his drowsiness.