BADLANDS

coming down

"i've got a lover and i'm unforgiven."
2:45 AM

rays of light stream from through the slits of the windows, resting on her lightly closed eyelids. the colors pool on her body, bare legs glowing under the strewn bare white sheets.

she's coming down from the high. the rain is coming down outside, raindrops pressed against the windows, her body pressed against the sheets, lips against her skin. any questions that would be asked later were delayed by another touch, another kiss.

she's paid the price, given up everything just for him.

peter.

and now she has him back.

for how long, she doesn't know. she wakes up and she sees him and is just overflowed with these emotions that have been building up for weeks. longing. lust. guilt.

she's spared no time for words, for explanations, just choked back a strangled sob and kissed him.

"i love you," she whispers through lulled eyes, legs tangled on the bed, head nuzzled into his shoulder. in that moment, she decides that she made the right choice. his blue eyes lazily stare at the ceiling, dark hair strewn about.

it's like these words unveil his clouded vision, surface him back to reality. "ashley," he murmurs, slowly stirring up. "did we make it?"

guilt wrenches her chest, heat burning in her head. they're alone in a hotel room, but she had no idea where they were. they're lost somewhere throughout time and space, but she doesn't want to tell him the truth.

"peter..." she chokes out, devoid of words. she can't force it out of her mouth but she can tell from his eyes that he knows. that he knows that it was all for nothing and now they're trapped for eternity in this prison. "i did what i had to," the blue haired girl sighs, avoiding his stare and pulling away from his grasp.

"what the fuck is that supposed to mean?" his eyes fill with an abrupt confusion. "where are we?"

"we..." the reality starts to sink in. "we're back in the badlands." the words leave her as if they're disembodied.

"i don't understand, i don't know what you're saying," she can't bear to look at his face, bites back the manic tears and feels copper blood drawn from her lip.

"he told me..." she whispers, voice breaking. "he told me that none of this is real. you're not real, i've made this all up and we never left or existed."

"i don't believe you," she catches a glimpse of his face, pale and sunken in. "i don't, i-"

"you're not real," she repeats, as if it will rip the pain encompassing her chest, "you're not fucking real, okay? and i gave myself up, even if we don't exist, so i could stay in this world with you-"

"i'm not fucking like you! i grew up here, i had a life before you woke up, people that i cared about." his breathing is heavy. "this isn't making any sense."

"he told me i could have you back," she couldn't force herself to say his name, "but i would have to become his. do whatever he says."

"don't believe a word zack says, you know he's psychotic," his eyes plead with hers, light streaming across his chest like a god. "he'll do anything to get inside of your head."