Fallen From Grace (#Wattys2017)

Chapter XXXIX

They told him all about her deterioration, saying that due to having given her drugs to suppress the deterioration process, she was still alright for a while. But now, they can't afford to give her anymore of that drug otherwise they will in adversely speed up her dying. He was told, that once she would be off the drugs, she would be in a lot of pain. And she will lose all functions.

Her body will shut down, slowly and painfully. And she will slowly fade away into nothing. Her memory will start to cause greater trouble, she will lose the ability to speak gradually, her vision would be soon to follow and then her hearing. They said that due to her unstable condition, they had no idea how long she would survive.

But Apollyon knew.

He knew that by the end of a few days, she would be with him no more.

He already met the reaper assigned to take her away, who informed him that he had an appointment with Eleanora in three days time.

Eleanora had already lost the ability to recall memories, she had woken up one night and burst unit tears at the sight of Apollyon beside her, claiming that 'that he was finally back', he couldn't respond because she fell asleep a while later, waking up without the memory of waking up in the middle of the night. Her vision and speech had deteriorated to a great extent, as well.

It was hard for her to formulate words, and repeatedly told Apollyon how much she loved him...and how happy he made her....

Her vision had blurred and according to her, she couldn't see them clearly, everything looked like one big blotch, whose multicoloured surface was slowly fading to black.

According to the doctor, her hearing would be last thing to go, along with her heart....

Apollyon knew it was time to let go, but he didn't want to...

He couldn't do it...

***

It infuriated Apollyon to a great extent. He wanted to scream, he wanted to bring chaos.

Because it was a beautiful day...

It was too beautiful of a day for Eleanora to be dying...

The reaper had advanced to the hallway outside her door from the entrance of the hospital and it was only a matter of a few hours until he advanced inside and took her away.

Once and for all.

Apollyon glared at the reaper as he entered the hospital room after he talked to the doctor, who informed him what he already knew...it was only a matter of a few hours now.

Sliding the door open, he closed it swiftly, as if trying to prevent the inevitable from entering. Turing around, his heart clenched and tears pooled in his eyes at the sight in front of him.

She was so thin and frail. Her face completely sunken and ashen, her blind vision turned towards the wall with the window as her gurgling breath echoed in the room, the warm blanket pulled up to her chest as she lay completely still, the only indication of her still being alive being of the painful rise and fall of her chest.

Swallowing thickly, he walked forward, whispering her name into her ear as she blindly tilted her head in his direction as he got on top of the covers, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into him.

"Hi, baby." He spoke huskily as he tried to keep the thickness out of his voice.

A gurgled sound escaped her in response as he sushed her, telling her not to tier herself.

"Ap-ollyon..." Eleanora wheezed with difficulty as he pursed his lips, trying to stop from crying out as he grasped her cold hand into his warm one. "Des-scribe....out...side..."