The First Clam's Unladylike Wife

Trip 22: The End

Trip 22: The End

A/N Back to Elleira's pov.

...

It hurts... I can't move...

It feels as if all my limbs are out of joint, then replaced together in the wrong position. All my energy is drained, I can barely breathe and the sun's burning rays directly hitting my body doesn't help.

I can hear the sound of waves near me and feel the tiny particles of sand under my heavy body.

But... I am alive. We are both alive, Giotto and I. Even after we fell in the sea, we still got washed here. This is truly the best news I can get right now.

I know that I held him tightly against me all the while. There is no way we would be separated, no way.

I twitch my arms a bit to hold Giotto closer, but I can't feel him.

Giotto...

Where is Giotto!? Where is he?!

I squeeze my eyes tightly then force my eyelids to open after a few moments of effort. The first thing that comes into view is the dazzling golden sand I am lying on and the white waves of the aqua blue sea washing up on the beach. I squint my eyes in pain, trying to adjust to the strong light. For a few seconds, I lay there, eyes closed, waiting for the pain to die down all the while patting the space beside me, trying in vain to find Giotto. Slowly opening my eyes this time, for them to adjust to the bright sun, I look around.

Giotto... he really isn't beside me.

I clench my hands in fists as the fingernails bury deeply into my flesh. This pain is nothing compared to the dread I am feeling right now.

A whimper escapes from my mouth as I try to get up, but my limbs are all sore and numb. The worst is that my head is dizzy and I feel as if I am going to fall unconscious again.

NO!

I can't faint now! I need to find Giotto, I need to find him!

I struggle against the gravity that keeps pulling me down and finally manage to stand up.

Massaging my temples in an attempt to ease the dizziness, I slowly walk in a random direction.

At a few meters from where I was lying unconscious, I find my shoes partially buried in the sand. I crouch down to take them, but my sight suddenly blurs and I feel as if a hammer is hitting the inside of my head.

The next moment, I find myself lying on the sand, feeling weak all over. There are sands glued on my heavy body, the sun burning me, the white waves mocking my weakness.

Giotto... where are you... where are you...?

I want to see you now...

"Giotto..." I sob weakly but abruptly stop myself from crying out loud.

I can't waste any energy on useless crying. I need to find Giotto, it is all because of me he is hurt so badly, I need to find him and tend on his wounds. He can't wait anymore... I-I know that he isn't... I am sure that he is still alive!

I push myself off the ground and stand there unmoving for a while to calm that painful vibration resonating in my head. Then one foot after the other, I slowly drag my tired body along the beach.

I have no idea how long I am stumbling on this huge beach. The fine golden sand keep making me trip and it becomes more and more difficult to move as time goes on.

My vision is getting fuzzy now, my throat hurts, my feet are sore and numb from all the walking, my body is burning hot... But just as I am about to fall down, a blurry human form comes into sight.