Ruin and Revival

Chapter 46: Cornered

ARIKA

Axel finishes the conclusion to his speech, inspiring and moving. His voice belongs to a true leader, confident in his abilities to lead his empire to victory, just the person his people need.

So unlike the shell he has become. I support him up to his quarters, his entire body sagging with exhaustion and grief. It has been two long days since we arrived back from the prison escape. Under Axel's name, I had ordered the city to be quarantined and for messengers to be sent throughout the country to see how far the Plague has spread. Bri went to the labs to see if any cure had found several hours ago, but there has been no sign of her return. I swallow my worry, trying to stay strong for Axel, who has been at his absolute lowest, weaker than I have ever seen him. He plops himself onto the bed, coughs convulsing him. It started a day ago when he had been sleeping. I had woken up in the middle of the night to see Axel wiping the blood off himself, the pillow next to mine already stained. I wipe the blood from his mouth now, pushing back the urge to cough myself. I cannot be sick, not yet, not yet.

I can't hold it any longer. I whip around and cough, not even astonished at the red staining my blue gown. I quickly wipe it from my mouth, praying Axel didn't notice. He doesn't need another reason to stress out.

"Arika, are you sick?" I freeze mid-wipe.

"No, of course not, don't worry about me," I smile without showing my teeth, knowing they would be a rusty orange from my blood. Axel's bloodshot eyes narrow, looking me over intensely. I resist the urge to squirm under his gaze.

"I don't want you here anymore," He states a matter a factly. I don't budge, knowing I cannot, will not leave him alone with his thoughts.

"No. And you know why," I begin boiling the water in the kettle, practicing pouring it with my gloves. The gloves had always scared me, but not enough for my curiosity to give in. I could hear them whispering to me in the night, tempting me until the night Axel became ill, I had tried them on. And felt power like never before. I could easily see how deadly they were if wielded by someone skillful as they were greedy. Axel had taught me a few parlor tricks after I had finally convinced him to let me keep using them. And now, I rely on them heavily to care for Axel and myself.

I bring the teacup to him, bottling up a second cough.

"You can't be sick too. This country will need someone when I die," I almost drop the glass cup and the saucer.

"You aren't going to die. Bri is looking for the cure as we speak," I insist, not giving into the hopelessness of the situation.

"And is she back?" He leans back onto the once white pillows, now stained scarlet with his blood. I sit down next to him, my head starting to throb like it did in my childhood.

"She will. I have faith in her and your researchers and you should too," Axel continues to stare up at the ceiling, emphasizing the deep bags under his eyes.

"What if I want to die?" The room goes silent with that devastating sentence.

And I slap him.

With all of me, I slap him.

"Don't you dare think about it. Axel, I swear I'll murder you before you can even think about dying again. You aren't the kind of person who doesn't go down without a fight. We are in the middle of a war. You can't leave even if you wanted to. I have called all forces to retreat in a temporary surrender. The forcefields are holding back the troops so for now, America doesn't have the manpower to break through. This will buy you time to get better so the moment you do, you can end all of this death, this thirst!" I realize I had been giving Axel a lot of these talks lately. And he has only gotten worse. He finally stops staring at the ceiling, shifting his gaze towards me.