Winter's Dead Bride

Chapter Five

Monday 19 November, morning, Land of Seven Winters.

"Azalea! My parents... they caught the virus and...they died, Azalea!" came Dhor's crying in the morning.

It was only six in the grey morning as the rain soundlessly fell outside, Teí was out and Dhor was banging the door so loud. I had been awake though because somehow I felt so tired since last night. I had a horrible dream again. It was about—

Wait a second.

I quickly rushed to the door which Dhor was banging with his fist. I opened it without delay and in front of me, I saw a torn guy drenched in rain.

"Dhor? What happened?" I asked, taking his hand as tears fell down his face.

His hair was unbrushed, tangled and wild, and his body was shaking. He looked at me, his eyes bright red. Behind him, rain dripped off the rooftops and the world was an eerie haze as the pine trees drooped. I held his hand tighter, gently pulling him inside.

"They both died, Azalea. What do I do now?" he sniffed, looking at me as if I had an answer to everything.

I felt my breath get stuck in my throat as I stopped midway from stroking the rain from his hair. This was my best friend and right now, he was hurting the most. I pulled him into a massive hug and he didn't push me away but instead hugged me back, crying even more. My heart throbbed for him as his clothes made my own become wet as well and all I could do now was hope he'd get better.

Although Dhor had always been complaining about his parents and how they worked him too much, I still knew how much he loved them. In my point of view, I always saw how they spoiled him and took him on holidays when he was younger while I worked at home. They were really nice to me too, always coming over to stay with Sinh and me when she was still alive. But how?

How evil can that virus be?

"I'm here for you, Dhor. I'll always be by your side. I know how you're feeling right now, it'll all be okay soon," I comforted him, trying my best to sound reassuring.

It was a little strange to see my best friend crying like this. He was usually a lively, cheerful guy who would always try to make me happy in any way possible... but here he was today. Hurt. I felt a lump form in my throat as I also started to cry, not wanting to let go of him.

"Azalea... I want to die already," he muttered, breaking from our hug.

I gasped, quickly covering his mouth in case he said more shattering words. I'd go insane.

"Stop, don't say something like that!" I gave out, shock and confusion rushing through my head.

He just stared at me blankly then took my hand from his mouth.

"What's the point of being alive but being all alone anyway?" he asked, dryly. "It's like...like, we're just living to be called survivors..."

My heart sank at the words, thinking back to my own suicidal thoughts and how they nearly burnt me out of reality. I escaped from my cloud of thoughts. I couldn't let him start to think like me as well. He was my precious friend. All I had.

"I felt like that too but you can still fight it, Dhor," I  desperately told him, somehow feeling helpless as he gave me another dead look.

He was scaring me.

"Do you have anything I can take? Anything? You can make something that can kill me, right?" he puzzled, ignoring my advice completely.

I felt my blood boiling with a wave of dangerous anger because of his recklessness. Something I never let myself feel before...