VAST (IV): Peter Pan OUAT

Blaize

The sheets around me ruffle. Someone's hands are on my shoulders, shaking me awake. I try to pull the hands off me, kicking into the air. I let out the beginning of a shout, which tears the flesh off my throat. The palm of a hand shoves further into my mouth. My nails scratch at them, my head shaking back and forth.

"Charlie, Charlie, it's me," Harry holds me tighter, trying to force my body into complacency. His whisper harsh. "We need you to get up. It's Blaize."

I stop struggling, letting myself crash back on to the ground. My heart is pumping harder than it has in months. I can't move, instead staring up at the empty ceiling. Harry's hand rests on my thigh. I wait for him to squeeze, or to force me back to life, but he lets me decay.

Finally, I pull myself up into a sleeping position. I glare at Harry.

"Don't scare me like that," I wipe the sleep out of my eyes. Without arguing, I pull myself off the ground. Thankfully I'm fully dressed. Unfortunately, I smell like crap. What's new? "Are the buses running?"

"Alex called a taxi," Harry tells me. "It should be here in like five minutes."

I roll my eyes, stepping around him. In the bathroom, I quickly try to clean myself. Brushing my teeth, rolling on deodorant, washing my face. I debate taking my hair out of the stupidly messy braid, but ultimately decide that at least now my hair is somewhat contained.

I step out of the bathroom. Alex, Harry, and Jared are waiting at the counter.

Alex chucks me clean clothes. A dark pair of jeans and a hoodie, both of which are mine and should be dirty. I raise an eyebrow at him. He looks over to Harry.

I roll my eyes, a habit I've formed now instead of talking, and head back into the bathroom. By the time I'm dressed the cab is honking outside. I quickly pull a coat on and my shoes, and we are out the door. It is pouring rain, so I got clean for nothing. My hood would protect my hair, but I can't bring myself to pull it up.

We are all silent in the cab. The driver looks at me in the mirror occasionally, but when I make eye contact he flinches away. Harry's hand rests on my knee, and his head on Alex's shoulder. Jared will occasionally glance back at us. When he tries to smile, he grimaces. The ride is bumpy, and the misty midnight obscures the town.

We finally stop. I rush out of the door, breathing in the cool air. Once the others are out, the taxi pulls away. Jared comes up behind me, putting a hand on my shoulder. He gently guides me down the alley next to the building. Worst of all, I let him.

Blaize is lying on the ground. One arm is stretched above her, reaching further down the alley, while the other curls up into her chest. Her eyes are open. They are cloudy as they stare towards her stretching fingers. Both the poor lighting and the mud on the ground make her usual bright red hair look brown.

I stop walking. Harry gently leans into me. Behind us, Jared taps his foot nervously on the ground. It is Alex, out of all of us, who dares step close enough to her. He kneels on the ground, turning his cheek to her lips and his eyes to her chest. Alex concentrates, ignoring the echoing tap from Jared.

Alex's knees are stiff as he pulls himself up from the ground. He throws his hood back up over his soaked blonde hair. The rain is relentless.

"She's breathing," he sighs, nudging her with his foot. "I don't know if she's conscious."

Jared exhales. He moves around in front of us, helping Alex lift Blaize off the ground. Her body is limp, but she rolls her head in protest. Blood drips down her arm, coming from her skinned elbow. The straps of her tank top fall haphazardly off her shoulders.