Without Me (Infinite x Reader)

Chapter 7 ~ Downpour

The rain had started. It was coming down in a hard downpour. Not that it had stopped us, we kept walking through the rising wind. Our cloaks were flapping behind us as we had an arm covering our eyes from the airstream. Rain was drenching my face, dripping into my eyes. My vision was blurry. I could barely see Zero who was a few feet in front of me. The only way I could identify him was the blur of the dark cape of his cloak.

   I growl as I struggle against the wind, the gust pushes me back a bit. I lean my body down more, bending my knees further. The wind rushes past my ears, whistling, deafening me. The trees of the start the next forest was still several yards away. It was hard to tell with the dark atmosphere and blurred sight.

   The open space of the dry grassland has been going on for what seems like a mile now. It was hard to tell though. When we had first entered this prairie a while ago, there was no way around it. Zero and I were only trying to get as far away from the "war" as possible. The only way to get away from the center and core of the battle is to cross the desert, which had to be at least a hundred miles away. When we get across the desert, there will be no war, only peace, the opportunity to start over. Once we cross the desert... no one will ever find us.

   I heard a faint crack. I wasn't sure if it was thunder or something else. My head snaps up to look up at the sky. The wind yanks my hood back. I tug it back up as the sky was still the dark ugly grey and purple as it was before.

   I think someone called my name. It was barely audible, I thought I may have been hearing things. I look back down, ahead of me.

   All I saw was a distortion of dark brown and a loud crack. A huge shot of pain struck against my face. The next thing I know, I am on my back on the ground.

   Everything was dark for a moment, then it is just pain. I let out a groan of agony, scrunching my eyes shut to block out the rain. Like smashing my own head wasn't enough, I thought, regretting the choice I had made earlier. Then again... Infinite – no, Zero would never have shown empathy and we wouldn't be here now... right?

   Arms shake me, I open my eyes slightly, still disoriented. Zero was there, his hood being blown into his face, nearly blocking his vision. He was yelling something at me, but I could barely hear, the wind was stealing his words away. Zero somehow got tipped off that was the problem, he stopped yelling and gritted his teeth in frustration.

   He grabs my arm and pulls it over his shoulder, his other hand was under my opposite arm, by my ribcage. Zero stands up, heaving me upwards with him. I struggle to walk as he starts moving forward, but the wind and pounding rain was slowing my recover from the branch that had smashed me in the face.

   I was slowing Zero down, and he knew. Zero turns his head towards me, arm blocking out the airstream and showers. His hood flew off, our cloaks were barely holding onto our bodies, the clip somehow staying strong. Zero's thick hair was blowing in the wind, even with his low ponytail.

   He huffs in anger, placing me on the ground. The entire world was spinning, but I still had a fear that Zero was placing me in the earth to leave me behind. He won't do that!

   Right?

   Zero grabs me and heaves me over his shoulders. He held onto my leg and arm to keep me from falling off his back. Zero bends his knees, bending towards the wind, not allowing it to push him backwards. Though he continuously stumbled, Zero held on tight to me.

   I wondered if he had thought of leaving me behind a few moments ago like I had. I question why Zero is willing to put this much effort into keeping me with him. Am I really that worth it? Look at what happened: I got hurt, again, and am slowing us down even more. If we were back in the city, at the heart of the war and chaos, I would have been left behind, given a shot of morphine if I am lucky. When these conditions are as severe as the they are, you can't afford to have anybody slowing the group down. It doesn't even have to be a situation with harsh weather or environment, it could just be in a battlefield in general. If one soldier is endangering the rest of the soldiers who have a better chance of living, no one will choose one over several. That is an unforgiving reality that I've had to accept.