Into the Void

Chap #2 - Short Lived

"~ Beckons you, shadows resound ~"

Specks of sunlight filter through the boarded windows and filthy curtains. My eyes flutter open, and soon after I become aware of a heavy, pounding headache. With each heartbeat, my temples throb painfully. My eyes close involuntarily. Moaning softly, I reach up to put a cool hand on my head. My eyelids fling open when my fingers meet a wet, sticky substance. I reach back up and feel around carefully, searching for the source of so much blood, eventually finding a large bump. I prod it tentatively, trying to recollect where I got it, and gasp as it sends a stab of pain through my head. My hand is also sticky, I realize now, and slick with blood.

I push myself up and attempt to orient myself, willing the world to stop spinning. When I can finally see clearly, I stretch my jelly-legs. I force myself to ignore the excruciating pain and sprint up the stairs two at a time. There is only one thought running through my head.

Ella!

I race down the hallway, cursing my legs for being so slow, and nearly run right into - a void! It hangs in the air like a billowing black cloud, utterly frightening, but unmoving. It rots and festers in the light of day. Is it... Dead?

This must be a dream. This can't have happened! No one has ever survived a void attack that I've heard of!

I stumble into my doorframe and stumble to the ground. Suddenly I can't see straight. Stars explode in rainbows in front of my eyes as I empty my stomachs contents into the floor.

A squeak comes from the closet. I hear another excited noise, and stagger to my feet.

"Ella?" My voice is croaky, rusty. I drag myself to the closet and hear the frantic twisting of the doorknob. A smile lights up my face as I see my sister, whole, alive, and unmarked, throw herself out of the tiny doorway.

Raina!"Her hair is knotted and ratty, and her cheeks are tearstained. Another fat droplet traces a pat down her face, and I reach out to brush it off with my thumb. She looks up at me. "I didn't know if I was going to have to - I'm sorry I couldn't - I just - couldn't bear it if - oh, Raina!" She stutters for a moment, struggling with words, then gives up. She breaks off and hugs me.

It's a tight, warming hug, full of relief. I know that I never want to let her go. A tear slips down my own cheek, and I squeeze her tighter against me. After that whole ordeal, it feels nice to just relax and be in someone's arms. She buries her face against me, then realizes that I'm covered in blood.

"Ummm... Gross." Then she wraps me in another hug before fully realizing my injuries. "Raina, your head! And your hand!"

Ella pulls away. She looks at my hand and, apparently deciding that it's not fatal (I could've told you that) reaches up to pull the hair away from that awful bump. She feels it slowly, and I grimace as hot slices of pain shoot through my head.

"Oh, sorry!" Ella looks apologetic and tears once again threaten to fall from her big eyes.

"S'okay," I tell her. We grip each other as though our lives depend on it, and take baby steps over to the bed. I lower myself down onto the worn-out cushion, and Ella does the same, though the bed groans in protest. We just sit there, each thinking our own thoughts. I hold Ella's hand with my good hand, and don't let go.

Slowly, I evaluate what I know, trying to find out what's real and what's not. I turn around to see the window, and when I peer closer I see that it's day. From what I can see of the sun, it's around noon. I slowly move each limb to make sure nothing else is hurt but my head.

I sigh. Ella turns her head to look at me. "Let's get out of here," I say firmly. I need to be what Ella needs most right now: someone to lean on. As I grab the bedpost to pull myself up, I remember about my hand. I whimper in pain as I re-open the gash.

Ella and I make our way to the bathroom to clean my wounds. Luckily, Ella doesn't have any of her own. The cool water stings my cut, but eventually it looks clean enough. It doesn't need stitches. While I wash out my shirt and jeans, Ella runs to get me some new clothes.

While I'm debating the different ways to bandage my hand, I hear a piercing scream from down the hallway and immediately I turn from the mirror and rush out of the bathroom.

"What is it? What is it?!" I'm frantic - what can have Ella in such a panic? It's daylight, we should be safe! I fear can't get to her in time. I've failed to protect her and a void somehow managed to steal her beautiful light.

I sprint around the corner of the hallway, heart pounding in my chest, preparing for the worst. I'm sure every void in a ten mile radius can hear it: thur-thump, thur-thump. I skid into the wall clumsily, and nearly scream myself when I come face to face with a void. I quickly realize however, that it is the same one that has been dead in the hallway since last night.

Ella stares up at it, terror clear in her wide eyes. Relief rushes through me and I let out an intake of breath when I see her unharmed.

"H-how, wha- how?" she stutters, shock not letting her finish her sentence as the realization hits us full on. The first void we have known to die since the outbreak started. They can be killed, answering the entire village's prayers, too late. If only I had known that this was possible, I could've -

But no. I won't let myself dwell on that.

Ella breaks me out of my dark thoughts by talking in awe. "How did you do it? Everyone thought it was impossible." Her tiny fragile voice shattered the walls I've worked so hard to build strong. So much time spent trying to stop the pain, just to have it all rush back at me.

"Come here." I open my arms and she rushes over, snuggling her quivering body into me. I speak into her hair, saying the only possible answer; "To save you, I can do anything, even if it's impossible." I know I sound like I've had to experience too much pain. No one in the whole world should have to go through this much hardship in their life, as much as me and Ella have. I pull Ella in tighter and finally let the relief from the night take hold. It all seems too good, like a dream... I don't want to wake up and have it all ripped away from me. I know that it's real as I feel Ella shaking in my arms, as I feel her hot tears on my stomach. Silent tears of my own roll down and splash on her head as I remember how much the little girl in my arms means to me. How important it is for me to protect her.

And most importantly how we can't stay here.

"Ella," Gently, I pull away, and together we go back to the bathroom. I sit in the tub, letting her scrub my hair while I'm immersed in thought. Finally, I look up at her. Her eyes are grey, like mine, when I stare straight into them. "We can't stay, you know." She looks back at me. "We have to leave. It's not safe here anymore, and we need to see if there's anyone else out there." I stop her wrist from scrubbing for a second and silently ask her with my eyes. Instead of the fear I was expecting after telling a ten year old girl that we had to leave her home, her life-long safe haven, there's only determination. I see her fragile skin harden, even if just for a moment, into an impenetrable shell. She nods forcefully, causing my lips to quirk upwards in a small smile.

"That's my brave sister."