Broken

.34.

"I stand amid the roar of a surf-tormented shore, and I hold in my hand grains of the golden sand--" The rasping, whispering words pulled me for my drugged slumber and I fought against the heaviness in my body to try and open my eyes. "How Few! Yet how they creep through my fingers to the deep. While I weep-- while I weep! Oh god! Can I not grasp them with a tighter clasp? Oh God! Can I not save one from the pitiless waves? Is that all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream?" The words were soothing being said in that rasping voice that tickled my memories. I knew it but I couldn't place it.

"I bet you are tired of hearing an old man speak of such desolate things. Let me try and find a poem that might brighten your dreams." The turning of pages could be heard and a faint humming of thought followed each one. My finger twitched and there was one more page turned. "Ahhhhhh, here we are. Forgive my voice once again. I am getting old." There was the faint sound of someone clearing their throat lightly.

"I carry your heart with me-- I carry it in my heart. I am never without it-- anywhere I go you go, my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling. I fear no fate-- for you are my fate, my sweet. I want no world-- for, beautiful, you are my world, my true." There was a slight pause as I heard skin against paper as if they had drawn their hand over the words. "And it's you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will sing is always you. Here is the deepest secret nobody knows-- here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows higher than a soul can hope or mind can hide. And this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart... I carry your heart-- I carry it in my heart." There was a faint sigh that I wanted to copy.

"That poem never fails to make me smile. What about you?" A hand touched my own. The skin like paper and my fingers twitched as I tried to force my body to work. I attempted to lift my eyelids and there was a rasping chuckle that reminded me of leaves on pavement. "There you are. Try just a bit harder, my dear." I managed to open them a crack and I looked towards the sound of the voice and blind eyes sat in a pale and heavily wrinkled face.

He patted my hand again. "There you are. I was starting to feel foolish reading poetry to a woman who could not appreciate it." He gave that rasping chuckle again and I forced my eyes open a touch more.

"Rhess?" I tried my hardest to struggle through the sludge that was my brain but I was fairly positive that was his name. It was Rhex's grandfather.

"Yes, my dear." He gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "You gave us quite the scare. It was strange seeing so many Soul Makers in one place. I cannot remember a time that it has happened before. And she was mad. So, so mad. I have not felt my medallion ever burn so hotly." He made a slight face.

"Kher will not be charged with what happened. Make no mistake we all know it was him but we have no proof. The camera for the area was conveniently broken the day it happened. Fools, all of them. The Source will punish those that do not heed her words and warnings." There was a fire and passion to his voice that made him sound years younger than his wrinkled face suggested.

"Rhex?" My throat still burned slightly but it wasn't nearly as bad as the second time I woke up.

"Oh yes. My boy is doing fine. Waiting rather impatiently for his lovely soulmate to wake up so he can talk to her." He had a rather curious look on his face as he said it and I frowned slightly. Ghilesh had told me no. Told me no and drugged me. I didn't want to have to go through that again.

"Allowed?" I was wary but I wasn't sure if my voice conveyed that well or not.

"Not even in the slightest." He gave that rasping chuckle as he leaned closer. "I might not look like much but in my younger years I was a rule breaker like no other and this is a very foolish rule." A wide grin crossed his wrinkled face. "No one suspects the blind old man of breaking the rules, so let us keep my double life secret and keep this phone call between us." He gave that rather endearing laugh again and I gave him the best smile that I could in my current condition. I was liking Rhess more and more.

He pulled out a cellphone and without actually looking at it, tapped the screen and placed it on the pillow next to my ear. "It has a built in translator. No worries, my dear." I nodded at him gratefully as it barely made half a ring before it was picked up.

"Grandfather, has there been any change? Is she awake? Is she doing okay?" Just hearing his rumbling voice was enough to make me want to curl up my exhausted and weak body and cry.

"Rhex." My voice croaked his name out and I could hear him inhale deeply.

There was a slight pause before he let out a shuddering breath. "Liviya, are you okay?" Worry and relief coated his tone thickly and I sniffled, the tears already starting to roll from my eyes.

I glanced towards Rhess but the old councilman had already disappeared. "Tired... scared. Miss you." I managed to roll onto my side and I painstakingly drew my legs up, so I was in the position I wanted to be in. My body didn't ache but it was so heavy and tired.

"Oh there are no words that I can say that can encompass how much I truly miss you. I have been so worried about you." His voice was filled with relief and I felt sobs building in my throat. I hadn't wanted him to feel as though he had lost me, that he had to worry about me.

"Sorry." I wanted to tell him everything that I felt but my throat was thick with tears and my rasping voice was making it impossible

"Do not apologize, Liv. Please do not. This is not your fault." His voice was low as he said it and I sniffled.

"Home?" I just wanted him back. I just wanted him to wrap me in his arms and tell me it would be okay. I needed him with me because what I went through was terrifying and I never wanted to experience that for us ever again.

"Two weeks." The words sent a sharp pain through my chest and I couldn't help the small sob that escaped. He made a sound before shushing me slightly. "I know. I am sorry. I am so sorry. I am trying to get a shuttle to pick me up sooner. I am. I am so sorry. I want to be there with you." He pulled the phone away and I could faintly hear him cursing as I tried to stop the sobs from escaping.

He let out another sigh. "I promise you, Liviya. I will come home and nothing like that will ever happen again." If he was with me I didn't doubt it. I would never doubt it. He was my shield to the world around me and I needed him to protect me from the world I found myself in.

"Talk till sleep?" The drugs were still heavy in my system and I just wanted to drift off to his voice. To trick myself and my body that he was actually here.

"I promise." He said it softly and I sniffled again, not even bothering to wipe away the tears. "It is too hot out here. We are finding dust from the old lake basin in every inch of our clothing and every crease of our skin. It is the dry season so it is to be expected but it is still bothersome." He continued on, telling me about his training, what I had missed in the month I had been away. He told me about everything and I felt my mind drifting further and further away, holding the phone in my hands but wishing with all my heart that it was Rhex instead.