6

It took longer than Summer wanted to admit to bring herself together, it would have taken longer without Mensha’s patient prompting.

She felt terrible as if her stomach was worming its way up her throat. She ended up vomiting more than once before her tremors cleared.

When she remembered to check the other bodies she found them cold, she didn’t know if they’d died before or during her breakdown.

She supported a still-weak Mensha and began her exit, the mists had cleared after the thing’s death, a murky stain and the room full of still bodies were the only signs it had ever existed. The rest of the mall was all so normal, the tiles were clean the lights bright, and merchandise filled the stores mostly in the right place, and then a body pierced by a lowing pillar broke that illusion, she even saw the top of one sticking out the floor from what must be another body on the floor below – the tiles where undamaged.

She looked down at the treasure by her side, his dropping eyes overlapped with the faces of the many corpses. She’d almost lost him; he was right to doubt her promise. A lump formed in her throat.

“It’s not your fault Summer,” he said, the gentleness in his voice and the slight droop of his eyes remaining her of late nights and quiet words in under warms sheets, and she’d almost lost that.

“But,“ She croaked out, she didn’t even know where to begin.

“Start with what makes sense, then we can go to what doesn’t” he continued for her, then fell silent as they trudged down the now predictable corridors.

Left with her roiling emotions, Summer tried to put them into words. Her results were mixed. “I failed,” he quirked a brow at her, “I feel, like I failed,” his arm she’d wrapped around her shoulder gently squeezed her.

“Why?” there was no accusation nor judgement to the word.

“Because I promised I’d get us through this and I failed,” the words were bitter on her tongue.

They lapsed into silence, and she waited for his reply, “But aren’t we both here?”

“Barely, you almost died, all those people died. God, I didn’t even know their names and I just sat there crying when they,” her voice broke, “I could have helped then, done something!” She was crying again when she finished, whether for what she didn’t know.

“But we’re here.” He was calm in the face of her outburst.

“Yes,” She choked out with a nod, “we’re here.”

He gave her kisses she didn’t deserve, yet the warm lips on her cheeks eased her pain. “You did your best Summer, in a situation you weren’t the slightest bit prepared for,” he paused, no doubt for her benefit, “And that’s all we can do,” his voice was firm yet in no way forceful.

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“I know that I really do it’s just, just that-“she couldn’t find the words.

She didn’t need to, “It’s ok to be upset, I’m sure we’ll shed more tears before this is over. If this is ever over,” he sounded amused at the prospect, “We just have to be better if there’s a next time,”

“Thanks,” her voice was small.

“Always,”

He hadn’t said anything she hadn’t known, and this was a conversation she remembered having before – though in a less dire circumstance. Yet like then, she felt better for it, when she poured her problems, and he met them with such calm compassion that, that she couldn’t help but love him.

They continued with a much more comfortable silence before a thought crossed her mind.

“How are you feeling,” she asked worry clear in her voice.

“Horrible,” he answered with a smile, “I think magic’s the only reason my heart hasn’t given out.”

“Which of those should I be more concerned about?”

“The magic.” He sounded more tired than concerned.

She took a breath to blunt her rising frustration. Mensha’s calm was lovely – one of his best traits in her opinion, but it could be quite annoying at times.

“Please Mensha.”

He chuckled and she couldn’t stay frustrated, “The angel, the mist, you glowing I don’t know what it is so I’m going to call it magic.” He spoke quickly.

“I fell an and coming on.”

He flashed her a sleepy smile. “That woman, Stace she did something when it stung her and I can control my body, like making my heartbeat.”

“Are you doing that now,” she asked glowing spiking in worry.

“No, I’m fine Summer, only tired, but if not for that magic I’d have died like the others.”

The revelation felt profound, was this happening everywhere, to everyone? She was too tired to think about it.

They came to an exit after another short silence. The automatic doors slid open to darkness. She sagged in relief.

They stepped through the threshold. The streets were lit by spears glowing like torches in the pitch night, she looked up and was met by a bright constellation.

Innumerable stars filled her vision silhouetting the shape of buildings, no, they were building. Each light was a window or some other light, from buildings that towered impossibly high. Thin lines of darkness marred hovering streets or buildings she couldn’t tell.

One thing was clear though they were far from home. Faint screams coached in the distance.

“Ok, ok so what’s our next step,” she said trying to keep her fraying composure.

“Somewhere to sleep,” he covered a yawn, sounding half present.

“Shouldn’t we see what’s happening outside, or I don’t know something?”

“Summer,“ He stopped her with a hand on her shoulder, “Look at me,”

She did, he swayed precariously without her support, numerous needle-sized punctures littered his body visible due to the puff of inflamed skin that surrounded them, but it was more than that. His eyes struggled to stay open, and his gaze wavered as he struggled to focus.

How had she just noticed?

“We need a break, we need to sleep,”

She glanced out into the dark night then back to what was important. Her determination flared slightly, and some strength returned to her. She’d almost failed before, she refused to be so careless again.

Mindset she crouched and lifted him off his feet, nestling him between her arms and turned from the dark streets and walked into the bright mall.

He blinked up at her. “What are you doing,”

“Carrying you.” He continued blinking, “I’ll find us somewhere to stay inside the mall.”

“I thought we were doing that after we left,”

“Outside, where there could be more monsters.”

“Oh,”

“And before you say it. If there are any more inside, then we’ve at least dealt with one.” She stared pointedly into his slowly blinking eyes “So, you can sleep for now.” She finished with challenge, she couldn’t help but note he looked cut half asleep.

“Fine, you win.” He relaxed with a soft tone. His eyes drifted closed, and he mumbled “But piggyback is better than bridal carry.” She kept her laughter quiet.

With a lighter heart, she set out in search of shelter.