Fifty-Nine- Ray

DUN. DUN. DUUUUUUN!

Chapter 59

Ray

The moment Malum arrived, I saw Nox freeze. I ignore it though, because we're all fighting a ten foot tall guy who makes fire shoot out of his pores and wants desperately to kill us.

Fun.

We've been fighting for a long time, and my burns and cuts are really hurting now, an I've just realized the whole left side of my head is matted with dried blood from some head wound I don't remember. Probably because of the head wound. Oh, was that why the world was spinning a while ago? Well it's come back.

Air sends a gust of wind at Malum that temporarily blows the flames out, and so Ash gets a quick burn in before they come back. A Sine rushes at me and I whip out my dagger, he's not one of the smart ones because he runs straight into it. I twist and he's dead, though he doesn't turn to ashes like the Fire Children.

Up behind me, a hand hits where the wound must be, because a shooting pain goes through me and warm blood trickles down my shoulder, which aches as well, along with the frigid rain, making me shiver. The world spins, but I turn and burn the Sine with a stream of sun until he is dead. But the world still spins and my head throbs. My left arm hurts, and I look at it, but don't really comprehend what I see. It's burned and cut beyond recognition. Blood trickles into my left eye as well, and I can't see through it.

I need help. From what I can tell, everyone is preoccupied, except Nox, who is still frozen, watching Malum. I can't stand well, I'm shakey, I'm not going to last long.

Marina drowns him in torrent after torrent of water, supplied by the rain and Ash tries to burn him, but he's too wet. The world stops turning for a moment, though blood still rushes down my arm and drips off my fingers, and I concentrate a beam of light on him

Nox is frozen, he won't do anything to help either side. I can practically see the war waging in his dark eyes as he watches Malum's red skin blister and burst under my concentrated stream of sun. I watch him still stand frozen as Marina whips a blade of ice at Malum, blood spurting from the wound on his back. His hair burns as Ash sends a wave of fire over him. Malum screams, and falls. But he doesn't lay there, he is gone, disappeared.

“This is not over.” Satelles hisses, and he's gone too.

“We did it.” Ash whispers. Then we erupt in cheers, all but Nox, who is still frozen. Marina and Wren kiss. Airborne hugs me and we jump up and down, laughing. We break apart and I walk toward Nox, as I take the last step, I see the battle stop in his eyes, the good side has won, and he says:

“I think... This might be the part where I kiss you.”

“Sounds about right.” I breathe, finally giving in. He tilts my chin up with two fingers and presses his lips to mine. After a few seconds, his arms wrap around me holding me closer. I feel myself burst into light. The cheers around us die down and I can practically feel everyone's jaws drop to the ground, but I don't dare interrupt this perfect moment.

“I've chosen.” He whispers.

“I know.” I reply.

Then he looks at me, and for the first time seems to notice how much blood I've lost, and I realize my shirt is completely soaked with it, clinging to me. My arm is pink and dangling, my hair is red and brown, and black spots swim in front of my vision. My pulse is pounding in my ears, and suddenly a drop of rain just lands directly on the fragile skin of the wound, reopening any parts that may have clotted, and more blood rushes down my body.

“It's okay, head wounds just bleed a lot.” I sigh, and now I realize I wasn't breathy before in anticipation of kissing Nox, but in because I'm tired. I'm so tired. My eyelids droop, and when they reopen I'm not standing anymore, I'm held up by Nox's arms. He pulls me up and lays me down gently on the ground.

Is this a reverse of what happened when I whipped him? Instead of him lying in a pool of blood, it's me, instead of him looking into my eyes, it's me, and instead of him passing out, it's me.

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.

“Ray?” I hear Nox ask. Thud. Thud. Thud. My closed eyelids pulse, they are red against whatever light is outside my own little world of darkness. Thud. Thud. Thud. I blink open my eyes. I'm inside, the room is white, the smell is sharp. A hospital. The dirty, bloody boy leaning over me doesn't belong in this landscape.

“Ray, how do you feel?”

“I have a headache.” I groan, shutting my eyes from the bright lights. “Can someone please turn that constant thudding off?” I try to cover my closed lids, but my left hand is restrained, it won't move.

“What's wrong with my arm?” I say not opening my eyes, but I hear Nox gulp. Why isn't my arm moving? I squint as I open my eyes and look at my arm, but... it's not there. I scream, which just makes my head hurt more.

“WHERE'S MY ARM!?”

“They- they had to amputate.” My mom says, and I realize she's been standing on my left side. I suddenly realize neither of them have looked me in the eyes, and that there's something sticky on my nose. I reach up with my left and and feel cloth and tape over my eye.

“Is it-?” I choke. Mom nods. I'm missing an eye.

“Can I have a mirror?” I ask.

“I don't know if-” Nox starts.

“Let me see myself.” I demand. Mom takes out her compact from her purse and hands it to me. I click it open and look at myself. How did I not remember getting these wounds? The whole left side of my body is screwed up, my arm and eye being missing and all. But then my face.

My face I was told so often was beautiful. There are countless lines criss crossing and burns patch-working my face. A particularly long line is stitched up and drags down the corner of my lip, giving me an exaggerated pout on that side. The gauze covering my eye is slightly red, bleeding through. My ear is also gone, probably burned, judging by how half my hair is gone as well and my scalp torched.

All I can manage to say is, “How did you kiss me like this?”

“We're hoping, when you can stand-”

“Why can't I stand?” I interrupt, and throw the blanket off of me and almost scream in frustration. My f*****g leg is gone too, from the knee down.

“I'm sorry.” He whispers.

“It's okay,” I joke weakly, “it was a nuisance anyway, the whole walking thing.”

Suddenly, I see something I never thought I'd see. A tear slips down Nox's dirty cheek. “It's all my fault! If I'd just snapped out of it and helped you.”

“It all happened before that, I promise.”

He takes a deep breath, “So, we're hoping once you can stand, when you turn into light, everything might come... back, I guess.”

For some reason, I doubt it. (That was sarcasm.)

The battle was a victory for all of us, but a major loss for me.

Author's Note

I've been working on the whole wounds thing, because mine always suck, so how did I do? ;)
reviews please!

Reviews

[Abbie]

the wounds are pretty...hevely aplied, but I suppose you wanted it that way. It works out pretty well too..... I was actually thinking that you were gonna kill her, which would be pretty interesting.... sorry I just always want some character to die in every book.... I'm just a little bit violent, aren't I? :P

anywho, I think this chapter was great, the detail was fantastic, and I want to know what happens next! write fast! Please! I said please! :D

[Wild Willow Blue]

You did really great. You painted a picture that let me see everything. It's not too much either, I love it. Great work.

[Amanda]

Just a bit too much dearie :P
Even though I guessed it was Ray, I still hope she gets something back maybe and arm? Good chapter :)

[Sophie]

that was the point, having it be too much :)