What did they mean? I knew who I was, didn't I? I was Rosalia Mallory, a girl left on the doorstep of our town's foster agency to find a new home. From there I went through three homes before at the age of 16 instead of having to live in the group h...
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Ash's POV:
The silence continues. Long and full of tension it seems to suck all the air out of the room and make it feel suffocatingly small. Kinda like when you feel like everything's stacked against you and there's no way out. On edge and nervous I look around to see the others look just as afraid as me, Eris especially.
Hunter continues to watch Rosa. Waiting to see if she'll wake up and manage to fix the situation that's arising around us - but I can't have that luxury. Not here and not now. Not when Rosa's unable to help us stand our ground against Laurel's Triskelion and their newest addition to their ranks - the infamous Carradell twins. The blank look in his eyes frightens me more than any anger I'd ever seen since I hadn't witnessed him looking this lost since the...since the last time he almost lost her.
Releasing Eris's hands she sees where my eyes are lingering and gives my shoulder a sympathetic pat. Switching my attention to her I see she's offering a wry smile, motioning with her eyes for me to go. Are you sure? I mouth to her when I'm safely hidden from those I don't wish to see me worried. She nods again, her smile faltering only slightly. Seriously? Are you sure? I ask again, waiting to see her response.
Yea, Her tone sounds tired. Like she's ready to give up. But her eyes....her eyes tell a different story. Her eyes look like she's found something worth fighting for and is willing to stand by her choice, even if it kills her. A sad smile rises inside me but I fight to show it - the similarities between her and Rosa being too poignant at the present moment. Eris's smile changes slightly and I see her eyes gloss over with tears. Go. Now her tone is more gentle, guiding. Frowning at her slightly she sighs out loud, her eyes following mine to the pair still silent. Her hand returns to my shoulder where she'd removed it before, trying to telegraph a signal to me that I just wasn't getting. Go, he needs you. More than I do right now. Hesitating only a fraction too long she smiles a little wider though it's still edged with sadness. Go, he needs you. They both do.
Fine, My voice sounds just as tired as Eris's but somehow I find the strength in me from somewhere to let go of where Eris was still watching me. Taking the few precious steps across the space I reach Hunter's side and tap his shoulder. Eyes bright with tears find mine and I try to offer a small, hesitant smile. "No change?" I'm afraid to ask the question since I know I don't want to hear the variant of the answer that I know he'll give me based on how Rosa's still looking. Pale and tired-looking Rosa's eyes are still closed but there's a trickle of blood at one corner of her mouth.
Hunter shakes his head once before we hear it. A low, deep moan that seemed to originate from where we were. We both hold our breath and wait to hear it again. Tense with anticipation I almost miss the next noise. A cough. Just one. One simple cough but the sound is enough to make the slowly dying hope rekindle inside me. A look in Hunter's direction shows that he's struggling to let that hope in. Struggling to admit that she was still there as it would only make the pain worse if she was to vanish.
