Chapter 7: Alive

                                    

                                          
WORDS: 10,245
HARUMI'S POV:
I had seen too much. I was traumatized. I was in pain. My family did not love me. I was broken. Voices were screaming at me in the middle of the night. My muscles screamed in pain with every step I took. My heart pounded furiously as I cried. Too much strain was being put on me. I was going insane.
Yet, why did this person care for me?
The person who was bent to my level held me tightly. It was almost as if we were both on each other's lifelines. My body shook violently as it racked with sobs. Years of unshed tears they had flown through. My emotions were taking over me. So many painful memories flowed through my brain and came out as tears.
"Cry it all out; everything should seep out then; keep it in, " The voice said gently. 
I listened to them crying furiously as I buried my head into whoever shirt this was. I clung to their back as I let the tears out. This person was my lifeline. My ears listened to their calm and steady heartbeat. It was almost as if he knew I was listening to his heartbeat.
His voice rang calmly through my ears, "After you're done, try listening to the sound of my heartbeat to calm your own."
I matched my heartbeat to his own. Only then, when I lifted my head from his shirt, I realized that the man was Lloyd.
"You're going to be alright Harumi. We'll heal together. After all, you can't heal alone." Lloyd said comfortingly.
I stared into his comforting emerald-green eyes. Inside of them, you could see years of pain yet happiness. Inside his eyes, you could see that he had seen many things and grown up way too fast. He had seen horrors that no one else had seen before. 
I breathed in shakily, "I'm sorry. I probably woke you all up."
"Pretty sure Kai's not gonna get his beauty sleep, but that's all fine. What matters is how you're doing and feeling. We all just want you to heal. We'll come along for that journey so you won't be alone, " Lloyd assured. 
I smiled at his words. Lloyd had seen many things that caused him to grow up fast. He was sweet and kind. I wondered if every girl wished to be as close to him as I was right now. Lloyd's heart was so large and was filled with so much compassion and care. His heart was made of gold. He was so forgiving so loving of everyone. 
I offered my kindest smile, "Thank you."
"I'll be the person you can hold on to and lean on. I and the rest of the ninjas will be with you along the way to your journey of healing, " Lloyd replied smiling back. "It's the least we can do. We're all in this together, Harumi."
I stood up and gestured back to the hallway which led us to the sleeping quarters, "We should head to bed now. It's probably half past midnight already."
"I know you're still a bit shaken up, so I'll wait till you fall asleep so you can sleep comfortably. And don't try to fake sleeping; a ninja knows when someone's lying, " Lloyd said smiling at me. 
Since the ambush at the palace, I laughed. It was a true one. It wasn't fake. 
I giggled, "I promise."
We walked into our sleeping quarters. Inside were the faint outlines of the rest of the ninja asleep. They had not woken up during my whole ordeal outside. It was either they were truly sleeping or they were faking. Either way, I couldn't tell. 
"Let's talk in the morning, hm?" Lloyd asked gently as he placed one of his hands on my shoulder.
I smiled at him and nodded.