In this life AND the next
It hit her like a king tide.
Every nerve ending and muscle fibre screamed and if she thought she could manage it, she would have as well but the metallic tang coating her tongue and the back of her throat rendered even speech hard to come by.
Her back was flat against the ground, the stone a cool contrast to the thick heaviness that seemed to press down on her entire body. Her mind was foggy, her thoughts sluggish, and she couldn’t quite put her finger on what had happened.
The air was thick with dust and debris from the surrounding stone structure and it rained down like dirty snow around her. How was she in this position yet again.
Body still.
Limbs lifeless.
A further heaviness settled in her chest, rib cage straining to expand to let enough air into her lungs.
She was beginning to panic.
She had done so, in the before, when her world had been reduced to the area she could see when she turned her head.
As if on muscle memory, Ava turned her head to catch sight of where she now lay. Her breathing becoming even more laboured when she couldn’t see or hear anyone else. She couldn’t really hear anything at all; the feeling of cotton wool plugging her ears.
Where were Camilla, Mary, Lilith and Beatrice?
Her blood ran cold.
Beatrice…
Her mind screamed as her memories came flooding back.
They’d been cornered by wraith demons and one had grabbed Beatrice. Even one just breathing in her directions was guaranteed to set Ava off. Beatrice had been struggling with a demonic civilian but he was bigger than she was and he’d managed to grab Beatrice by the throat.
Ava had felt the halo’s power begin to surge as she’d leapt over a falling man trying to get to Beatrice. Her feet had hit the ground and everything had seemed to stop for a moment as a burst of energy catapulted out of her, and everyone was sent flying.
Great.
As always she never failed to make a bad situation worse. So she was in this position because of her own actions; however noble she had intended them to be. She swallowed hard trying to budge the lump there, her throat feeling like it as coated in thick molasses. The action caused her to cough and as she turned her head; blood spraying from her lips onto the ground.
Okay. That wasn’t good either.
“Ava?..”
All of a sudden sound became crystal clear and her head began to swim. She tried to clear her throat once again to no avail. She turned her head to and fro, trying to see where the voice was coming from and as a familiar silhouette appeared above her, tears began to well in her eyes.
Soft, strong, knowing hands skimmed over her until they reach her face, one cupping a bloodied cheek the other grabbing hold of a hand that she was just beginning to feel again.
Ava knew it was stupid but couldn’t help the smile that pulled at her lips as Beatrice’s dirt covered but beautiful face looked at her. She was okay. Beatrice was alive and breathing and there with her.
“Ava can you hear me?”
Ava nodded causing her to cough again, spraying blood across her cheek and the ground beside her once again. She swallowed again but this time felt her throat release its constrictive hold.
“B…Bea.. okay?”
Beatrice nodded, thumb butterflying across her cheek as she looked into her eyes.
“I’m okay… so are the others. Sorry it took us a bit to find you. You blasted yourself clear through 2 other rooms. If it hadn’t almost destroyed the building and crushed you, I’d have been very impressed.”
Ava tried to chuckle at Beatrice’s attempt at humour but her pain receptors had begun to awaken and the pain in her stomach shot up into her chest. Beatrice grimaced and moved to check Ava’s injuries but Ava held strong onto the hand in her own. It stopped Beatrice in her tracks and she looked back up at Ava, whose eyes were locked onto her.
“I’m not going anywhere. I promise…”
Ava nodded and reluctantly let go of Beatrice’s hand, knowing that it was important.
Beatrice carefully lifted the bottom of Ava’s blood soaked shirt to look at the wound there. She cringed as Ava groaned at the movement. Blood seeped readily out of the wound and Beatrice could see that something was embedded in Ava’s stomach.
“How’s it look doc?”
The words fumbled through gritted teeth and one of Ava’s hands had managed to grasp the closest thing of Beatrice she could find; her shirt.
“Well, it looks like a bit of debris is lodged in the wound. With the halo power still depleted, I’m not sure what I can do here Ava.”
Beatrice looked back at Ava, eyes slick with worry and a sheen emotion that Ava knew she did not want to be having at this moment.
“Do what you have to Beatrice. I trust you.”
With a curt nod and a deep breath Beatrice set about doing what she had to do. She pulled off her outer shirt, leaving her in her blank tank top, strong muscular arms exposed. Ava would have had the sense to admire them further but her eyes and clamped shut as Beatrice applied pressure to the wound with the shirt she had hurriedly shucked off moments earlier.
“In this life or the next..”
Ava opened her eyes, tears spilling from their corners and put her hand over Beatrice’s on her stomach.
“In this life and the next..”