I Know The End
Sal had found Anya’s body in the medbay. She had overdosed on painkillers and was sitting on the floor, clutching her stomach, dead. Sal couldn’t believe her eyes, just looking at her, it made her want to scream, tear her hair out, cry, all at once. She could see her body had already started to bloat, or was she…? No. Scratch that, that wouldn’t be possible.
Sal fell down to her knees in front of Anya and cupped her face in her hands. She didn’t care that she was covered in her own vomit and blood, she just couldn’t.
“Anya..?” Sal breathed out shakily, she didn’t even notice the tears falling down her face. “Anya, it’s me… You’re gonna be okay, alright? I’m here. I got you.”
She could barely keep down a sob as she looked into Anya’s eyes, those once filled with such beautiful life and gentleness, were now empty husks with nothing behind them. Sal gently wrapped her arms around Anya and pulled her close. She held her like she was the most valuable thing in the world, because in that moment, she’d do anything to feel her warmth once more.
“Please, wake up.” She closed her eyes and let out a soft sob.
“Why didn’t you save me?” Sal could suddenly hear Anya’s voice and her eyes shot open. She pulled away to look at Anya’s face, though nothing had changed. What had changed however, was they were now in a jet black void with nothing but Sal and Anya’s corpse there.
“What?” Sal asked, her eyes searching Anya’s for something, anything.
“Why didn’t you SAVE ME?!”
Something pressed against the back of Sal’s head, but before she could figure out what it was, she heard a bang and a bullet pierced her skull. She had been shot. The pain was agonizing, but she was still conscious somehow, but she couldn’t move now, she could only watch.
She was now in the sleeping quarters, laying down with her head facing the door. A figure was standing there, watching over her. She couldn’t tell who it was, but it filled her with fear as it came closer and closer.
“No.” Sal thought.
“No, stop!”
“NO!”
Sal gasped out and shot up in her bed. It was a dream. It was all a dream, but it felt so real. She clutched her face in her hands as she hyperventilated. It was like her lungs had been stolen out of her chest and she only had her windpipe left. Sal felt someone sit down at the edge of her bed, but she couldn’t do anything but try to catch her breath.
“Sal, what’s going on?” Sal was immediately filled with relief when she realized who’s concerned voice it was.
“Anya…” Sal murmured out and looked over at Anya through the space between her fingers. Her eyes met with Anya’s, hers filled with life once more. She was okay. That made Sal’s breathing calm down a little.
“Are you alrigh-” Anya couldn’t even finish her question before Sal hugged her, this time, Sal felt the warmth of Anya’s arms around her too.
“Are you alright?” Anya asked again.
“Yeah.” Sal replied, her voice still a little shaky. “You?”
“Of course I am. Why?”
“Thank God…” Sal hugged Anya a little tighter and she let out a small sigh. They were both okay.
Anya had no idea what was going on, but she hugged Sal tighter as well anyway, hoping it would make her feel better. Ever since Sal had run out of those patches, she had been getting these horrible nightmares. Sal didn’t talk too much about them and Anya sure as hell wasn’t going to press on about it. It would probably stress her out even more.
“Another bad dream?” Anya asked and gently pulled away to look at Sal. If only she knew.
There was a small pause.
“Promise me nothing bad will ever happen to you. I don’t think my heart could take it.” Sal chuckled weakly. Anya had never seen Sal like this. So vulnerable and scared. It was strange that this was the same person that almost punched Jimmy in the face multiple times for acting so passive-aggressively when stuff didn’t go his way.
Anya hesitated for a moment, then cupped Sal’s face in her hands. It surprised Sal, Anya had never touched her face like this before. It almost made her tear up for some reason. Stupid feelings.
“With you around, I don’t think I have to worry about that.” Anya smiled a little.
Sal huffed a chuckle out of her nose and put a hand on top of one of Anya’s. Her hands were so warm, like beams of summer sunshine on her face.
“Maybe.” she mumbled.
“Maybe? Girl, have you seen the way you act around the Tulpar? You’re like an unstoppable boulder.”
That made Sal laugh, genuinely. It was like music in Anya’s ears.
“Yeah? Well, some might even say I… rock.”
Leave it to Sal to always make a pun when she could. It didn’t matter if it was the end of the world or if she was having a literal panic attack, when she saw that chance, she took it.
“You’re terrible.” Anya pushed Sal’s face away and she tried her best to keep a deadpanned look on her face, but her smile was betraying her.
“Oh, come on, don’t give me the coal shoulder!”
“Really? I try to comfort you and this is how you repay me? With rock jokes?” Anya facepalmed, but she was snickering to herself.
“You like it.” Sal replied and gently moved Anya’s hand away from her face. They stared at each other for maybe a bit too long before Anya cleared her throat. They both looked away for a moment.
“Um, thanks for looking out for me. It means a lot to me.” Sal said, her voice a little softer than before. It filled Anya with a bit of warmth, knowing they could look out for each other this way.
She looked over at Sal and she gave a small smile.
“Of course. Always.”