Peace like a river [Dee/Day 3]

It was out of mercy that the axe burrowed itself deep into her thigh, a final blow so to speak. Arianna opened her mouth with surprise as the force of the hit and the weakness in her legs drove her down to the ground. She waited to hear his voice, to reassure her that it would be okay, that she could finally let go. Instead, all she could hear was the rustling sunflowers as the sound moved away away away. He’s leaving. He’s…going away.

Her chest heaved irregularly as she kept trying to gasp her next breath, her body anchored by the ground. Her tears had not stopped running since she made the realization that Rex had been her enemy the whole time, and they continued to flow to the ground, salting the area around her. Rex…. She closed her eyes, waiting for death to take her, when the sound of weapons in a close distance kept her minding working. No! Leave him alone! Don’t….don’t….

When she came to again, there was another human being next to her, talking to her. You came back. Who else in the arena would have called her “Ari”? Who else in the arena even knew her name? She reached her hand out for confirmation but instead felt a canteen in her hand. She shook her head in response, but her body wanted the clear liquid. She was dying and all her body could think about was the last time she had a drink of water. There was one in her bag, but lifting her arm up felt so tedious.

Rex had placed something in her hands and her fingers could sense it was paper. And a writing stylus. But I can’t…see. Arianna was confused until it dawned on her: he had no way of knowing. He doesn’t know I can’t see. She uncapped the writing stylus and wrote on the page. “Can’t see. Lost vision.” She ripped the page off and started scribbling some more on the next page. ”Next note. Leave on bag. Use knife to hold it.” She showed Rex the page before ripping it again. She was running on blind faith that Rex was reading the notes, hoping that he would understand the short notes.

Her hand reached out for Rex’s, wanting confirmation that it really was him. Because I remember. I remember the feeling of his hand in mine from the train. That's all I need.