{"id":381,"date":"2011-07-06T00:00:11","date_gmt":"2011-07-06T04:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=381"},"modified":"2011-07-06T00:00:11","modified_gmt":"2011-07-06T04:00:11","slug":"day-3-chapter-7-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=381","title":{"rendered":"Day 3 – Chapter 7 – 10"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom lay on his back, staring at nothing with Marin\u2019s blanket pulled across his chest, so he could at least have a hint of her near, since it smelled like her.\u00a0 It had taken half an hour to convince Jacqueline that he was all right, that he just wanted to rest, no, nothing was wrong with his head\u2014not from a building falling on him, anyway.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019s so pissed at me.\u00a0 Maybe it\u2019s better that she is.\u00a0 <\/em>He closed his eyes.\u00a0 If we\u2019re apart, maybe nothing will happen.\u00a0 Maybe the nightmares will stop.<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He opened his eyes to the sound of footsteps and pushed himself up on his elbow, watching Matt as he rooted around in Marin\u2019s bag for something.\u00a0 \u201cHey Matt.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The glare Matt gave him could have melted steel.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom tried not to recoil.\u00a0 Fuck.\u00a0 What did I do?<\/em>\u00a0 \u201cIs she okay?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo thanks to you,\u201d Matt snapped.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What the hell?<\/em>\u00a0 Thom sat up fully, ignoring the sharp complaints from his ribs.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDamned if I know, because they won\u2019t tell me, but I know it\u2019s got something to do with you.\u00a0 You two can\u2019t go three days without fighting about something, can you?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What happened to her?<\/em>\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re not\u2014\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf you\u2019re not fighting again, Thom, then why the hell is she on my mattress instead of hers?\u201d\u00a0 Matt growled and jerked Marin\u2019s bag up and onto his shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cYou would think that the apocalypse coming would teach you that there\u2019s more important shit to worry about than whatever the hell you\u2019re fighting over.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She can\u2019t accept that I don\u2019t see the shit she sees.\u00a0 That\u2019s all.\u00a0 My dreams are just that\u2014dreams.\u00a0 Nightmares.\u00a0 That\u2019s all.\u00a0 Maybe the shit she\u2019s seeing is real.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know that one way or another because I can\u2019t see it.\u00a0 What I see isn\u2019t real.\u00a0 It\u2019s not.\u00a0 It can\u2019t be.<\/em>\u00a0 Thom shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t understand anyway.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYeah, right,\u201d Matt said, voice dripping with sarcasm.\u00a0 \u201cProbably not.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom tried not to make a sound, slumping back to the mattress as Matt pivoted and marched out, carrying Marin\u2019s bag.\u00a0 Thom groped blindly for her blanket, fist closing around the fabric.\u00a0 He closed his eyes.\u00a0 Mar, what did you do?\u00a0 What happened?<\/em>\u00a0 He took a steadying breath, trying to tamp down the fear welling up inside of him.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t just sit here,\u201d he murmured to himself.\u00a0 He pushed himself to his feet, ignoring the screaming, almost blinding pain in his ankle.\u00a0 The splint only supported him so much.\u00a0 Jacqueline and J.T. would kill him.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 But maybe <\/em>she won\u2019t.<\/em>\u00a0 He threw Marin\u2019s blanket across his shoulder and started the painful limp toward where her brother had been sleeping.\u00a0 He tried to keep as much of his weight off his injured ankle as he could as he made his slow trek to where he hoped she\u2019d still be.\u00a0 By the time he made it there, she was alone, just curling up on Matt\u2019s mattress with a blanket.\u00a0 Her back was to him.\u00a0 \u00a0Thom leaned against one of the shelving units that still stood in place, still served as a sort of wall between each sleeping cubical, and stared at her for a moment.\u00a0 She had the blanket pulled up to her shoulder, hair spilling across the pillow.\u00a0 He limped over and slowly sank down on the ground next to her, starting to spread the blanket he\u2019d brought over her.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Marin gave a start and started to roll onto her back.\u00a0 She blinked up at him, then rolled back onto her side, not looking at him.\u00a0 \u201cWhat do you want?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAre you okay?\u00a0 Matt said you got hurt.\u201d\u00a0 And it\u2019s my fault, probably.<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She shook her head slightly, staring straight ahead.\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t care.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It was like she\u2019d plunged a frozen knife into his chest, sharp and cold, enough to stop his heart.\u00a0 There was never a time I didn\u2019t <\/em>care.<\/em>\u00a0 \u201cI care,\u201d he whispered.\u00a0 \u201cWhat happened?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou won\u2019t believe me.\u00a0 You don\u2019t think any of it\u2019s real.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The ice in his chest worked its way down into his guts, coiling like a great, frosty snake inside his belly.\u00a0 He reached down to tentatively brush her hair away from her face.\u00a0 \u201cMar\u2026\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She jerked away.\u00a0 \u201cThom, don\u2019t.\u00a0 Please.\u00a0 I already know you\u2019re not going to believe me, so why bother?\u201d\u00a0 She tugged the blanket closer.\u00a0 \u201cThank you for my blanket, but you didn\u2019t have to bring it.\u00a0 Could you leave me alone now, please?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom swallowed hard.\u00a0 Don\u2019t want to leave her.\u00a0 I don\u2019t want to leave things like this.<\/em>\u00a0 \u201cWhat did I do?\u201d\u00a0 He finally murmured.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She rolled onto her back again and stared at him.\u00a0 \u201cYou lied to my face, Thom.\u00a0 That\u2019s what you did.\u00a0 You lied to my face in front of Jacqueline.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAbout what?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Her eyes narrowed.\u00a0 \u201cAbout why you fell over.\u00a0 You weren\u2019t dizzy.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom looked away.\u00a0 \u201cNo,\u201d he agreed.\u00a0 \u201cI wasn\u2019t dizzy.\u00a0 My mind was wandering, that\u2019s all.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWandering.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes, wandering!\u201d\u00a0 He glared at her for a moment, then instantly softened as he saw the hurt and disbelief in her eyes.\u00a0 He sighed.\u00a0 \u201cMar, I was daydreaming, okay?\u00a0 Just\u2026imagining things.\u00a0 Like what could happen if all of this actually somehow works out and we don\u2019t all die in the next couple of months.\u201d\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t a complete<\/em> lie, anyway.\u00a0 He hoped she\u2019d take it as truth enough and believe him.\u00a0 \u201cNow what happened to you?\u00a0 Did you fall or something?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Marin\u2019s lips thinned and she slowly sat up, staring at him for a moment.\u00a0 \u201cYou won\u2019t believe me.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cStop saying that.\u00a0 Just try me.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFine.\u201d\u00a0 She looked away.\u00a0 \u201cIt was the grays.\u00a0 The little mischief-maker entities that Drew\u2019s been sensing almost his whole life.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom\u2019s stomach twisted, noting that Marin hadn\u2019t mentioned that he himself had admitted to seeing them, too, before he decided that it was too dangerous to accept that it was more than their imaginations running away with them.\u00a0 All the moisture in his mouth dried up.\u00a0 \u201cWhat did they do?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey got me surrounded.\u00a0 Thank god Drew and Rory followed my sorry ass down into the ravine.\u00a0 I broke our rule and almost paid the price for it.\u201d\u00a0 She still wasn\u2019t looking at him; she was instead very interested in picking lint off her blankets.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom reached over and took her hand, noticing what looked like some kind of burn on her left arm as he twined his fingers in hers.\u00a0 Her fingers were cold, trembling.\u00a0 \u201cDid they do that?\u201d\u00a0 He asked quietly.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Marin squeezed her eyes shut.\u00a0 \u201cYou believe me when I\u2019m telling you that the grays hurt me, but you won\u2019t believe that you and I can both see things before they happen?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMaybe you can,\u201d Thom said quietly, forcing doubt into his voice and trying to quell the sick feeling in his stomach, the feeling that said that he was in denial and maybe she was right, \u201cbut I can\u2019t.\u00a0 I don\u2019t see any of it.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She jerked her hand from his and hit him, backhanded him hard enough that he toppled over backwards, more stunned than hurt.\u00a0 He blinked up at the bottom of the wooden bunk above his head, sucking in a deep breath.\u00a0 Marin was crying next to him, painful, wrenching sobs.\u00a0 A big, cold hand wrapped icy fingers around his heart and squeezed.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 God, Marin, why can\u2019t you understand?<\/em>\u00a0 He squeezed his eyes shut.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d he whispered.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJust leave me alone, Thom,\u201d she managed to say through her sobs.\u00a0 She mopped at her eyes with the corner of her blanket.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t,\u201d he whispered as he forced himself up on an elbow, wincing at pain in his ribs.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She shook her head a little, staring at him.\u00a0 \u201cWhy not?\u00a0 You obviously can\u2019t accept\u2026a lot of things.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBecause no matter how much we fight about what you think I can see, I still love you.\u201d\u00a0 He took her hand again and squeezed, then let go.\u00a0 She needs space, though.\u00a0 Maybe I should give it to her.<\/em>\u00a0 He forced himself fully into a sitting position with a wince, then started climbing to his feet.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c\u2026did you come here by yourself?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He nodded, trying not to look or feel guilty.\u00a0 \u201cI had to.\u00a0 Matt wouldn\u2019t tell me anything.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMatt didn\u2019t know anything.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom nodded, shifting his weight fully onto his good leg.\u00a0 \u201cAre you going to be okay?\u201d\u00a0 He whispered.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She stood up slowly, leaving her brother\u2019s blanket behind.\u00a0 She slid her right arm under Thom\u2019s shoulders.\u00a0 \u201cLean on me,\u201d she murmured.\u00a0 \u201cJac\u2019s going to kill you for walking on that ankle.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOnly if you tell her,\u201d he answered, looking down hat her.\u00a0 He settled an arm around her and leaned against her, keeping most of his weight off his ankle again.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Marin,\u201d he repeated after a moment of shared silence, voice a bare whisper.\u00a0 \u201cI do believe you.\u00a0 You see what you see.\u00a0 I have to trust that.\u00a0 I just wish you could believe me.\u201d\u00a0 I wish you could believe that I don\u2019t have the same gift\u2014or curse.<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Marin looked up at him, pain flickering through her dark eyes.\u00a0 He had to look away; he couldn\u2019t bear the sight.\u00a0 Her arm tightened around him and he winced despite himself, his ribs protesting the pressure.\u00a0 \u201cI love you,\u201d was all she said in response.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t an affirmation, just a matter-of-fact statement.\u00a0 Then she started walking, leading him gently back to their cubby, their space.\u00a0 They sank down to the mattresses together and he gathered her into his arms, lacing his fingers through her hair, ignoring his throbbing ankle and sore chest.\u00a0 She was so small in his arms, trembling and cold.\u00a0 He rested his chin against her head.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She buried her face in his neck.\u00a0 \u201cI just hate you sometimes,\u201d she murmured into his skin.\u00a0 He shivered a little.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I hate me sometimes, too, Mar.<\/em>\u00a0 His arms tightened around her.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d\u00a0 He kissed the top of her head, inhaling the scent of her hair.\u00a0 \u201cBut you\u2019re stuck with me.\u00a0 I can\u2019t live without you.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She shivered and he drew her blanket around them both.\u00a0 They stayed like that, sitting together, holding each other, for a long, long time.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom lay on his back, staring at nothing with Marin\u2019s blanket pulled across his chest, so he could at least have a hint of her near, since it smelled like her.\u00a0 It had taken half an hour to convince … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-381","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-chapter-7","category-day-3"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-69","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/381","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=381"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/381\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=381"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=381"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=381"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}