There’s a long and low groan, heavy with exhaustion and longing. Through sheer determination, Eli slowly lifts his eyelids, letting the gray light filter into his pupils. He sighs. The room is covered in dust. There is overturned furniture scattered all around the house, with broken glass littering the floor and muddy boot prints trailing everywhere. The indifferent white lights seem to suck all the warmth from the building, as they exude an aura of mockery, as if ridiculing his desire for the warmth of the sun. Through the cracked windows, the storm seems to have cleared, as all that can be seen is a light haze that breaks through the familiar gray expanse above. A hard grayness reminiscent of ash, impregnable and cold, an impenetrable wall that hides the heavens above.

Eli’s mind flickers back to the strange dream. The memory is hazy, like a mirage, but he can still remember the vivid colors and foreign sounds that graced his ears. He also remembers the moment the world broke down into the familiar strings of the universe, leaving him with a deep and fundamental realization: There was once a world that contained everything. That has been reduced to mere memory. Only the Earth itself can recall those days; its inhabitants and rulers have long forgotten. A pit forms within his stomach as he recalls the scent of the flowers and wind, of the unfiltered air that didn’t reek of chemicals and poison. Though he fails to remember the faces, he remembers the cheerful smiles, and can still hear the laughter of children.

The gentle melody of a guitar, mixing with the swaying sigh of the ocean of grass that carried through the massive forest that canopied him. He can’t remember the details of the dream, but he remembers the senses, and perhaps that’s more painful. To be unable to remember the exact nature of his happiness, to be forced to accept the reality that a world of distant dreams and recollections appeals to him more than his present life. A fragmented memory. Like shattered glass.

Eli lifts his arm and runs his fingers through his hair, wincing as his hands brush against the burned areas of his skull. By now the water has dried, but there’s still a chance of getting burned from his damp clothes. I should get out of these… He lazily makes such a remark, as if he’s simply an observing outsider. He makes no attempt to move any further, choosing instead to stare off into the distance with empty eyes, his pupils dark and powerless. His face is heavy, with not a smile nor a frown, merely tired indifference that’s uncaring and unbothered. Perhaps it was the dream, or maybe it’s a form of exhaustion that’s a result of the recent events. Whatever the case, Eli has once again found himself in this familiar state. At times like this, Audrey would usually perk up and scold him for being so gloomy, but at present --

There’s a light wheeze.

Eli feels a sensation of intense whiplash as he snaps back to reality, taking in his dim and dreary surroundings with a mix of excitement, worry, and hastiness. To his left, laying naked on a stiff couch, her blanket only barely covering her skin, Audrey tries to raise her hands, but stops after wincing in pain. Her breath is light, faint, a gentle whisper only barely audible. Her eyes are shut tight, clenched in pain, and her jaw is rigid as she lets out a pained moan, wanting to curl her body up yet incapable of movement.

Eli jumps from his seat, taking care not to put too much pressure on his foot, and hobbles over to the girl, his movements loud and frantic. Panic sets Audrey’s frenzied mind afire as she twitches in desperation, forcing herself to open her eyes. Just as she does that, she hears Eli’s raspy voice, a couple of feet away from her ears.

“Audrey… I’m so glad you’re awake… I tried my best to patch you up, but… well, I guess my lack of talent is becoming increasingly more obvious by the second.”

Eli’s “joke” is told without a hint of humor. Instead, it’s ripe with self-ridicule and scorn. Recognizing his voice, Audrey instantly calms down. Her body loses its strength as she sinks into the couch, becoming limp. After spending a moment to collect a few pieces of her scattered thoughts, she manages to utter a single word in a husky voice.

“...Water…”

Eli understands immediately. Standing up, he hurries over to the kitchen, finding a small plastic cup, and filling it with water from the sink. He then hurries back, cup in hand, to the weakly breathing Audrey. His mind subconsciously ignores her present frail state.

“I got you some water. Here, open your mouth a little bit, I don’t want to drown you by accident.”

Doing as told, she cracks her lips, letting Eli carefully place the cup to her mouth, trickling a small stream of clear liquid, as if feeding her medicine. Her throat moves as she slowly swallows the water, and after around five seconds, Eli stops pouring. He tilts his head slightly, his uncertainty and inexperience written all over his face.

“Do you need more? I don’t want to make you sick. Is there anything else you need?”

After a moment of stillness, Audrey utters quietly, her eyes closed and her movements minimal.

“...Cold.”

“Hmmm… I took your clothes off since they were wet, but your burns are rather severe. I tried my best to wrap them in what I could find, but there’s too many minor ones. I was worried that having something pressed against them would hurt too much, but I did lightly cover you with a blanket. I’m afraid it probably doesn’t do much…”

Audrey’s mouth curls up slightly as she hears his worry. It’s a pained and regretful smile, full of misery and guilt. She moves her lips again, and whispers words of reassurance.

“It’s fine… I’m cold…”

“Alright, hold on.”

After being told what to do, the burdens on Eli’s mind lift, and he sets himself to work. His expression lights ever so slightly as he finally finds a suitable blanket in a nearby closet. Returning to Audrey, Eli carefully spreads out the dense blanket, covering her in her entirety, save her head. Then, with careful hands, he tucks in the sides a little bit to prevent heat from escaping. With a whimsical expression, Audrey cracks open her eyes.

“You’ve seen me naked… How very forward of you…”

Eli tries to laugh with her, but a lump forms in his throat when his gaze settles on her frighteningly pale face. His lips twitch. Trying his best to sound lighthearted, he murmurs a question.

“So… Um… How are you feeling? Is there anything I can, um, do for you?”

The girl’s expression stiffens, and her heart swells up in pain. Shutting her eyes, she moves her head back and forth a few centimeters, an obvious sign of denial. Then, after a slight pause, she whispers, her voice as soft as the wind that carried across the sea of grass.

“Why don’t you sit next to me? I feel anxious with your hovering.”

Noticing that she’s gotten better at forming full sentences, Eli happily obliges, dragging his previous chair until it’s right next to his friend’s head. He sits down with a heavy thump, not noticing the puff of dust that fills the air, nor the tinkling sound of broken glass beneath his shoes. With gentle eyes, he takes a seat, leaning back as he lets out a sigh. Audrey smiles while listening to him, her emotions a mystery.

“What were you doing while I was asleep…? Nothing weird, I hope…”

Eli can’t find it in himself to be annoyed. His mouth lets out a soft laugh as he’s momentarily unsure how to respond. Without giving him any time, Audrey suddenly chuckles.

“No… It’s fine… I-If it’s you, it doesn’t matter…”

“You, you really shouldn’t talk like that, Audrey… People might get the wrong idea…”

They both know that nobody else can hear their conversation.

“Oh really? That’s fine. I don’t mind.”

His face scrunches up, and for a moment, he’s incapable of even speaking. Though she might think she’s hiding it, Eli can clearly see her expression of guilt, a dismaying look that swells and bloats his soul. Forcing down his rising emotions, he tries to speak calmly, but his voice betrays him, quivering in the process.

“What’s wrong, Audrey…?”

“...”

Silence. Despite being in a city, despite the windows and door being broken and smashed, at this moment, not even the wind is audible. After a long, agonizing moment, Audrey’s expression finally crumples. Her eyes peek open, with hot tears blazing trails down her dusty cheeks. The guilt and pain in her eyes, eyes that resemble the night sky at dusk, seeps out and coats her face. Her lips quiver.

“... I’m, I’m sorry…”

“... What?”

“I’m sorry, that I freaked out, and abandoned you…”

“...”

“...”

The room freezes, as though trapped in the dead of winter. Coldness begins to settle in the space between them. Audrey’s thoughts are a mystery as hot tears seep from her squinted eyes. A long moment of deep contemplation, as if considering many possible futures and events leaves the young man sitting in silence. After a long moment, Eli chuckles.

“It’s fine. There’s nothing to worry about. I don’t know what happened exactly, but from what I understand, you were right when you said there was danger.”

Despite being forgiven, Audrey’s expression crumples further. Soft, breathless sobbing fills the small building as the girl’s tears scorch her cheeks. Her guilt still remains. In fact, it even intensifies. It leaves her heart shattered into millions of pieces. With a broken heart, she finally whispers and releases the disgusting monster that’s hidden within her heart, voice breaking as she struggles between breathless sobs.

“I’m, sorry, that I left you! I’m sorry, that I didn’t, come back for you…!”

Something seems to click within Eli as he finally understands what she’s talking about. When I found her, she was at the edge of the district. I guess she decided to leave me behind? That’s… Not really a big deal, is it? He racks his brain, trying and failing to come up with a reason to go headfirst into a warzone for a person you’re not even sure is alive. With no response capable of fully emphasizing his feelings, Eli simply reaches out, and cups her cheek in his hand. Such an action allows his emotions to better flow from his heart. The words smoothly translate to his lips.

“... It’s okay. Don’t beat yourself up about it, alright? You did the right thing.”

As he speaks, with completely instinctive movements, he wipes away the tears streaming down her face. His lips move again, a perfectly natural smile gracing his lips. His words are light with a lofty casualness, not an ounce of hesitation or uneasiness to be seen. His gentle expression fills the entirety of Audrey’s blurry vision. She can only see his reassuring grin.

“C’mon, don’t we have more important things to do? Your guitar is still at our house, so we’re gonna need to go back there and get it. We might need to change the plan around, but there’s nothing to stress about. We’ll free your dad eventually.”

As she listens to his words, Audrey’s expression softens. She lets out a slow sigh as she seems to lose her energy. Her body sinks into the couch as she gives a toothy grin, an expression wholly lacking in strength, yet more brilliant than the sun.

“Ha… Ha… I don't know what I was worried about…”

Eli tries to reply, but his words get stuck in his throat. The faint sound of a guitar rings true in his ear, gentle and bright, drifting through air like a soft white cloud. Before he can say a word, Audrey’s eyes grow distant. Her voice lets out a longing, wistful whisper.

“You’re.. just like… Papa…”

With that, Audrey’s eyes grow glassy. The light within fades away, until all that remains is a glossy, reflective surface. She stares into the distance, as if looking at the past, a playful smile frozen on her lips.

In the silent world of red and black, Eli watches as the softly swirling strings grow still. The gently waving bundle of silver sways, their form the only light in the dim expanse.

Their brilliant luster fades.

Never to be seen again.