387. A cold weather, 8

(Rose)

It begun to rain for a few peaceful days.

The weather was still warm at first.

Humidity rose a lot even inside the buildings.

As per our usual routine in similar instances, we split up and began to explore the city during the days, scavenging what could be useful. We regrouped at nightfall back to camp.

Ana was growing restless as usual, hating the rain.

I ventured through buildings without windows, the rain being just near to me as it fell through these open mouths to the outside.

I opened some crates covered with so much dust, it had become a layer of earth where moss and shrubs began growing.

I found some clothing here and there.

I found more tablet computers that don't work, their batteries too old and sometimes turned into crystalline mushrooms. Also more books I can't read. They're written neither in English nor in new European.

I move swiftly from one treasure to the next, from one street tomb to another, under the cover of buildings, galleries, tunnels and collapsed structures. You can travel through the ghost town without getting exposed to the rain if you look for the ways. I'm getting better at that I noticed, improvising my way across random landscapes.

Modern cities were three-dimensional to say the least, even if they were without metropolitan tunnels. With enough detours and good guesses, I was able to avoid the rain all day long and travel far.

I see the darkness creeping over the walls like a living shadow.

Good morning you, it's been a long time.

I thought this thing only lived in England. It's the first time I recall seeing this kind of animal or thing outside the island.

Like the one I know, it recedes and hides as I get closer and noisy.

I uncover a lost helmet somewhere random, its shape ticked my curiosity. It's oddly shaped, with many holes along the sides, and it's made of light plastics mostly instead of metals. Odd.

I found next a luxurious fountain in the hall and indoor garden of an hotel. Behind it was a cliff, and the river below.

We didn't really notice how the river went across the city, as it's settled all over the stream.

In the distance, I see bridges to get across. One has fallen, the other one appears to still be standing behind the curtain of rainfall.

Tonight, I'll suggest to Bleue that we go investigate the other side of the bridge on the morrow. For if it's indeed alright, it's almost a new city that lies just beyond. It's worth doing an expedition out there together.

I check on the bridge. I get closer and closer, moving through and between the buildings.

I reach the stores in front, and come out under the rain. No way around getting wet to reach the bridge.

It's misty all around. I jog slightly, getting to the old structure.

It appears alright.

A gust of wind brushes me. I notice that something in my mind attempts to recognise things in the shapes and sounds the wind and mists that twirl around me.

For a few seconds, my imagination is playing tricks on me.

I smile, and then head back to our camp.

~

On her side, Bleue found some cans of preserved food. A luxurious meal of surprises is to be expected.

Although one of the cans has its lid curved outward. We know what that means.

We've had time to learn. Mould ate everything inside and raised the pressure of the gazes. It's best not to check nor eat what's inside that one.

But we still open it, for the fun of it.

It bursts open like a canon, throwing a dragon of putrid smell away under the rain.

The shapeless cloud flew away and vanished against the wall of the building on the other side of the street.

One hour later, it began to rot and some sort of mushrooms began to grow all over the places that cloud had scattered.

Bleue and I were eating the mysterious content of another can meanwhile. No idea what that was.

The humidity in the evening made Ana mad again. She just left. She needs her dry weather and will return then.

Bleue and I accommodated ourselves with it more easily.

Though Bleue began feeling unwell as nightfall settled.

When she coughed, it had this slimy sounds in her throat that signify mucus. My poor Bleue caught a cold, and is now spitting some gunk to clear her wind pipe.

~

Bleue keeps herself warm while I cook her soups of what I could find around.

She'll get better before the rain stops.

At night, she tells me of her latest invented tale.

It's about the future of the golden girl we've met. She inspired her.

Another odd tale I can't quite love nor hate. I smile, feeling weird as she plays with my mind again.

And then we head to sleep. Good night.

~

The rain has stopped on the next morning.

I wake up easily as all is calm.

Next to me, Bleue seems asleep.

Her skin is cold.

I touch her.

Bleue is cold.

My heart begins to ache. It begins to shrink onto itself.

As I begin to realise what happen, my heart turns into pain.

There's dry or sticky blood around her ears, her eyes, her nose and mouth. Her lips are oddly swollen and coloured.

Her eyes are still closed as if she were sleeping. It's like dry reddish tears froze at the corners of her eyes while she slept.

She just died.

Blood suddenly filled her lungs and face. Some blood vessels must have ruptured here and there.

She passed away during the night.

My mind froze completely.

I'm walking toward the light of day outside, trying to breathe. I'm suffocating silently.

The skies are clear and bright outside. It's a beautiful northern sky. A nice new day begins objectively.

As I turn around, I can't quite see her, as she lies in the shadows of this place we camp in.

I don't know what to do...

I begin feeling tears rolling silently along my face. They began to flow long before my voice recalled how to react.

~

When you disappeared from me, I was able to cling to the small hope you would, could, still be alive, somewhere.

That if I went far enough, travelled far enough, crossed enough mountains and rivers, I would, I could find you.

I was able to survive with doubt.

I can fight the unknown.

Obvious death isn't something you can fight against.

It's just done.

My fight for survival from now on, will be to survive you, and the soon to burst inner dam of my sorrow.

I don't know what to do right now.

I'm feeling a little lost right now.

All I can do is cry.

~

As I try to care for her body, a little, I noticed blood in her urine as well. It was not just a cold. It was some sort of systemic failure. Something changed in her metabolism, and failed.

The skin facing upward on her dead body is alabaster white. The skin facing the ground is red wine. The blood settled like mud inside her body, as she lied there her heart silent.

I don't think I would be able to bring you back to life Bleue...

Even if I had the power and wisdom to do so today, I don't know if my heart could.

I've been selfish, so selfish.

Everything dies, I repeat it to myself.

Even as a child I repeated it to myself.

And even that rose that I love, will eventually wilt and die...

Everything dies... That's life.

Blue died ages ago. Bleue now...

I will now have buried everyone in my family.

My father. My mother and my two sisters. And now you, Bleue.

I'm orphan again.

I'm alone.

For now, all I can do or want to do is go on and cry.

~