The End of All

Hope.

I see the panic in her eyes, but I didn’t care, just like she didn’t care about me, she just didn’t want to be alone.

“That’s not what I meant!” She shouted, panic once again filling her voice. “Please let me explain.”

I huffed, but dropped my bag onto the table with a loud bang, making her jump. “Then explain, because I didn’t have to save your life. I didn’t have to let you come with me knowing that it would slow me down.” My voice was cold and cruel. “I could have let you die, watched as they tore you apart. But I didn’t!”

Stay hidden, stay alone.

I repeat it over and over in my head.

“I know …” she sobbed, holding onto one of the counters to support her ankle. “I know you didn’t have to help me and I shouldn’t have asked if you were one of them. But me and dad heard stories, you know? That only humans were safe for us to be around. That the mystics had all turned against us.” Tears rolled down her cheeks, another sob raking through her. “I didn’t meant to offend or hurt you, I’m just afraid. Please don’t leave me alone. I don’t know how to survive alone.”

I watched her, searching for any sign that she was lying or trying to lure me into a trap; and yet, all I saw in her eyes was honesty.

Honest fear, pain, loss.

She looked just like I felt.

Afraid.

She was hurting as much as I did when I lost my own father and I hadn’t even noticed, I had been so blind to her emotions that I missed the fear in her words when she asked me.

She was as afraid as I was, these days being stuck alone with a stranger could be deadly and that’s what we were, strangers.

She was just like me.

Not in blood, but in mind.

I sighed heavily, my shoulders dropping and I walked towards her and embraced her in a hug, her body trembling as she cried. “You’ll be okay.” I whispered, stroking her back. “I know it’s hard, so hard right now, but you can do this.”

How could I be so heartless?

She needed comfort, not anger and cruelty.

Was I really the kind of person to hurt someone else for no reason? Is that who I had become?

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand once the tears had stopped, a small smile on her lips. “Thank you, and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you like that.”

“It’s ok.” I smiled, though mine was more forced than hers, it’s strange acting like this when I had been alone for so long.

But it was also refreshing.

Maybe having a companion wouldn’t be so bad after all.

“Let’s go get that bath.” I suggested.

She laughed, a real wholehearted sound that warmed me more than the fire could. “That sounds amazing.”

Once the water was the right temperature in the tub, we locked and barricaded the back door before heading upstairs, both of us vibrating with excitement.

I don’t know about her, but I hadn’t had a proper wash in months and I was more than ready for it.

More than ready.

The water was pure bliss, and Miya even found some bubble bath to put in the water with us, and while it quickly turned a maroon shade from all the blood and dirt, we took our time to savour it.

I was her hair, lathering shampoo into the tangled and matted mess of strawberry blonde, next she began to work of my mousy brown waves, the feel of the dirt being taken away relaxing.

It was nice to not feel so dirty and run down.

Was this what it was like to have a normal day? I wasn’t so sure. I couldn’t remember what a normal day was like.

“Your ears are so strange.” She muttered, making sure that she cleaned the pointed tips as she went. “I wish I had ears like you.”

I touched one of the tips, remembering something my father said to me long before the end. “It’s a sign of my people, of those that came before and lived by the earth. At one with nature. They may look strange and people may not understand, but in a weird way they give me more power than my abilities. They let me know that I was born for more than I am.”

Miya hugged me from behind and even though we were both naked, I knew she did it to comfort me as I had her.

We got out in silence and pulled the plunge, allowing the dirty water to wash away down the drain.

I looked in the mirror that was still intact as Miya got dressed in baggy trousers and a long-sleeved top.

I had hazel eyes that were more gold than brown, my mousy hair uncontrollable and wild, my freckles the shade of a bruised orange.

I sighed heavily, hiding my pointed ears in my ponytail as I had always done. Normally I had a hat over them as well, though I didn’t see the need for that around my new companion.

She didn’t judge me for my race or their mistakes, so I would not Judge her for hers.

Even if she was a mundane.

“Look what I’ve found!” She squeals, making me jump.

I turn around, a small smile appearing on my face as she holds up two combs.

God, when was the last time I brushed my hair?

This place was a gold mine.

Or maybe Miya was a good luck charm, I had yet to decide.

But since she came along everything else just fell into place.

Life was a little brighter with her here.