Ambrosia

Darkness is only conjured. The abandoned are only elapsed. Through the Father and Son, we will be united in afterlife. Death is natural. It is only, but a passing to eternal salvation. This is what it means, but with the choice to follow Christ, we either go to Heaven or Hell. The option lies in our hands. If we are to choose to live in the absence of our lord or a land of eternal life with him... What about those who are infected? Ambrosia takes over the body and soul... We cannot control our actions once it has taken influence. Do they have a choice or are they simply punished for what they have no say over? Why are we to pay of the sins of this virus? Why them? Us? Me? Why have we been taken from our autonomy? An epidemic at large, this is, and it has been for almost two decades. Why can we find no cure? If it was created, can’t it be uncreated? Can’t we reverse this mistake?
Ambrosia is taking over our mind and soul. Is it stopping us from making the choice of our freedom?
So be it.
I will stop this... I know I can.

The obscure darkness seemed to unexpectedly overlap with a blinding light. Her heart was racing faster than she could ever imagine. It felt as though she had hit a brick wall, the force of the sudden speed impacting on her entire body. Her wound had been fervent with a sting and she felt the dry blood around it suffocating her. Her breathing was low and rattling, as though her lungs were ancient and not used to the rapid movement. Opening her eyes slowly, the fog had only been perplexing her. Had she fought off the Ambrosia? Had she been infected? How? Why? Was she out? For how long?

“...Allison...” the muffled sound of screaming her name had been stifled in her ears. As though everything was in slow motion, she looked around, seeing the faces of those she recognized, staring at her, jumping from their seats to run at her. As she watched them in motion, they were very tremulous, dawdling, and hush. It was as though it was a discomfited dream taking place. Her movements were slowed and her reaction time seemed unable to respond. Their voices were very low and measured out to take a long second to say her name, still she had not noticed. She continued to stare into space, as though she had not seen anyone around. She looked puzzled, anxious, and almost lifeless.

“Allison, you’re awake!” Jamie suddenly pushed her back against the seat of the train.

Allison had felt a large shock throughout her body as she was pushed back. She gasped in her mind as her eyes widened, her entire body shaking up. Her teeth were chattering with apprehension and she stayed very silent. Her skin was much discolored, as though it was completely white, and her hair looked frail and weak. Her cheekbones seemed to cave in, making her look sick and underweight. Her blue eyes seemed to tarnish into an insipid gray.

She looked towards Jamie with a deficiency of emotion. She simply stared with no words as she breathed silently. She then looked down into the palms of her hands that were rested on her thin legs. Her cerulean tinted lips were quivering with uncertainty.

“...Allison, please, look at us, you’ve been out for a week almost! We need to talk to you!” Claire shook her head.

Still, Allison refused to respond. A week? How had she managed to sleep for so long? Was she sleeping? Where was she even? She couldn’t remember. Everything was so blurred in her mind, and even now, it was still in a bewildered state. Everyone had asked her to talk, but she did not want to. The attention had only brought apprehension to her and felt as though she was losing herself. She looked to the windows of the train, the tunnels passing by them were speeding away, only making her dizzy. What did she want? She was pleading for something silently, but what? What was it that she was thirsting for? She looked to everyone one by one. Claire, to Jamie, to Tom, to Cove.

“Allison...” Cove whispered, taking a step forward, “You’re worrying us, tell us what you need...”

Her eyes blinked in amazement. Had he heard her call? Yes, could he of? Cove, a Tantalus hunter who had been trained as a ranger, to follow tracks and read the different signs of emotion... Well that very much could be it.

“Allison, please speak to me...” Cove took another step closer, just in front of her as he kneeled down. He looked into her pale, bloodshot eyes with gentle, kind, ones that seemed to be glowing with a golden brown. She looked back, still impassive as she let her mouth gape slightly, as though she was going to speak. She couldn’t though, as though something was not letting her. She lifted one of her hands, shaking as though afraid as she then looked down, almost upset.

“Allison... My god, what happened to you...” Cove let his arms wrap around her, embracing her tightly, “She’s scared to death...” he then spoke to everyone else.

Everyone looked at each other in horror. They wondered what had happened to her and they then shook their heads.

“She... Her skin is almost a pale purple... Did she... Become one...?” Claire whispered.

“She would have attacked us if she did...” Tom bit his lip, “She seems more... Fearful than anything.”

As Cove kept his arms wrapped around her, Allison slowly then let her slender arms hold onto him tightly, her eyes seeming to automatically shut. It was as though she wanted to let out a cry, but wasn’t able to, as though her voice had disappeared. She shook her head in his shoulder as tears seemed to well in her eyes and slide down her cheeks. There was something she wasn’t going to forget. What was it though? What had she seen? Why was she afraid?

Cove let one of his hands reach the back of her head, closing his eyes, he seemed to enter her mind, to find out what was wrong. By the way she had been breathing, the way her body reacted, he was able to tell what a person felt, what they feared, and why they acted how they did. He let out a long, worried sigh.

“...What did she see?” Jamie pursed his lips.

Cove opened his eyes slightly, unsure what to say, “...She saw death.”