Ambrosia

The night sky is growing darker... do I remember light? When will I see light once more? Do I remember the sounds of birds, the brightness of the sun, or the feeling of wind? What happened to the sound of laughter? All my life, I've lived in a world where night became our enemy. I've lived in a world where no one wants to trust you. No one wants to love you. No one wants to befriend you. We assume everyone is infected, as if they just don't know it, but you, yourself do. Why is this world full of so much hate? Why do we breed on this hatred? On this fear? Will I ever see a world where we are free to roam at night? The songs I've heard as a child, to never give up. I won't give up this time. I will find a cure. I have to. For my parents' sake.

And she awoke in a room that was empty, filled with a cold darkness. She stood where she was, looking around, seeing that a mirror appeared in front of her.

"ALLISON!" she had looked into the mirror, seeing Jamie, his eyes full of fear as he stared at her. He was leaning to his side as he stood, his hands held tightly around his side as he watched her, breathing heavily, as though he was crying. Allison watched him for a long moment, unsure what to make of this. She let her hand reach over as it sunk into the mirror, reaching inward to him. She took a step forward without thought, just walking towards him.

what brings me to him... what is bringing me to him... why must I follow him?

Allison stepped into the mirror, entering a world that mimicked the room she was previously in, except Jamie stood in front of her, his eyes welled with tears, watching her.

"Allison... you need to leave here, before you get hurt..." he had let out a small whimper of pain while speaking.

She looked up at him with no expression, unsure what to do. She watched his reactions and slowly looked to his side. As his fingers were unable to completely cover it, blood had been seeping through his shirt, dripping down, onto his jeans. Her eyes widened as she looked up, immediately regaining her senses, taking a step closer, her hands holding his arm, looking into his eyes.

"What happened, who did this?" she murmured, breathing more heavily as her mind began wandering through what had happened.

"...J...Jas..." he fell to his knees before finishing, and Allison went down with him from his dead weight pulling onto her. She fell forward, against him, her eyes widened as she breathed over his shoulder. She moved her hands from his arms to around his neck, trying to pull him, unsure why, but for some reason kept doing so. Suddenly, she felt an intense pain in her lower chest, her gasps for air seeming to burn as the dry air filled her lungs. She coughed, closing her eyes tightly as she felt something warm and trickling down her side. She immediately pulled away, looking to Jamie's wound to see that nothing was there. She then looked to her own side, seeing a large gash within her clothing. She lightly exhaled in a moan of fear, looking to Jamie as he watched her, shaking his head.

"Why did you do that?" he whispered to her, looking more worried, "Allison, I didn't want you to hurt yourself!"

"I--I didn't know! Jamie, please, we need to get out!"

"You need to get out..." he looked down.

"What are you talking about, Jamie, you're coming with me!" she pulled him slightly.

"No, Allison. I'm to be left behind."

"...What are you saying?"

He looked up at her, his blue eyes seeming to twinkle as he watched hers. He smirked lightly into his smile as his hands moved to hers. He watched her silently with his assuring smile as he nodded, chuckling slightly as he looked down.

The wound once again appeared on his side.

"I can't allow you to take what I don't wish for you to burden," he then grimaced, looking to her face once more, one of his hands moving to her shoulder.

Allison couldn't believe what she was hearing as she watched him. He was leaving her? Why? Where was he going? He couldn't leave. She wouldn't allow it. She felt a tear escape from her lash as it slid down her cheek.

"Jamie, please come with me..." her voice cracked.

Jamie smiled once more as he leaned forward, resting his head against hers, closing his eyes as he then hummed. He was humming a short tune and for some reason it relaxed her. She closed her eyes as well, just listening to his melody. He hummed for a minute longer before stopping, only breathing against her, his head to hers. Allison opened her eyes once more, opening her mouth to speak once more, but couldn't find words to say. She let out a small crack in her throat. Jamie blinked.

"You'll succeed... I know it, Allie," he spoke softly, his voice sounding so kind in her ear. The smile never left his face.

Allie couldn't take it as tears began trickling down her cheeks more with each second. She shook her head as she breathed in loudly for air, tightly holding onto him, "Jamie, I won't leave you..."

He breathed in as his arms found their way around her waist. Sitting on the floor, their heads against each others, holding each other. He was smiling faintly still. Allison pursed her lips as she started crying more.

"I'll never be away from you, Allie. I promise I won't leave you."

"Then you need to come with me!" she gasped for a breath.

"Whether I'm here... or there... " he leaned in further, past her forehead, his lips against her ear, whispering very quietly, "You will always be my first priority... and I'll always know where you are. I'll always be with you... within you."

"I need you beside me..." she shook her head.

"Why? Isn't your heart enough?" he frowned.

"I don't trust my heart..."

"Why's that?"

She couldn't answer. She wasn't sure, but she was trying to find any reason she could to keep him from leaving her. Her heart was aching as it raced through her small chest forcefully. She was breathing far quicker than before and her eyes were bloodshot as water continued to bleed from them. She held onto him as tightly as she could so that he would not leave. She couldn't bear watching him leave her, and she wasn't sure why. This was new. Or was it? Hadn't she felt this before?

I hate you, but I don't want you to leave...

It was all coming back to her. What about Cove? He had done the same thing? But he deliberately tried to get close to her, and she fell for it. Jamie... what was he doing? He was saying goodbye? He didn't want her. But she wanted him. She felt so stupid, one boy after another. Was she this blinded by puppy love?
Love?

What is love? She looked down, her arms letting go, shaking her head. She wasn't sure what to say. She didn't want to look like an idiot. She was a girl who had just assured herself she liked Cove, but then completely hated him. Now she sees Jamie, and wonders why she feels the same?
Was it the same? She felt so different, she felt more pained. Far more pained than she ever felt. She didn't remember this feeling. The feeling to long for them, to run after them, tonot want them to leave, tonot hate them. To want them no matter what, to want them to stay, to be close, and for everything to stay the way it was. Her arms fell to her sides as she continued to cry, looking down to the dark, cold floor. Jamie watched her, grimacing once more as he looked at her. His hand moved to her cheek, lifting her face slightly.

"I want you to look at me," he whispered.

She obeyed, staring into his twinkling eyes, nodding.

"What do you see?" he asked.

"...I see my best friend... I see a brave man who's been by my side through everything..."

Jamie smiled again as he closed his eyes for a moment, pausing. He then reopened his eyes, and laughed very, very quietly before speaking once more, "Do you know what I see when I look at you?"

Unsure how to respond, Allison only stood there, puzzled as she looked back at him.

"Allie...I see a beautiful girl who's full of so much potential. I see the girl who turned my life around when I thought I was over with. I see..." he looked down, looking nervous as well now, "the girl who I'm...--""Allison! Allison!" Jamie was shaking her lightly, looking paler.

Allison's eyes shot open as she gasped for air, choking, falling over the bench.

"Oh my god--oh lord--Allison, what--how--" Jamie stopped, puzzled, "Allison... what... what's wrong?"

Allison had gone silent as he shouted and was staring at the floor with wide eyes. Her hands were shaking as she lifted them in front of her face to stare at them. She shook her head as she breathed in.

"The truth..." she spoke to herself, Ambrosia told me it would reveal the truth... what truth was that...? she turned to look at Jamie's worried stare, What was he going to say... the girl who he's best friends with? The girl who he's not giving up on?...

Jamie knelt down beside her and looked into her eyes, trying to tell if there was anything wrong.

"W-why did you wake me up..." Allison murmured.

"...You were crying in your sleep... and saying things," he looked down.

"What was I saying?"

"...You said you didn't want me to leave," his hands tightened slightly.

Allison stayed silent. She wasn't sure what to say. Did she want him to stay? At that moment, she wasn't sure. Whether he stayed or not, she wouldn't find any satisfactory for herself. She breathed, sitting there, shaking her head.

"I'm not going to leave though," he looked back up, "I'm going to stick by your side until you tell me to leave."

Allison nodded, "Thanks..." she didn't know what else to really say to that. She breathed in and sighed, "Jamie... one question."

"Anything."

"...I need to know what you said..." she looked up.

"What I... excuse me?"

"In my dream... you were telling me something," her hands went over his own, "I need to know what you were going to say before it eats me alive..."

"...I'm sorry, Allie, I don't know what I was saying..."

Allie... she pursed her lips. She started to think to herself, recollecting the conversation in her head as she began re-quoting, "Allie...I see a beautiful girl who's full of so much potential. I see the girl who turned my life around when I thought I was over with. I see... the girl who I'm..." she then looked over at him, hoping he'd take his turn after her.

He looked at her with slightly widened eyes, watching her for a long moment. As time passed, they didn't miss each others glances. They never blinked it seemed like, and the only sounds heard were their heartbeats and breathing.

"I see the girl..." his voice was so quiet, Allison had to move closer to hear. He breathed in, his face turning pink slightly, "The girl who I'm in love with."

Allison kept her gaze to his, not sure what to say.

"But I will never try to twist your feelings... I respect however you may feel about me," he added in, finishing as he closed his eyes.

Allison kept her gaze to him still. She felt her cheek; she had been crying. She wiped it away quickly and continued to watch him. She breathed silently, a small smile seeming to peak through lightly. Jamie hadn't noticed though.

"Jamie," she finally spoke through her harsh, worried voice.

He looked up at her, but before he could react, she flung her arms around him tightly.

"In... that dream, you were hurt... and I don't want to see you like that," she breathed in.

Jamie closed his eyes against her neck as he held her close to him, "I promise, I will not leave you or do anything to get hurt."

Allison nodded as she continued to hold onto him. She didn't want to let go. She felt so confused, but she still wouldn't let him go. She closed her eyes against, him, trying to think straight. Jamie just smiled faintly, holding onto her.