Lust Has No Mercy
VI
Rowan dragged her tired feet down the cemented pathways. Her body moving in the same speed the zombies from Dawn of the Dead had when staggering down the neighborhood streets. Many pedestrians could of probably mistaken Rowan for Mother Death herself. Pale sunken face and dull eyes to match.
It had been a little over four weeks since the bacteria claimed residence in her body. Rowan still swallowed the giant antibiotic pills and the prednisone to keep her body from shutting down. The emergency inhalers packed safely in her handbag along with the assortment of medications they had given her.
She pulled herself up the stairs to the loft one by one taking each step slowly and carefully so her breath wouldn't be totally gone. The fatigue still keeping itself right at her heals. Rowan got about half way up to the office door before she immediately plopped down. Sweat had began to slip it's way to the surface of her skin, as Rowan pulled the purple hat from her head and unwrapped the scarf that was tied around her neck. She counted each shaky breath, trying to encourage herself to make the last six steps, the other part of her imagining how wonderful a nap would be yet how far from home she was for that nap to be possible. Rowan was starting to regret her choice in coming to work today.
Fifteen minutes had gone by, Rowan was finally able to pull herself up from sitting on the stairs to standing now, she hadn't progressed up that seventh step, mentally preparing herself for another break. This must of been what it felt like to be ninety rather than twenty-two. Rowan slowly lifted her right leg up. Her black rubber soled shoe pressing down onto the step, as she lifted the left leg pulling her body up the steep hill. Rowan already feeling winded. She'd feel silly to cry right now no matter how hard she wanted too. Her white hands grasping the railing, as her face began to heat up, and her eyes burning and rimming with hot tears of pure frustration. The tears now dripping from her chin. Rowan was defeated.
The office door opened, the familiar bright blue eyes greeting her own. The feeling of helplessness quickly vanishing.
"Tom!" she whispered excitedly, her hands with a death grip on the cold railing. A small exhausted smile playing on her lips.
Tom's jaw dropped, before he turned back around, the loft door slamming shut echoed throughout the staircase. It was only a mere seconds before Tom and Vegan stood at the top of the staircase, both running down the steps, wrapping their arms around her tiny frame helping her up the last few steps.
Vegan pulled her body into his arms carrying her through the loft placing her gently on the leather sofa.
&&
It was a shock to everyone in the office Rowan was there. They all starred in awe as she fought the fatigue creeping up on her. Tom had kneeled down in front of her, a bottle of water in his hand. Oli watched them both from the doorway of his conference room. Oli could faintly make out the phrases Tom was whispering to her as she shook her head viciously.
"Don't make me go home." she said to Tom turning to head around to look at Oliver.
It had been a little over four weeks since the bacteria claimed residence in her body. Rowan still swallowed the giant antibiotic pills and the prednisone to keep her body from shutting down. The emergency inhalers packed safely in her handbag along with the assortment of medications they had given her.
She pulled herself up the stairs to the loft one by one taking each step slowly and carefully so her breath wouldn't be totally gone. The fatigue still keeping itself right at her heals. Rowan got about half way up to the office door before she immediately plopped down. Sweat had began to slip it's way to the surface of her skin, as Rowan pulled the purple hat from her head and unwrapped the scarf that was tied around her neck. She counted each shaky breath, trying to encourage herself to make the last six steps, the other part of her imagining how wonderful a nap would be yet how far from home she was for that nap to be possible. Rowan was starting to regret her choice in coming to work today.
Fifteen minutes had gone by, Rowan was finally able to pull herself up from sitting on the stairs to standing now, she hadn't progressed up that seventh step, mentally preparing herself for another break. This must of been what it felt like to be ninety rather than twenty-two. Rowan slowly lifted her right leg up. Her black rubber soled shoe pressing down onto the step, as she lifted the left leg pulling her body up the steep hill. Rowan already feeling winded. She'd feel silly to cry right now no matter how hard she wanted too. Her white hands grasping the railing, as her face began to heat up, and her eyes burning and rimming with hot tears of pure frustration. The tears now dripping from her chin. Rowan was defeated.
The office door opened, the familiar bright blue eyes greeting her own. The feeling of helplessness quickly vanishing.
"Tom!" she whispered excitedly, her hands with a death grip on the cold railing. A small exhausted smile playing on her lips.
Tom's jaw dropped, before he turned back around, the loft door slamming shut echoed throughout the staircase. It was only a mere seconds before Tom and Vegan stood at the top of the staircase, both running down the steps, wrapping their arms around her tiny frame helping her up the last few steps.
Vegan pulled her body into his arms carrying her through the loft placing her gently on the leather sofa.
&&
It was a shock to everyone in the office Rowan was there. They all starred in awe as she fought the fatigue creeping up on her. Tom had kneeled down in front of her, a bottle of water in his hand. Oli watched them both from the doorway of his conference room. Oli could faintly make out the phrases Tom was whispering to her as she shook her head viciously.
"Don't make me go home." she said to Tom turning to head around to look at Oliver.
♠ ♠ ♠
As promised. I think this is better. Right?