He froze. He heard whispers, voices in the darkness, and as he tried to find her pulse, frantically searching her wrist for a beat, something brushed past his face. He gasped and shrunk back. Hideous laughter echoed through the trees, and the moon was shrouded in cloud.
She wasn’t moving. He tried to wake her, but she didn't move. He put his hand before her lips, but could feel no trace of a breath.
“Miah, don’t do this to me—Miah—”
He couldn’t feel her breathing. She had no pulse. She was cold, and she wasn’t moving. Ben screamed, “NO!!”
Ben woke from his sleep in a cold sweat, heart beating fast, eyes wide open. Was it a dream? Please let it be a dream… He reached for her hand, and felt her faintly squeeze it back. With a sigh of relief, he strained to see her face in the darkness.
“Ben, are you okay?” she murmured, rubbing her eyes.
“I’m fine....How are you feeling?”
“Miah, don’t do this to me—Miah—”
He couldn’t feel her breathing. She had no pulse. She was cold, and she wasn’t moving. Ben screamed, “NO!!”
Ben woke from his sleep in a cold sweat, heart beating fast, eyes wide open. Was it a dream? Please let it be a dream… He reached for her hand, and felt her faintly squeeze it back. With a sigh of relief, he strained to see her face in the darkness.
“Ben, are you okay?” she murmured, rubbing her eyes.
“I’m fine....How are you feeling?”
“Well…” She tried to sit up, but then sank back, sucking in a quick breath, “my head hurts…”
“Yeah…just lie down for awhile, you’ll be okay.” He smiled.
“What time is it?” she asked, trying to find her watch.
“It's early. I’ve been awake for hours, just drifted off there for a few minutes. But I’m never falling asleep again,” he laughed bitterly.
She sighed. “It happened so fast…I couldn’t keep my balance anymore and I just…”
He shook his head, “It’s alright, I understand. I’m so sorry…”
“It wasn’t your fault.”
“But I was arguing with Connor—”
“That didn’t make me fall.”
“We all should have been more careful around the edge; if we had, we’d have noticed you about to fall and helped you…Gail was distracted…”
“Don’t blame yourself, Ben.” Miah closed her eyes, drifting off again.
Ben sighed. He looked out at the threatening crack in the skin of the earth and rubbed at his eyes. He looked back at Miah's sleeping form and whispered, “I just want you to be safe.”
What a horrible job he’d done so far.
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