Wasteland: Rebirth, page 23
“I was alone,” I say, standing in front of him. “I didn’t have you to comfort me, to talk to. There were days I wish I would die, but then I thought of you and it made me want to live.”
“How could I have let this happen? I should never have let you go.”
He begins to shake from his sobs. I step closer, hesitant to reach out to him. I raise my arm and put it on his shoulder. He wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me towards him. He buries his face into my chest as I stroke his hair. I find myself kissing the top of his head. He lifts his face up to me, moves his hands, and pulls me in closer. The kiss is hot and unyielding. I find myself in his arms, falling onto the mattress. Our hands search for buttons on our clothing. I catch sight of the burn makes on his shoulder and stop. My fingers touch the patch of destroyed skin. My shot was closer to his chest than I had thought. I few more inches and it would’ve pierced his heart.
He takes my hand, pulling it away from the wound. “Don’t think about it,” he says. “That was the past. We have a future to plan.”
I lose myself in him. Blocking out all that has happened and just living for this moment. It’s hours before we release each other. Both of us afraid to let the other one go. I finally feel safe, wrapped in Braxton’s arms, and his love.
No more nightmares, no more fear, just serenity.
The End
Ann Bakshis, Wasteland: Rebirth
