failegaidin | Death

Drabble.

Death was freeing, Chloe decided. The red and orange leaves rustled around her as a light breeze whispered through the trees. A man was talking somewhere to her right, but his words had become indistinguishable from the other sounds, and Chloe found that she no longer cared what he was saying. She was barely even aware of the people around her anymore, their presence fading into the background.

The sun wasn't very strong, but she was hot. But even if the circumstances had permitted it, Chloe knew that she could not make her body move, to break away from what was going on around her. There was some pain – her chest felt constricted and she was having trouble breathing. She focused on her heartbeat, trying to keep it strong, trying to keep herself from panicking. There was nothing she could do now – it was no longer in her control. Maybe it never had been.

And then they were leaving. The people around her began to move away, holding quiet conversations as they gave her a wide berth. She made them uncomfortable, and it was easier to just ignore her. She noticed that one person stayed by her side though, completely unwilling to leave her alone, to abandon her like everyone else. Even without looking, she knew the pained expression that lay heavily on his face as he watched her, a questioning look in his eyes. She could feel the worry and anxiety rolling off of him in waves, and it comforted her to know that he was there, that he felt for her, that he cared enough to take on whatever pain she was feeling right then.

She reached over and slid her hand into his, gripping it tightly as she stood up, pulling him with her. He tucked a stray hair behind her ear before placing a soft kiss on her lips.

"You ready?" he asked.

She nodded. "Let's go."

Without another glance, she and Jack walked away from her father's grave.