Page 145 of The Oath We Give

I try to take a deep breath, but it fucking hurts. Like blades shredding the inside of my lungs. I cough, choking on spit in my throat.

Red splatters against Coraline white dress, and it tears a sob from her lips that I can feel against me.

"Please just hold on, Silas. I know it hurts, but you're going to be alright. We are going to be alright, okay?" Her voice is a sob, body shaking as she clutches me tighter, "We are gonna go home. You and me, we're gonna go home. You have to plant more lavender, you have to because I don't know how. Okay?"

Tears leak from the corner of my eyes, not from pain, but sadness I haven't felt in a long time. A deep rooted sorrow that takes away the ache in my chest.

I don't think I'm going to make it back home.

But I can't tell her that. Not when the world has robbed her of enough. I don't want her to lose faith in hope. In her future and the light that's waiting for her at the end of this tunnel.

No one deserve light like, Coraline. No one needs it more.

A few years ago, all I wanted to do was die.

Now, I can feel my heartbeat slowing.

Now, I am dying and all I want is another day with her.

Just one more day so I can soak in her laugh, feel her touch, experience her love.

One more cup of lavender tea.

One more scoop of honey in my coffee.

One more day.

"Coraline." I cough her name, my lips wet with the taste of metallic.

"Help me! Please!"

"Hey, Hey...Silas, I'm right here, man. Just hold on. Help is coming. Hold on okay? No, no keep your eyes open..."

Rook.

"You guys can't tell anyone." Rook's lip wobbles, still leaking blood onto his chin. "You have to promise."

My small fists tighten at my sides, at only eleven I’m a whopping 5’1, sometimes 5’2 when I wear certain shoes, my chance of beating the shit out of Rook’s dad was slim.

But I wanted to.

I wanted to so badly that it made me want to crawl out of my skin. Uncomfortable with how much anger was washing through my body.

It’s Rook.

He steals gummy worms and requires more Band-Aids than the average kid, but it’s Rook and he doesn’t deserve to be hit.

Not him. Not when I know how kind he is.

Especially by his father.

"Pinky swear." He grunts, rubbing his sleeve over his lip. Putting on a brave face, but I’ve got a feeling he we were never supposed to find out this secret.

We weren’t supposed to see the shame on his face. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have agreed to ride our bikes here. I never would’ve embarrassed him like this, showing up and discovering this secret he’d hidden for who knows how long.

I would’ve waited until he was ready to tell me.

"I'm not fucking pinky swearing. That's stupid." Alistair grumbles dark hair swaying in front of his eyes, crossing his arms in front of his chest, “Hit him back next time. I showed you how to make a fist.”

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