The whole world was spinning, and Rhys’s eyes hadn’t even opened. He let out a whimper and someone raced over to him, he felt them shake him, despite the fact that his whole body ached. “Rhys!” someone screamed, “Rhys please, please wake up! NOW!” It was Kat, she was screaming, she was angry, she needed him to wake up. He shifted all of his weight to one side, and peeled his eyes open. They were dry and his throat yearned for water. Kat’s fur was stained black from soot, and the air was thick and grey. Amy crawled over, she had tears streaming down her face and her eyes were red from crying. She let out a sob and curled her legs to her chest, tightening into a ball. Rhys opened his mouth to speak but found that he couldn’t, no matter how hard he tried. “Oh,” Kat said, and she disappeared, returning a moment later with water. She poured some down his throat for instant relief. Rhys let out a shuddering breath and relaxed on the ground, sighing. “We did it.” he croaked, tears springing into his eyes. “Vell. We did it!” Rhys said, a chuckle building in his mouth. There was no response besides a loud sob from Amy and a sympathetic look from Kat. “what?” Rhys asked, sitting up and looking around. “Where’s Vell?” he said frantically, looking around for his friend. “Vell?” he called into the smokey distance. Again, there was no response. “VELL?!?!” he shouted, growing desperate. Rhys was now on his knees, his heart was in his throat and was thudding loudly, he felt sick. He opened his mouth to yell but Kat shut him down, “Rhys, stop. He’s gone.”

“Oh,” Rhys said, relieved. “Where did he go?” He asked, the worried expression erasing itself from his face.

“No,” Amy started, choking up, “Rhys, he’s over there. It’s my fault, it's all my fault.”

“It’s not your fault Amy,” Kat said bluntly, taking Rhys’s hand as if he were a small child. The world was spinning again, circling around Rhys’s head. He let out a short bark of laughter, this was a joke.

They’re trying to prank me or something

Vell is going to spring to his feet any second now

We are going to escape, we are going away

He’s fine!

But the body was clearly seen once they neared, sticky blood covered the dusty ground underneath him, and his mouth was agape. Vell was pale and wasn’t moving. All sound disappeared. All feelings had gone. All of Rhys’s senses disappeared as he felt something in his chest. Hope faded away and his heart shattered slowly. He crumpled to the ground, feeling around for his friend. He gripped Vell and rested his friend's head in his arms. Then the tears came, but Rhys didn’t feel them. He didn’t feel his stomach ache as he rocked back and forth with sobs. He didn’t feel the sobs shaking his whole or the tears streaming down his face and neck. He couldn’t feel, not anymore.

He reached around and found his best friend's wrist. He waited in anticipation, waiting, hoping. And after a minute, he felt Vell’s puls.

Rhys leapt to his feet with a yell, and the world came back. “I'm so sorry Rhys,” Kat said, walking over to Rhys and placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. “He- he- he- he’s he-” Rhys spluttered, reaching back into the puddle of blood for his friend's arm. “He- he’s-”

“What?” Kat said, bending down reluctantly and feeling Vell’s wrist as well, checking for a pulse. Her eyes widened in shock and her mouth fell open, as if its hinges had come undone. “Rhys,” She squeaked, dropping Vell’s wrist and backing away, “Rhys- he’s alive, barely, but alive.”