The Gray Garden: Sleep well, Froze [eng]

 

Be strong. Be strong. Be…

Yosafire groaned. She was trying. She really was! The flame demon was doing her best, tightly held Froze and waved her wings with all she got.

I fly!, she though and yet… Yosaf was frightened. Okay, just focus. You need to… be strong.

However, she past haunted her mind. Fear, pain, panic… She remembered falling from the sky. Her own tears and embarrassment, when she found her horn was broken. Yosafire hugged her friend, shaking from fear. She wasn't ready to let her go. If she did…

Just a little bit.

A few last wing strokes. They hit at the ground, but that was nothing – fallen from less than one meter didn't hurt that bad. Yosaf barely breathed, but still… She was alive!

And she did it!

"Froze, I…!", the fire demon said, and suddenly she stopped talking.

There wasn't any respond. Yosafire let her friend laid on the ground and immediately leaned over her.  Even though they didn't fall anymore, there was another problem Yosaf needed to face.

Blood. Did she ever saw that much blood? Part of her was sure that Froze didn't hurt herself while they had fallen, but the other part had doubt. Maybe… Maybe she did something wrong? What if…?

"Froze?", she whispered. "Hey…"

What to do? What to do? What to do…?

Her eyes laid at the knife handle, which Emalf attacked an angel. She touched it, then took her hand back. Yosafire recalled something she was able to hear… Oh, in school? Or Blankblack castle? Didn't matter. She was convinced that it was better not to pull the knife out until it had stopped the bleeding. If she only knew how!

Frozen would know. She was the one, who could heal. Why her magic didn't work at herself? That was frightening and made Yosafire felt helpless. She was able to fly again, but still couldn't do anything!

Suddenly she heard a little gasp. The fire demon tensed, then she brought her face closer to the pale cheek of angel. She heard Froze was breathing, but something was wrong.

"Frooozee…", she cried out with trembling voice. "Wake up… please…"

"Yosaf…?"

The fire demon groaned. She felt relief, hearing how a friend whispers her name, but that was only a moment. An air seemed to be heavy and static, filled with something hard to describe. The silence was ringing in her ears, different from usual and… wrong.

"You're awake!" Yosafire shocked her head. She wasn't able to laugh or even find more than a few words. "We are down. I… I caught you! And fly! I really fly, Froze! Do you believe?"

She stopped to catch her breath. Like always, while she was being nervous, Yosafire talked much and without sens. She used to it and generally felt better thanks to it, but this time…

This time was different.

"You…" Froze seemed to be surprised. And very, very tired. "That's… good. I knew you can do it."

"Froze…"

"It's… o-okay."

Something in these words made Yosafire wanted to deny. No, nothing was okay. She knew that, but…

"Yeah. Yeah, it is!", she said instead. First time ever, she had to force herself to smile. "I'll rest a while and try to take us up there. Girls must be frightened."

"Yeah…"

They kept in silence for a few more minutes, while for Yosafire felt like it be forever. She wanted to say something, but was out of words. Scent of blood made her felt sick, seemed to be more intensify with every second.

"We need to go. I'll carry you, if you want", she offered, didn't want to think how stupid that had to be.

"Oh, I bet".

That must be a sarcasm, but she didn't care. Yosafire moved and tried gently raise Froze up, but she gave up, hearing her friend groaned.

"I'm sorry!"

"Don't be stupid", answered Froze. She winced, trying to pretend that she didn't feel any pain. "Just… wait. Just wait."

"But…"

"Yosaf…"

"I'll bring you to Etihw. We find they… somehow. They are a God, right? They can do abracadabra from distance or something like that… or… Oh! Or old man will help us. I'm sure we'll figure out something, so…"

"Yosafire!"

Hearing her name, she looked into the ice-cold eyes of her best friend. Froze was staring directly at her, more focused than before. Her gaze showed only determination.

"Thanks."

"B-but…"

"No buts. I'm… I'm proud, you know? I really am."

Yosafire looked at her with wide open eyes. She felt tears, but didn't try to stop them.

"You are?"

"Yeah."

Froze looked so pale, more than usual. She closed her eyes, just like she was able to sleep.

And then…

"Y-you are smiling", Yosafire whispered in a daze.

"Huh… I'm not." But she didn't stop. When she opened her eyes, her gaze seemed to be more gentle. "I'm glad you are okay."

"You was helping me. You are always does. Why I'm not…?"

"You did everything right, do you hear?", interrupted with indignant Froze.

She sound like she really mean that. Yosafire wanted to believe her, but she wasn't sure. Helplessness made her felt weak.

"Hey, Yosaf?"

"Y-yes?", she answered in rush. She straightened up and tensed her muscles.

Froze responded was weak and she barely heard it.

"Do you mind… if I'll… sleep for a while?"

"Nah… Of course not. I stay with you and…" She swallowed hard. Breathing proved to be a challenge. Why it seemed to be familiar…? "Sleep well, Froze."

The silence was the only answer.