08-07-2008, 02:31 PM
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The fever had receded almost as rapidly as it had come, but plenty of other discomforts had taken its place. His back was burning, his spine, the base of his skull, and there was a curious, perpetual ringing in his ears. It was faint, and occasionally, it warped into a quiet buzzing; it was the buzzing that hurt. He squeezed his eyes shut tighter, and his temples throbbed in sync with the noise. His mouth was open and his tongue hung out slightly, panting heavily. There was no longer any saliva, and his throat was unbearably dry. He lay on his side, chest rising and falling slowly.
Laruku opened his eyes again. Shapes in the distance looked like trees. Everything else was white. Snow, perhaps. It was cold enough, even as his body burned. He liked the snow. It was clean; it was often the only thing that was.
The fever had receded almost as rapidly as it had come, but plenty of other discomforts had taken its place. His back was burning, his spine, the base of his skull, and there was a curious, perpetual ringing in his ears. It was faint, and occasionally, it warped into a quiet buzzing; it was the buzzing that hurt. He squeezed his eyes shut tighter, and his temples throbbed in sync with the noise. His mouth was open and his tongue hung out slightly, panting heavily. There was no longer any saliva, and his throat was unbearably dry. He lay on his side, chest rising and falling slowly.
Laruku opened his eyes again. Shapes in the distance looked like trees. Everything else was white. Snow, perhaps. It was cold enough, even as his body burned. He liked the snow. It was clean; it was often the only thing that was.
What would you change?he asked softly, a ragged whisper that seemed to die as soon as it left his lips. The snow fell like his voice, lightly, a negligible thing in the long, empty night. The sky was black, and the dawn was far away.