A familiar warmth overtook Henry's body. It was his mother, her soft hands wrapped around his body.
"My sweet boy, are you okay? Was it another nightmare?"
Henry nodded and looked up at her with young, fearful eyes.
"Why are the nightmares so scary, mom?"
She made a worried face to her son, then sighed.
"Oh honey, you know how your father has to fight monsters, and that's why we can't see him?"
His eyes widened, at the mention of his father.
"Yeah…"
"Well, when your father escaped the scary city, and gained his mystical, abilities… He wanted to make sure you were safe, in case any monsters came after you."
She bit her lower lip, nearly crying.
"So he put part of his own power into you so that you would be safe."
Henry smiled.
"So I'm like a superhero!"
His mother nodded.
"But, because of that. You're connected to him, and all the monsters he fights. Can see you when you're close to their world."
"When I'm asleep?"
She choked on tears.
"Yes honey. But don't worry, the scary monsters can't get you, your father made sure of it. But if they did, do you know what you must do?"
Henry shook his head, nervously. His mother grabbed onto his shoulders tightly.
"You need to fight Henry, no matter how big or small, how kind or scary, you need to fight the monsters Henry, and you have to win."
His mother tightened her grip, and began to sob.
"You have to fight Henry."
She got louder, nearly screaming at him.
"You have to fight Henry!"
***
Immediately, Henry woke, to something heavy on him. Looking, It was Lumora laying on him. He blushed, and tried wiping the sweat, and tears away from his face.
"Are you okay?"
She whispered. Still tightly connected to him.
"Uhm, yeah… Are you?"
The two sat for a bit until Lumora lifted her head and looked at him.
"No, I'm really not… I just-just had to be close to you, for a bit. Even if it's just this small amount of time."
She sounded as if she were about to cry, yet she didn't. Henry wrapped his arms around her and held tightly.
"That's okay. It's good to be close to someone after so long."
Silence emanated before Henry spoke again.
"You know what I was thinking on my first day here?"
Lumora looked up at him.
"What?"
"I thought about you, on the helicopter. I remembered looking at you, knowing how scared you must have been. Yet for over two hours, you comforted that Julian kid."
Henry laughed.
"I wasn't jealous or anything, but I was inspired. In the face of possible death, you were able to stay brave just for another person who needed someone's support. It was… amazing."
Lumora held tighter on Henry's shirt, moving up closer to him.
"Yeah… I did do that, didn't I? It feels like it was so long ago."
Henry felt tears land on his shoulder, but he did not mention them.
"Very long ago, I can barely remember what I look like clean."
He chuckled. Looking down at Lumora, she hadn't let go of him once.
"I remember my first week here, Henry. I was so scared, I cried screaming for anyone, until I lost my voice. At one point, I was looking for monsters because at least then… I wouldn't be alone, at least if I was eaten, or killed, It would be by something other than me."
She loosened her grip on him.
"But no matter how hard I screamed, nothing heard me."
Henry could feel the rough items in his bag poking him, under the added weight.
"I'm sorry Lumora… I wish I could have, I really do. I searched for so long, but never found anything, not even a sign of you."
Henry felt her shuffling with her arms, but he couldn't tell what she was doing.
"Henry?"
"Yeah Lumora?"
"I know you read it."
'Shit, no-'
"Read what?"
She looked up at him and sat up on his torso.
"My diary, I know you read it. And you know that I found you in the first month."
'How'd she find out!?'
Henry bit his tongue.
"Do you want to know why I didn't interact with you?"
He looked into her eyes, they were endless within the dark room, as if they glowed.
"Why?"
He meekly spoke, his insecurities showing.
"Because I learned, that to escape this place. I have to kill you."
The air went silent, and in the void like room, two people's breathing was all that could be heard. Henry felt a massive wave of despair wash over him, fear taking his body over. He attempted to shuffle back, and get Lumora off, but as he did, she pulled a knife out, flashing it in front of him.
"Wait! You don't have to do this, we can find another way."
Henry desperately pled, but all he saw in Lumora's eyes was pity.
"Henry, you know there isn't any other way."
As if following the path of her tears, the knife plunged down, Henry tried to dodge, but barely was able to get the knife not to puncture his heart, and instead sink into his abdomen.
The pain was unbearable, and Henry felt vomit pushing up; however, he held it down as best he could.
'I need to get out!'
He looked towards the still weak rocks, that he had broken to make an exit prior.
Using all the power in his body he slammed Lumora to the side, however her grip on the knife was still strong, she tore deeper into his abdomen, blood pouring out from the gaping wound.
Henry felt faint, but if he fell asleep, he would die.
"S-stop."
He mustered out while fighting the blood pushing to his mouth. He felt it piling at the sides of his lips.
Lumora tried pushing the knife deeper, but Henry kicked her away and began crawling towards the wall's weak point. Using his enhanced sight as an advantage. But Lumora wasn't bleeding out, and could move much quicker.
She stood up and ran towards him, kicking Henry into the wall. He spat out blood, and held his abdomen as it spilt rapidly.
'Fuck, no'
His mother's words rang loudly in his head, "Fight Henry!" He took the knife, tearing it from his stomach, the adrenaline coursing through his veins holding the pain back, and stabbed Lumora in the hand, pinning it to the floor.
She screamed in pain, tears running down her face. Henry almost felt sorry, yet he was the one about to get killed.
Reaching the wall, Henry pushed against it with all his might, slamming his head into the weakened stones until they caved, leading to the outside of the ruins.
'Need to… get out.'
He slowly slid out, but felt something gripping his foot. It was Lumora's hand pulling him in, she took the knife and stabbed him in the leg. The blood loss was now immense, and if he didn't escape and treat it now, he would die.
Henry fought through the pain and kicked her with his bleeding leg, the shockwave jittering pain through his whole body. He continued crawling with all his might, now he was in the middle of the road in the ruins. It was wide, and without the darkness, he had no advantage.
Lumora climbed out, slowly walking to him. Tears in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Henry, I'm so sorry. I didn't want to hurt you."
Henry noticed something behind her, seeping through the walls of the ruins, then he looked deep into her eyes, for once, nothing was on his mind, besides the betrayal, no the rage he felt.
"I-"
He coughed blood onto the ground, and with the darkest place in his soul, spoke to her.
"I trusted you! I'll-I'll fucking leave you here to rot."
He screamed out, blood gurgling in his lungs, with each word. She began walking towards him before noticing the fog coming in, her eyes widened, and she tried to run towards him, but before she could the fog overtook the two.
Henry clawed on the floor, moving further and further away, he knew the fog would transport him somewhere random, but he needed to make sure that wherever it was, it wasn't near her.
Henry concentrated hard on his energy, pushing it towards the wound on his stomach, ceasing some blood loss.
He reached his hands out until he felt some sort of broken down home, and crawled inside.
Reaching into his bag, he grabbed multiple linen's and stuffed his wounds with them, to stop the bleeding. Then He pulled the knife out of his ankle, and wrapped it with more linen.
He needed to recover, but this would be much harder than when he broke his arm, if he didn't do this right, he could die.
'I can't fucking believe- I trusted… I trusted you.'
Henry spoke to someone who wasn't there, his mind racing, while his body tried its best not to pass.
Henry nearly fell asleep, but fought staying up, wrapping himself in all his saved animal skins, linens, carpets, blankets, and anything to stay warm, and tighten his wounds.
He kept thinking of his mom, her warmth, her kindness, and eventually, he fell asleep.