ballad of rain

As they traveled deeper into the forest, the ravenous snarls of the coyotes ripping the carcass apart slowly faded away.

Now, all Abyss could hear was the pounding of their own heart- their thready pulse a heavy thud against their aching ribcage. It made it difficult for them to draw a full breath- the air felt thick in their lungs- as if an invisible force was squeezing their organs. Their vision was still fleeting too- everything looked distorted- colors bleeding into each other, shapes reforming into dizzying patterns that worsened their nausea. It was all so…. suffocating. Frightening. Maddening.

They were safe for a moment. But it didn't last long.

They couldn’t have traveled far when the autumn rain started creeping in, falling in torrents at the forest's edge before it made its way inward. A slow drizzle reached the pair first- but the droplets were growing heavier, pushing the rain into a harder rhythm. A sudden gust swept through the trees around them, carrying the scent of earth and the nearby downpour. Urging them to safety before the storm settled in.

Abyss’ pelt was becoming damp and matted from the rain, chilling them to the bone. They trembled as they rode on Iskandor’s back- not from the cold, but the fever that raged within, and the pain festering in their untreated wounds. “W-where,” They had to pause as they struggled to keep their teeth from chattering. “Are we g-going.”

"Abyssinica"