How Does The Dead Die?

I painfully watch as Thane continues to fight them as they drag him back to the trucks. They restrain him with chains before dragging him away. Thane's eye lock onto mine with pain and regret but I can't help but smile at him, trying to tell him that's it's okay.

Even if it wasn't...

I can't keep my eyes open...

The last thing I see, is someone hitting Thane in the back of the head, officially knocking him out. I allow my tired eyes to close as I try to come to peace with this but no matter how hard I try, I just can't seem to accept it.

I see my idiot brother's face, instantly pissing me off but when I see my parents, I feel myself grow sad. Guilt consumes me as I think of them and how they'll never get to see me again. I'll never get to see them again... When images of Thane fighting those men come back to mind, I suck in and cough.

I blink and instantly see the night sky above me but CheeChee's scream of terror has me turning to look at him. He covers his mouth and looks at me in shock but he doesn't move. I cough again and groan in pain when I feel the pain in my chest.

When CheeChee hears me groan in pain, he quickly moves closer and tries to stick something in my mouth. When I taste the tart citrus flavor, I assume he found an orange of some kind and was trying to help me. I take the piece of fruit and practically swallow it without chewing.

I felt so thirsty... I try to look around me but it's all too dark to see anything. I reach up and feel my chest but I can't really feel anything but dried blood. I flinch at the pain and force myself to sit up. I hold my chest with gritted teeth and look around in confusion.

How am I not dead? I lower my hand and see fresh blood but it's not bad. I put my hand back and push myself up to my feet. I sway a little before finally shaking it off and looking around again. I try to speak but my voice doesn't come out.

I swallow and clear my throat before croaking out "Bag..." CheeChee's little eyes light up before he runs a few feet away and drags back my bag. I give him a grateful smile and pat his head as I unzip it and see that all the food was gone.

I frown and slowly look up to CheeChee in question. He looks at me innocently as he points to me and stands up. He dramatically grabs his chest before falling over and making a dying noise and sticking his tongue out for a finishing effect.

He sticks his little hand up and lifts a finger. I go to look up but he then lifts another finger, then another, then another! After the fourth finger, he sucks in and jumps up, scaring the shit out of me. I look at him with a disturbed look before blinking in confusion.

I slowly lift my hand and point to myself before croaking out "I was sleeping for four days?" CheeChee shakes his head 'no' and falls back over with his tongue sticking back out. A cold chill runs through me as I realize what he's trying to say.

That's not possible... People don't die for four days then pop back up like a daisy! He must be confused... I pat his little head and nod to him as I pull out a water bottle. I struggle to open it but once I do, I down the whole thing.

I need to... I need to what? My mind races as I try to think of what I should do. Thane's father wouldn't hurt Thane... would he? I bite my dry lip with worry when I think back to all the times Thane's father was brought up.

Nothing good was ever said about Thane's father and if I remember correctly, Thane even said that his father would kill him if it meant keeping the City safe. I grit my teeth and start looking for my small medical kit.

I strain to pull my shirt off, gritting my teeth in pain as I open the bottle of alcohol. I bunch my shirt up and stick it in my mouth before lifting the bottle of alcohol and pouring it on the bullet wound. I bite down on the shirt as I struggle not to cry out. I don't want to attract anything or anyone.

I pant in pain as I try to ride out the intense pain but once it passes, I look down to the hole with a frown. Did it go all the way through? I lift the alcohol bottle and lightly pour it down my back. When I don't feel anything, I grit my teeth.

The bullet is stuck in me... I lower the bottle of alcohol and take a few deep breaths. I lift my hand over the bullet wound and close my eyes to concentrate. When I feel the metal, I use my powers to slowly pull the bullet back out.

I continue to bite the shirt as I try to keep from throwing up. When I feel the bullet break free and hit my hand, I collapse to my side and breathe hard. I slowly bring my bloody, shaking hand up to my face to see the bullet.

I grit my teeth and bear them in anger as I think about returning it to the Commander. I look around and call all of my metal balls to me. Only about half return, telling me that the men took their dead back to the city with them. That's okay, I'll get them back later when I return.

Sweat pours from me as I try to catch my breath. CheeChee runs off to find more food, leaving me alone with my own thoughts. I look down at my bleeding wound, knowing that it needs stitches but also knowing that I have nothing like that with me.

Delirious with all the pain and bloodloss, I do something I normally would never try to do. I look down at my wound and try to use my powers to close it. I strain with everything I have but when nothing happens, I release my power and gasp for air.

I need to close the wound and I'm running out of energy... I could make a needle with one of my metal balls but I don't have any more alcohol left. I'd have to heat the needle up.... and then I'd need to find something to make thread out of.

Anger and resentment swirl around me as I try to think of something. I'll bleed out before I make it back to the City... Working myself up one last time, I hold my breath and concentrate with everything in me as I focus on the bullet wound again.

I grind my teeth as sweat beads and rolls down the side of my face but when I see the wound starting to knit itself back together, I almost cry. I push with everything I have and watch as the wound slowly stops bleeding and the skin knits together.

As soon as it closes, my world goes dark once again as I fall over.