Fragility of the Mind

Emir came outside of the hall, fixing his suit collar and his belt. He walked near TK's door and leaned next to it, spinning his revolver.

"Let's walk there, then," Gabrielle said. "And I have to be gone by 6." She figured it was pointless to try thinking about what she was saying, and just spoke out loud. To anybody else it would've seemed like a half-assed acceptation to a date.

Raine looked at Ariel, "Oka---"

Her legs gave out and she collapsed to the ground. She looked up at the sky, bewildered. She continued to stare at the sky as she called out to the woman.

"Oopsies, Rainey took a tumble, I think I'll stay here..."

Ariel heard a loud thud behind her and whirled around to see Raine sprawled on the ground. She strode over to her quickly and crouched down to her level. She knew Raine was feeling like this because of the drugs and not having eaten anything. She shook her head.

"You're killing yourself slowly you know," she said quietly. Then she picked the girl up and started walking like that back to the base. Raine was so thin it didn't take much effort to carry her.

Raine felt herself being lifted up and carried toward the base yet at the same time she didn't. She felt like she was having one of those "outer body experiences."

A lone leaf flitted by, flying right above Raine's and Ariel's heads. Raine reached up weakly to grab it but it had already flown out of reach. She smiled and giggled, her eyes slowly shutting. She grinned now, poking Ariel in the shoulder.

"Yo, I'm heavy, put me down, I'm just fi~ne!" She stopped talking, stopped grinning and then rested her hand on her ribs, she counted them, feeling them sharply protruding, under her skin. She frowned then, letting her hand fall uselessly beside herself.

I've lost weight, she simply stated to herself, not wanting to voice that to Ariel. She thought of how her deceased friend wouldn't be happy with her current state.

"Nah, I'm a skinny bitch, it's okay."

"You are a bitch," Ariel agreed. "And I want you to eat something when we get back alright." It wasn't a suggestion. Ariel would force the girl to eat. She continued walking, wondering how far away from the base she went last night.

Ariel glanced at this stranger out of the corner of her eye, her face an unreadable mask. She tightened her grip on Raine slightly. She was about to say something, but noticed that Gabrielle was with this new person. She stayed silent for a moment, then spoke.

"Ariel." Then she glanced at the delirious girl in her arms. "This is Raine." She didn't feel the need to explain herself to this person. Instead she said, "I have to go. Ask Gabrielle if you want to know more." And with that she started on her way again.

Raine stared at the guy, a blank expression on her face. She then looked up at Ariel.

"There's a stalker a foot, Chuckles," she said, sounding serious but just being a joke.

"If he's going to the base like we are he better not eat any of the pickles in the fridge, those pickles are mine."

Ariel smirked.

"Don't worry, Princess, I won't let anyone touch your pickles," she reassured her friend. Soon enough they made it to the base. Then Ariel asked, "Are you ok to walk on your own now?"

"Hey, those pickles are a pretty big part of my life at the moment." She shoved Ariel lightly, falling to the ground like a cat. She was slightly dizzy, she felt like her head was submerged in water, but she stood up straight, kneeds knocking slightly. Back facing Ariel she gave the thumbs up, face twisted up in the sick feeling she felt.

She walked to the kitchen, opened the fridge door and even though she had talked about eating pickles she just went for the water. She poured herself a huge glass, sat down and chugged it back.

Ariel watched Raine maneuver around the kitchen. She expected her to go straight for the pickles, but frowned when she only saw a tall glass of water in the girl's hand.

"I thought you were going to eat something," Ariel stated quietly.