Too Too Solid Flesh

by Kathryn A

Buffy / Highlander ( 200 words) [2007-02-02] ?Xander Harris

One of the Scoobies has a very bad night.

Elsewhere

Challenge: tthdrabbles, #49 Medical Emergency

Pale, bloodless, the body lay in the alley. No breath, no life, no movement.

His hand twitched, his eyes opened, a gasp of fear. Shit! He scrabbled backwards until stopped by solid brick. I'm dead! I should be dead! His hand went up to touch his neck, and the dried blood crusted there. It doesn't hurt. Why doesn't it hurt?

"Shit!" He staggered to his feet. "I don't feel like a soulless monster," he muttered. "Why don't I feel like a soulless monster? Maybe soulless monsters don't feel like soulless monsters to themselves. Because of the not having a soul thing." He glanced around. There was no-one in sight. "Gotta get out of here. Gotta go before I hurt some--"

He ran. His heart pounded, his breath gasped, but he didn't notice. Every step was one word, a mantra against the darkness. "Can't. Let. It. Happen."

Streets gave way to grass, then sand. He turned, running down the beach, the breakers a soothing sound in the darkness. He glanced at the sky, paling in the East. Maybe this was far enough.

Xander sat on the beach, waiting for sunrise. He was very surprised when he didn't burn to a crisp.

        "O, that this too too solid flesh would melt
        Thaw and resolve itself into a dew!
        Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd
        His canon 'gainst self-slaughter!"
                Hamlet, William Shakespeare