EMBER IN DARKNESS Chapter 16 (Wounds)

“Do you know the forbidden one?” Cyan asked me with his pretty, ocean-green eyes.
I’m sorry, Cyan, but River’s eyes have much more appeal. For some reason, I wanted to snatch the small bottle of alcohol from the edge of the bed and drink it all up.
My mouth started moving….I didn’t know what I was wording out.
Threateningly, he clasped the bottle of alcohol and opened the lid.
“Tell me.” His voice gained volume and his eyes glowed menacingly.
Like the idiot the drug made me, the small movements of my lips led to an undecipherable answer. He’s the one who stabbed me with the drug-coated talons of his in the first place, so he should know why.
“You little…” He tilted the bottle with the strong smell of alcohol above me and poured it on something-I didn’t recognize it until the mind-racking pain shot from my right, then spread all throughout my body in a heartbeat.
I knew it. He was dying to marinade me in 75% isopropyl alcohol.
My body wanted to squirm and twist like a normal person would when his new wounds are fried with a strong chemical…the loosened straps only allowed me to do so little.
“I promised Fathom that I will be nice...” He grunted. “…but you’re making it hard for me!”
What is he talking about?! I’m not doing anything, I can’t do anything and he’s blaming me for his short temper? The bandages on my wrists were soon stained with a light hue of red from the wounds and scratches underneath.
“What are you going to do now, Lily?” It’s just the two of us in here. Cyan walked around the stretcher I laid on, watching me. My eyes followed him as he made changes of steps, turns and pauses.
Time went so slow in the small, dusty room. Cobwebs hung from the corners-no living spiders. Moths hovered around the only bulb illuminating the room…I had no choice but to watch them: fat-bodied, slimy, dust-spreading moths flying meters above my face and a demon with no compassion.
A huge, brown moth perched on my shoulder. Its tiny legs crawled on my skin…the air moved around its fluttering wings giving me a feel of how heavy the devil is. All my hairs stood, goosebumps infiltrated my skin and I screamed on the inside. The merciless creature moved its antennae and looked up at me. It made my vision of butterflies and moths a million times scarier.
SWAT!
Green and white goo spread like cream cheese with green marmalade on my skin. The moth’s blown-up belly, head and legs sank in the sticky plasma while its wings still jerked a bit. Cyan smiled at his masterpiece of a squashed moth.
“Get it off!!!” I screamed in an ear drum-breaking, high-pitched voice, forgetting that the real danger is the lunatic who seemed more fascinated in my suffrage than the moth’s dismemberment.
I was already at the verge of screaming when somebody stepped inside the room-Shade.
“Why is she able to scream? That drug is supposed to silence her.” He looked at me, then, at Cyan.
My muffled sobs caught his attention, and he looked at the slimy salad of body parts dripping down my shoulder.
“Please……………..take...it…….off.” I pleaded him, sniffing and choking on my breath. My eyes watered as I was unable to blink the whole time, witnessing the creature’s fate under Cyan’s hands.
Shade’s lips twitched and he grabbed the damp towel Cyan used earlier. With gentle strokes, he wiped what’s left of the insect.
The sniffling and sighs subsided. “Don’t leave me with him.” I bitterly told Shade. After that confession, both of them threw violent stares at each other.
“What did he do?” Shade asked, his eyes not leaving Cyan’s.
I looked at the alcohol bottle and bit my lip. Am I really going to tell him?
“Tell me or else, I will leave you with him.” He persisted.
“He…poured alcohol on my wounds…” I could still smell the alcohol on the bandages. It only has a brief effect but it’s the worse feeling on a wound ever.
A loud THUD echoed in the room. I was shocked to see Cyan lying on the floor, with blood trickling down his forehead…dark-colored blood, a little lighter than River’s.
Everything happened so fast, I didn’t see how he ended up there. I looked at Shade, heaving heavily with anger.
“Imbecile! Alcohol shortens the drugs’ effect on her tremendously! You stupid-!“ He began kicking Cyan in the groin, head and neck until he vomited blood. Shade continued, squishing Cyan’s head with his shoe.
He’s too much. He’ll kill Cyan!
My mouth opened, but I was speechless. His arms went limp. Cyan’s hair turned red from the blood…His face was beyond unfixable.
I don’t think he’s breathing… I closed my eyes to keep his image from being engraved on my mind. How could he remain silent after all those blows?
The sound of flesh being beaten went on… “Stop…” I broke out in a faint whisper.
“He’s already dead. You don’t have to worry about him.” Shade said. He killed Cyan….going that far just because…just because Cyan did something wrong…
“I can’t give you another dose of the drug because it will kill a frail body like yours, but since the time we need is already used and lessened, you must tell us who or where the forbidden one is.” He asked.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I replied, still closing my eyes.
Again, my mouth moved. I bet he saw it.
“You know who, but you’re not saying it. Do I have to force it out of you?” Shade sounded so much nearer.
The bed creaked and I felt a heavy weight on the thin mattress.
“You’re beautiful, Lily.” He spoke.
I opened my eyes and gasped at his closeness-only a few inches above my face. He leaned over me, stretching his arm and using it to support his trunk weight on the mattress, next to my left shoulder-where the moth was killed.
Shade smiled a little and traced my lips with his thumb.
What is he doing?
After a long sigh, he got off the stretcher and walked out. I heard some murmurs followed a rustle of footsteps approaching the room…two men in uniform dragged Cyan’s dead body out, while another one cleaned the floor.
A few moments later, Fathom walked in, followed by the other demons.
“So, she knows who the forbidden one is?” He grumbled in a deep voice. Shade stepped beside him and nodded.
A lady approached me and started releasing the straps.
I looked at them in utter confusion. I didn’t say I know.
“Don’t get up. Your wounds will worsen.” Fathom called when I tried to sit up.
“I told you, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” All of them stared at me impatiently, waiting for me to give them answers.
“Your mind doesn’t, but your soul does. We only have hours left, Lily. We need your help” Shade chimed in.
I will not.
“If you won’t…” Fathom’s eyes blazed. He slowly raised his hand and showed a sharp, rusty dagger. “…we will have no choice but to finish you. You know so much about us already …and by killing you before the drug loses its effect, we will be able to preserve ourselves in this form. It is our last resort.”
My eyes locked on the blade in his hands.
I shook my head. What else do they want me to do, just to prove I don’t know?! He took a step closer, drawing it high above his head, as if guaranteeing a sure kill.
“I don’t know…I don’t know.” I frantically wiped my tears from my eyes as I shook in fear.
Loud cries and gasps echoed from the crowd.
“An intruder!!!” One of the men exclaimed.
Fathom spun and looked outside the room; some of the green-orbed demons got into defensive positions while the rest drew out weapons that I have never seen: twisted blades and bashers laced with barbs.
Their group divided into two as a man appeared from the shadows. Fathom stood in front of me, blocking the view when the light reached him.
“I’m the one you’re looking for.” He proclaimed.
I know that voice…
My eyes stung when I realized how sure I am as to the voice’s owner.
“River.” I whispered, breaking into tears.
Fathom heard me, and approached him right away. “Prove it to us.” He snarled.
River glared at him and glanced behind his shoulder, looking straight at me.
His eyes suddenly warped into black. Without another word, he grabbed the dagger from Fathom and slit his palm.
The girls gasped at the smell of his blood and their loud hisses filled the room while the males grunted at the sight and stuck their noses in the air.
Fathom’s loud breathing and the absence of words faded into silence.
River let the blood drip on the floor, leaving a trail to the stretcher I laid on.
He clenched his fists when he saw my bandages…much more when he saw my tears. A line drew across his forehead and his breathing started to gain depth and speed.
Fear still had control over me and seeing him that way, feeling the extreme heat from his body while he brushed his hand on my cheek made me quiver.
“What have they………..done…..to you?” He spoke through gritted teeth, with a trembling voice. His hand hovered above my tummy, where the most damage was inflicted upon.
The whole of them just stared at us, speechless.
“Wait here for me.” He dimly ordered, turned back and closed the door.
Curiously, I listened to the noise outside.
There were muffled growls…
That’s all I could hear, I can barely make out their conversation.
A female’s loud cry rang in my ears.
“River!” The side wounds hurt from my outburst. I have a bad feeling about this…
I waited for his response, but there was none.
This is making me paranoid. I can’t even bring myself up. “Open the door.” I called loudly, but the disturbing crashes and noises outside only grew louder. There were more cries and glass shattering.
With morbid images of River running around my head, I crept off the stretcher, not knowing that my knees would be so weak and unsupportive that I fell to the ground, landing on my back.
I blocked the noise forcing out of my mouth, more determined to make my way to the door.
Just a little more…I coached myself, trying to sit up.
THUD.
The door swung open, showing River…the dangerous side of him, all covered in blood.
He had his head bent down, eyes covered with strands of hair. Should I ask him what happened?
Stiffly, he walked towards me and knelt down, slid his arm behind my back, the other under my legs, then, gently lifted me up.
“I want you to close your eyes until I ask you to open them.” He instructed. I could sense the breaks in his tone and his arms feel like they’re in fire.
“W-w..why?”
“Do it!” River yelled.
As he told me, I closed my eyes and faced his chest. He stood up and began to walk.
I heard weak moans from every direction…what happened here?
“River-“ I started.
“They won’t hurt you again.” He interrupted.
For the first time, I took everything in-his shaking voice and hands, the tight hold he has on me…it’s as if he doesn’t want to let me go.