35. Chapter Thirty-Five

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

MICAI'S POV

I open the door to my dorm room and walk toward the bedroom, a strange exhaustion and fever settling over me as I move about the room.

Had the events of the night drained me to this point? Was it the attack in the forest or the incident at the abattoir that's depleted me to this extent?

I feel the heat creep further up my neck as I approach the bathroom. Maybe some cold water will help.

I open the door, feeling weaker as I reach out and grab the edge of the sink, steadying myself when a dizzy-feeling takes over.

After a minute, I run the tap, my arms feeling weak and shaky as I splash as much cold water on my face and down my neck as I can.

Was this really just exhaustion?

I glance at the shower, wanting to feel its cold spray pouring down on me and put an end to the heat now spreading quickly through my body. Except the room begins to spin as I try to move toward it, and I quickly realise a shower might not be the best option right now.

I slowly turn around and make my way toward the door. But glancing in the mirror, I notice a strange black line dripping down my left arm.

Was it the beast's strange sludge? Had I gotten some of its foul blood on me?

I twisted my arm around to see it better, my fingers brushing against the black substance that was now sitting flush against my skin. It feels hard and cold to the touch, almost like metal.

My gaze narrows as I begin rubbing at the area, but the strange substance doesn't budge. I reach for the small towel beside the sink, ready to scrub it away harder, when a more potent dizzy spell hits me and has me stumbling forward.

I grab the doorframe to stop myself from falling and hitting the ground. And while trembling, I somehow make my way out of the bathroom and toward my bed.

I reach it just as I collapse, a heavy feeling pulling me down and weighing on top of me as darkness pulls me under.

An unnatural bright light shines around me as I open my eyes and find myself surrounded by large oak trees. Wasn't I just in bed? How could I be in a forest?

I gaze around me, green trees and soft sunlight flickering from every direction.

This had to be a dream. It felt too good and too serene for it not to be.

The sun streams through the trees' leaves from above, filling the forest around me with a serene atmosphere. Laughter rings out from somewhere nearby.

I follow the sound, almost being pulled toward it, and make my way into a small forest clearing. The sound of trickling water and birds singing flows all around me as three young children enter the small green space.

An older adolescent girl, a slightly younger boy, and a small child half their size walk toward the centre of the clearing. Each one has varying shades of blue eyes and auburn or red locks.

The smallest girl clutches the young boy's fingers as he gently moves her toward a fallen tree stump off to the side of the space. He places her on top of it, handing her a small woollen doll before whispering in her ear. A small smile stretches her cheeks with whatever words he's spoken, brightening her face as she happily nods to him.

I make my way closer, slow so as not to scare them. But as I stand in the open, just metres from them, I realise that they don't see me.

I call and shout out to them, but no sound leaves my lips. I begin to wave my hands around, but they don't even glance my way. Do they really not see me? Is this some kind of strange dream?

The boy leaves the youngest girl's side and returns to the older girl. Her soft blue eyes narrow playfully at him as she throws him a wooden sword. He catches it with ease, gripping it between his hands and taking a familiar stance.

The girl suddenly lunges toward the boy, with no warning, as her weapon meets his with a hard thud. He stumbles backward with her strike, his hands shaking slightly before he finds his resolve and steadies himself. He grips his wooden sword tighter and runs toward her, meeting her head-on as they clash back and forth.

They spar throughout the clearing, movements far too quick and adept for kids their age. They clash back and forth, neither tiring as they relentlessly attack each other.

The older girl seems to have the advantage most of the time, pushing him back and sending him stumbling with each fierce strike she throws his way. Her ability and experience is more evident in her quick and strategic movements around him.

A light grin coats her lips as she knocks him over with her next attack, her brow raised as she chuckles watching speckles of mud coat his hands and knees.

He lets out a hard huff before grabbing his wooden sword beside him. His expression becomes frustrated and angry as he pulls himself up, and they begin to circle each other.

His attacks become more fierce, the frustration on his face bleeding into his attacks. The older girl dips and dives, dodging every attack with ease.

She quickly leaps forward and, in one swift move, brings her wooden sword down on him. The sword in his hand cracks and splinters with the force of the hit, sending him tumbling into a small, jagged tree stump behind him.

The small girl jumps down from her stump, but the older girl raises her hand to stop her. They both freeze, watching the boy as he pulls himself up with a large cut running down his forearm from hitting the jagged wood below.

The little girl whimpers, but the older girl smiles, watching on as the young boy's blood darkens before quickly hardening.

His eyes widen slightly before a knowing grin tilts his lips.

"About time, Lu," the older girl says, discarding her own wooden sword to the ground as she raises her two arms up and toward him.

On each of her wrists sits a black mark, an upside-town thin crescent shape with a line protruding from each side.

Her grin broadens as her eyes glint a brighter blue. Black shapes seep from the marks on her wrists, joining together and solidifying into a long spear.

A familiar , black-metalled spear.

The boy raises his hands, the blood gone from his forearm, the wound now fully healed as he grasps two black blades between his fingers.

"It won't be long until your next awakening, Lu," Calls the older girl, smirking. "But you still need training."

The girl lunges at him again, her spear extended as she meets his blades. The loud clash of metal rings out around the forest surrounding us as they continue to spar. The boy laughs as he pulls back and playfully glares at the girl, who is twirling her black spear between her hands.

"I'll catch up to you soon, Nay." He turns towards the little girl playing with her doll, a more serious look overtaking his features. "And then we'll both protect her."

A sad smile tilts the boy's lips before his gaze falls to my direction. A look so deep and heavy-hearted taking over his features that I forget I'm looking into the eyes of a young boy.

The scene begins to blur, the forest surroundings fading away, with the last thing I see being two familiar bright blue-eyes staring at me.

My eyes flutter open before quickly closing again, feeling too heavy to move and mirroring the rest of my aching body.

Pain slices through my back, searing down my spine and spreading to each limb and fingertip as if it were an entity in itself and flowing through my very veins with intent. It was a pain more scream-inducing than anything I had ever felt before, even in The Facility.

And yet, no scream leaves my dry lips.

I couldn't move or call for help, my body not listening as I lay in pure agony.

Where was I? Was I still in my bed in the dorm room? Or did something happen when I collapsed last night?

My mind feels heavy as muffled noises ring out around me. My heart thrums in my chest, beating a fast-paced rhythm as I feel my breath come out in little rasps, trying to suck in as much air as I can but finding it difficult.

A burning heat rushes through my body, joining the pain that's slicing my body to pieces from the inside and making every inch of skin and flesh feel like I'm being burned alive. It moves through me like acid, the pain growing more unbearable by the second.

A small groan escapes my lips with the agony of it all, the sound gravelly and weak to my ears as I try to move or shout for help.

The sounds around me begin to clear as familiar voices surround me.

A large hand takes my left hand in its own, stroking it gently before brushing my hair from my face. Another rougher hand takes my right hand in its own before brushing its lips against my knuckles. Instantly, I know it's Ezra and Annex beside me and feel a sense of relief with their presence.

A familiar voice calls my name from somewhere nearby, the sound filled with worry and fear. And I feel Mallyn making his way closer.

The gentle, warm feeling that I get when I'm with them all flows through me, easing some of the pain and reassuring me that I would be okay.

I steel myself and grit my teeth through the rest of the pain, trying to listen to their voices to pull me through it.

"What do you mean? Why the hell is she burning up like that?" Annex shouts, his voice full of anger and more on edge than I've ever heard before. "What the hell happened?!"

"I don't know." Answers Ezra, his voice falling to my left as his hand continues to hold my own. "But she needs help…her fever isn't breaking." His voice is low, his tone flecked with unease as his fingers brush across my forehead.

"Then let's get a fucking doctor. I'll find—"

"There won't be anyone available at this hour," Ezra cuts Annex off, his voice sounding more frustrated as he continues. "Especially on Christmas Eve and this late at night."

The hand wrapped in mine to my right tightens, a slight tremor working its way into its grip on me.

"There has to be someone," Mallyn calls, moving around to my right side and beside Annex.

"Oh, I'll find one." A soft kiss brushes against my right hand before it gently lets me go. "I'll drag one here if I have to. I won't let Red suffer like this."

I hear movement around the room just as sharp pain slices through my chest, like a blade cutting through my skin and ripping me open. A feeble whimper leaves my lips with the growing ache. And the room falls completely silent.

"We need to move her." Ezra rushes out, panic laced in each word as I feel him release my hand. "At least at the abattoir, we can get help to her quicker." Ezra kisses my cheek as more pain thrums through my body, their voices muffling before ultimately fading, almost like I was drifting underwater.

An unforgiving ocean of pain washes over me, and everything fades into darkness again, not a whisper to be heard as I sink deeper.