It's My Life

Chapter 40 - Deterioration

The following morning found Arnes, Mallora, Shanthe and Leira at the embassy. By nine they were in the conference room, and all four were feeling the pressure. Andreas entered, sitting opposite the fretting family.
"Three days now since Cass made contact. Tomorrow action has to be taken." Mallora said.
"I agree. You have all the help you need. Everyone is ready." Andreas said.
"When Vance makes his call tomorrow afternoon we move. I want no delays. And only us five can know about the plan. Well Cora knows, but only us five need to know. We don't know how powerful this man is." Shanthe said. Arnes nodded, agreeing with his son, but also happy that he was being level-headed.
"Yes. Andreas, I want you to head the team going to the lab, and Cora to go with the team raiding the house on Lawson." Arnes said.
"And Tom?" Andreas asked.
"Not a word to him. He is too emotionally involved. He can wait here. The princess will need the support." Arnes said. Andreas sighed. It was getting tiresome blocking his mind from his son, but it wouldn't be long now.
"Of course, Your Majesty." He replied. The four royals stood up, all heading in different directions. Andreas waited until they had left, then went back to his own tasks for the day.

Thanks to the drugs I woke late, but thankfully my sleep was deep and dreamless. I think Vance knew I would be affected because the guard brought my breakfast in later than usual. I opened my eyes as the guard entered, feeling sluggish and weak, my limbs heavy. The guard, one I recognised but didn't know his name, put the food down and came over to me.
"Let me help you." He said. He grasped me gently under the armpits and moved up into a sitting position. It hurt, but I put on a brave face. The guard brought the food to me.
"I don't want it. I don't feel well." I said. He watched me.
"Nonsense. This will make you feel better." He said, and brought some food to my lips, but I turned my head away from it.
"I'll be sick." I said. He straightened up and looked at me, and then headed out. I knew he was getting Vance, but I didn't care. I slumped against the wall, recognising the signs now. I licked dry, cracking lips, not even wanting to cry. I knew what was happening, and I'd be damned if I gave in. He wanted me to. My captor.
A few minutes later the guard came back, holding a bucket, and Vance followed, shutting the door behind him.
"I've been told you feel sick." He said. I felt hot tears well up, but blinked them away. I licked my lips again.
"Yes." I said. He came over and sat on the bed beside me, turning so that he was facing me, scooped up some of the scrambled eggs and held it to my mouth.
"Eat." He urged. I paused, then opened my mouth so he could shovel some food into it. The eggs tasted like cardboard, and just as bland, but I forced myself to swallow. I knew it was a mistake the moment the food hit my throat, and I reached with weak arms for the  bucket, the guard helping me as I threw up that small amount of food as well as dinner from the night before. Vance watched me, and I felt a flash of concern before he blocked it from me. He put the food down and stood up.
"Let's weigh you, then you can rest, maybe try some food again. You need to eat." He said.  I stood slowly, feeling as though I weighed a ton, and with his help I moved to the scales. I got onto it, and this time I watched the numbers crawl upwards, then flash.
"Fifty-four." Vance said, unnecessarily. I moved off the scale, lost my balance, and fell to the ground. The guard was there in an instant, picking me up and laying me on the bed. 
"I have never seen anyone deteriorate so rapidly." Vance said. I looked up at him.
"Well, now you have." I croaked. He sat on the bed again and pulled out the the digital thermometer. I turned my head for him to check my temperature.
"39.6. This isn't good. Tomorrow you will be sicker, but such is the price of experimentation." He said, putting the thermometer away, but he didn't get up. Instead he turned his focus back to me, and I gasped as I felt his mind push into mine. It hurt, and I felt tears course down my cheeks.
"Get out of my head!" I cried, and shoved as hard as I could. He didn't react physically like last time, but he seemed to stiffen, and my head felt clear again. His eyes met mine, and I felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity.
"How do I know you? You are so familiar, but I know we have never met before.  Who are you?" I asked. He blinked, and I tried to push into his mind, but he drew back and closed off, making it feel as though my he was suddenly enclosed in a pillow.
"I am no one to mess with. Your mind is still strong, I am very impressed, we'll see how you are tomorrow. I was going to wait until the afternoon to see what your parents have to say, but I think earlier is better for you. Any longer and you will be at death's door." Vance said. He stood and moved to the door, then stopped and looked back at me, then turned to the guard.
"Go and get some salty water, only a glassful." Vance instructed. The guard left, and I looked at Vance, seeing in his mind what he was thinking, and shook my head.
"You can't." I said. He smiled.
"I can do what I like." He said.  The guard returned with a small glass of water and handed it to Vance. He pushed the hem of my nightgown up to my knee, and then dipped his finger into the water, dribbling the water over my legs. I felt it touch me, and it felt so good, but I knew what would happen. I fought hard, but I couldn't stop the silver shimmer from appearing where the water droplets had fallen. I scrambled back, fighting hard against my body's nature. He smiled.
"Hard to fight, isn't it? You do a good job, but tomorrow you won't be able to stop it at all." He said, then handed me the glass. I didn't need to wait to be told. I drank it straight down, coughing as I nearly inhaled the water. The glass was taken away  and the bucket held out in case I threw up again, but I fought against it, needing the nourishment.
"Take it easy. You are going to need all the rest you can get." Vance said, and then he and the guard left. I felt ill, like everything inside me was going to explode out of me, but it stayed down. I dried my legs, now a sallow pale colour, looking spindly and unhealthy. Due to how I hot I felt I kicked off the sheets and blanket, letting myself drop into unconsciousness. The drugs seemed to continue working, for I didn't dream at all. I woke up a few hours later needing the bathroom, and got up but collapsed on the floor. I crawled into the bathroom but couldn't get myself up onto the toilet, so instead I shuffled over to the shower, removed my nightgown, and reached up, turning the shower on as I relieved myself, tears falling, the small salty balls of water dripping onto my legs, causing more shimmery skin to appear. I cried harder, then managed to stand up and clean myself. Once I was dry I walked slowly back into the bedroom and collapsed on the bed, picking up my nightgown from the floor and got dressed awkwardly, then lay back and closed my eyes, dropping back into sleep. During the day food was brought in, and more water. I couldn't eat, but I drank down the water each time it was brought to me, a jug of water left by my bed so I could drink as much as I needed, the guards checking on me every hour as predicted. 
At dinner time the guard stayed with me, feeding me a sip of water and then a bite of food, and thankfully it worked, I managed to keep the food down, though my stomach heaved. More tablets were brought to me, and I took them gratefully, gulping down the water and tablets, lying back to rest.