One Piece: Grand Endeavours

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Nightshade Island

Kuro
Drip. Drip. Numbness surrounds me, the pain having ebbed away to a vacant irritation, having long since being used to it. I glance at the ground which is lingered with red splatters. Hmm. Blood. There is always blood. Drip. Drip The cut on my forehead from yesterday stings as I rest it on my knees and I realise that it reopened. When I sit as straight as my injuries will allow me the blood runs down, several drops landing in my mouth. I cough, gagging slightly at the metallic rust filled taste, still not used to it despite how long this seems to happen. The cuffs are absent today so I should feel better but I can't shake the feeling that something is very wrong. What is that continuing dripping? Why is it turning into a stream sound?

My feet are becoming an icy cold and for some reason they're ever so slightly damp. My gaze flickers at the ever rising water on the floor- wait, what?! Oh gods no. It reaches past my ankles already, icy cold, containing a whisper of death in it. I try not to freak out, try to take deep breaths. In and out. Steady out with calmness. The water reaches my knees and waste. Damn these cuffs. If I could stand I could maybe tread water or at least do something. Chest deep. Deep breaths are getting harder, the iciness making it hard to focus and my breaths are slow and painful. Chin deep. Will their plan fail this time? Will I die? Do I actually care? It is covering the mouth, seconds until it covers the nose and I am entirely submerged.

Underwater entirely, everything is black. The lights all went out so I am drowning in darkness. I close my eyes to lessen the stinging, not that it would make any difference to vision, and try to keep my breath held. How long has it been? Two minutes? More? The fire is spreading in my chest and my head pounds in the violent beat of a drum. Is there now a pulse in my head? My eyes open briefly and through the blackness I see a trace of red. I close them again, suppressing a flinch, as injuries reopen mixing my blood with the water. The tightness worsens and I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. The urge to take a breath becomes too much and white sneaks across my darken-

My eyes fly open and I find even in reality my lungs are screaming at me for air and I gasp in as much as I can. The trembling is continuous and I fight back the emotions that threaten to bubble up violently. 5am, the same time I have woken up for the last three weeks since we left that weird island with the maze. The others weren't worth note really... I still tremble despite knowing that I am not there and so I reach for my notebook, quickly jotting down the 'nightmare' taking a deep breath. I sort my hair out and change from my pyjamas to my normal outfit, all of which takes me til 6 given I also do the notebook, and as soon as the tremors are absolutely gone I head outside to get some air.

I stand by the railing, leaning slightly by it, watching the gentle waves crash slightly against the ship. The sun is only just starting to rise so I presume I'll be alone. Good, if I start cracking at the edges then no one else will see. Weakness is something that I can't show them. Everything happened because of weakness so if I start showing it again then this kind of thing will keep happening. I mean, okay, even I am aware that they won't do what others did but it is always good to keep one's guard up. The memory lingers and I gnaw on my lip. I wish there was just a way to erase the memories of my past to finally have rid of this but yet there is nothing that can be done. Someone taps me on the shoulder and instinctively I swing my elbow back, hard, connecting with someone. I hear a thud as they fall to the floor with an 'ow'. Sanji...uh...oops?

"Sorry," I say, turning around with an apologetic frown. "I was lost in my thoughts and didn't realise it was you." He gets up with a small, rueful, grin.
"It's fine," he says. "I should have realised something was going on when I couldn't get your attention for like two minutes."
"Oh..." I say, facepalming slightly. "Wow, I was really zoned out. Sorry..."
"I already said it was fine, Kuro," he says with a grin. "I was going to ask if you wanted a cup of tea since you're up. I was going to get myself one before I started making breakfast."
"If it's not too much trouble..." I reply. I need caffeine and it is a rather calming beverage.
"Course it isn't too much trouble. Is normal tea okay?" I nod. "Milk and sugar?"
"Just milk please," I say.
"Right, you don't like sugary stuff," he says. "I'll be right back."