Coma White (Book 2 of the Razor Blade Trilogy)

VI

A massive snow storm blew through that night. Brian tried not to think of Kia, freezing  in this weather; while his family drank hot chocolate, warm as ever. It was winter break now, with Christmas a mere five days away. Breena and her family were able to gather at Brian’s house; once the snow was cleared from the streets.

Breena sat on the couch next to Brian; he could tell she had been heavily drugged, just hours ago. She spoke, but with no voice; she saw with glassy eyes. Whatever the Witch had given Brian was fighting the things he’d been drugged with; he felt more awake than ever. He started to notice the effects of th drugs; pale skin, glassy eyes, shaky hand, but smooth movements.

Why did everyone need these drugs? There wasn’t much sun in Parsh, so of course everyone would have pale skin. Glassy eyes didn’t do anything for people; but, make them look bored. Shaky hands wouldn’t help anything; but, even Kia had smooth movements. Once he took office, Brian decided; he would point out these things.

“Aren’t you just, so, so excited about Christmas?” Breena whispered to Brian.

“Of course, dear.” He put an arm around her shoulders. “Everyone will be envious of what I have for you.”

She smiled, but only because the drugs told her to; Brian knew that she had nearly no clue what he had said. Oh, well; she would see on Christmas the wonderful gift he had gotten her. Less foggy from the drugs, Brian’s mind drifted to Kia…how was she holding up in this awful weather?

Kia sat on her cot. The snow had built up and blocked the doorway; of course, that wasn’t the only door, but neither she nor Jimbo needed to go anywhere. Kia relaxed back, covering the length of the cot; it was comfortable, it seemed to hug her.

Hugs…Kia hadn’t had a good hug in forever. She missed the ones from her family; but most of all, the ones from her ex-boyfriend…

He was a year older than she, still in society. Burn, she missed Burn. He was, literally, the fire to her Ice. She needed him now; being an outcast, he wouldn’t even look at her. Her parents hated Burn, he was too risky; the irony now was unfathomable. He always told her that their love was forever; that he would never leave her. When Kia was first cast aside, she left to see Burn; to ask for help, or for him to go away with her. He saw her, he knew what had happened…he slammed the door in her face.

Tears burned her cheeks as he left her alone in the snow. Kia knew something was different when he answered the door. Burn’s face was turned up at the sight of her shivering. He was disgusted by her; he yelled because she was there and threatened to call the police. Kia never felt wanted by anyone now; she wished sometimes, that it would all just end. She couldn’t though; she wanted to make a statement, to Burn, to everyone…she would reenter society; she would be herself when she did it.

No one could replace Burn; but who said she wanted to? She wanted to rip his throat out with her bare hands, hang his head high n a flag pole; all alone like he’d left her.

Brian struggled not to fidget through dinner, pork chops; the potion had cleared his system of drugs. He was anxious now, he wanted to move; to get the heck out of this house, and run until he couldn’t feel his legs. So this was what it felt like to have feeling, Brian felt so alive, like a string; unfortunately, that string was about to snap.

“Excuse me,” Brian excused himself from the table; he walked as calmly as possible to the bathroom. He locked the door behind him. How to get rid of this burning! Brian looked through his medicine cabinet. There was an old fashioned shaving blade. Brian turned it over in his hand. Brian pulled up his sleeve and ran the blade over his wrist. He let out a long sigh. Blood flowed gently.