Phoenix Fire: From Witin the Flames

Only A Fever...

Chapter 10

I walk to the bathroom a new dress in my hands, a blue one; I wanted to try a different colour. I open the door and see Adrian ‘Conner’ in there... his shirt up, blue, purple and yellow blossoms on his chest and back. I gasp and drop my dress, covering my mouth almost falling to my knees, my eyes swelling with my tears... I... I did this.... this is my fault! He quickly pulls his shirt down and picks up my dress, putting it on the counter by the sink.

“Sorry” he whispers and steps out of the bathroom. I stand there, a frozen pixel waiting until someone presses my play button, frozen to the ground from my core waiting until someone thaws my bones... Someone presses play, I feel his eyes on me and I quickly close the bathroom door behind me, pressing my back against the door, breathing fast and hard. I close my eyes and tears spill over cheeks, seeing his bruised and battered body all over again in my mind... tormenting me, teasing me... killing me. I swallow my guilt and worry and tears and pain. I let out a shaky breath, turn on the cold water full blast and step inside the freezing water fully clothed... this was my punishment...

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I climbed out the shower on my hands and knees still fully dressed; teeth chattering I drag open the cupboard under the sink and pull out a fresh towel, wrapping it tightly around me. My body shaking furiously... I felt like ice should be forming on my flesh. I panted through chattering teeth, my breath misty. The blue dress I’d chosen wouldn’t do anything to warm me, and I didn’t partially want Adrian to see me like... this. He’ll ask questions that I don’t want to answer that I can’t answer. I stand on shaky legs, and drop my soaking nightgown, and literally cling to the towel for warmth.

My breathing ragged, icicles forming on my body, too cold to heat my body with my power... like someone had extinguished my core. I hurriedly dry my body; the towel felt like sandpaper scraping my skin. I slip into the blue dress not bothering to check if it looked okay and hurried out the bathroom. My arms hugging my upper frame and my teeth chattering still, still shaking furiously. Adrian turned from looking out the window and saw my shaking body; I turned from him and reach out to grab the silver hair brush. I gasp silently at my bluish skin and I could feel sense someone behind me.

“What have you done?” he whispers, my breathing still shaky and misty. I freeze for a second then grab the brush but it hurt to contrast my muscles and I gasp, dropping the bush and pull my hand to my chest near my heart. Adrian reaches around me and grabs the hair brush before it hit the ground putting it back on the desk.

“What did you do?” he whispers; different sentence, same meaning... ‘Why?’ My body continues to shake and I hear Adrian move away, open the closet, close the closet, coming back. He drapes some sort of thick, soft clothing over my thin shoulders... a jacket. After all these years and he’s still the one watching over me. I pull it on, trying to zip it up and button it up but I cannot bend my fingers. Adrian dose it for me.

The jacket is the colour of a stormy sky, with tiger teeth like buttons, and a hood with brown and black fur clinging around its brim. I pull the hood over my head, my hair parting over my shoulders, still wet. My teeth still chatter and my body still shakes but not as violently, the ice in my veins melts a little bit but still freezes my body.

Adrian sits me on the bed... so gentle so gentle so gentle. It’s so nice to have him back, to know he’s here for me... here with me, looking after me. He sits next to me. I lift my feet onto the bed and rest my head in his lap, closing my eyes. He lets out small shocked gasp. I let out pleasant sigh of relief and comfort. I could sense his discomfort and worry. He didn’t know what to do; he put a hand on my shoulder and lightly shook me