Flux

22

Aiya felt white-hot pain lance through her body. It seemed to begin in her spine, following outward along her nerves to every inch of her body. She wanted to curl up in pain, but the force in which it screamed through her kept her body rigid, arms and legs flung wide.

She felt sweat trickle off her forehead into her hairline and tickle inside her ear. Even through the pain, Aiya realized this was an odd thing to notice right at that moment, but her whole body felt hypersensitive.

If even one hair on her arm was touched by moving air, she seemed to be able to tell. She could even single out which hair on her body had felt the change.

Suddenly the pain reached an unbearable crescendo, and her back flexed painfully as her eyes shot open and her mouth dropped in a silent scream.

Suddenly all Aiya knew was blackness. She embraced it and the relief from the pain brought with it.

As her thoughts drifted into nothing, she wondered if she would get to talk to the strange ball of pulsing lights again. She had a million questions.

***

Sometime later, Aiya woke again. Her skin felt blissfully cool under warm sheets and a fuzzy blanket. She didn't want to open her eyes. She was exhausted and contemplated just going back to sleep. Her pillow was cushioning her head perfectly.

Just as Aiya started to find sleep again, however, her stomach made it clear that continuing to rest was not an option.

With a loud growl, Aiya's stomach announced just how empty it was.

Aiya heard a soft chuckle to her right, which made her open her sleepy eyes. Sitting beside her was her brother. His face looked tired and worn out but happy.

What had happened?

Aiya suddenly realized she didn't know where she was. Rubbing her eyes to buy time, she desperately wracked her brain for her last memory.

Then it all rushed back as the last remnants of her sleep fog evaporated.

Shit! That was all Aiya could think.

"I take it your hungry?" Marvin asked, his voice sounding nervous.

She must have been out cold for hours, or maybe more. Her brother had probably been on the verge of hysteria. The last time she'd been sick, they had only been kids, and it had almost broken him. Thankfully he had had Derek to help him.

As if her thoughts had summoning powers, Derek stepped into her view, coming from a corner at the end of the bed to stand behind Marvin.

"Shit Aiya. You scared the fuck out of us." Derek's voice sounded husky with emotion. Dark circles were heavy under his eyes, and stubble was on his usually smooth face.

Turning back to her brother, she tried to give them both a reassuring smile. The effort made pain fire through her head, and all she could manage was a half twitch of one side of her mouth.

"Hi."Aiya's voice was weak and sounded like she hadn't had a drink in days. Had it been days?

Her throat felt as if she'd swallowed hot coals. It was swollen, raw and hurt something fierce with the effort of speaking.

White silky hair bobbed in front of her vision blocking the two worried young men from view.

"Here." Sardini smiled and held a straw in a tall cup of clear fluid to Aiya's lips. "Water. You were sweating A LOT! You have to feel like a raisin right now. So drink up. Slowly though, ok?"

Aiya sipped slowly. The cool water kissed her wounded throat, and she groaned in relief, feeling the muscles in her neck and back relax a bit.

She opened her eyes and caught the worried stares of her brother and Derek. There was a nervous apprehension there that made her stomach twist.