Blood Lust

Chapter 30

Each one of them endured what felt like a neverending nightmare. The transformation of human to vampire is a painful experience for one to go through---but this was far worse. The pain they felt was immense, paralyzing them into silent screams. Their minds relayed constant horrifying visions, frightening them to their core. They couldn't move. They couldn't speak. They slept, yet could sense everything happening around them as if they were awake. Each of them wondered if it would ever end.

Two nights went by in this state. Orochimaru kept them in an observation room, hooked up to IV's that fed them the essential nutrients they needed. Though they were perfectly still, their minds were rapidly racing. They were fighting to hang onto life. Finally, by night three, their eyes began to open.

Madara was first to awake since he was first to endure the experiment. His eyes fluttered open, blinded by the harsh, bright lights that shined above him. At first, he couldn't quite remember where he was. He sat up, muscles aching with every move, and looked around. Everything was all flooding back to him now.

The others were in beds similar to his, looking as if they were peacefully sleeping. They didn't look any different than they did before. No horrifying mutations to their appearance---from what he could see. He looked down at his hands, confirming that there was no change to himself, either. Noticing the IV in his arm, he yanked it out and tossed the needle onto the floor.

Slowly, he pushed himself out of the bed. The floor was cold against his feet---something he hadn't felt in many, many years. He was used to being numb to the cold, since his body was cold itself. It surprised him, and even startled him a little. He could only assume it was something involved with the mutation.

"Madara?" Izuna called out from behind him.

Madara immediately turned around to find Izuna sitting up in his bed. He looked like a frightened child. The thin blanket that covered him was tightly in his clutches, pulled up to his chest. As fast as he could in his sore state, Madara paced over to his side.

"Do you feel alright?" Madara asked, gently caressing Izuna's petite face in his bands. "Are you in pain? Sick? Anything?"

"I think I'm okay," Izuna sighed. "My body just aches, and I had horrible nightmares. Other than that, I don't feel too different."

"Me too," Madara frowned.

Their attention was taken away to some movement stirring in the other beds. Tobirama and Hashirama were waking up.

"Why are the lights so fucking bright?" Tobirama grumbled as he pulled the blanket over his face.

An agitated groan came from Hashirama.

"Could you not yell, Tobirama! My head hurts!" Hashirama argued, abruptly tossing his pillow towards his brother's bed.

"You're the one yelling, moron!" Tobirama roughly replied.

"Is this what your teen years were like?" Madara teased as he stood up from Izuna's side.

"Hush, Madara, I'm in no mood for your remarks," Hashirama muttered into his blankets. He looked pitiful.

"Seems like the only change you endured was a new attitude," Madara slyly smiled as he now towered over Hashirama's bedside.

A grim glare shot from Hashirama as he forced himself to raise up. They were all achy and sore, barely able to move an inch without wincing a little. Memories of the nightmares they endured lingered in the back of their minds. But despite it all, they were all grateful to see each other alive.

"My precious subjects are awake I see," Orochimaru announced, standing at the now-opened door to the room. "How do we feel?"

This time, Madara seemed to sense his presence much better than before. He had always been decent with sensory, but this was a subtle change he noticed. Izuna and Tobirama showed signs of this, as well, but maybe it was just the fact they all had gotten familiar with his presence. It was too soon to tell.