Predator

Chapter 27

3. August, 7 am

I shifted and turned in my bed, trying to get comfortable as I waited for sleep to come to me. My eyelids were heavy from the day's events, yet I could not bring myself to close them.

I missed being near Luise, whether it was sleeping next to her or having breakfast with her in the morning. The warmth and the comfort she brought had become rarer these days and it made me yearn for it more. Her scent was no longer on the pillow that I laid on or the sheets I slept on.

Even her long and silky hair wasn't present to remind me of her. And her lips, soft and full, seemed so distant to me now.

I suppose they were always distant, unreachable for me yet I couldn't help but crave for them.  When she smiled at me with a twinkle in her eye or leaned forward slightly to tell me something witty to make me smile, there would suddenly be a void inside of me.

The space where my heart used to beat became hollow and painful.

As close she was to me, she also became further away. It took everything within me to not reach out and kiss her or pull her close into an embrace. Even though it felt wrong to desire her, it was undeniable that I did.

I am hers. No matter how hard I tried not to admit it, the truth was written across my face whenever my eyes fell upon her.

I let out a sigh and buried my head into the pillow. My priority should be saving my sister, not fantasizing about Luise.

It was already morning by the look of the sun rays entering the room through the window so I sat up on my bed. I ran my hand through my hair to tame the mess.

Cora was still asleep in her bed which was just a few feet away from mine. The room was small, well smaller than Luise's. There were two beds on the opposite sides of the room, a wooden table with two chairs, and even a smaller bathroom with just a toilet and a bathtub.

Freedom never felt so bitter.

I'm not a pet anymore, I don't have a master, and for what?

For a small room in God knows where and away from everyone I love. If it was Lina here instead of me then everything would be fine. She would love it here and everyone would take such good care of her, unlike what her master is doing to her.

The metal door opened and a woman in a white coat walked in.

"Good morning Aster, have you slept well?" She asked softly, a sympathetic smile plastered on her face. Her voice was soothing to listen to as well.

"No, I couldn't sleep," I muttered back. Have I met her before?

She sat on the edge of Cora's bed and gently patted her head.

"How are you feeling this morning?" She continued, "Any better?"

"Tired," Cora replied sleepily.

"You're not in pain?"

"Not really." Cora yawned.

"I am glad to hear that." Said the woman, "Your morning classes begin in 10 minutes, can you get ready by then?"

"Yes," I said getting off my bed.

"Alright, go on then," the nurse replied, "I'll leave you two alone for a bit." With that, she got up and exited the room leaving the door open. 

Cora stretched out on her bed, turning around on her stomach so her head laid directly over the mattress.

"Can I ask you something?" She said quietly, rubbing the back of her head.
I frowned at the strange question since she never asked for permission to do anything but nodded nonetheless.

"Sure, what is it, Cora?" I replied sitting down on the edge of her bed.

She glanced at me briefly before continuing, "Do you love Luise?"

My body stiffened at her question.  My breath hitched slightly in my throat causing me to cough. I stared down at my hands in an attempt to conceal my uneasiness.

After a moment, I finally managed to speak, "What makes you say that?"

Her response came quickly enough and almost too loudly, "It doesn't take much to put two and two together, Aster. You two always stare at each other like... Like you're in love. At least that's what I've noticed lately."

"I see."  That was all that I could think of saying at that moment. I wasn't sure how to even respond to her question. A pet loving its master is taboo. It's not easy to confess something like that.

"Okay, my turn now," I said as I gathered the courage to ask her something that's been on my mind since yesterday. "Are you pregnant?"

Cora sat up abruptly, looking like she might attack me at any point. "You shut your mouth."  She spat at me, scowling. "That's none of your business!"

"I know," I said holding her glare without flinching. "But I still want to know. And even if you don't tell me it's gonna show eventually."

In just one second her whole mood shifted from panicked to loving as she smiled and rubbed her stomach. "Why would I care about that? Will you not love me anymore if I get fat?"

What is going on with her... Are these the pregnancy hormones?

"And besides this is our baby Aster," She moved closer to me and pressed my hand to her abdomen.

Before I even had time to process it someone entered our room.

"I am so happy you two are getting along, it's been a while since we had lovebirds around here. But you two are late for your classes so I have to ask you two to hurry up."

Cora laughed shyly, "Ah yes, of course, we lost track of time."

"It's alright," the woman said, "Head downstairs whenever you're ready."

She gave us both another smile before walking out again. We heard her footsteps fading away as she disappeared from sight.

"Tell anyone and you're dead."  Said Cora in an unusually serious tone. "I promise you, if you spread that information around, I will rip your vocal cords out."

"Alright, I won't tell anyone, but I have no idea why you'd think you'd need to threaten me about that,"  I responded with equal seriousness. I wouldn't dream of telling anyone - ever - about her condition. 

"I just don't wanna be found out yet. That's all," She replied. After that, she hopped out of bed and started searching her clothes for something to wear.

"Change your clothes Aster, we're already late." She ordered.

"Ahh, I already feel the motherly love." I chuckled as she threw a slipper at me.

"With this too." I caught the slipper and waved it in the air.

She smiled at me and threw another slipper at me. I caught that one too and held it up triumphantly.

"Don't throw things at me," I warned her, laughing lightly.

She rolled her eyes, "Come on, we have to go."