killer instincts

★chapter 4

Raie woke up in a room flooded with light. Looking around, she identified the familiar hospital walls and fittings, and felt a strange pinch on her left arm. Peering down, she noticed an intravenous tube attached to her arm, sending fluids coursing through her veins.

 Instantly she understood where she was and why; recent events came flooding back like a wave crashing into shore. Taking stock of the situation made it clear that though once again finding herself in this same place in these very same circumstances.

Her memories of being brutally attacked were all she could remember; there was a fog over everything else. She felt the pain in her chest, the physical wounds that had been inflicted on her. The mental anguish was just as bad.

Ethan walked in, a mischievous grin spread across his face as he brandished a cup of jello in his hand. He innocently dug a spoon into the vibrant green concoction, unaware of the mess that was bound to follow.

 But he showed no signs of shame as he slurped away at it, seemingly oblivious to the fact that there were witnesses around him staring at him with an amused expression. He was content and unapologetic in his enjoyment of this gummy treat.

"You're awake!" Ethan couldn't hide the joy that welled up within him as he exclaimed, a wide smile spreading effortlessly across his face.

 He quickly gathered her in his arms, pulling her close to him in a warm embrace.

"Ow E, careful!" Raie gasped, wincing slightly as his weight pressed against her newly stitched wounds. 

Not wanting to linger any longer in pain, Raie shifted her position ever so slightly as she tried not to jostle her injuries too much while

"Oh sorry R." He spoke sheepishly with an apologetic smile as he settled himself on the bed beside her. 

He began to explain what took place after she had fainted, eyes fixed on her to gauge her reaction. She quietly processed the news he shared, feeling overwhelmed by a sense of guilt for putting those in danger who had only ever wanted to help her.

"I was so worried about you, I mean all of us were. But you scared me! I feared the worst and thought that maybe you were going to die, and honestly the thought of it completely paralyzes me-" Ethan said with quivering voice, his hands shaking as he tried to keep them steady on the table. 

His jello was at risk of being knocked over multiple times due to his anxiety-fueled movements but he managed to keep a grip on it.

"E, I'm doing fine now, can I please go home?" Raie desperately desired to be released from the confines of the hospital walls. 

She loathed this place with a burning passion; the very sight of it made her feel agitated and uneasy. The stiff white bed sheets were cold and uninviting, while the nurse's station was overrun with people bustling around. It felt as if everything in this building was designed to suppress joy and strip away any sense of hope.