Consuming Darkness: Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 36

-Sebastian-

I woke up feeling groggy. I had to really concentrate on opening my eyes and was still unsuccessful. I groaned as I felt a stinging pain in my stomach that caused my eyes to shoot open.

"Sebastian?" I heard Ronnie's voice. It seemed so far away but was like music to my ears.

"Sebastian?" she asked again softly, her voice cracking. The sound of her shaky voice caused blurred memories to flash through my head. The fight with the spiders, healing her. Kissing her in the tomb, the things she'd said to me. Why was I here then? Then the memory crashed into me of being practically skewered alive with an arrow. I tried to sit up but was forced to immediately stop my attempt by an agonizing pain that radiated through my back and stomach.

"Sebastian, don't move," I heard Ominis advise.

I nodded, closing my eyes tight to try to fight off the pain. I didn't need to be told twice.

"At least I won the bet," I laughed out weakly.

Ronnie choked out a surprised laugh. "Good job. Feel like a winner?" She teased incredulously.

I couldn't help but laugh, resulting in a near blinding pain. I groaned and held my stomach to fight off the sharp pain that remained. "Absolutely..." I groaned out and tried to readjust my position in the bed. Ronnie grabbed onto my arm to help me and, despite the pain that I was in, the contact caused my heart to leap. I felt someone else grab my arm and I turned to see Ominis there to help as well.

"You can stop gawking at me Sebastian," Ominis remarked. I don't know how he knew that... and whenever I asked he was not forthcoming with his response.

"Just surprised to see you worried about me," I teased.

Ominis rolled his eyes as Nurse Blainey walked over.

"How are you feeling Mr. Sallow?" She asked.

"Sort of like I was shot in the stomach?" I offered, and winced.

"Making jokes I see... You're clearly doing much better," she responded unamused. "I just barely had the two of you in here last week."

I looked at Ominis who shrugged.

"We just enjoy your company," I replied.

She smiled slightly at my joke but hid it quickly. "You have been out for nearly 4 days now. It has given-"

"4 days?!" I exclaimed in disbelief. I had been out for 4 days! I turned and looked to Ronnie in disbelief. I noticed the dark circles under her eyes and her entire demeanor seemed exhausted. When I turned to Ominis he looked the same.

"Yes... it has given your body plenty of time to work on repairing your wound. It is not fully recovered and won't be for at least another 2 weeks or so, but in the next week the pain should become manageable enough that you will be able to return to class and other simpler aspects of your routine," she informed me. A week before I could get out of this Infimary?! And another before I was fully recovered?! That seemed so long! Especially with all the magic we had at our disposal.

"There's nothing that can make that happen quicker?!" I asked in slight shock.

"That is accelerating the healing quite a bit Mr. Sallow, and there's no chance of you dying, so I would be grateful," she responded dryly.

She was right... I was being ungrateful. "I don't mean to sound ungrateful... Thank you for caring for me," I responded.

"I had a little help from your two friends here, who refused to leave your side," her facial expression said she was annoyed but her tone had a hint of gratitude and admiration.