The End of Eden

XVI

I flinch awake.

I'm tucked comfortably in my bed, in my room, but my body aches fiercely. My head, my neck, my face, my chest, it all aches and stings.

"Oh good," a female voice says, "you're awake."

I whimper as I shift in my bed, my eyes fluttering open to the watery darkness. It's Juliet who spoke, a woman who I've rarely talked to but seen around Eden.

"How long?" I ask. I mean to say how long since Annabelle and I fought, but only how long comes out. But Juliet understands.

"Maybe an hour," she says gently. She looks me over, touching my nose, looking into my eyes, examining my head. It turns out she was a nurse before coming to Eden a year before. "Annabelle got a few good hits on you. I imagine I know how you feel, but how's the pain?"

"Painful," I whimper out. Clearly my brain has been scrambled, because I don't make sense, but Juliet only smiles.

"Your nose isn't broken, which is a good thing," she said, patting my hand and standing from my bed. "Just rest for a few days. Serra and I will be checking on you throughout the next few days, as I'm sure the vessels will too."

She swipes a few strands of hair from my face, and then leaves. I shift in and out of consciousness, occasionally waking to find Juliet fussing over me, and sometimes I find Serra, sitting on a chair in the corner of my room, a basket full of white yarn at her feet as she crochets something. But it isn't long before my eyes slide closed each time, only for them to fly back open each time I sense movement.

The next time my eyes open is when my door opens and Three steps quietly into my room.

"Three," I say. I beckon him over to me, and he takes up an empty spot in the corner of my bed. He presents me with a white rose, and I smile through the pain in my entire head. I take the rose and sniff it.

"Beautiful," I whisper, letting my head fall back on the pillow, the rose presses against my stomach. My eyes slip closed again, but my bed being jostled has my eyes opening yet again, though time always has moved forward.

It's Vessel who sits beside me now, Four leaning against the bedside table, Two standing in the doorway, with Three leaning on the wall beside the door.

"My love," Vessel says, his hand reaching for me. I move my hand from my stomach and clasp his. "How do you feel?"

"Where is Annabelle?" I ask, fear ticking in my stomach. I remember what happened to Jonah, so I can only imagine what they might do to Annabelle. The vessels look at each other, and Vessel looks at our joined hands. I repeat my question again. "Where is she?"

"She is in her room," Vessel says. I relax a little. Though she did just attack me, there's a part of me that still values her. "Since you are the one who was wronged, it is your choice for retribution."

"What?" I ask, dumbfounded. I look at all the Vessels in turn; and they all look back to me. "I don't want anything to happen to her."

There is silence after my declaration. I can feel their eyes on me, but I only watch Vessel, at the movement of his lips. Then Vessel finally speaks.

"But she had wronged you. She attacked you, and you are a favorite among the vessels, and of Sleep himself," he says.

I shake my head once, but the pain shooting through my skull prevents any more shaking. "She is to remain unharmed," I say firmly. "Promise me."

"But why?" It is Two who asks it.

"Because jealousy makes us act strangely," I say, closing my eyes. "She is sad, and lonely. She thinks she can fake her way into your... your hearts. But I don't think she has malicious intent. I don't think she would try anything again."

I open my eyes again, and they are all looking away from me now. It upsets me that they can't promise me this one thing I ask of them, and yet I would do anything for them, anything for Sleep.

"It's my choice to punish her, is it not? Then let her fester in her guilt. Let her be ashamed of what she's done, and let her live in fear of my vengeance against her. Promise me nothing will be done to her."

I see Vessel look at each of his men, nodding at each one, then he looks back to me.

"We promise that no harm will come from our hands," Vessel says, lifting our joined hands to his lips where he presses a kiss onto the back of my hand. I lean back on the pillows beneath me, satisfied by their promise, the one thing I've asked of them. Vessel continues. "You have a pure and kind heart, a heart of forgiveness."

I know I do, but sometimes, I wish I was cruel and unyielding.

Three kicks off the wall, and storms from my room, and after Two dips his head towards me, leaves after him.

"Don't worry, my love," Vessel says, his blackened thumb rubbing over the back of my hand. "Three is desperate to protect you and exact vengeance on those who have wronged you, but our promise stands."

I let my eyes close, and then I remember.

"Sleep came to me," I start as my eyes open back up. "He said I was ready to hear his plans. Tell me about them."

"We know," Vessel says, as his mask turns to look at Four. "When you are well, we will tell you."

I scoff. "I am well now, now tell me."

He turns his mask back to me, and I can see a small smile on his face. "I promise we will tell you when you are well enough, and once you are free from your bed."

Fine. At least I have a time frame of when I will be told about whatever plans Sleep has for me. I nod my head once, and Vessel lifts his hand back to his mouth and kisses the knuckles again.

"Rest now, my love," Vessel says as he stands to his feet. He turns his back to me and leaves through the open door, as Four stands from his seat on the bedside table. He takes my hand, and where Vessel kissed the knuckles, Four turns my hand over and kisses my palm before he lifts his stunning blue eyes to me.

"Little bird," he says. He gently sets my hand back down and I smile at him.

"I know at least you will keep your promise to me," I whisper. I can see the apples of his cheeks rise up in smile.

"I will never break a promise to you," he says. He touches my cheek, careful not to jostle me, and he follows after Vessel.

Serra returns some time later, carrying the same basket of white yarn on her arm, and platter of food in both hands. She sets the tray of soup down, and I devour it. She sits quietly in the corner, her hands flying on the yarn she's working on.

"What are you working on?" I ask as I dunk my bread into the dredges of the soup. It makes me feel immensely better.

"One of my callings here in Eden," she answers, smiling at me. I wait for her to elaborate, but she doesn't; she only goes back to her project.

It's three days before Juliet lets me out of bed, but confines me to my room. And it's two days after that when I can venture from my room, and immediately run into Annabelle returning from whatever she was doing.

"Hey," I say, and she turns to stare at me, a blank expression on her face. "I know why you did it, but know that you are not forgiven. I have spared you whatever punishment the vessels had in plan for you, and know they are out for your blood. You mean nothing to them, but you meant something to me."

She crosses her arms, and does not meet my eyes.

"You also mean nothing to me, now. I feel nothing for you, one way or another. You are lucky that I do not make you fall to the ground and kiss my feet."

Annabelle scoffs, and turns from me, stepping into her room and slamming shut the door.

I made the vessels promise they would do nothing to her as a punishment.

But I didn't promise them that I wouldn't, either.