Unblinking

Sweet Poison

                            12

"What do you want?"
"I'm not here to get anything" He twiddles his fingers "I'm here to give out–"
Silence has filled the blanks.
"Ansley is not dead. Ashley has not run away. Dr Drenner is under serious rehab and everything connects to you" He points his index finger to my face.
"What do you–"
"And Ashley is not Fred's sister" He seats himself on a chair and rocks it back and forth "Fred is your brother"
"And?" Dennis raises an eyebrow. He seems to have known all these. He looks confident. Like he is sure what Peter is gonna say next. Peter doesn't look at him. His whole body is turned towards me and he seems very pathetic more than sympathetic towards me.
"Ashley was kind to you, wasn't she?"
"No" I can feel Dennis' eyes on my back. "I mean I think she was when we were young" I think, she was.
Peter rocks back and forth and it is something I think I have seen somewhere else. Rocking the knife back and forth. Into something.
"Look here..." Dennis calls as I turn back and realize he's talking to Peter.
"This is got nothing to do with you. Nothing. Understand?" He motions his hand out "Get out"
I have never seen Dennis being so... cruel. I mean I know what Peter says has everything to do with me but why should Dennis pretend like defending me when he's actually not allowing me to learn the past me.
"Peter" He moves closer as Peter gets up as I notice how tall Dennis is. "Sara is mine. Get it? Forever" Dennis' fingers are curled at the collar of Peter's. He breathes loud "He won't be here. He will not near. Not this time. No" What? Why? Who? Gosh. I don't hear. Anything. Anymore. Why is it dark? Ouch. My knee hurts. I can't bend my– Oooohh. Aaaarrggghhhh.
"Yours did you think he is?" I can feel the whip colliding against my back. Slash. Slash. I can feel my chest in contact with the cold floor, fresh warmth of the blood burning the floor.
"What" Whip. Pain. I don't hear what he is saying anymore. My ears can feel the liquid oozing out. The warm liquid on my body. Everywhere.
My hands won't push the floor. I want strength. To lift myself up. I– Ah. No. No. No. No. No. No. He– I open my eyes, tears, sweat, blood mingling with fear and a paste of anxiety and weakness and pain gushing into life. I can hear him speak again. "–can be. Babe, The Lady wants us both, why don't you just permit?" I open my palms and try to something.
My fingers twirl. Over and over again to get a grip of something. Why is–
"Aaaawww" I can hear the footsteps thudding near me."Poor baby wants to hold onto something, ain't it?" It is a girl. I know. I know her. I know everything of her.
"Lauren" I can feel my lips quavering as I move them. My jaw hurts for every bit of energy I put to move it. I want to tell her. But I want to talk to him first. I don't know. It is chaotic. But I just wish I could get the words out.
"I'm trying to" I cough, slimy fluid making it's way first out. "Get the Pendant" My eyes close but I continue "From Ashley" My throat aches in agony. My throat. Aaaagggghhh. I can't scream. Tears come gushing out.
The truth. The secret. Lauren and Barney. Betrayal is seeping it's way into the atmosphere. Hatred is getting its fullest strength.
It hurts more than the whips. More than the amount of blood I've lost. More than the amount of times he tortured me. More than the amount of times Lauren kicked me in the groin. All comes forward to my eyes.
"Ohh" I can hear his mocking ohs.
"Trying to get the pendant? Eh?" I can feel the breath on my cheeks. I'm sure it is Lauren kneeling beside me. I am sure.
She pulls my hair from behind. Aahh. Her usual treatment. My usual visitor.
"The Lady will be–" I slightly raise my eyelids, the twinge of pain causing me wince. I can see her shaking her head. Aaaah. She pulls the usual amount of hair from my head as she–
I don't see anything. What is happening? Why is it happening? Peter. Dennis. Is it real? Am I real? Is it me? Where was I? Who is Lauren? Who is that guy?
"Don't be scared baby" I can sense concerns. I'm surrounded by people again.
                               •••
"Doctor–"
"Everything is alright. She just seemed to have some visions over and over again. Medicines don't seem to cure and it'll take a few days for the medicine I prescribed to come into the rehab. So you guys have to wait for it and– This is– Why?" Dr Andrea whose surname is unknown, is hurriedly rummaging the drawers for something.
After Dr Huston's so "accidental" death like the newspapers say, no one wants to be in charge of me. Except Dr Andrea. She is innocent and weary. She must be just two or three years older than me.
She looks like she is either forced to work here or takes upon other jobs at night.
3 days have passed since she's arrived here.
She doesn't seem too friendly over the 3 days. She doesn't even look at anyone in the eyes. Her bun bounces up and down whenever she nods and she nods very frequently. She looks so cute. Like so much. But she doesn't look arrogant. Just non-friendly. Introverted.
And thanks for Mr Darwin for taking me every once in 2 hours for the progress of the investigation.
"Someone seems to have–" She says after a few minutes of rummaging. Her eyes widen at mine and then she eyes the door to Dennis.
A secret? She thinks I won't get it.
Dennis walks to my bed and kisses my forehead. I know it is something he conveys to me without words. More than romantic, it is promising. Full of promise. He walks out not fully closing the door shut.
I can peep at the hallway through the gap. But they seem to be standing at the same side as that of the door so I can't get a glance of them standing. I can hear muffled voices. Muffled secret. I wonder what they're talking about. I wonder.
I don't expect Dennis to talk to me about it but I hope he does.
I'm sure I'll be hopeless in the end.
"I did not feed, understand?" I jerk upright.
"Shhhhh" Dr Andrea hushes down at Dennis. And they proceed to whisper.
Someone has fed something to me.
Something. For what? Was that the reason for me to vision everything? Probably. I hardly eat anything fulfilling. I hardly eat nowadays. After Dr Huston's death I hardly eat anything other than coffee. And I won't let anyone near me when I drink coffee. I want it to be soothing the aches. And I make myself a coffee. Even when Dennis offered me politely if he can make me a coffee, I declined. There is no way... Wait. Wait. Wait. Yesterday I ate a cookie. Dennis fed me.

                             To be continued...