In the Belly of the Beast

19

Time stood still. There was nothing but the blackness, no distractions save the tiny voices that whispered in his head.

What was happening around him? 

To him? 

To Ruby? 

He nervously picked at a bump on his side. He couldn't leave it alone. When he felt the sticky ooze, he knew it was raw and bleeding. He grabbed a handful of sheeting and pressed it to his side.

When the lights came on, Ruby would be livid, he thought. If they ever came on.

She checked on him a few minutes later and asked again if he wanted something to eat.

He declined food. Just some water, he had said. 

He wasn't hungry but knew he would have to eat again soon. She had stumbled in the blackness, bumping into the bed. 

He felt the mattress shake and heard her mutter an obscenity. It must have hurt.

A few second later, he heard her draw the water. He felt her hand lightly touch his body. She guided herself up his leg and toward his outstretched hand.

He grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards him. He felt her hair against his chest. She smelled of spring, of summer, of jasmine, lavender, roses, misty morning, and a thousand other light and airy scents.

It was intoxicating, and he fought to keep his mind on what he had to do.

His grip tightened around her wrist.

"Let me go, Geoffrey."

"Why are you doing this?" he asked. "What are you doing to me?"

Her breath was warm and sweet upon his face.

"Geoffrey. I mean it, let me go. I don't want to hurt you. Please, don't make me hurt you," she said.

His hold tightened, but he quickly released her when he felt a piercing pain spread across the back of his hand.

"Oww!" he wailed. "You bit me!"

But it was more than that. He could tell. Even in the dark.

He felt the blood streaming down his forearm. He grabbed the sheet. A chunk of his hand was gone. He felt the hollow recess as he wound the sheet tightly around his hand.

The numbers on the alarm suddenly lit the room with glowing redness.

"The power's back on," Ruby said.

He could see the dark bloodstains around her mouth, wet and gory and black in the dim red light.

"I'm going to clean up," Ruby said, her perfect white teeth stained like a vampire's.

She left the room.

The portion of sheeting that he'd wrapped around his head was soaked with blood. He hoped he'd wound it tightly enough to stem the flow. He cradled it against his cheek, moaning softly and rocking back and forth.

After a time, the pain became bearable. He eased his body into the pillows behind him. Carefully, he reached above his head for the light switch. He flipped it up but nothing happened.

Unbelievable. He glanced down at the alarm clock. The glowing red numbers looked back at him. The power was on.

Damn it. The power was back on.

He pumped it up and down sending frantic little clicks in undecipherable Morse code. Sweat poured down his face in tiny rivulets. He rested his head against the wall. He was exhausted.