Clepsydra [ON HOLD]

Chapter 13: The Viper

It's dark. Darker than black; darker than the middle of the night, where not even an owl dares to come out. I can't see anything; I can't feel anything. Am I floating? Or am I sinking? Am I moving, or is my body still? Am I even breathing? I honestly don't know what I'm feeling, what I'm touching. There's nothing in front of me, nothing behind me. It's a vast mass of nothingness surrounding me. There are no sounds, no smells, no nothing.

What was I going before this? Where am I? What is going on? All my thoughts swirl inside me, coming out as if I can see the words and twirling by my side. Is Orien alive? Did I die?

I don't know what to think. I don't know anything at all. I don't know what to do. How do I get out of this? How do I survive this?

⏳

I groan out against the white lights that flash before me as my bed stays still. I open one eye, looking around the room. It's still dark, but not like what it was. The walls are beige, pictures line them as shelves pop out, full of books or bottles. There's an I.V. in me as I lay on this metal bed, covered by a single white blanket. I've been here before. I recognize the room, the ambience and the single light beside my head. What happened? Why am I back here, of all places? What happened to Orien? How did I get here?

I know none of the answers as more questions pile up in my head. How in the world did I get to the doc? How am I alive? What happened?

The door opens and my hand flies to my hip, feeling my knife there. I grab it as he walks in. It leaves my grip before I can take it back.

"We've gotta stop doing this," Orien chuckles as he barely dodges the blade, centemetres away from his face.  He pulls the blade out of the seam of the metal door and the frame, tossing it in the air as he walks towards me. When did he change? Last time I was with him, he was wearing jeans and a black shirt. Now, he's dressed up, just missing the blazer with his tie untightened. Man, he looks like a damn meal. I lick my lips before I answer him.

"Can't help it," I grumble as I try moving. My arms are moving fine, but my head feels heavy. Something is weighing me down, from the inside out. It's crushing everything and it's pulling at my hair, pressing itself against my eyes. It's throbbing and pulsing, reverberating to the farthest part of my skull and back up, "What–What happened?"

"What do you remember?" He counters as he sits in the seat next to me, my I.V. drip between us. I inhale, sighing loudly as I try to think back.

"Well, I remember getting the target," That's true. I also think that she was sent off with a Keeper, but I don't voice those words, "Um, you got mad for some reason and then I was in a car," My tone turns up, questioning my memories, "There was someone in the house and had–had a gun? No, that can't be correct."

"It is. Skýla held a gun on you, shot you," He motions to my head, my hands following afterwards.

The scratchy bandage meeting my fingers as I feel around. Where did she shoot me? My fingers brush against my forehead, feeling for a dip or hole. Nothing there. Orien stares at me as I go to the sides, nothing on the left. My hand goes to the right side, feeling around before my hand suddenly dips right above my ear. She really did shoot me.

Laughter bubbles from deep within my gut, forcing its' way out of my mouth, shocking Orien with the sudden sound, "Oh, that bitch is dead," I wheeze out between laughs before adding, "If you fucked her, you will be too."

"Me? With her?" He questions, moving closer to me and taking my hand in his, "If I did, I'd kill myself. Why would I have her when I have you?"

"Hmm, better not have," I chuckle out despite the pain that it brings me, "Speaking of which, how long was I out for?"