When The Night Falls Book 2 of When Good Things End trilogy

CHAPTER 25

Laurent was shaking.
His face hurried at my neck.
"Where am I?" I asked. My voice startling him upright again. I couldn't stop my tears so I didn't bother moving from his hug.
I bit down at the thing still stuck in my mouth. "Why is it still on me?" All I did was make a whimpering groaning sound.
I clawed at the mask, the bandages around my hands ripping. "Take it off me."
Get it off!
"We tried Ann," Laurent said. I almost yanked away from him as he pushed my hands away from my face. My tears mixed into the scrapes. The cloth on my fingers had blooming dots of blood soaking them slowly.
His eye were red, lashes already holding back his emotions. "Just give me some more time," he said. The cut at the side of his lip was swollen red with a new smaller one next to it.
I banged my head against his shoulder. Frustrated as he held back my hands. It doesn't feel right. I can't even explain to him anything I'm feeling.
"Please."
I stopped and he let go of my hands.
Eyes widening as I realized the voice in my dream. He was the one trying to wake me up the whole time. His soft smile faded as I brush my hand over the scar on my neck.
"Was it about him?" He asked gently.
I nodded slightly, gesturing as if someone was around my neck and pulling it up.
"Him too?"
I blinked away whatever was in my eyes as I tried to figure out how to tell him about Ein. He knows one of my stories. I too his hand, figuring I could have just written everything down.
He recognized the name after the second letter. "He's still there at the makeshift hospital. I took you to my place hoping Class or my other guys could help out."
Did they see me while I was crying in my sleep?
I wiped off my face. Or at least the parts that weren't covered with metal. My face still felt like it was burning. But the fever must have gone down a bit since I didn't feel nauseous.
My hollow stomach twisted as I tried to wipe my blood from Laurent's palm. How long was I with the people that took me? I wrote out a simple two word question.
"How long?" Laurent repeated before I wiped it off again. "Two days since we've found you."
I want a pen and paper. I feel bad I'm using him like a white board. "One day left," I pronounced everything slowly.
He took a few tries until figuring out what I said. "How long have you worn it? Did they at least give you anything to eat?" He asked, growing worried as he realized what I meant.
It's typical to survive around three days without water. I might be able to make it to four but its not likely.
"Eh." I tilted my head a bit and squinted. When they released me from standing they dragged me to some dark bathroom were I would eat and use the toilet. But they fed me whenever they remembered to.
"Mind trying something?" He asked, making his way out of the room once I reluctantly nodded. He came back with a cup of water in hand, looking somewhat flustered as he set it on the nightstand.
Is he taunting me?
"Just hold still okay?"
I shook my head, motioning for him to explain before I let him do anything.
He leaned over closer to me with a shy smile. "We did this before remember?"
Surprise Flickered through me as he pressed his lips were mine would be if the muzzle wasn't strapped on. He pulled away, looking away in embarrassment. "Understand now?"
I nodded, feeling a small wave of worry about doing this. I could still choke even if he helped me. It's still dangerous.
He handed me the water as I took a deep breath in through the small hole. Wait. Do I breath in or out when I'm drinking? I froze looking down at the water as I tried to remember.
"You don't have to do this, we can figure out a way to get it off-"
I spilled some of the water and swallowed it down. Trying not to gag on the mouth piece. Slight panic attacking me until Laurent helped me out.
It was strange having to fully depend on him to breath normally.  The feeling was one of pathetic quality. I tried to continue the cycle a few times but stopped around the fifth time.
"My bad." Doyle interrupted.
I want to die. The both of us pulled away from each other as a blush painted itself over my face. It shouldn't be anything to be embarrassed about.
Tide waddled from behind Doyle but he quickly closed the door before he could get a glimpse at me. I listened as he protested being led away. Trying not to look hurt I stood.
"Steady," Laurent was quick to help me out. The strength in my legs leaving quickly.
I muttered a thank you but tried to get up on my own. I don't need help with some as normal as walking. Peeking out the door I checked if the others were still in the hall. My body seemed to catch up with everything that had played out as I gagged. Stumbling back down to my knees with my hands over my head.
Pain shot up from my back as I remembered being smashed into the wall. My bones groaned as Class ran over to me and Laurent.
His voice had an echoing effect. "What is she doing out of bed? Why did you let her get up?"
It's not his fault. I didn't want to stay there all day.
I flinched, my head spinning again as I was scooped off the floor and brought back into the darkly lit room.
"No," I moaned. Just forget I'm sick. I want to go. I pushed off the bed the second I was placed on it, shaking my dizzy head.
I don't need sleep right now.
Laurent let me sit up as I motioned for a pen and paper. Class brought what I asked for and I sloppily wrote something out. I couldn't read what I said. The words mixing together even though I knew I wrote something important.
"Let's get her into the bathtub."
I jerked back from Class. Shaking my head and quickly writing no. He gave me a thin lipped smile before turning to Laurent and giving him a slight gesture towards me.
"She's going to burn up and we can't give her meds with that thing on."
What I'm going to do is drown!
Class tried to get to me again but I decided to just make a run for it. I threw the blanket over him and ran across the room. If feels like I'm going I said with this headache. I wasn't even able to stand properly even though my mind felt like I was running a marathon at this moment.
Leaning into Laurent's touch I tried to calm down. He's not going to kill me. I must have fallen asleep. Waking up only once when I felt something uncomfortable dampen and weigh down my hair.
I was pulled up and tied back after I mumbled on about it annoying me. I don't want to sleep. My entire back must be bruised. I chuckled to myself, flinching at the movement as I played a joke in my head. Everyone's going to think I've gone insane.
Whatever I was floating on didn't feel comfortable until I turned to lay down on my stomach. Water splashing around me but my head was on something above it.
If felt dumb having someone else in the same room. The bath felt nice, like a cold shower.
My hands slipped and I stumbled up right before my shirt was pulled up, eyes shooting open even though it hurt to be awake. Adrenaline flushed over me so quickly I could feel myself shaking as I bumped back against the wall of the tub.
"We need to get it off, the doctors here," Class explained as another man waved from the doorway. I couldn't really see their faces well but the voices were enough to make me understand who was who.
My hands were already pulled tightly around myself, muscles tense as the calming water shifted. Someone was in the tub with me, the waves from their weigh rushing over my crawling skin.
Class's comment made me feel disgusting. "Well just wait till she knocks out again."
"Your not touching her without her consent." Laurent voice made me want to cry. He didn't even touch me as he shifted to give me space.
I'm not hyperventilating but I am hyper aware of the figures in the room. The fevers messing with my head but not so much so that I cant hear what's being said.
"She cant even say anything right now-"
"Exactly Class. She can't right now," Laurent sounded angry as I felt my head lull. He said something else as I felt my skin prick with all the water around me.
The bandages around my hands were gone. The cuts on my skin were open but not bleeding.
"Just get her to listen," Class said once Laurent told him to get out. He closed the door behind him and I mentally blanked.
Shaking my head I spelled out no on the wall with the water. "I don't want that." My tongue slurred even with the muzzle on. My clothes stay on.
I laid down over him, my body about to give out and needing to lay down. I would be drowning right now if he wasn't here.
"You still awake?"
I nodded, trying not to scrape him with the muzzle.
"You know why you need a doctor to check out your back right?"
I wish I could get rid of the muzzle and tell them all to just leave me alone. I'm hungry. I want to die. I'm probably still hallucinating as I sat up. My shirt was stuck to my skin in a protective layer.
I waited for him to hurry up and this over with. I want to go have breakfast. Rolling my eyes I put my hands up, waiting.
He was flustered, covering his face and looking away. "I can go get a nurse to help you out."
My smile dropped.
He gave up, making his way out of the tub and carefully pulling my shirt off over my head once he was standing. It didn't feel as cold with it off but I still curled my feet to cover myself.
I didn't let him bring anyone else into the room. Only half conscious of everything going on but only letting him help me out with the doctor shouting instructions from the other room.