The World is on Fire

Chapter 7

When Barricade showed up a few days later, Josephine wanted to sink into her bed and never climb out. Her hands and arms were still healing—while they were no longer stiff and red, pain still lanced through periodically causing them to spasm from time to time, and she was convinced the energon had affected her in other ways too.

Her body felt heavy—like it was anchored to the bottom of the ocean floor, and nausea had become her new, constant companion. Simon had done his best to get her to eat, but it was a losing battle.

No food meant no energy, and so it took all of Josephine's willpower to force herself to sit up when Barricade barked at the two of them to follow him. Simon was at her side as soon as she stood, helping guide her out of their cell and behind the black and white Decepticon who was already halfway down the hall.

They repeated the same walk from a few days ago and Josephine swallowed thickly as they entered into the same room with Starscream sitting at the other end, watching the pair with a devious grin on his face. Josephine averted her eyes, instead focusing on the humans that were already in the room, trying to look at anything else to keep her mind from supplying images of fallen bodies and blood.

She didn't realize she was panicking until a hand gently squeezed her shoulder, then went back to supporting her back, keeping her upright after the long walk.

As her panic ebbed, she was able to register that the humans in the room were performing menial labor—cleaning mostly, but a few were carting around large cubes that were then offered to the Decepticons that flanked the room. There were fewer of the Transformers in the room than the other day, but still enough to set Josephine on edge.

At the foot of Starscream's makeshift throne, she began to shake, memories and fear pelting her mind. Barricade growled something in that odd language and Starscream barked something that made Josephine turn her attention to Barricade. He tensed at whatever was said, hands clenching into fists before relaxing. He gave a sloppy salute that had Starscream's eyes narrowing before turning and leaving, doors closing with a shutter behind him.

The purple Decepticon, Skywarp, said something that had Starscream snapping back.

Josephine and Simon both flinched at the tone. Simon gripped her shoulder, squeezing it in reassurance. Starscream tracked the movement, eyeing them both for a moment, nearly making Josephine wither where she stood.

She only registered what he had said when Simon pulled her down to her knees. She grimaced as her knees connected with the metal floor, but didn't say a thing, not wanting to provoke Starscream. The thought made her frown, but self-preservation kept her from doing anything that might be seen as remotely rebellious.

"Show me your hands." The command reverberated through her bones, and she could feel nearly every pair of eyes on her and she slowly held them out toward him.

Starscream leaned forward till she could nearly see her own reflection in his red eyes. Her heart pounded in her ears, and it became harder to get a full breath of air into her lungs as he examined her.

When he leaned back, her shoulders sagged, and she released a shaky breath.

"Are they functional?"

It took her a moment to process the question and the fact that it was directed at her, and it took her even longer to formulate an answer, mouth opening and closing several times.

Starscream rested his head on his hand, shifting in his seat and motioning for her to speak.

Josephine felt Simon look at her then and a slight brush of his hand against her own, sparking her mouth into action.