Stolen Time

Conviction

She couldn't tell if it was minutes or mere seconds, but it felt like an eternity. She felt as if something akin to disgusting, slimy tentacles slid into her mind and started yanking on her memories.

"Missing memories," the command echoed through her mental plains. She didn't feel the telltale slam as her mind ran into the wall surrounding her lost memories.

Instead, recent related memories crawled out against her will.

"We asked about your well-being, of course. It seems like you might have been drugged by that cripple stalker of yours somehow," Arlo's annoying voice said in her head.

"I finally found you! I was so worried! Sera? Are you in pain? Are you still unwell?" John asked, genuinely worried about her while using that painful nickname.

"I'm John. You know, your friend?" She remembered his confusion even when she couldn't see his face. She had refused to look at him at that moment after all. Would she ever get the chance?

"We should go to the infirmary, Sera. Something is seriously wrong with you."

She wished she had believed him. She knew what was coming. She begged her mind to stop. It was already replayed to her too many times until she couldn't bear it anymore. But she was forced to witness it one more time. His body had slammed into the wall. His bones breaking. His face full of disbelief and betrayal.

She wanted it to stop.

But she couldn't get out.

"Stay down, and never talk to me or come close to me ever again, you lowly cripple." It was her voice, but it sounded foreign to her.

"Please, stop it!" She pleaded, but no one answered.

"Please! We need to talk!"

He was so desperate to get through to her, and yet she turned her back on him.

"Sera!"

She couldn't bear to hear it. It was haunting her since that cursed moment.

"Please, stop..." Tears welled up in her eyes.

She remembered it all, why did she have to see it again?

Yet there were parts she didn't recall before, hidden behind the fog of pain.

"It hurts so much to be around you." She said in her memory in a pained hoarse voice, and he froze next to her.

Had she really told this to him? How could she say something like that? How much had it hurt him?

Yet his next words didn't show any of the betrayal he must have felt.

"Go and help Seraphina to the infirmary."

He was firm.

"And don't you dare tell anyone about this, you hear me?"

Threatening.

"I'm serious. Tell anyone about Sera's state and I'll find a way to make your life a living hell."

Protective.

"What about you?"

Evie, ever so sweet, had been still considerate of others, even in her memories.

"It doesn't matter, I'll be fine. I'll get to the infirmary by myself later. Just get her there before the bell rings and keep her out of sight. No one can see her in this state, do you understand?"

Why had he gone this far?

"Evie... Thank you."

Why did he sound so grateful when he himself was so broken?