Scarlett, the Found One

Chapter 54: Scarlett

Fiery liquid shot through my veins, burning with an intensity that forced a scream from my throat. My body felt weaker than it ever had, and I slipped in and out of consciousness, teetering on the edge of delirium. Whatever they were injecting into me was slowly killing me. Cords and tubes snaked in and out of my veins, pumping toxic chemicals into my system. The doctor tapped on a syringe and injected it into my arm. My heart raced uncontrollably. I had no idea what they were testing on me and cried out for answers.

"Please," I begged, my voice cracking. "What are you doing to me?"

The doctor ignored my pleas, walking behind a glass wall. He pressed a button, and suddenly, a searing pain exploded in my head. Blood spewed from my nose and eyes, and I let out another agonized scream before everything went black.

When I woke again, I couldn't tell how much time had passed. The harsh fluorescent lights above me flickered, casting eerie shadows on the walls. My vision was blurred, and every muscle in my body ached. The tubes and cords still invaded my veins, but now they felt like they were filled with molten lava.

"Help," I whispered, though I knew no one would come. My voice was weak, almost unrecognizable. I couldn't understand why this was happening to me or what they hoped to achieve.

Another wave of pain surged through me, and I clenched my teeth, trying to hold back the screams that threatened to escape. The doctor returned, but his face was cold, devoid of any empathy.

"Why?" I managed to croak out. "Why are you doing this?"

He looked at me for a moment, as if considering whether to answer, but then he turned away, busying himself with another syringe. The feeling of helplessness was overwhelming. I tried to focus on anything else, anything that could take my mind off the pain. I thought of Maya, hoping she was okay, hoping she was trying to find a way to save us both.

But the reality was grim. Each injection, each test brought me closer to the edge. I could feel it. And as the next round of chemicals surged through my veins, I couldn't hold back the scream. It was ripped from my throat, raw and unending, until darkness claimed me once more.

I awoke to see a darker-skinned woman with golden jewelry in her nose, forehead, and ears standing in front of me, her presence commanding and familiar. I recognized her from the visions of my ancestors.

"Who are you?" I managed to ask, my voice weak.

"I am Amenan Koffi," she replied, her voice resonant and powerful. "Your direct ancestor from."

"What's happening to me?" I asked, panic seeping into my words.

I remember the visions of her being burned alive.

Amenan's gaze was steady. "You are at the crossroads of life and death."

"Am I going to die?" My voice trembled.

"That is up to you," she said simply.

The world around us was a void, black and endless. I tried to gather my thoughts, to make sense of what was happening.

"I don't want to die," I told her, desperation clear in my tone.

"Why?" she asked, her eyes piercing into mine.

"I need to take over my family's kingdom. I need to be with Maya. There are so many things I haven't done yet," I listed my reasons, my voice gaining strength with each word.

Amenan's expression darkened. "You wish to serve a kingdom that has killed our people? A kingdom that has oppressed us?"

"I promise to make Vastoria better," I pleaded. "I can change things from within."