Bound by blood & Ink

A strangers reflection

The medicine Alex had been given overwhelmed her senses, pulling her into unconsciousness once again. She drifted into a dream state, her body feeling weightless as though she were floating outside herself. It was eerily tranquil until a sound shattered the calm—the shrill beeping of her alarm clock.

Alex grunted, trying to open her eyes, but nothing happened. Confusion swelled in her chest. "That's weird..." she thought, willing her body to move. She strained harder, but her limbs stayed unresponsive. A bead of sweat rolled down her temple as she heard the muffled groans of her father downstairs.

"Fuck, he passed out again," Alex thought with a mix of frustration and dread. She knew all too well what would follow: his temper would rise, boiling over like a storm.

Then came his voice, sharp and venomous, yelling from below: "TURN OFF THAT DAMN ALARM!"

Her heart raced. She tried to call back, to explain, but her voice didn't come. Panic prickled through her as she heard the clatter of bottles and the heavy thuds of her father stumbling up the stairs.

"DID YOU HEAR ME, YOU LITTLE SHIT? TURN IT OFF!" he roared, his stomps growing louder with every word.

Alex's breathing turned shallow. "No, no, no..." she whispered in her mind, fighting against her frozen body. Her father was nearly at the door, and the echoing sound from before grew louder, blending into the chaos.

Her door shuddered under a violent kick before splintering open. His angry presence filled the room like a shadow. Alex held her breath, bracing for the blow, when suddenly a high-pitched ringing pierced her ears, drowning out everything else. The echoing noise became deafening, and then, just as suddenly, it stopped.

Alex gasped, her body jerking upright. She didn't even open her eyes—her instinct was to throw her arms up, shielding herself. "I'm sorry, Dad! I couldn't wake up!" she stammered, her voice shaking.

A few beats passed, but instead of the harsh sting of her father's fists, she felt something unexpected: a soft hand on her arm.

"Ma'am?" A gentle voice broke through her haze. "I'm sorry, I just wanted to change your bandages..."

Confused, Alex lowered her arms, opening her eyes to a blurred world. She expected to see her dresser or the familiar outlines of her room, but as she leaned sideways to find her bearings, she hit the floor hard as she tumbled out of bed.

The crash startled her fully awake, and two figures rushed into the room. Blinking rapidly, Alex's vision cleared, revealing a young knight and a woman in simple robes.

"Ma'am, it's okay," the knight said, approaching cautiously. "You're safe."

Alex scrambled back toward the wall, her breathing ragged. "What the fuck is happening right now?"

The knight and the woman shared a glance, their expressions uneasy.

"Why am I still sleeping?" Alex whispered, her voice trembling.

The knight stepped forward again, holding his hands up as though approaching a skittish animal. "Ma'am, you're awake. I promise. Should I fetch Doctor Leoda?"

"No!" Alex snapped, clutching her head. "No, my dad—he's going to kill me. I need to wake up."

Concern deepened on the knight's face. He turned to the robed woman, murmuring, "Get the doctor now."

Alex glanced around the room again, her chest tight with fear. Her eyes fell on the corner she had observed the room from before. there a spider sat. The tiny creature loomed larger in her mind, its presence sending a chill down her spine.