A House Divided

Phase Ten

Pearl's P.O.V.

The pain from the wounds had forced me to black out, and now I had woken up, convinced that last night was a dream. That's when I felt the pearl. The soft weight gently edging on my head. I shuddered and winced. My vision blurred together as I stood up. I limped over to the turquoise walls, wanting something, anything to hold onto. I laid my hand upon the wall and looked at the dried, red crust of blood that caked my hands.

I shuddered even more and breathed. Inhale and exhale. There was a small crumple of paper and the note taped to the door fell down. I caught it quickly and read the black words scrawled across the paper. The paper told me to shower and get dressed. Maxwell's name lay at the bottom. I closed my eyes and through the note down. There was a separate door in my room that lead to a bathroom.

Stumbling and almost falling down several times, I finally made my way to the bathroom. I turned the bronze door knob and stepped inside.

The bathroom was humongous. White walls and porcelain floors filled it. A bronze shower with many shampoos and different soaps filled the air with different scents.

A mixture of honeysuckle and jasmine filled the air and I inhaled a deep breath of the intoxicating mixture. Softly I was wrapped into a sleepy haze. I yawned but turned on the shower. Ad I stripped down, putting the towel on the sink, the room filled with steam.

I stepped into the shower, the hot water hit my skin and I cried out in pain. Tears matched the pouring water. I backed up till I hit the wall. More tears fell as the water hit my head.

The extra pressure that was added hurt, it burned and forced me to the ground. Black, red, and white spots glazed over my vision. Nodding back and forth, in and out of consciousness, I cried. It hurt. It burned. It was the worst pain I'd felt in my life and right now I couldn't do anything about it.

Slowly and very carefully I crawled out of the tub, grabbing my warm towel and wrapping myself up in it.

Standing was another problem that I didn't have the strength to try. I simply laid on the cold floor, the steam clouding my eyes, the hot air filled my lugs making it hard for me to breath.

"Pearl?!" I heard her shout before I felt her arms grab me, picking me up. Her black long hair made a cloak of coverage as she held me. I knew her arms, her voice, her eyes. It was Rose.

Tears fell onto my chest as she held me close. "P-Pearl...Y-Your head..." I could feel Rose shudder but she held me tight with one arm. The other gently but swiftly taking the gauze off. She gasped again, her fingers running over where my skin had been cut. Wincing I looked in the large mirror. It was healed...My skin had formed around it.

I shuddered into Rose's frame. She stayed strong and held me close. We stayed there for what felt only a few seconds in time, till Rose shifted. I stood up, barely. And she looked at me. Her black hair had pink streaks at the roots. A black spandex suit with circle that formed around the pink rose in her navel.

"Rose...You..." I began but she cut me off.

"Don't...Please...I know...Maxwell is waiting for you...You can change and shower later...Right now you need to see the others..."

And with that Rose grabbed my hand and pulled me up, leading me out through her room.