Lost

Chapter 83: "After-shook"

Early update. Enjoy 😊

Can we all be nice and post our reactions as we read so as to give the author a share in he fun? *puppy eyes*

Salma heard quiet whispers around her. She tried to open her eyes but they were heavy and seem to have swollen over. Salma frowned a bit when something cool wiped across her arm.

"Switch the napkin on her forehead," someone said softly.

She felt movement above her and then a cool napkin was gently placed on her forehead, soothing her aching temples. Salma forced her eyes open. Her vision was blurry, making it hard to focus.

She stirred a little, looking around. The first thing she saw was the pale faces of her mum and brother, followed by that of Dean and James. All of them wore worried expressions. The three boys specifically seemed to share a common look of panic that her mother lacked. She had that typical motherly look on her face; a mixture of annoyance and a deep concern. The room was dimly lit, giving her a bit of an idea that it was dark outside.

"What goin' on?" Salma slurred in confusion.

She tried to sit up, but stopped immediately when a few pairs of hands, a sharp pain through her head, and her mother's scolding attacked her at the same time.

"Don't you dare move, kid!" she chastised. "You're lucky they talked me out of tying you to this bed!"

Salma closed her eyes again, waiting for the room to stop spinning. The sudden dizziness that attacked her muted out her mother's voice replacing it with a whistling in her ears.

"How's her temperature?" She heard Dean.

Temperature? Salma frowned again, feeling queasy with how her head was spinning. She tried to work out what had happened. She was definitely not sick the last time she was awake. She was –

Her stomach jolted with disgust. She felt sick when her slow mind caught up with what had happened the last time she was awake. Images of Zayn attacking her flashed past her closed eyes, making her insides clench in agony. She squirmed with disgust and pain recalling how he had her pinned to the wall with her hands restrained. She felt revolted when the image of Zayn diving in to grab her mouth with his own slapped past her mind, making her wince audibly.

"Sally?" Asim asked, concerned, but when she didn't reply, he turned to her mother. "Her temperature is still high mum."

Salma felt her stomach turning as the horrible image kept playing over and over in her head. Her throat tightened with tears. She felt like crying.

"How do you feel, Sally?" James inquired softly.

Salma fought against the bile that kept rising to her throat. She knew she might puke but she was struggling against her own confused state and dizziness to be able to let them know.

"Why's she making those facing?"

"She's not making faces, you idiot, that's what a monkey looks like?"

"Shut up, you two!"

"Wait –"

"Oh my God! She's about to –

"PUKE!"

While the three boys jumped out of reach, her mother's reflex action was to help her sit up. Salma turned on the side of the bed as she felt her insides clenching painfully. The anti peristaltic movement squeezed her empty gut to throw out its contents. Only, there was nothing to force out. Salma couldn't remember having eaten anything since before getting ambushed. She squirmed in pain as the convulsions became more intense, making her eyes pop out.