The Rain is Helpless

[5] The Feelings are Stupid

~~Lezarelle~~

They were both so strange  -- especially the red girl. Everything about her screamed demon! demon! She was proud, fiery, and completely disgusted with my rescuers. I wanted her to leave, but no. Zeke let her stay.

If that's what he wanted. There was something...weird about him. Well, maybe not him. But my attitude about him was definitely weird somehow. I didn't like the feeling he gave off...

"Okay, here we go." Athena's harsh voice was gone, merely a murmur of concentration as she curled her fingers under the rim of the boxers I wore.

With that, my clothes began to disappear.

Every inch I moved felt. Like. Hell. Zeke held my hand and smoothed my hair, murmuring softly, distracting me from what Athena was doing.

I looked up as much as I could, and Zeke met my gaze. Pain flickered in his eyes, brighter, dimmer -- I -- ahh! Agony stabbed and seared in my legs, and on every inch between them. I cried out. Zeke clenched my hand.

"It's all right, Lezarelle," I barely heard him say through my moans, "It's okay, try to breathe." He stroked my head and the good side of my face, catching the tears that had begun to flow.

It hurt.... I couldn't stand it, it hurt.... Zeke looked down at me with anguished dark green eyes.

Athena moved my legs, prodded gently. I groaned. My body convulsed.

Suddenly I felt cool droplets hit my face. I opened my eyes -- still panting -- and studied Zeke in surprise.

He looked just as shocked as I was. His eyes widened, he reached with his free hand and touched his face. Sure enough, tears came back on his fingertips.

He stared back at me. I knew he was sharing my thought.

Vampires can't cry.

Right..?

Yes, they can, Athena's voice stated in my head. She paused whatever she was doing. I trembled. Just to feel the agony leave hurt. Besides, it didn't go far. Her telepathic voice softened in puzzlement. But technically there's nothing  to trigger it here... Unless...

Zeke's eyes popped. Another tear trickled down his face. He looked at me. I looked away. Somehow, despite my situation, my mind was able to wrap around what she was saying.

No.

No.

No.

Suddenly, I was furious. Protests -- rational protests, at that -- began spurting from my thoughts. You're not my sister, Athena! I screeched through my mind. I dont know you, Zeke, why am I here?? Why did this happen to me?? WHY?? Why my parents, why their car, why did I survive?? It's not possible!! I wanna go home!

I was sobbing. It hurt like hell, like death, like tension and anguish. But the memory of my parents hurt just as much -- they were only a memory, now. Jumbled up thoughts began to clatter in my ears, pictures in my head, tears in my throat. Car wreck. I survived. No phone. Trying to get to the police station. Kidnapped. Raped. Slaughtered.

They were dead.

I was a teenage orphan.

As of yesterday.

I may even be pregnant. With some sick molester's child. That I didn't want.

Hell, they may have killed that child before they tossed me.