Heartburn ↣ Alec Lightwood

3. Ridin' Solo

I woke up with a start and sweat covering my entire body. I looked around my darkly furnished bedroom and sighed. Sunlight was just coming through the small window meaning it was early morning. I reluctantly shoved the covers off of me and saw that I was suddenly wearing shorts and a loose t-shirt. I slowly got out of bed but as soon as I was on two feet, my knees buckled and I fell, my healing rune burning as I did so. I huffed in annoyance and tried again, this time with success. While taking baby steps towards my door, I decided I should probably find the rest of the group.

As soon as I walked into the main 'lobby' of the institute, I noticed the place was buzzing. There were a lot more people than usual and they all seemed frantic like something major had happened. I walked aimlessly around and decided to go to Jace's bedroom. On my way there I ran into Hodge.

"Hey Hodge--" I started.

He gasped and immediately stopped "Ruelle! How are you even walking right now?" He asked me with total concern.

"Uh.. I don't know," I laughed lightly, "I was going to ask my brother that, have you seen him?"

"Yeah he is in the infirmary." Hodge informed.

"What?! What happened to him?" I panicked.

"Oh no! He is not in- I mean he is in there but he is not hurt. Jace, Alec, and Isabelle are with some mundane. She is the one who got hurt." He finished.

"A mundane? I am so confused right now" I say truthfully. The moment I say that, my brain starts pounding uncontrollably I felt it physically swell up, it felt like my head was about to burst. I screamed and clutched my head to try and get the pain to subside.

"Ruelle?!" Hodge grabbed onto my shoulders to keep me balanced. "What's wrong?" He asked. The searing pain disappeared slowly and I regained my surroundings.

"I don't know" I panted while looking in his eyes, panicked and afraid. "My brain just starting pounding against my skull."

"Let's get you to the infirmary" Hodge says as he wraps one hand around my waist and holds my forearm to help me me walk slowly.

As soon as we rounded the corner, everyone's eyes shot up to me and they all started talking.

"Ruelle? How are you even-" Jace began.

"Are you okay?" Izzy stood up.

"How are you feeling?" Alec commented.

"I don't know." I snapped without really meaning it but I wasn't feeling too good.

"There is something wrong with her" Hodge says getting straight to the point.

"What do you mean?" Alec came forward.

"My own brain just attacked me" I deadpan.

"Pretty much," Hodge agreed "but whatever demon attacked her, really messed with her cause this isn't normal."

"Can someone fill me in on what happened in the club." I ask while wincing as Hodge sat me down on the nearest chair.

"A demon basically almost choked the life out of you" Alec said bluntly.

"Gee thanks for the inf--not again" I grit my teeth together as I felt my head throb again. I couldn't help but scream like bloody murder, I yanked at my hair and fell to my knees while everyone around me was moving in slow motion. I felt hands grip my arms and torso. I squeezed my eyes closed and didn't just see darkness like I was expecting, I saw my father. I gasped loudly and ripped my eyes open so wide, I got out of their grip and launched myself away from them, leaning myself against the wall and hugging my knees. Everyone stared at me now, with worried expressions on their faces.