{ PARANOIA }

{ Chapter 1 } || When Things Go Wrong

- Hera -

The crimson liquid spreads out on the floor beneath me, soaking my blue jeans to the knees. I choke and try to gasp for air, as I crawl to my table, where the familiar elixir sat ready for me to ingest. It had been a few hours since I took my last one, and I did not expect my attack to come sooner. As the vile potion goes down my throat, I feel my insides bubble. The wounds in my body repair itself, and the taste of blood disappears.

"She coughed blood again?" A voice whispers in the dark.

"Sadly. It seems she is not ready yet." Another voice replies, softer than the first. They talked amongst themselves as if I could not hear them from the thin walls of my room.

-Not ready? What did they mean by that? Was there something they were expecting from me?-

I close my eyes and focus on the strange feeling inside me. A feeling that can't be understood. It made my bones ache and made me feel like I were suffering in the very depths of hell. The bleeding had stopped, but the pain was much more agonizing. When will I be free of this pain? I clench my fists and writhe in agony, as another wave of torture overcomes my body. It takes a few more minutes until finally I'm free of my suffering.

"It seems your healing is not coming fast enough" A deep voice speaks up.

I turn my head to the source of the sound, and find my keeper, Sebastian, looking at me with a faraway glance. The cold look in his grey eyes pierce mine. I could not tell what he was thinking nor did I really wish to know. For if he were to look at me with pity, I would feel much worse than I had previously felt.

I shake my head. "The pain is not as bad as before."

"You're lying. I know you well enough, Hera"

It's true. I was lying. It seemed that I was getting worse day by day. But I did not want to accept that fact, nor did I want the people around me to worry. Although Sebastian didn't show it, I know he worries for me. Well in my heart, I believe so. I mean, he had been with me ever since I was a baby. He took care of me and treated my sickness. I'm sure that counts for something.

"You know me too well. I can't seem to hide anything from you." I say with a defeated sigh.

He goes to my pathetic figure and lifts me up off the ground. I watch as his black shoes create ripples in the pool of my blood. "Of course, I know everything about you. You are like a daughter to me." he replies with a steady voice.

Sebastian was not my father. But he was like one. He took me in when my parents died in a fire when I was only a baby. I was rescued but it was too late for my parents. So he took custody of me because I had no living relatives. I had no one to turn to. So I'm very grateful he found me.

"I think we need to have another check-up with Raina. She might be able to find something wrong." Sebastian says as he sets me down on a chair. I grip at the armrests and shake my head. Checkups with Raina are never pleasant. I always end up passing out and waking up a few days later. The whole process is honestly a blur, but I'm always left with this bitter taste in my mouth.

He sighs, his ageing face frowning in disappointment. "You know we have to do this for your wellbeing." he says.

From hearing his words, I'm overcome with guilt. I mean, they were doing this to help me. I shouldn't be ungrateful. For thanks to them, I'm still alive.

"I'm sorry. You're right. I'll have another checkup." I reply, with a small smile.

He nods his head and rubs his greying beard in satisfaction. "Good. I'll call for her. But for now, get yourself cleaned up."

As he says this, he makes his way to my bedroom door and opens it, only to be greeted by two guards saluting him. He makes a move to close the door but fails to close it all the way, and I make a move to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Sir, we seem to have intruders on our land! We have made the necessary arrangements but the council wishes to speak with you right now." A rough voice discloses. "It seems others have caught on to our plans"

I hear a few shuffling and I can tell that they are already walking away from my bedroom door, discussing about the attack. My mind starts to think of all the possibilities. The paranoia starts seeping through my brain. I lock my door and proceed to pace my room, rubbing at my arms and trying to calm myself down. It seems the outside world is finally catching up with me. The world that I've been told was there to harm me. The world beyond my safe haven. And what was I to do?

Suddenly, a loud growl echoes from the distance and my body goes stiff. That sound was close, probably just a mile away. I run to the farthest corner of my room and proceed to rock myself back and forth. The fear engulfing me in the darkness of the night. The howls and growls of the monsters outside draw closer and closer. I cover my ears and try to block out their sounds, but it proves fatal, when I suddenly hear the noise just beyond my bedroom door. And suddenly this sinking feeling envelopes me and another excruciating torture comes my way. I start to writhe again on the floor, my insides threatening to come out, and as I bend forward to cough up more blood, my door is kicked open and I look up in horror at the beast in front of me.

A creature stands by my door, on all four of its legs ready to pounce. It's pale blue eyes staring into mine with its teeth baring at me. I back away as far as I can, as I continue to cough up blood. The creature moves closer to me, and I don't know what to do. He looks around my room in high alert, and finally rests his gaze on my pool of blood. He steps closer and closer, until his paws are contaminated with red liquid. And then he stops, like as if he had realized something. His composure calms and he looks at me his head tilted to the side, as if examining my pathetic figure.

My vision starts to get hazy as I lose more and more blood. I slowly reach out to the box of elixirs sitting atop the table beside me but as I'm close to grabbing a bottle, I crash on the ground and the room becomes a hazy blur. I try to use my voice to say something... anything. "S-S-S-Save me" I say as I my body gives up.

and I am met with darkness yet again.