Backstage Pass to Mortal Kombat

Chapter 10 - The Claws Come Out

Chapter 10 - The Claws Come Out

Sheets wrapped around my feet and legs seemed to set my skin on fire; I was sweating bullets as I squirmed on my cot. My hands, in the shape of claws, scratched at the thick material that cradled my body. Keanu's face was the only thing I could see, my thoughts clouded with his being. Why did he have to haunt me all the time? Why did I have to think of him every day, all day? Why couldn't he just leave me alone?

"Keanu... Keanu..." My voice sounded alien, even to myself. "Keanu!" I jumped; feeling like I was falling, and sat up. My chest heaved as I tried to regain myself, but it didn't work. My heart raced while my eyes took in the things around me. I was in my hut, laying in my cot. It was night, and my head was pounding. My eyes were burning, reminding me of all the crying I had done. Crying...

My eyes snapped to the corner of the room, spotting a man sitting in the corner. His arms were folded and his eyebrows were knitted together, hovering above his gold eyes that seemed to glow in the darkness. "What is it about 'Keanu' you like so much?" His thick voice rang, making me jump once more.

"U-uh...what are you doing here? How did I get here? What happened...." I stuttered, my hand instinctively moving to my head. My brain seemed to pulse with pain, and holding it didn't seem to make it any better. Hanzo gave a frustrated sigh and stood up, grabbing a glass of water as he walked over and handed it to me.

"Drink this," He demanded when I simply stared at it. Hesitantly, I took the glass from him and eyed it suspiciously before he rolled his eyes and pushed the bottom of the glass, pressing it to my lips and tilting it until the water came out, forcing me to drink. "Why are you so stubborn?" He growled as he walked back to the chair he was sitting in.

Surprisingly, I was extremely thirsty, and it showed when I finished the glass in seconds. Looking around the room for more, Hanzo shook his head, "I only brought one glass, you're going to have to wait until morning for another. Unless you drink the ocean water, which I don't suggest; you're dehydrated enough as it is."

I hung my head, knowing what he was saying; I cried so much all the water had escaped my body. I set the empty glass down on the floor next to my cot and crossed my legs, feeling awkward as silence filled the room. Hanzo must have carried me here earlier, after I most likely fell asleep in his arms. My back stiffened as I remembered him holding me, soothing me, telling me everything was alright... It was nothing like the man that sat before me; the annoying, self centered, asshole. Well, maybe he wasn't an asshole, but he certainly wasn't fun to be around. "Thank you," I finally choked out; my voice constricted after not talking.

"For what?" He asked.

"For...comforting me. I-it was very...nice of you." My eyes peered up, looking through the long, black, bangs that dangled in my face. I mentally thanked my hair for concealing my face; it made it easier to speak to him. "I appreciated it a lot."

Instead of the shrug and 'no problem' I was expecting, his frown increased. "That doesn't answer my question; what's with you and 'Keanu''? You were yelling his name in your sleep. Was that an 'exciting' dream or something?"

"Ew!" I yelled, jumping off of my cot, throwing the sheets off of me. I noticed I wasn't wearing my skinny jeans anymore, but had the basketball shorts on, still. I wondered if he did that, or if I did it in my sleep. I hoped the latter. "Keanu is my friend, nothing more. You of all people should understand I'm worried about him, since he did run off and fight for Shao Kahn."

"Shao's not so bad; just a bit firm. We never see much of him anyway, it's mostly Movado and Rain that we have to watch out for. They like torturing people."