Breaking Ice

Antilia

It's been four days since Zakary came to see me. Four days since I felt a jolt when he swept my hair from my face.

Those four days had been spent being poked and prodded. My blood is being drawn everyday. I always feel weak and can barely stand on my own.

I don't know why they need my blood. It's just blood. I honestly hope people aren't being made to drink it. Just the thought of that makes me sick.

I lay on the bed. My body is limp and weak. My skin had paled and my eyes have dark circles under them. I just want this all to end.

I haven't been visited at all today. Nobody brought me the food that I always refuse to eat. Nobody took a blood sample. Nobody inserted a tube into my neck.

It's like nobody is here.

I know that's too good to be true. Somebody is always watching me. Always making sure I don't do something to disrupt the "process."

The somebody does enter the room. I don't see the face. All I see is a flash of white and a needle. The needle is plunged into my skin and I want to scream in pain as something is inserted into me. Then I fall into unconsciousness.

***

I wake up to a blinding light. I'm in another room that I don't recognize. I'm not in a bed but rather a strange chair. My arms and legs are bound down and I can't move.

"Hello!" I croak out, desperate for somebody to explain what is happening.

I stare at the door. Nobody comes. I lean back. My neck hurts but I can't do anything about it. My head aches but I have nothing to make it better. I'm hopeless.

This time a familiar face enters the unfamiliar room.

"Hello Antilia, how do you feel?" Clarkson asks.

"Awful," I say. I don't dare use sarcasm on somebody so powerful.

"Yes. I'm very sorry about that," Clarkson doesn't sound like it. His voice is emotionless.

"What is this room?" I ask.

"You were brought here for an operation. We both know you won't last long enough for us to complete this. Therefore we have given you some help. Inside of you are four implants. One will help you breath, the other pumps your heart, the third, well, it gives you some strength." Clarkson gives a dry chuckle.

"Why?" I ask. I don't need to finish the question.

"My people are dying. You can help them. However you'll most likely die from this. I'm not going to sugarcoat it. I don't lie." Clarkson explains.

I know that's a lie. Anybody with power like he has lies. They lie because they cheat. They use their power to strike fear in their people. The people who look up to them are afraid of them.

"I want to stop," I say. I know it's useless. I can't make it stop because I'm not in control. He is.

"My dear, we can't stop. It's already started." Clarkson gives me glare.

I meet it with my own. "What does the fourth implant do?" I ask with a shaky voice.

"It gives me control over you. Just in case. With a single command you will be at my disposal." The sly grin on his face strikes fear into me.

For the first time, I wish I were still frozen. I wish my body wouldn't work. That though I was living, I shouldn't be alive.

My hands shake and I can't stop them. I lay back in defeat. Clarkson leaves the room.

Soon I'm wheeled back to my old, familiar room.

I lay on the cold surface of the bed. Louise pesters me about eating but I can't. I'm still distracted by the conversation I had with the Chancellor earlier today.

The door opens with a gush of air. Zakary enters. He looks like he hasn't slept.

"What's wrong?" I ask as he sits beside me.

"I've had a lot of training and things over the past few days. I'm sorry I didn't visit." He says with a weak smile.

"Did you find out anything more?" I ask, remembering when he told me about the conversation he eavesdropped on.

He shakes his head. I give him a sad look.

"What's wrong with you? You look worse than last time," he says.

"They...they stuck implants in me." I say as tears flood my eyes. I don't want to cry. Not in front of him.

"Why?" He asks.

"I'm going to die," I whisper. "They just don't want me to leave to soon."

He gives me a look. He knew all along.

"I'm sorry."

I long to hold his hand. He is the only person who can comfort me.

I arch my back as a pulse goes through my body. I scream in pain. Fear enters Zakary's eyes.

"What can I do?" He yells in panic.

I don't know. The pain lances through my body. I can't feel my legs. What is happening?

And then I know. He has control. I just told Zakary something I shouldn't have and he's making me pay for it.

Zakary takes my hand. He gives it a squeeze. He stays with me.

He take my hand and puts it on his chest. He takes my head in his arms and rocks me slightly.

I slip in and out of consciousness. My mind is everywhere at once. I'm soon limp in his arms.

And in that moment, I'm taken into a dream. The first dream in weeks.

I'm siting on the beach. My mom is there. I must be seven years old. The sun is setting and the waves are illuminated. They reflect the beautiful colors of the sunset. Orange dances across them.

And then it's dark.

"Antilia, do you see that cluster of stars in the shape of a diamond?" My mother asks me pointing to the constellation.

"No mommy. What is it?" I ask, my blue eyes widening with curiosity.

"That is the constellation you were named after. Antilia. Now when you see it in the sky remember it forever." She says. I know what she means now. She wants me to remember.

I wake up. All I want to do is see the stars now.

My hand is still on Zakary's chest. Normally I would feel something there.

"Zakary." I say looking into his gray eyes.

"You don't have a heartbeat."

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Hey guys. Thanks for reading. So since I'm not getting any comments on the readers choice, I just chose. I chose half the truth for this chapter.

Anyway thanks for reading.