A Dreamer Caught In The Crossfire

Chapter 7

Jasmine walked through the gate with Eluard in front of her. She could feel the staring start up again. Tabitha must have felt it too because she had managed to crawl back into her bag. Jasmine noticed the way Eluard was walking; confidently with an air of authority while she was lagging behind him feeling scared and self-conscious. She picked up her pace, desperately trying to catch up with him. There was no way she wanted to get lost in such a huge compound. She bowed her head and looked at the ground when she passed by a group of people. Most of the people in the compound were adorned in multiple tattoos and piercings and walked with just the right amount of confidence. Jasmine felt like an ant among giants.

'Grandma would surely kill me if she saw where I was right now,' she thought.

She allowed herself to zone out into more thoughts about the old woman before being snapped out of her daze by a flick to the forehead. It was Eluard. They were already standing before the main entrance.

"Hey, come down from la-la land for a minute," he smirked. "And try not to act so small and fragile. You're so much better than that. Come on, back straight, shoulders back, bright smile."

Even though she had followed these instructions, she still felt tiny compared to the poised giants around her. Eluard noticed this and nudged her shoulder.

"Chill out. You got this."

They exchanged reassuring smiles before Eluard turned and placed his hand on the access pad. He typed in the code and the automatic doors opened with a beep. She felt a short wave of dizziness but shrugged it off as nerves.

"Okay, shoulders back, back straight, bright smile and you got this," muttered Jasmine as she walked in after Eluard. "Whatever 'this' is."

Inside the building, people milled around in groups and filled the air with chatter. The air inside smelled of metal, paint fumes and a hint of citrus. Jasmine was surprised she was nor choking on it. All of a sudden she felt a sharp excruciating sensation in her ankle. She stopped by a graffitied wall and rolled up her pant leg to inspect any possible injury. Eluard, who noticed she had stopped, was now looking at her.

"Hey Jasmine what's wr-OH MY GOSH WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR LEG?!

The people in the hallway around them looked at them for only a brief moment and turned back to what they were doing. Her ankle was purple, swollen and quite possibly infected. Eluard rushed over, crouched down and examined her ankle.

"I thought you said it (the fiora) didn't touch you!"

"Actually, you asked me if it hurt me and I replied no. I guess the tail must have brushed me or something."

Eluard stood up and ran a hand though his hair with furrowed brows.

"Jasmine, even the smallest splinter from a fiora can be a deadly poison and by the look of things you have over ten of them lodged in your ankle."

Only then did they realize what Winifred's warning was about.

"Okay, get up. We're heading to the infirmary."

He glanced at her and noticed that she was struggling to stand up straight without holding the wall. That only strengthened his worry.

"Need me to carry you?" he said without thinking.

Jasmine leaned on the wall for support and shook her head.

"I'm flattered but we just met and..." she mimicked him.

Eluard smiled and mimicked her in his best Jasmine voice.

"If you want to live you'll do it!"

"That's nowhere near what I sound like and you know it," she pointed out.