Cursed Mind

Chapter 12

*Alex POV*

    I had been taking a late night stroll with Connor when we had heard a blood curling scream from the Aphrodite cabin. Connor and I had stormed in there with our daggers out, ready to protect the wimpy kids when I saw Phoenix thrashing about in her bed, and screaming like she had been buried six feet under while alive. I had hurriedly put my dagger back in its sheath and run to her bedside, trying to wake her up. No matter what I did, though, she stayed asleep with her eyes shut tight and an awful scream coming from her mouth. I had felt helpless, not knowing what I needed to do to save my friend from this torture. And that was worse than not just having the answers to everything.

Finally, I had shouted at Connor to go get Austin and for him to get his sleepy bum over here or I was going to punch his lights out for a very long time. Let's just say, Austin, sprinted as fast as he could to the Aphrodite cabin in an effort to keep his -what he called beautiful- face intact. As this all occurred, Phoenix's siblings had all woken up and were watching with fearful eyes from their beds. They said nothing as Austin, Connor, and I carried the still thrashing Phoenix from the cabin and towards the Big House. Phoenix could really throw some good punches. When we got to the Big House, Chiron met us and led us to the infirmary room. We had to strap her to the bed because she wouldn't hold still and would punch anyone who got too close to her. I had a new bruise forming on my left shoulder.

We had taken a look at her arm and I had gasped. There was a deep cut going down her arm and blood was streaming from it. Austin quickly set to work to clean and dress the wound. Sometime during the process, Phoenix had woken up and Connor had put a mask on her face to make her fall back asleep. I hope the dreams she was having now were much more pleasant. When Austin had finished bandaging up her arm, he and Connor left to go back to their cabins. But I stayed behind and slept on the cold tiled floor. I didn't want to leave my best friend alone here after what just happened.

Now, I was waiting by her bedside as she slept soundly. Connor had brought me breakfast and I munched on it as I thought deeply. I was so deep in my thoughts that I didn't notice when Phoenix woke up.

"Alex?"

I turned to look at her with wide eyes. She lay there, still strapped to the bed. Her eyes looked at the straps with confusion before she looked back at me with an expression that said, 'what in hades am I doing strapped to a bed?!'

"Last night you had an awful nightmare or something. Connor and I were walking last night and we heard a scream from your cabin and when we ran in, you were thrashing in your bed and letting out a blood curling scream. I made Connor go fetch Austin and we all carried you hear. We had to strap you down because you would hurt anyone who got too close. You actually gave me a new bruise on my shoulder," I said, and Phoenix grimaced. "But then we saw your arm. Austin cleaned it up before he bandaged it. Then he and Connor left but I stayed because I didn't want to leave you alone. I slept on the floor and Connor brought me some breakfast but I haven't left your side since we brought you here." I said, reaching out for Phoenix's hand. She latched her hand onto mine as well.

"Oh wow. Well, um... you think you could unstrap me?"

"Promise not to go savage on us?" I teased as I stood up to unbuckle the straps. Once the straps were gone, Phoenix sat up and breathed deeply as she looked at her bandaged arm.

"How bad did it look?"

"It ran all the way down the length of your arm. It was bleeding pretty bad and it's probably going to leave a scar. But you'll be fine, you're a tough girl." I said, and Phoenix nodded.

We sat there in silence for a few minutes. It wasn't awkward, it was more of a... comforting silence. As we sat there, holding each other's hands. After a while, though, there was a knock on the door and Chiron walked in.