Defenders of Destiny Bk 1: Destiny Begins

Torture.

Warning ⚠️: This book contains graphic content. Viewer discretion is advised.

Torture.

What is the meaning of the word? And better yet what do you think of when you hear the word "torture"?

What is torture?

When people think of torture they think of someone being hurt very badly by another person.... For whatever reason... And they'd be right.

But there are many forms of torture...

Having to watch your mother and father fight because your father feels like he has no reason to return... Because your mother tells him he shouldn't... And being too scared to argue as you watch him leave to defend your country with that in his head?

Torture.

Being locked in a dark, damp cell alone, afraid and hungry?

Torture.

Being tied up and having liquids being injected into your bloodstream, making your body feel like you've been dipped in acid?

Torture.

Having wires stuck into your brain so that electricity could fry your brain and cause you to hallucinate?

Torture.

And Nathan had been through all of them.

But none of that compared to the torture that Nathan was going through right now.

Seeing her laying there in that hospital bed, so skinny and pale looking... She looked like a skeleton.

That was torture.

Not hearing her voice or feeling her hand in his own as they joked around with their friends.

That was torture.

Knowing that any moment her heart could stop and she'd leave him forever.... The last person alive he'd escaped with... That he knew was alive.

That was torture.

And it was slowly killing him.

A scruffy beard had grown in his many months of being there, his hair unruly and dirty.

He only left when absolutely necessary so it was rare for him to leave to shower. The nurses had to bring him food, otherwise he wouldn't eat.

He simply stayed with her. Reading to her even though he didn't know whether or not she could hear him. He would talk to her about what he knew was happening around them, though he hadn't left the room in over two months so he didn't necessarily have much to talk about.

But it brought him comfort to even talk to her in the first place, despite never receiving a reply.

It hurt worse than any other form of torture that he had been through.

He knew there was a very small chance that she'd ever wake up, but he still remained hopeful.

He had to.

She was one of the only friends he had left... One of the last members of the small family that his group had grown into.

It had been almost two months since.... That day.... And nothing had changed.

Connor had taken the blame for everyone's death as it was easier to explain... But it tore Nathan apart inside to see his friend's name slandered like it had been. It tore him apart to see Connor and Derek's family falling to shambles over the fact that Connor was supposedly responsible for their son... His own cousin's death.

Nathan hadn't found any signs of anyone from The Monarch in so long that he started to think he was crazy for thinking they even existed... But he knew better.

Esther and Kevin still hadn't been found, either.... He didn't even know if they were still alive.

They were all just.... Gone.

Nathan sat at the bedside reading to Joelee in a hushed voice, free hand holding hers as he read.

The slow, steady, beeping of the EKG was deafening but it also comforted him... It meant she was still alive.

"Sir, it's been a week since you've showered...." The nurse said awkwardly as she handed Nathan a sandwich, the scruffy male nodding his thanks as he took a bite of the cold sandwich.

"I've been busy." Nathan replied after a moment, having taken the time to chew and swallow his bite before he replied.

"I'll keep an eye on her if you want to go clean up.'' The blonde nurse assured him as she backed up to avoid having to continue to smell him.

"I'm literally begging you to shower, Stewart. I can smell you from out here!" A woman from the hallway yelled, causing Nathan to release a soft chuckle.

"Alright... Thanks." Nathan sighed hesitantly as he kissed the top of Joelee's hand before an older, darker woman poked her head into the room.

"Good boy. And maybe shave. You look homeless. You'll scare the poor girl when she wakes up!" The raven haired woman in the hallway grinned at Nathan as he playfully rolled his eyes.

"Yes, ma'am." Nathan winked at the sassy older woman, face immediately losing emotion as he made his way towards the bathroom where his stuff was already set up for him.

Nathan paused as he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror, the male gripping the edge of the sink as he stared at his own reflection.

"Pretty scruffy, Stewart." Nathan murmured as he ran his hand over his beard before he ran a hand through his shoulder length hair.

His green eyes were dark and void of any emotion as he stared into them, noticing how red the edges were from his lack of sleep.

Nathan sighed quietly as he turned, turning the shower to hot as he began to get undressed, avoiding looking in the mirror again as he stepped under the lukewarm water.

The steam began to surround the bathroom as he leaned his head against the cold wall, tears leaking down his cheeks as he forced himself to wash his hair.

"She won't want to hug you when she wakes up if you smell like a sewer." Nathan joked to himself but it barely made him smile as he began to lather his long hair with shampoo.

Nathan finished his shower rather quickly despite the desire to stay in the shower, not wanting to leave her alone for too long.

Nathan swiped the towel over the mirror, nodding his approval when he spotted the scissors that Joelee's grandmother had given him so that he could eventually trim his hair.

Taking the scissors, he quickly trimmed his beard so that he looked like he didn't have a tree on his face before he rubbed his beard with the towel until he was satisfied that he got all of the loose hair particles.

"We have a code blue!" Nathan stiffened from where he was putting on a clean pair of pants, eyes growing wide as he realized the voice was just outside of his door.

Nathan tugged on a clean shirt, getting it stuck over his head as he fumbled with the doorknob, finally swinging it open as he paused in the doorway with an ever growing sense of dread.

The slow, steady, beeping that was so calming yet maddening was now replaced by a low flat beep.

The doctor was performing chest compressions on the woman on the bed, Nathan watching with icy dread filling his veins.

Everything around him went silent as he watched the doctors attempt to restart her heart, Nathan's ears beginning to ring as he stared at her face with a haunting realization.

She was gone.

Forever.