Seven | Book 1 (An EXO fiction)

52.

Pain.

That was all I can remember. All I felt. All that surrounded me. Blinding pain that seared my senses. Strangled my lungs. Cut open my still beating heart.

It all happened so quick I wasn't able to prepare. There probably wouldn't have been a way to prepare for just how much pain was to come.

It happened in snapshots. The dark room with her glowing pink hands illuminating a small area. Her closing the distance between us. Her palms resting on my forehead and heart. Fingers splaying outward like roots of a tree that was about to plant itself in my body. Pink flashing in her eyes as her expression stayed neutral.

And then the first shock.

Like an electrocution that was meant to cut off my body's ability to react to anything around me. I fell to the ground and black enclosed around me like deep water. Thoughts wouldn't come. When I tried to scream for help neither would noises or words. I was paralyzed and floating in infinite darkness.

And then came the second shock.

Like a signal to my heart to resume its beating. A flash of bright pink illuminating the world around me as the pain began to slowly register in my mind, and I realize that I'm alone.

Alone and floating through a space that was wrapping itself around me like a security blanket. Fighting off the little flitting balls of energy in the air around me. I was unable to lend any kind of helping hand. Besides, I didn't know which of them was on my side.

The blanket? The balls of excited energy? Neither seems threatening. They both seem to want to protect me.

Cords like thick metallic ropes weave through the dark blanket and stretch out only to vanish in the darkness. I count seven, but only six of them are glowing the same bright gold as the floating energy balls. The last doesn't look as strong, but it's not hiding that it is there. I reach out to touch the one closest to me.

It hums out a light note that vibrates in my chest and fills me with happiness. What are these things?

A rumble reverberates through the...room? Space? Enclosing? And the blanket begins to get aggravated. Angry almost. The metallic cords vibrate and a harmony of chords ring through the space around me. Like a warming bell. The blanket winds its way up my torso and holds on tightly as a second rumble echoes across the room, closer this time.

The little balls of light swirl around me, letting out little noises of glee as they form a light tunnel that speeds up and blinds me. I close my eyes and wince as the light still filters through my eyelids. The weight around me lessens as it feels like the blanket is being torn away.

I scream. The metallic cords ring out louder. Together it sounds like a singing wounded bear.

My skin feels as though it's being ripped from my body. Limb by limb. Excruciatingly slow as something skins me alive. I can't bear to open my eyes.

Pink tendrils of liquid slither through my eyelids and I reopen my eyes in horror. The pink tendrils are expanding and crawling up my naked body like inflating anacondas. They cover the cords and harden around them.

One swirls around my throat, and I lose consciousness.

"Is she awake yet?"

"No."

"When is she going to wake up?"

"I don't know."

"Is she alive?!"

"Dude...if you ask me one more question I'm going to punch you in the face."

"Sorry...but-"

"Tao!"