Captured

Eight

When he left, I felt like I had overstayed my welcome in his tower. I pulled the covers off of me and stood up. I wobbled for a few moments, like a baby deer just testing out its legs. My leg burned with each step and I figured if I took one or two books Casper wouldn't miss it. I tucked the leatherbound books under my arm, still desparately curious about what exactly I was. Perhaps I could figure it out before they forced the change upon me. Maybe it'll sate the need to see me shift. 

I refolded the blanket as best as I could and then draped it carefully over the chair and tidied up the pillows I had laid on when I was reading. Nervously darting my eyes around the tower, which had seemed so warm and welcome before, now seemed ominous since Lucian had appeared. It seems as though I'm not safe anywhere; not even in Casper's reading tower, I thought. I doused the light in one of the lanterns and the began to make my way down the rickity, spiral staircase. 

It creaked and groaned beneath my weight, but didn't give any indication that it would give out on me. The metal was icy cold beneath my fingers and as I descended the stairwell I doused each lantern that had been lit as reading light. Outside was growing dark fast, and soon there would be no light left for me to go by. With every step on my aching leg, it buckled, and I feared that it would give out and I would topple down the metal staircase. 

Gripping the railing, I tried to put most of my weight down on my arm and my other leg so I wouldn't put too much pressure onto the injury. At the bottom of the stairwell, I didn't bother looking back over my shoulder for I knew all I'd see is empty, haunting darkness; I could nearly picture the shadows reaching out for me with their wispy talons.

Feeling the anxiety begin to build up in my throat I doused the last light and hobbled to the door as fast as I could manage. I turned the handle and pushed the door open, leaving my weight on my good leg. The hallway which led to and from the tower was empty, and the stained glass showed the indigo sky in morphed colors. Another time I would've stayed to admire the scenery, but I couldn't help but feel like someone was watching me, and I knew that I would feel somewhat safer in my own chambers.

Hobbling down the hall, with two books in my arms, was more difficult than I anticipated. At the end of the corridor, I saw the door open and light flood in. For a moment I was relieved. Perhaps Casper is coming to assist me, I hoped. A half smile grew onto my face and but it immediately disappeared when I saw not Casper in the doorway but a group of servants. They all stood as stiff as statues and there seemed to be hatred burning in each of their eyes. In their hands there were an assortment of various weapons. Knives, swords, ropes, and the like. 

My heart stuttered in my chest and I stopped, confused. I leaned against the wall for support as I watched them glower at me. I felt as if I was a baby antelope being stalked by a pride of lions. I took a hesitant step backwards, but that seemed to trigger the attack.

There were about a dozen people standing in the threshold, blocking the only exit. The only other way for me to go would be to go back the way I had come. The group broke and I turned to run away. I'm going to die, I thought, mortified. There was a strange bubbling feeling in the pit of my stomach, and I screamed when I felt the first blow - probably from a blunt object - hit my arm. The books in my hands dropped to the floor, some of the pages bending and getting trampled under their feet.

My first reaction was to cover my face and neck, curling up into a fetal position to protect the most important parts of my body. What are we doing? an enraged voice snarled in the depths of my head. We are stronger than this! I desperately wanted to believe that but as I felt something sharp slice my skin, I felt what little belief fade into the recesses of my head.

Casper believes we definitely are something. Something important, powerful. Why do we have to prove him wrong? The same voice continued to try to get me to fight back. Tears sprung up behind my closed lids, and there was a blow to my back - most likely from a foot - that knocked the wind out of me.

My lungs screamed for oxygen and a pitiful squeak slipped out between my lips. It seemed to trigger their anger even more that I continued to not fight back, but let them hurt my already aching body. We don't have to prove Casper wrong. We can be stronger. Don't you feel it?

Something stirred deep within my stomach. It was a nauseous feeling, one I didn't particularly like. Unsettled I felt it move up my body to my heart, to my throat, and finally my head. As it spread upwards it also spread lower, down my arms and legs, to my toes and the tips of my fingers. The feeling tingled and as I focused more on it, the aches and jolts of the blows from the angry horde of servants now steadily grew fainter.

Suddenly the tingles began to burn, and all at once I felt each individual hit on my body. A strangled scream erupted from my lungs, overwhelmed from the intensity. Cracking filled the air, and the servants stopped their plunder. My screams grew louder, the pain making me see white behind the darkness of my lids which I had squeezed tightly shut, in hopes to block out the pain.

My bones were breaking.

The white light which had erupted from behind my eyelids I fell into. I let the light absorb me - anything to take away from the pain my body was going through helped. The people were not touching me, but it felt as if their attack had increased by tenfold. Connect with the light. The little voice which I had always assumed to be the angel on my shoulder, guiding me and helping me through tough situations was frantic. Excited.

But why?

When the pain stopped, it was gradual. I fell into the light. I met it become the only thing I thought of, the only thing I saw behind my closed lids, the only thing I focused on. The burning stopped, but the tingling remained. By this a point I was absolutely exhausted, practically unable to function. The mob that had stormed upon me when I had been trying to find the safety of my chambers were unusually quiet. I knew they were there though; it was that feeling you get when you are completely aware of the eyes on you. For me, that wasn't a good feeling.

Labored breathing reached my ears, and my heart was pounding as if I had just run a 5k. Slowly I opened my eyes. Everything that had seemed darker was now brighter, as if someone had turned on a light in the hall. The servants were all stranding around me, in a semicircle. They cornered me against the wall and as I looked closer, the eyes which had been full of hatred and unexplained anger were vacant. It was as if they were not consciously aware.

You did it. The voice was satisfied, and eager. Did what, exactly? All I did was take a brutal beating, and then some freaky voodoo thing. I almost heard her laugh. It was most definitely a her.

You shifted.