Attraction | Theo Raeken

•27•

My mind is awake but I can't move my body though. The smell here, where ever that is, is bad. Really bad. And the sensible smelling makes it almost unbearable. I would love to close my nose because of it but thanks to my immovable body, that unfortunately won't work.

It mainly smells like something is rotting. Bile is already rising in my throat and it takes all my might to not throw up.

After like a hundred fail attempts to open my eyes, it finally works. My eyelids still feel heavy though, but time after time the feeling fades.

At first my vision is blurry, nonetheless I can see the silhouettes of two people beside me. After a few seconds or so, I can identify the both as Hayden and Liam.

Still feeling a bit hazy, I look around. Scanning my surroundings for any hints of our location. It looks like some kind of laboratory, but dirty and dubious.
When I turn my head around, I can't help letting out a shriek.

In the corner of my eye, I can see the couple's heads turn in my direction but my gaze remains on the tank in front of me. Inside of it is a man, at least what's left of him, surrounded by green-colored liquid. I'm not quite sure if that isn't possibly even the source of the stench.

Just as I thought it couldn't get worse, my eyes follow a tube attached to the tank. I knit my eyebrows in confusion, wondering where it's going to end.

"Liam. Pull it out." I say nervously, when I realize that the tube extends into my skin.

Liam bends over to me breathing heavily. He slightly touches the tube, which already makes me wince and grit my teeth caused by the pain.

"Are you sure? I don't wanna hurt you."

"Just pull that damn thing out, Liam." I hiss.

I close my eyes, readying myself for the upcoming pain I'm going to experience.

"On three." Liam states. "One, two, three."

I let out another cry of pain, but am glad that no more of the liquid is pumped inside of me, instead it flows freely to the bottom which only intensifies the stench in here.
Automatically, I make a grimace at the thought of the substance being instilled in my body.

Liam has turned back to Hayden, trying to soothe her while I slowly sit up.

"Alessia, can you try to take her pain? It just won't work when I wanna do it." Liam sounds desperate.

The last thing I want to do right now is burden myself with only more pain, but I can't let them down. Can I?
My look shifts from Liam's face to Hayden's, who's laying on the floor with a pain-convulsed face.

"I'll try." I say quietly while nodding my head.

I crawl next to Hayden and take her hand in mine. I send her one last reassuring smile when she looks at me warily, before I close my eyes and focus all my concentration on taking her pain.

I knit my brows when I don't feel anything happening. I take a deep breath and grab her hand a bit tighter, trying to focus once again.

But nothing.

I let out a sigh and open my eyes again.
"I'm sorry. It doesn't work."

"But it has to. Try it again." Liam orders.

"No it's fine. Thank you anyways." Hayden intervenes.

I send her a small smile, but it doesn't reach my eyes. I feel bad that I can't help her and I also feel bad that she's in such a situation anyways.
Why is it always that people who don't deserve it, have to experience the worst?
It's just unfair. I know it's nothing somebody can control, but still. I just think fate is both inscrutable and merciless.