Dragons of War - Rising Storm

Chapter 8 (1/3)

The world around me was darkness. All I felt, heard, saw, tasted and even smelled, was void. It was only broken by a sudden, violent, flash of images and experiences and then all would return to the dark.

These images were different every time but they, like dreams, had a sort of twisted connection in that I was aware in all of them.

Screaming. Flashes of blinding light so bright I would shut my eyes and it couldn't ease the pain. Fire laced it's way up and down my spine, tingling throughout every nerve in every limb and then all feeling would fade away. I wanted to scream out in confusion but then I would remember.

I don't have emotions here.

What? Why would I think that?

It was cold and the emptiness made me miss even the struggle for survival in that colony.

I saw blurred images in front of me but these were different than the dreams. I watched them come and go like the others had but this vision was persistent and wouldn't end. Soft noises, that soothed rather than pierced my ears, drifted to me and I tried to listen but I could not understand it.

Then one voice broke through the rest and my eyes shot open.

"Jaya!" Aaron cried out.

Aaron? Why was he here? Wasn't I asleep in my bed?

I tried moving my head but when I did it was like the energy in my body simply vanished and my head fell. The blurry images around me went black for a moment but when they returned, it was all clear.

"Jaya?" I heard Aaron again. I saw his face clearly now. His eyes glistened and his face contorted.

I remembered now, the machine had changed me.

I was a Dragon Warrior.

Despite remembering this, I felt nothing.

"Jaya, how do you feel?" Aaron asked, noticing my clearer eyes. His voice sounded far away and hollow.

I wanted to tell him that I was fine but I was empty inside.

I wasn't fine.

"Jaya?" He repeated.

"We must give her time." A tall man told Aaron, placing a hand on his shoulder. Aaron nodded but I could see the hurt in his eyes. He wiped his nose and looked back at me with a smile.

I had never seen him like this.

Was he upset?

With the mere question in my mind, something shifted and the emptiness that was there filled with a new sensation, one I had never felt before.

Everything my eyes saw had a feeling in my mind. Every object, person, color, sound and even emotion. I was completely overwhelmed and it felt like my head was on fire.

The doctor stepped in closer to me and spoke.

"I'm going to lift you up okay?" He said as he placed a hand behind my back. It felt warm to the touch but the burning in my mind exploded with the connection and I recoiled from his hands.

"Whoa!" Aaron reached out and grabbed my shoulders so I wouldn't fall.

The weakness in my body returned and I went limp but Aarons touch resulted in the same uncomfortable and painful feeling. This time, however, I recognized it.

I looked deep into his eyes and the feeling grew until I could feel every part of his being.

Joy, fear, anxiety, and horror. A sickness in my stomach strengthened but it was not my own, it was from him.

I tried to pull away but I only succeed in letting my head flop to the side. Breathing became hard and I stopped moving, my eyes straining to focus on even the sheets below my face.

"Aaron I think it would be best if we let her rest more." The tall man said and Aaron lowered me back down.

Relief filled me once he let go and I couldn't control the darkness that returned.

I was left with one thought in my mind...

Why was Aaron disgusted with me?

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