being nearly dead

Horror story

Luna enlisted Felix, by screaming at him from downstairs, to help her move their brother to his room. Ava trailed them anxiously as they set him on his bed. His room looked as empty as Ava's, there seemed to be nothing to suggest anyone actually lived, let alone slept, there.

He looked dead. That's what worried Ava the most. Luna stepped back as Felix assessed him, his jacket was gone so he went to work unbuttoning his shirt when Luna got annoyed and ripped it open.

"Oh, he's gonna be pissed about that..." Felix murmured as he pressed his chest for weak points.

Finally, Silas partially sat up, winced and smacked Felix's hand away. "For God's sake, stop doing that..." he sighed heavily as the pain inched its way around his body in all different forms.

Felix rolled his eyes and glanced at Luna.

"I can tell you what's wrong, I have six broken ribs," he pointed to his left side, "four, five and six, seven is fractured," then to his right side, "and eight and nine broken, ten is a hairline fracture..."

Felix glanced at Luna again and made a pained face. He hadn't seen this much damage since he himself rented a monster truck.

Silas pushed his head back. "Slight concussion and a fucking massive headache," he exercised his jaw and grimaced, "perhaps a dislocated jaw... and shoulder," he held up his arm. He reached his arm out and over his head, rotated his hand and reached for his other shoulder. They heard a pop. He let out a breath and lay back down.

"Who did this to you...?" Ava asked, making herself known.

Felix and Luna exchanged looks as Silas sat up, suddenly and without pain. They both walked out of the room without a word, Silas watched them as if they were his parents and they left him to the torment of the principal he was in deep trouble with.

"Ava... I'm sorry I scared you-"

"Who did this?" she pressed.

Really can't get a sentence in today, he thought but wouldn't dare say it. "It's not important."

"Not important?" she almost laughed as she stepped forward. "Are you insane?"

He paused. "Yes," it seemed like the easier answer.

She lowered down onto the bed beside him. "You're insane," she chuckled.

He laughed but felt an electrifying burning in his chest and stopped. "Alright, no laughing," he pointed to her, "stop making me laugh..." he shut his eyes then noticed how his shirt wasn't covering his chest. He almost shot up. "I apologise-"

"No, no..." she stood quickly and put a hand on his bare shoulder. "Where do you keep your shirts? This place looks like no one's lived here, like- ever."

He chuckled and stopped himself quickly, putting an arm over his chest to try and press down the pain. "Plain shirts in the dresser," he forced himself to sit up and let his dress shirt fall off, blood etched into the fabric.

She picked a black t-shirt and turned. She almost dropped the shirt out of shock. He was fit for a civil worker. Blood rushed to her head as she shook it. "Sorry..." she told him and walked back to the bed. She handed him the shirt.

He raised an eyebrow at her and looked down, taking the shirt in his lap. "Thank you," he watched her look down at the bed as he pulled it on, wincing once then watching her again. "You were worried..." he noticed.

Her eyes snapped to attention. "Of course, I was, you just disappeared, Cara was in tears," she saw the worried look in his eyes, "she's okay now, Felix calmed her down." Silas nodded, she moved closer and lightly touched his cheek. "You're only adding to your bruises, you know that?"