VIPER • the serpent princess

5

It's cold, it's been at least ten minutes. I've been laying on the ground, feeling my blood pull around my from my stomach. The take covers my mouth, no one car hear me if I even try to scream. My right eye is busted closed from being punched so much. Suddenly, I hear footsteps running and then see FP above me.

"Casey, oh Casey" he gasps, taking the tape off my mouth slowly.

"I-It's hurts" I shake, looking down to the knife in my stomach.

"You're going to be okay, Casey. Don't worry, you're going to be okay! Hey! Hey! Hook-Eye!" he shouts, uniting my hands and ankles.

It must be late, Hook-Eye would be the only one working. I hear the doors opens.

"Call an ambulance! Now! Hurry!" FP instructs.

"Casey!"

It's Toni, I see her sit down beside me. I feel her put her jacket over my legs, probably wanting to give me any privacy I can get considering I'm only in my underwear. I can't talk, I don't know why I just can't. I can hardly see. But I can't hear her crying scared.

"Casey, I've got you. You're going to be okay, help is coming" FP assures me, I feel him grab hold of my hand and I hold it back tightly.

"I'm so sorry" I stutter, my head getting dizzy, "I'm so sorry"

"What the hell have you got to be sorry about? Who did this to you Casey? Who?" FP demands.

I look to Toni, she looks to me heartbroken.

"Malachai" I gasp, then my eyes roll to the back of my head and everything turns black, right before I hear Toni crying my name.

A constant beeping noise feels my ears. I open my eyes slowly and see Sweet Pea sleeping next to my hospital bed. My eye is open, it healed quickly. I reach over to Sweets and pat his hand. As I do, I notice the dark bruises and cuts on his knuckles.

"Casey-"

"Sweets your hands. What did you do?" I ask worried, "Sweet Pea what did you do?"

"I kicked that son of a bitch ass" he declares, "I'm fine. I'm not into any trouble, he is. He's got two broken legs and a neck cast. I wasn't going to let him get away with-"

"Thank you" I cut him off, taking a deep breath.

"Casey...you've been out for four days. The drugs in your system messed everything inside up. When, they called me you were being wheeled into the the hospital and I saw you. I don't ever want to see that again" he admits, grabbing hold of my hand with his.

"The Ghoulies, Sweet Pea you hurt there leader-"

"And he hurt you. FP has already made a deal, no one is going to war. It was...an eye for an eye" he explains sadly.

I nod, thankful my stupidity didn't cause a war.

"I'm so sorry-"

"Stop it Casey. Toni told me what you said. None of this was your fault. You had no way to know the Ghoulies has a new leader. I'm, I'm just sorry you got hurt. I'm sorry it ended up being like this for you"

"Figures huh? The world just doesn't let me have one fucking good thing" I scoff, "Guess I deserved what I got though for being so, stupid"

"You did not deserve this. Don't ever say that Casey" he demands strongly, squeezing his grip on my hand, "Don't you ever"

"I-I was so mad at him. Mad at how he just, played me along, used me" I express, "I had no clue, who he was! I swear. And no I have to go back to the Serpents who all must hate me"

"Jesus Casey you really think that low of yourself huh?" he scoffs, "You are Viper! You're the bloody Serpent Princess! Everyone looks up to you and cares about you like you're there leader, which to the younger ones you are! Everyone was ready to kill Malachai, they wanted their knifes in his heart for what he did. They all know that you had no way of knowing. They know you would never betray your own"

There is a knock at the door, but it doesn't open.

"It's me, can I come in? I can hear her voice" FP asks.

I look to Sweet Pea. If he is going to be drunk I don't want to see him.

"He's been hear all day all night, for the last four days. Only thing that's touched his lips is coffee and water" he reports quietly.

I nod, shocked but happy. Though I won't let FP see it. Sweet Pea calls him in, the door opens and I turn my head to see FP. His eyes are awake and he has colour in his skin. He walks to the other side of my bed.

"Morning kid" he smiles.

"FP" I nod, "Thanks...for getting me to the hospital and all that"

"Thanks for not leaving me" he sighs sadly, "You gave us a real scare Casey"

"Well, just wanted to give you a kick up the bum" I smirk, "Nice coffee in your hand, better than a beer bottle. Much better"

"Yeah" he laughs, I see the proudness in his smile, "We on talking terms now? Instead of fighting"

"Sure, I guess I owe you one hey?"

"Sure, yeah" he laughs, Sweet Pea laughing too.

"I'm sorry FP. I promise you I didn't know he was a Ghoulie-"

"Hey, Casey. I know. You don't need to explain yourself, to anyone" he assures.

I nod, forcing a grateful smile.

"The knife, luckily was just your pocket knife. Didn't go to deep or get an organs but, you did loose a lot of blood, the said the wound was made bigger somehow-"

"He twisted it" I remember, "He twisted the knife"

They both look to me sadly, I take a deep breath and shake my head.

"Sorry, I'm fine, really" I declare.