Solitude

Chapter Sixteen- Facility Seven

Guess who's back!!! Sorry it took me so long to update, I've been working on the prequel for this for a few months and kinda forgot to update! The picture is a perfect representation of Winnie and Carver's height difference. Hope you enjoy, don't forget to like and comment. Thank you for continuing to read!

A quiet noise faded into my welcomed detachment. It was nothing but a buzzing electrical hum— like the annoying one in the apartment— but over the short span of a few seconds it morphed into an intestine wrenching scream. My heart, my brain, and all my other internal organs twisted at the rawness and the pure agony muting the hearing in my right ear permanently. Instinctually I knew nothing bad was supposed to happen here, nothing should be plucking at my heart strings like a guitar like this screaming was, so what was happening?

Doing something was better than sitting down and wondering what was happening, like I was currently doing. Even if my world was now reduced to an infinitely empty black canvas, I got up and ran to find the source of the scream. For all I knew I could be running in circles, accomplishing absolutely nothing. There was no one here, it didn't make any sense.

If I could just find Carver, he could help.

Before the thought even fully crossed my mind I rejected it. Carver couldn't be here. He needed to find a way out and help all the others in this S.C.A.R. Facility escape. I couldn't depend on him for everything either. If he got me out of this, without me even trying, I was a failure to all Hamadryad history.

"What about us? Didn't we want to escape with them?— with him?"

"Of course I did but—"

"Then we need to get back!"

I didn't want to go back. Familiar warmth was penetrating my body, all the way to the core. The constant swaying of this world started bringing back memories of the first time I was paralyzed— of the first time Carver saved me. That devastated look he gave me, the blood all over him as he tried shaking me awake, even the sound of dripping blood was to the same sticky beat. And that embrace he held me in when he saw I was still alive...

No. This time I didn't want to wake up. I finally got what I've been looking for. During all the torture Mal put me through, this is what I craved, this is what I hoped for every single time he strapped me to that chair. Even if there was nothing after death, anything would be better than living with what I've been through.

"Stay," Sweetly susurrations echoed around me in a softened motherly tone, "you're safe here, little oak. Not a single being may hurt you, if you stay." Temptation to remain coursed through me mor smoothly, coercing me into believing that this was the right thing to do. More whispers licking my desires, promising me a quick fade into this new, safe world. No pain, no worry or confusion. No feeling. Only tranquility.

All these vows would've swayed me—all these lovely appealing promises— if not for that raw scream ceaselessly continuing. On and on it drew out, never decreasing in power, pitch, or desperation. Whomever it was was broken. Fighting frantically to breathe between the raspy sounds and sobs.

"We need to go back," The first voice returned, its tone more understanding and pliant. "They need us." Spinning around I searched for the source of these voices, yet I found myself still undeniably alone.

Alone.

Would this be forever? Instincts told me it would.

"You don't want to be alone, do you?"

No, I didn't, but it was so nice having these moments to myself. Absolutely no one had a single chance of hurting me—emotionally or physically— and it would be exceptionally pleasing if I could keep it that way.