Tiger Cub

Chapter XV

My sword is heavy with blood.

This is strange, because I don't remember killing anything.

You'd think that this would be something that I'd have a clear memory of- the memory of blood spraying over walls and the taste of its bitter metallic on my tongue.

But my sword is still heavy with blood.

I blink, staring at the gilded hilt and wondering at the beautiful craftsmanship. Who made this sword for me, I wonder, and why can't I remember being given it in some big ceremony or something?

Why can't I remember that?

Why can't I remember anything?

"Kristi!"

I spin around, wielding my sword with a steady, practised arm, and peer out into the darkness.

"Who's there?"

There is silence in the void of dark, swirling clouds, then a figure steps forwards.

"Don't you know me?"

It's Eve, bathed in a harsh light, like the light of a hospital. Her eyes are warm, sad even, and I have the sudden urge to cry.

Why?

Her chin is raised in defiance, although she looks exhausted, and her hands are clenched into fists by her sides.

Her knuckles are bruised. Torn. Bleeding.

I want to scream.

"Don't you know me?" she repeats.

I swallow, nodding slowly. "I know you. I just don't remember you."

"You're not supposed to remember me." She smiles without humour. "You're not supposed to remember anything, really."

"Why?"

But she is leaving, drifting back into the mist and fog and clouds that swallow her like a dragon would swallow sheep.

In one gulp.

"Why?" I scream into the darkness. "Why?"

Nobody answers.

And then they arrive, squawking and screeching, talons and teeth ready to tear me in two. I turn to face them, crouching into a ready stance and prepare to face them.

How do I know how to do this?

Why am I not scared?

Why is adrenaline making me feel so alive?

But now is not the time to think any of these thoughts, so I banish them and raise my sword and send it slicing through the air-

There is a terrible silence and then there is a horrific scream and they go crashing down to the floor-

But there is no floor, there is just smoke and they disappear until I can't hear them anymore-

And I continue to cut them down, something that may be blood spraying all over me, and-

And I'm still not scared.

Something about this feels right, it feels like it's needed, it feels like home. Maybe it has something to do with Eve- Eve- there's something that I need to remember about her- something important- something that would make all of this important-

One of the creatures is completely bald when it reaches me, its fur and feathers and coating malting off as it flies and it comes to me just as I kill it-

Cancer.

Eve has cancer.

Had cancer?

Has cancer.

But she's getting better, because-

Why?

Because of me.

Because I'm fighting for her. I'm fighting for her every single day, I'm killing everything that tries to kill her.

I'm keeping my baby sister alive.

I take in a sharp breath and open my eyes.

Although darkness surrounds me still, it's comforting darkness, and it hugs me as I try to calm myself down.

Breaths coming out too quickly-

too quickly-

i can't breathe-

and then I can.

Rob's there, for some reason, rubbing soothing circles onto my back and telling me to breathe in, breathe out, tells me I'm doing well.

"What?" I whisper, words forcing themselves out of my mouth.

He smiles soothingly. "You had a nightmare."

"A nightmare?"

He nods. "I woke up because you screamed. When I came in, you were thrashing around."

It's now that I notice the blankets that are on the floor, the pillow by the door. "Oh."

"Did you want a glass of water?"

"Yeah." Then I bite my lip. "I'm sorry."

He draws me into a tight hug. "Don't apologise for a nightmare." He gives me one more smile before leaving.

A nightmare.

But he doesn't understand.

It wasn't a nightmare.

Because I finally understand.

-----

Well.

That was a weird chapter.

To be completely honest, I wasn't really sure what was going on most of the time. Basically, I'm following these mini prompts of things to include in your story, and this chapters one was "write that a character doesn't know if they're dreaming or not".

I mean, I think that Kristi knew she was dreaming?

I might have been dreaming when writing this though.

This story might get a bit weird in the next few chapters, because Kristi starts thinking some pretty weird stuff, but I promise that it all gets better at the end.

I promise.

Anyway, thanks for sticking with 'Tiger Cub', thanks for reading this chapter, and thanks for voting/commenting (please do- it makes my day!)(Also what did you think of my new writing style- the weird dreamy one?)

<3