Three Degrees Of Danger (2019)

|| EIGHT ||

White.

The sheets, the floor and the ceiling. They burn my vision with their pristine, stark hues. Even when I duck my head beneath the covers to dodge the blinding light, I can't seem to escape it- it takes me a stupidly long time to remember that the sheets are a shade of marble.

When my mind finally registers the contrast of the room, I try to recall what happened previously. All my brain draws up is a blank, though. I remember the acid filling up the room, summoning an old memory and playing with fire. Grabbing onto Lex and exploding glass. And then... nothing.

I leap off the bed and start to pace. The floor beneath my feet is freezing and the clothes I have on are fresh and paper thin. The cold air seeps right through the pores of the fabric and sticks to my skin. I wrap my arms around my chest and survey the room. It's tiny and enclosed, with no windows and empty, save for the bed I woke up in.

The lights overhead drill bright paths of yellow that bleeds through the tiles of the room. Despite the absence of an air conditioner, the cold dominates the enclosed area and bites my skin harshly. I trudge over to the door- a construct of dark mahogany and push it open. It swings open and I scream.

Lex stands before me, his palms pressed against the walls the door is built into. His eyes are shadowed with impatience and his hair hangs over his face, a dark curtain drawn in a frenzy.

I open my mouth to yell at him but the expression on his face kills the words bubbling on the surface of my tongue.

"Get in and don't make a sound." Lex orders, his voice low with worry. I shift inside and Lex pulls the door shut, his gaze flicking back and forth.

"You're alive." I squeak.

Lex raises his brows at me, almost surprised by my comment. "Well, neither of us are going to be alive for long if you don't hurry."

He draws his hands forward to reveal a fistful of clothes, bunched up untidily. "Put these on. There are people looking for us and there's no way you're getting out, looking like that."

"Who's looking for us?" I takes the clothes from Lex.

A thin line creases Lex's forehead. "I'll tell you later. Now, hurry."

"Erm..." I pull the clothes to my chest give Lex a pointed look.

"What?" Lex demands, ignorant to my intentions.

A scarlet blush rises to my cheeks and I clear my throat. "I... have to undress to change."

Confusion clouds Lex's face for a second before it disappears, the emulsion clearing to reveal a pink flush. "I can't go out. I swear I won't look."

"This is coming from the same guy who said he doesn't kill people and then tries to kill me minutes later." I say sarcastically but begin to ease out of the hospital issued clothes as soon as Lex's back is turned.

The silence seems to form a melody. It beats the way a heart does, as I pull over the shirt and pants that Lex got. When I'm done, I clear my throat once more and Lex turns, the playfulness gone from his face and replaced with worry.

"They're coming. I can feel it." He mutters.

"That's worrying and all, but first, you owe me an explanation." I march up to Lex.

"I don't owe you anything." Lex replies promptly.

"I wouldn't be too sure of that. The way I see it, you tried to killed me and I saved you. I deserve the truth." I say.

Lex's gaze grows intense. "You didn't kill me. Nor did you save me. The whole time, from when the acid started filling the room, I was alive."

"No. I saw the way you crumpled to the floor. You died." I insist.