Mara the Wicked (A "Dead Seed" story)

Twelve: Skin and Bones

A soft humming sound started off low and then grew louder and louder until it hovered right over Mara's head.

Something splashed into the water. She couldn't focus to see what or who it was. Perhaps another body was joining her.

She was cut free from the cinder block and could barely feel someone grabbing her and bringing her up above the surface. A full moon met her when they broke through the water; she closed her eyes against its brightness. Other than that, she felt nothing.

She was tossed into a small boat that soon drove away. She was too weak to move, too weak to even turn her head to see if it was Aimeric or someone else who had brought her out of the water.

It must have been Aimeric because she soon found herself back in the prison she had first been brought to. Only the mural had changed. This time the painting showed children playing at a playground. Some were swinging, some were tossing a ball.

The music playing was happy, bouncy, kids music.

She was plopped back into her hard chair and restrained once again, only this time only her legs were tied down.

"You look dreadful." Even in her weakened and barely there state, Mara recognized Aimeric's voice.

If she could see herself she would see a skeleton with a thin layer of skin over her bones. Some of her flesh hung from her frame, rotting and peeling where the fish had nibbled her. Her hair was falling out in patches. Her eyes were sunk into her skull. She just sat there, staring at the wall, not blinking. Too weak to talk. Too weak to move.

She barely felt him part her lips with his finger and stick a syringe in her mouth. Slowly, Aimeric gave her the smallest amount of blood to wet her mouth and bring just enough of her senses back to remind her she was still alive.

"You've had a little over a month to think about what you've done. There is one final stage for you to consider my offer." Aimeric snapped his fingers and the door opened.

Lucas came in, shoving a bound human in front of him. He gave the man to Aimeric and then looked at Mara and made a disgusted face at her appearance before leaving. Did she really look so terrible for a man to make such a face when he once lusted after her?

Aimeric chained the human to the wall in front of Mara and then moved her chair so she was sitting directly in front of the human ... just out of his reach. Aimeric then drew a knife from his belt and said to Mara, "I sincerely hope you change your mind ... I quite enjoy you."

He used the knife to make small cuts on the human's arms, who grimaced with each slice. The small cuts let just enough blood out to tempt her. The blood from a few seconds ago and the smell of this human's gave her enough life that she blinked a few times and looked up at the man, contemplating what he might taste like.

"If you give me the answer I'm looking for, I'll let you have him. Be honest, now — I'll know if you're lying. I'll be back in an hour."

Aimeric left her there to look at the human, the scent of his blood tempting her.

Her hunger came alive once more, giving her just enough energy to try and reach the human. She struggled, raising her hands towards him. Aimeric had placed her chair too far away. She groaned and grunted, trying to grab the man. He hugged the wall, shaking with fear. Blood dribbled down his naked body and onto the floor. If he moved towards her, she might be able to reach him ... but he wouldn't do that, she knew — he was too scared.

Mara tried speaking. "I-if ... y-." She closed her eyes, trying to concentrate enough to form the words. She was so weak. "If ... you ... give me ... bl-blood ... I ca- can rel-ease ... you."