Touched

Six, Close Hands

'uncommon occurrences within his dangerous and cold walls'

You can never really guess what it going to happen next when you live with dead people, there isn't any amount of books or stories you can grow up listening too that will prepare you for the real thing. Vampire's, Witches and everything else don't really exist outside of those stories, so why would anyone need to remember the things they're told.

Even if you do remember it, believe in it, you would be naïve to believe any of that information would be helpful in the long run. You wouldn't think you would survive around them, let alone be adopted into their care like some kind of freakish pet.

Despite how odd the situation feels, it's even stranger having them treat me like we are best friends and have been for years. To me, to most, Rhydian's behaviour would make far more sense than anything else. I mean come on, the guys an asshole. An asshole that makes my stomach knot.

He regards me with such disinterest that it eases someone of the displacement I feel, them all ignoring the fact that I could be food sets my teeth on edge. Like being lulled into a false sense of security. Sel and Kyle even take turns sleeping on either side of me, squashing me between them. Part for comfort and warmth they both crave now, and also because half the time I wake up screaming in the middle of the night, fighting of men that can no longer hurt me.

One of their heads constantly tucked into my neck, and yet they seem to have no issue controlling themselves at the steady thud of my pulse. Every day, we go out for breakfast, take a walk, get lunch, go to the library for some books so that I don't die of boredom while they attend to their Vampire business with Rhydian.

All while trying to pretend I don't see and feel the irritated glare's that Rhydian sends my way, and in spite of all of that he still makes me feel of kilter. I've started thinking that maybe I have stockholm syndrome, letting these people that hurt me so, make me feel so safe and comfortable.

Even telling myself that it's the addiction of the warmth, of that growing sense of connection I have with them, which is sending so many feelings and emotions through me constantly. It's madness, knowing I am the source of the addiction with no clue why.

When I woke this morning, I wasn't being alone that prompted the ache in my chest, it was that when it hit one in the afternoon and they still hadn't come for me. A sense of abandonment lodged itself in my throat, I could feel hunger gnawing at the pit of my stomach, paranoia eats away at my patience because they said they wouldn't leave me behind.

I believed them even when I knew I shouldn't, and god, they haven't even been gone that long and this dependence I have on them is already driving me crazy. But normally if we don't go out for a meal it would at least show up at my door, but no breakfast, nor lunch has arrived.

It's five pm before I decide that today is not the day that I starve to death between these four grey walls. I try to move through the halls undetected, Kyle's black jumper wrapped tight across my body as if it would hide me from their enhanced senses.

"You're alone today" A soft voice calls to me, and I freeze as I pass the old woman, her dirty blonde hair is scattered with grey, is hung down across her face. Distorting it as she dusts across the windowsills in front of me, and something about the grin on her face, sends dread down my spine.

"Just getting dinner" I reply, trying to edge my way down the corridor and away from her. The attempt, however in vain is my only option now that I have caught her attention, and god damn it if I don't feel a bloom of anger at Kyle and Sel for abandoning me today.