I lay awake, wondering what had just happened. Deciding to dwell on it in the morning, I slid further under the sheets and tried to sleep.
I slept fitfully, and I knew my body was healing itself. Even so, the pain was beyond bearable, until unconsciousness claimed me. Everything went black.
OoOoOoOoOoOo
"Good morning," Matt's voice jolted me from sleep. I attempted to sit, but a hand pushed me back down, "rest."
Opening my good eye, I saw him sitting on a chair beside me, dark bags beneath his eyes.
"Have you been there all night?" I wondered quietly, and he shook his head.
"I came in when you started screaming in your sleep," I glanced away, hiding an embarrased expression, "I'm so sorry, we should have got to you sooner"
"I'm alive aren't I?"
He glanced away, pain evident.
"Yes. However..."
"What is it?" Panic flared inside me, "Is Taiga alright? Did something...."
"No!" He slammed his fist down, startling me, "You used up all your healing abilities just to stay alive! You're just a normal human now, and... And you're never going to be able to walk again!"
A cold stillness settled over me, shock wiping all language from my mind. Swallowing, I managed to pronounce a single word.
"Ever?"
He didn't need to reply. I knew he wasn't lying from the pained expression on his face.
He stood to leave, "I'm sorry, Ryuuhei."
With that he strolled away, leaving me lying there helplessly, the words settling in.
At that moment, a small head popped around the corner.
"Ryuu..." Taiga whispered, and I motioned for him to come in. He practically leapt up onto the bed beside me and hugged me tightly.
"Are you alright?" I asked, and he shook his head.
"You're hurt and its all my fault!"
"Taiga... It was my own choice to return. I couldn't have left you there,"
He didn't reply and instead buried his face in my arm, eventually falling asleep there. I lay stroking his back in a trance until another person entered the room.
"Hey," Ethan smiled, seeing my brother curled beside me, "Is he asleep?" He lowered his voice to a whisper and I nodded.
"I'll take him to his bed. He was up all night worrying, you know," with that, he scooped Taiga's small frame up and carried him from the room. I watched sadly, not really wanting him to go.
Ethan reappeared, this time a bit,louder, and sat heavily on the edge of the bed.
"How are you?" He asked, green eyes bright.
"Not really all that great, but, you know. Alive, I guess," my response must have disappointed him, for he averted hos gaze and frowned.
"Oh. Has Matt told you about..."
I nodded, and sat up.
"I don't believe him. I think I will be able to walk. I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, and Ethan's alarmed cry was only a bit of background noise as I tentatively placed one foot on the floor.
The pain was instantanious the moment any pressure was put on my knee. Sucking in air through my teeth, I put more pressure on it. Tears formed in the corners of my eyes as I pushed up from the bed, before slumping back down again.
"Are you... Alright?" Ethan asked quietly as I buried my head in the pillow. I didn't reply.
He stood and left, and I watched him go.
"I hate life,"
Katia walked into the room so quietly that I didn't notice her until she sat down on the chair centimetres from my face.
"Hello..." She whispered, smiling slightly.
"Hey, Katia," I sighed, "So, are you gonna tell me what you were doing in my room last night?"
My question caught her off guard, and she blushed darkly. Standing to leave, I grabbed her arm tightly.
"Ryuu!" She squealed, trying to get away, "Stop it, idiot! I thought you were asleep! And I was happy to see yo- Ow! That really hurts!"
"Idiot," I whispered, kissing her lightly and releasing my grip on her arm. She pulled away and ran from the room, and I fell back into the sheets, wondering if I had done the wrong thing.
"I hate life," I repeated, my voice cracking.
She walked back in, wheeling a wheelchair with her. Groaning loudly, I sat up. She was still red and refused to meet my gaze.
"Katia... I.... sorry,"
She didn't reply and instead left the wheelchair a few metres from the bed, leaving the room with a furious expression.
Attempting to reach it was out of the question, so I rolled from the bed onto the floor. Remembering too late about my broken arm, I realised that I wouldn't be able to get into the chair. Dragging myself along the floor proved harder than I thought, as carpet wasnt quite as slippery as the stone in the Serpent's base.
I managed to make it to the chair after about ten minutes, sweat collecting on my head.
"You are such a bitch, Katia," I grumbled, trying to climb up the chair, which proved almost impossible. Grabbing the back rest with my hand, I pulled myself up: only for the chair to tip backwards and throw me head first to the floor.
A small giggle came from the door and I saw Katia standing there, trying to hide a smile. I grinned sheepishly.
"Little help?"
She nodded and stepped over to me, lifting me up onto the black fabric seat.
"Sorry, Ryuu,"
"Thats alright,"
She stepped behind me and began to wheel me from the room. I rested my head against the rest and let out a large sigh.
We came to a stop and,I realised my room had been on the ground floor. I recognized this place as Matt's office, where I had first been brought back.
"So what now?" She asked quietly.
"Huh?"
"Well, the Serpents are gonna come after you, you know, and they're gonna be mad,"
I glanced away, nausea lurching in my stomach. I hadn't thought of that.
"Well, if they come for me we run. There's only so much more they can do to me anyway," I glanced down at my legs, "Death would be a nice break..."
"Idiot!" She hit me, "Don't say that!"
"Sorry,"
She sighed, glancing away, "School closed when you were taken, and all the kids were sent home. There was another murder too,"
"What?" This new information she had sprung shocked me, and I gripped the edges of the chair tightly,
"Who?"
"A first year. She was only eleven,"
"Oh my God," I shut my eyes, feeling sick again, "Bastards ,"
"Tell me about it." She muttered sarcastically.
"Dammit!" I fumed, "If I hadn't come to the school none of this would have happened. I wouldn't have met Derek and he wouldn't have caught me! No-one would have been killed!"
"D...Derek? As in the bully?" Katia paused, wondering something.
"He was the one in in charge. Or at least, in command for the time I was there,"
"Oh my god Ryuu I'm so sorry," she crouched in front of me, "After the fight I heard Derek whisper somethings about super fast healing and your scars, but I didn't think anything of it..."
