Toxin

CHAPTER 6 - A hollow, empty shell.

"Girl... Whose side should I take?!" Effie exclaimed, a worried expression crossing her face. "Well, who do you think was in the wrong?" I asked, secretly smirking. She slapped me, making me look at her. "Seriously Aaly! I'm stressed! I could tear my own hair out!" she cried out, clamping her hair. I giggled, my shoulders bouncing slightly. "Ok, well don't do that." I chuckled, my cheeks a soft pink from laughing. Effie pouted at me. "But Jonathan was in the wrong since he let himself get angry over nothing, but Atlas was also in the wrong for snapping his lower back!" she hissed, glancing around the hall. I sighed. "Well who was in the wrong first? Besides, you know Atlas only did that as self-defence." I rolled my eyes, grinning. "What is he to you though? Your boyfriend?" Effie teased. I whacked her with my books in return. First period. Biology... Fun.

I turned into the Biology classroom, only to find an empty chair next to mine. I must've sulked or something because Effie was grinning at me and the spot where I glanced. I punched her roughly in the arm, smiling sarcastically. We walked up the aisle, taking our seats. The bell rang and Professor Finnain trotted heavily into the classroom. "Good morning all, we're going to continue the partner task on cells today." he mumbled, shifting his feet heavily on the tiled ground. Thanks Atlas, you jerk. I thought, gritting my teeth as I stood up to move to the front. I slid out of my row and made my way down the step and towards Professor Finnain. It was at this moment, Atlas bursted through the door. The whole class went quiet and looked over at Atlas. Atlas had his hands on his knees and was panting. He lifted his head up to Professor Finnain. "Sorry, sir." Atlas stuttered. "I had to uh... talk to the principal." he muttered, raising a hand and placing it on the back of his head and nervously smiling. My heart thudded heavily in my chest, and I could already feel my face burning up. "That's fine, Atlas. Now poor Aaly has an actual partner instead of working with me." Professor Finnain smiled, nodding towards me. I gulped, awkwardly. "Please go join her now, Atlas. I'm sure she'll explain everything to you. I'll even give you both extra time as you were away yesterday's session." he'd grunt. Atlas smiled warmly, "Thank you sir." and made his way up to me. I slid back through the desk and sat down. The classroom soon became busy with laughter and chatter again. "So, what do you think of my acting?" Atlas grinned, sitting down next to me and opening his textbook. "Great, it actually seemed like what a normal person would do." I uttered, grinning with him. "Oh great... Now I have to explain everything." I started, groaning. Atlas chuckled. "Don't worry, I already know this course. You're up to cells, right?" he raised an eyebrow, smirking. He knew he was right. "Mhm." I grumbled, rolling my eyes. He grinned, us soon starting our work.

The bell rang, and Professor Finnain asked if anyone was finished their mini project. The only two to raise their hands was or course, me and Atlas. We handed in the project and headed off. Atlas and me had maths, but the both of us didn't feel like it, so we both just hung out in the empty classroom that seperated me, and his math classes. "You have more questions?" Atlas smirked, shutting the door behind us. "Or do you just want an old-fashioned make-out session?-" he continued, grinning widely before I hit him across the head with my books. "You're disgusting!" I spat, though I couldn't help but smile as I did so. After hitting him a couple more times, we both settled down, sitting on a set of chairs. "So, what's your next set of questions, eh?" Atlas smirked, resting his head on my palm. I stared at him, pouting, but he held my arm in place. "When will Toxin come through?" I asked, using my other palm to rest my head. "Well, you can't decide, and there's no exact scheduled date." he started. "It comes out when they feel like you're ready." he continued, finishing his sentence. I frowned. "Ok, then here's the next one. Were you actually tired when you came through the door puffing?" I asked. I knew the answer, but I just wanted to make sure. "No, dingbat." he retorted, chuckling. I sighed, smirking. I then gulped. "OK... Then just one last thing." I muttered, closing my eyes. When I opened them Atlas was looking back at me, a nervous expression on his face. "Go on..." he insisted, a now intriguing look appearing on his face. I sighed, and shifted my feet nervously. "Is it normal... for Vapour and Toxin's kind, to be able to heal their bodies?" I looked Atlas in the eye. I met a concerned, sky blue gaze in return. "Over time, yes. Wounds heal faster than a human one does, but not instantly." he replied. Atlas sat up, freeing my hand. "Why do you ask?" I shuddered, remembering last night. "Well, I stayed up last night, waiting for that shadow- well, Vapour, to come. But you didn't. So I got out of bed and..."  I stopped, remembering how bloody my knee was. "And?" Atlas pressed, crossing his arms over his chest. I sighed again, looking up at him. "And I stumbled, ramming my knee into the corner of my bedside table." Atlas winced, the hairs on his arms standing up. "But I crashed into it too hard, and my knee was swollen, blood literally pouring out of it..." I continued, furrowing my brow as I remembered that moment. "It looked really, really bad, Atlas. But I didn't feel anything!" I blurted out, meeting Atlas's gaze with mine. "And I could walk perfectly fine, like nothing happened, but my bone was still crunching, and the blood was still oozing!" I could feel hot tears roll down my cheeks. "I cleaned it up, using an old tea towel and this black mist just hissed out! And my deep wound and bone... It was normal! Like nothing ever happened!" I cried out, shoving my head in my hands. I felt Atlas's now warm body wrap around me. I felt safer, more normal when my body compressed with his. Almost whole. "I-I'm just so confused, Atlas!" I sobbed, now wrapping my arms around him. "It's alright... You're fine, safe now." Atlas murmured. His nose was buried in the curve of my neck, but I could still feel his expression. Confused, worried, determined... I sighed. "Atlas... At night, I feel as if I-I'm a hollow... empty shell."

"What do you mean, an empty shell?" Atlas asked whilst I leaned on him. I stared out and over the chairs and tables across the room. "I can't feel anything. No emotions, not even the temperature. I couldn't feel my legs, arms, anything! It felt like I was in a dream state..." I mumbled, my cheeks still damp from my sudden outburst only minutes ago. Atlas sighed, looking down at his feet, smiling. I sat up and glared at Atlas. "I thought you were taking me seriously." I hissed, wiping my cheeks and crossing my arms. He stifled a chuckle. "It's just your body, preparing to become... well, you know. Toxin." he smiled, now crossing his arms over his chest. "Is that the reason why I'm tired all the time as well?" I asked, frustrated. He nodded, grinning. "Ugh! You jerk!" I cried out, slapping him across the face. Though of course, no matter how hard I hit him, I knew it wouldn't hurt him. At least until Toxin decides to introduce herself to me. "Atlas..." I started, kicking my legs onto the table in front of me. "Yeah?" he replied, looking up at me. "If there were only five of Venom's line, then how is Vapour here?" I asked. He smirked, closing his eyes. "That's a great question." he started, opening his beautiful eyes. He fluttered them, mesmerising me for a moment before he continued; "Venom could no longer split his power, or in other words, couldn't make anymore children." he grinned, continuing. "So instead he asked his wife, Mary- no, sorry. Poison to split her growing soul with someone else." he gazed up at me. "She of course, she agreed and split her soul with her human best friend, Elizabeth. Elizabeth spit her soul twice, once with her human husband, and a teen boy who was interested in her because, well, it was those times." Atlas shrugged. "And then she had her children. The cycle continued with multiple people and so, more of Vapour's creatures were created!" he finished, smiling. I nodded my head; "Fascinating.". He chuckled, "Sure. But did you know that only as time went on, the creatures living inside of us turned into mist?" he questioned, making me raise my brows. "Only Venom, his wife and three children were made from a sort of liquidy substance." I blinked with a disgusted look on my face. "Well, eww." I groaned, sarcastically gagging. The two of us laughed, until the bell rung.