The Rogue World Of Dostira

Hodinby

Charlie screamed, but no sound was heard, he felt cold wet soil underneath him and his spine felt pangs of agony. His mind felt like a snake was slithering within it, its slimy textured skin sliding over the bumps of his brain and whispering words that rang in his ears.

"You trust them too much Charles Binko" a female voice spoke, it was soft but penetrating as the sibilant whisper invaded his senses.

His eye sight was blurred but he felt heat radiating off his skin, as he waved one hand over the other he felt wrinkled burnt skin that travelled from the fingertips of his left hand all the way up to his shoulder. It stung as he touched it and trembled as he placed it by his side again, although the pain of his arm was severe he couldn't ignore the excruciating stinging he felt in his back as he reached a hand behind to feel thick warm blood oozing from his skin. He blinked hard to focus on his hand, it was covered in blood with feathers that were soaked a crimson red.

"They will abandon you, they cannot help you" the voice said, it echoed in his ears as Charlie screamed so hard he could feel his throat burning.

"I can ease this pain...trust in me Charles," the voice began, "they will cast you aside". The woman's voice hissed at Charlie, he didn't know what other part of him was injured but he felt torment all over. His breathing quickened, as each breath scorched in his chest, and his hands gripped the cold soil under him. He began to cry as tears ran down his face with his hands in tight fists holding the soil in his hands, he was sobbing and the salty tears on his cheeks burned.

His eyes shot open, he was in his bed that was now dampened with sweat as his hands were gripping onto his sheets tightly. He sat up and looked over at his roommate who seemed unbothered and fast asleep, he quickly felt around his body to see if any part of him was actually hurt. His hands instinctively reached for his back and felt nothing but sweat dripping skin, he then inspected his arm that had only a red mark from when Kane had burned him earlier that night. Charlie lifted his knees to his chest and put his hands over his head, he sat like this breathing deeply and trying his hardest to stay awake until dawn.

Although Charlie didn't feel a dull ache during the day, the voice lingered in his head and he was exhausted from not sleeping that night. Fear would keep him alert the entire day, as he felt himself slowly becoming paranoid, not being able to distinguish the difference between a voice his ears actually could hear and the one in his head. He stumbled to the refectory, he was dressed neatly but his hair was messy as his eyes were bloodshot and his skin sickly pale. He wearily searched for Kane, looking around in desperation for him, until he saw Audrey.

Audrey looked up from the table where she sat with Bella and stare intently at Charlie, his lively and enthusiastic figure now frail and colourless. She quickly stood from the table and rushed over to him, a part of him felt more awake when she was near and so he straightened his posture and tried to smile. As he saw her walk towards him he parted his lips to greet her but she walked past him, pushing his shoulder back with a shove as he stumbled back.

He turned around to chase after her, he didn't have the energy to lift his legs and run so he called out her name. She continued to walk away, watching her so openly ignore him incited a rage deep within as she called out her name with a raucous more aggressive tone.

"Audrey Larson!" Charlie cried out, the other students in the hallway flinched slightly in fear as they look at him. Audrey had stopped walking and stood with her back to him, her eyes glossed over with tears and panic on her face.

She was too frightened to turn around as she had never heard him sound so angry before, and so she stood frozen in place as Charlie slowly walked towards her. She could hear his footsteps walking towards her and sense his presence as he got closer, the hair on her neck raised as she felt his breath against her skin. He voice sounded hoarse as he said, "Don't walk away from me, please".