Taylor.

Chapter 13

I dropped the gun as I ran toward her. "Taylor! No, no, no...Taylor please wake up," I plead lifting her head and tapping her cheek a few times. Tears freely flowed down my cheeks as I unchained her legs, then her wrists from the wall. Her body falling lifelessly onto mine, I lay her on the floor. "Please..." I sniffle. "Jacob-" Amanda says kneeling down and patting my shoulder but Demi kicks her down. "He won't hit a girl. But I will," She mumbles, as Amanda topples over. "We need to get her some help," I say, barely above a whisper. Starring at Taylor's face in my hands made me weak. She can't be dying... She's not gona die. She's not gona die. She's not gona die. "Get her up, we'll see if anyone can help her," Demi says pointing the gun at Amanda, about to pull the trigger but I stop her. Stare at her, blood trickling down the side of her head. Picking up the needle I stab it into her chest and press the rest of the injection into her. She gasps before looking at me, her lips soon curve into a smirk. "She's gona die. And you can't do anything about it," She tells me. My eyes become watery as I stare back down at Taylor. Without looking back up, I pick Taylor up and stand. "So are you," I mumble through a lump in my throat.

                                           *                                                                         *

"Birkhoff," Demi calls as we run back to Division Headquarters. "Yep," He says turning around in his chair but suddenly freezing as he sees Taylor's body in my hands. "What happened?" He asks making a croaking noise at the end of his sentence. I only look down at her. "Amanda gave her some type of injection. We need a antidote. It's called..." Demi says reading the name on the needle. "Botulinum; get typing." Birkhoff slowly turns back around and turns his computer on. "I'm not supposed to be helping you guys," He says warily. "But you are, we're the ones who have the gun. Remember?" Demi says, raising it to his head. He continues typing and clicks on something before speaking. "There's an antidote," He says finally. "Botulinum is a Russian toxin. It was used in the 1900's by the Natzis's to drive the Germans unconscious then slowly and painfully kill them, from the inside out. Meaning, your not going to notice she's dying, until it's too late..." He pauses for a minute before continuing. "It was stopped, by manufacturers in the 1950's. After 48 hours it begins to burn the victims bones and ligaments. In 72 hours it will travel to the chest, the second the toxin reaches her heart, it will ignite," He says looking back up at us worriedly. "Where can we get the antidote?" Demi asks slowly, the gun shaking a bit in her hands. Birkhoff looks at the screen again. "You can order it online," He says. "Okay. Get ordering," She say. For a moment he doesn't do anything. "One problem..." He chokes out. Demi looks at me, Taylor, then back at him. "What is it?" She asks shoving the gun in her hands in her sweatpants. "...It costs over one million dollars..." He says quietly. "What?!" I yell. "How the hell are we gona find a million dollars within 48 hours?!" Demi sighs and looks down. "Fuck..." She mumbles. "What's happening to her right now?" I ask. "She's breathing and her heart is beating." "She's in a subconscious state of mind. That means she can feel your touch and she can hear your voice. It's almost like she's... half asleep. All her senses are on. That's why the toxin is so painful. You can feel it all happening because it has no pain relief on the senses. She also can't use them. Meaning, you can talk to her all you want, just don't expect a response till you get that antidote."

Taylor

"You survive EVERYTHING! Don't you?"

Amanda's words echoed in my head. I seem to survive everything. But it's more like I... barely survive. Everything I go through leaves a scar. And those scars stay with me. Forever. They haunt me... And worst part is? They never stop hurting. It's a never-ending pain. Do you know what that can do to someone? I do.

 It'll drive them insane.

I wish they'd find this antidote sooner. My body isn't responding well with this toxin, I feel a slight tingle in my neck... Although I know I can't move or speak. I wish I could tell Prince that I love him. And none of this is his fault. I know if he doesn't save me, he'll brake enitrely. This'll tear his heart in two; if that hasn't even happened already...

At least I can feel his touch. His soft... gentle... touch.

Even though I'm unconscious, he's still holding me like I'm about to brake. 

Princeton

"So there's nothing that can wake her up?" I ask. "The only response you'd be able to get from her and is strong eneough to wake her up is crying. She'll wake up if she's crying, but after that she'll just be able to tell you what's hurting. We'll be able to document how far the toxin is in her body," Birkhoff tells me. I back up and sit on a black leather couch across the room. I start to tear up again as I move Taylor's hair out of her face. "I love you..." I whisper. "And everything is gona be okay... I promise." She can hear me, and that's all I need. For her to know it's okay. "Your a computer geek. Hack into a bank or something. You can do that can't you?" Demi asks Birkhoff. "I can. But Amanda will... Well... She'll kill me..." He says quietly. "She's dead. We injected that bitch with the same thing she injected in my friend. Now do it," Demi says placing her hand back on the gun. "What? You killed her?" He asks, I can hear the happiness in his voice... And the fear. "She's not dead yet, but she will be. And so will she if you don't get us that antidote," Demi says pointing over to Taylor. Birkhoff sighs and looks down. "I-" He says but I suddenly feel a intense pain in my head. I grab the sides of my face and scream out in pain.

When it was done I nearly fell over hyperventilating... "You had a vision didn't you?" Demi asks. "Huh?" Birkhoff questions. I look down at Taylor. Ignoring them. My heart sunk as her eyes opened and tears poured out. She clung onto my chest as she sobbed.