Toxic Innocence

FIFTY FOUR

Seldom he dreamt. Nightmare were rare. When no fear felt, none of the jump scare induced fright in him. But when he had fainted, his existence prickling with anxiety with the last blurring view of Althea as his eyes became heavier with each blink.

The terror.

It intensified when he woke up. The space he lied in was his old bedroom, the white and grey grotesque cold interior waddled dread within him as he struggled to sit, his palms lax once he held his anterior. Breaths coming out in weak gasp as the dim bleached unpigmented lights spiked tense headache.

Groaning he ran a hand through his face, reaching and tugging at his hair. His knuckles pats the floor unknown to his own movements as he does so in pain.

On floor.

With aching nerves.

And withering conscience.

It subsides when he rests his forehead on the desk chair. It skids at his weight, hustling he wakes up. Drowsy then, but tongue tied the moment he saw the presence of another person with him.

"Althea?" his lips twists down in a feverish whisper, his eyes scanning Althea who sat on the other side for any possible harm. Pulling himself up he sits straighter, licking the thirst he had to the back of his mind despite his body begged to be hydrated.

"How long was I out?" he asks, trying hardest to not let her afraid stance effect him.

"Two hours" she glances timidly at the digital clock on highlighted wall and then at her fingers. She could hear the small angry shit from him.

"Where are we?"

Two lost souls, occupied two corners of the strange room that was stranger to the person who had almost live his life in there than Althea who sat clueless. Her tender hair rumpled and gaze chaotic, she wanted to touch U- Understand what went through his head as he watched her. Maybe even ask him what's going on if her voice wasn't shaking so much.

"Room Two zero Seven. This is where I used to live. Concealed lab floor of the insti- what are you wearing?" by the end his voice was so harsh as he tried to move to her, but the dizziness washed over him
He gritted his teeth "why are you-wearing that?"

Scooping her knees Althea hugged herself, shrinking more as her brows furrowed in distress.

"They made me wear this" she says as U grunts attempting to move again. The lab gown that was once his, on her was the ultimate teaser for what was going to happen.

He always unknowingly lost a part of his every time he wore that.

That fucking attire from hell.

He thought.

It had no place on the body of an angel like hers.

Or no place for a girl like her with him.

"I am so sorry" it was a whisper again. Much broken and fatigued. So lost and wounded were his utterance that Althea couldn't help but move. Hesitantly yet, sure. She guides her cowardly legs to him and sits Besides- the scent of her and the warmth from the proximity engulfs him.

"I am not afraid of you" she pushes her blonde waves from her face and stares fixatedly at him. He was weak, she wasn't. But she knew that his sole strength was her and by the relief that sparked in his eyes almost appeared as if he had been awake for nights to hear her confess that.

"You mean that?"

Althea nods in agreement. He grabs her wrist, causing her to stop playing ignorance and gestures with his blunt query.