Fire Wall (Book 1: The Fall)

7 | Hidden (L)ove

"L!" Arabella exclaims, "You look awful."

"What?" I feel my face in search for blood.

I don't have any wounds. Nothing on me hurts.

What's wrong?

My vision adjusts so I see her kneeling in front of me, wearing her black robe. Her green eyes sweep across my features and I can feel her calculating the days I haven't gotten sleep. I sense the personal questions coming and turn away from her.

Why is she wasting time worrying about my health? Our objectives are much more important.

Adam, shirtless in a pair of ripped jeans, kicks an empty energy drink can across the floor. He scowls looking at my room though the only trash in sight is a single can. He gravitates toward the kitchen and conducts an investigation.

"No dirty dishes in the sink..."

He swipes a finger along the countertop.

"Dusty countertops. Clean fridge handle..."

The strange critiques puzzle me.

"You haven't been eating," He concludes, "This is where I draw the line."

His stern tone fills me with dread.

"I'm making you take a month off."

My heart beats rapidly in my throat and a wave of anxiety twists my chest into knots. What did I do to deserve this? How could he ask that of me? Clearly, I'm contributing value. Doesn't he know what this will do to me? There will be nothing to comfort me if I can't do anything.

I'm barely able to voice the words as I look at him.

"Are you...punishing me?" I whisper.

Shock softens Adam's features. His mouth parts and he shakes his head quickly.

"No! No!" He exclaims, "L...you've helped Firewall a lot. I'm not punishing you! You need a break to take care of yourself. Your health is declining..."

I narrow my eyes, feeling an intense burning in my chest. So I haven't gotten a few nights of sleep...so what? I avert my gaze from Adam and Arabella.

"I don't understand what you're trying to do," I admit, feeling the smallness in my voice.

Arabella lays her hand on mine, "Come with me to the bathroom."

The bathroom? Why would I go with her to the bathroom? Adam offers me his hand with a winning smile.

"Come on."

After working with the two for six months, they still manage to surprise me. I sigh in defeat and take his hand. When he pulls me onto my feet, my legs almost give out underneath my weight. That's strange, I straighten to my full posture, I have no reason not to be able to stand.

I walk toward the bathroom and when I look in the mirror, my stomach twists painfully. A queasiness comes over me as I watch a skeleton stand between Adam and Arabella.

"We're worried about you," Arabella whispers, "You've been consumed with your work and haven't been taking care of yourself."

I ran a hand in the hollow of my cheek. I've always had abnormally bright eyes but now they are dark and void of color. I rotate my arms and legs, feeling sick to my stomach at the amount of muscle I lost in just six months. Surely, I ate...I ate complete and consistent meals...right? The longer I try to remember, the more I realize I'm pulling from my imagination. What I considered meals was a bag of crackers and a few energy drinks a day.