Predator

Chapter 31

The first injection hurt more than anything I have ever experienced before. It was not the pain that made my breath come quicker, or even the sharp burning of a needle in my arm.

The pain was just...there. At the back of my head, at the base of my spine.  Every nerve on fire from my scalp to my toes, it burned and throbbed with every heartbeat.

My vision disappeared for a second and then the familiar blur came back. Only this time it wasn't exactly like before, it was getting clearer by the second.

Charlotte  leaned over me, her face distorted by shadow and tears as she smiled softly down at me. “You’ll be okay, sweetheart. Just hold on for a little bit longer.”

‘No,’ I thought desperately, 'this isn't what we agreed on'. She said she needed some help with her experiment, not that she needed a test subject.

I let out a painful grunt and tried to struggle to get up. But no matter how hard I tried to get out of the chains tied around my ankles, waist and wrists, it was all for nothing. My muscles would spasm and cramp uncontrollably. The pain was so excruciatingly unbearable that all I could do was grit my teeth and wait it out.

Time was not relevant in this room with no windows in which to keep track. I promised Cora I'll see her for breakfast but it seems like hours passed and I was already late.

Charlotte didn't bother changing the bandages on my arm that started bleeding after injecting me with the serum. My body temperature dropped dramatically by the end of my suffering as I blacked out.

___________________

Soft warm hands caressed my cheek and I leaned into them, starved of a gentle touch. They were comforting, loving even, but I could not tell who they belonged to.

Yet some deep part of me knew.

Her amber hair spread on the pillow as the sun shone through the curtains, framing her face with a golden glow. Her eyes were bright and open, staring at mine with unadulterated adoration, and when she spoke, I recognized the voice.

“I love you,” she whispered, kissing me passionately as if sealing a promise.

A vow of undying devotion. Of eternal companionship. Of everlasting love.

_______________

When my eyes fluttered open, my head was pounding furiously. A cool breeze blew against my face, carrying a hint of snow and smoke. My ears rang incessantly and my throat felt raw like someone scraped sandpaper across it.
It took me several moments to realize where I was and why I was there.

But then all the memories crashed into me and everything made sense. Charlotte's lab...the injections and experiments she did here...the way she looked at me while she poured the serum...and lastly, her lips.

Exept they weren't her lips. They were softer. Gentle. Loving.  And it hurt. So bad, that I had to close my eyes against the sudden stabbing ache in my heart.

The only sound I could make out was my own ragged breathing and sobbing.Then I heard footsteps approaching my side. Soft and careful, the owner of the footsteps approached cautiously, stopping about five feet away from where I sat. 

"You're finally awake. How are you feeling." Charlotte asked. Her tone almost shy. Not afraid but cautious.

"Like shit."  I croaked. There was still an awful dry feeling to my throat that was making words painful. "How long was I...out?"

She shook her head. "Couple of days."  Her hand touched my shoulder gently, and it was then I noticed that she held a plastic cup in her hand. "Drink this sweetie, it will help with your sore throat."