Radioactive - Book 1: Birth 🪼

Eight

I have been in a blur for the last couple of days due to the pain in my clavicle. The pain pills were not enough to keep the pain at bay even for an hour and so without having to suggest anything, Dad decided that I should get a bone infuser done so that the bone can heal quicker. I've been kind of out of it since then, so I don't remember much.

**********************

I wake up and look around the dark room. I'm surprised they even let me into the hospital since I'm an Empty but if I'm not mistaken, I think they have a specific wing for Empties... I look down and see my arm is in a sling again but the pain is significantly lower than before. Bone infusers are great because it literally infuses this stuff that hardens to the density of bone and makes it easier to forge back together. The sling is actually to keep the bones in place, just like a cast would be but instead of wearing it for months on end, you only have to wear it for maybe two weeks to a month, depending on the break or fracture.

"I was afraid they would need to draw blood from you. If that had been the case, I don't know what I would have done."

I turn and can just barely see someone in the chair on the wall in front of me. The person gets up and turns the blinds open as moonlight hits their face, bluest of blue eyes almost glowing.
"Nalak..." I say softly, tired.
"How you feeling?"
"I'm alright... How did you get in here?"
"The front door says 'welcome'. Apparently stores and stuff with any time of open invitation is fair game." He says, shrugging. He walks closer to me and stands with his hands behind his back. "I got worried when I heard you screaming."
"What do you mean? I told you to go to the tree house."
"I was at the tree house. Apparently albinos have heightened senses. I could hear you crying from there and so I went to check on you but your older brother was there. He seems really nice. You could have let me in and just introduced me to him."
"And have you eat him?"
"I only have eyes for you, R..." he says with a grin and I shudder.
His teeth have fangs like a vampire does.
"Either way, I wouldn't have let you in anyway."
"I know. But he seemed pretty cool..." I hear a gurgling sound and Nalak puts his hand to his stomach. "Sorry, I haven't eaten since you said you were going to bring me food."
"Why can't you get your own?"
"I've been worried... and I don't have money to just walk into a store to buy meat. Besides, I'm a dead giveaway as an albino."
"Then... how did you get in here? Wait, let me guess, a tree?"
Nalak makes a face. "Actually, I walked right through the front door. It's a wonder what hoodies can do for you... I mean, is that alright? Or did I cross some line?"
"No."
I yawn, hitching from the pull on my clavicle. Nalak sits on the bed and runs his fingers gingerly up my leg over the sheets.
"I read that RH- pamphlet that Dr. White had given you. You want to know something interesting?"
"What?"
"RH- people, if they concentrate, can control albinos with direct commands. Also, if an albino is attracted to a specific RH- person, they can establish a master/slave relationship."
He looks at me, his blue eyes peering at me. I swallow a little.
"Who is the master and who is the slave?"
"Depends." He leans over and does a sniff sweep up my body, hovering over my neck a little. I feel his breath on my neck and his teeth just barely touch my neck but he pulls away and looks at me. "Who is more in control? The one who wants and refrains or the one who has all the power and entices relentlessly?"
"You're getting weird." I whisper.
"I know." He pulls away from me and turns his head a little. "I hear a nurse. I'm still counting on that meat."
Nalak leaves the room and I breathe out, not realizing that I had been holding it in.

****************

A couple days later, I am able to go home. I go back home on Friday so I have the weekend to myself and then go back to school on Monday. I decide to take up Nalak on the offer of the meat and rummage through the freezer, finding some chicken breasts that look like they will not be in use any time soon. I carry it out to the woods and to the tree house.

I look up at the tree house in hopelessness. How am I supposed to get up there with one arm?
"Nalak! Nalak, will you come down? I have food for you."
He says nothing and I sigh. I gulp and put the baggy in my mouth, grabbing onto the slightly rotting rungs and head up to see him. When I get better, I will have to remember to redo these steps... I never got around to it... I finally get to the door and push it open.
"Nalak? Are you here?"
"Yeah." I hear from the corner.
"Well, I brought you some meat."
"Thanks."
I look around but can't find him at all.
"Where are you?"
"Out of sight. Just leave it there."
I make a face and put the bag on the floor when I look over and gasp, almost falling off the rungs. I see a small pile of bones over here.
"Um... Nalak, what have you been eating?"
"Squirrels. Just get out! If you don't get out I don't know if I can control myself."
"Control yourself?"
"Please, R, just go... I can't hold back much longer and all you're doing is permeating your scent into the tree house."
I nod and climb back down the steps.
As I climb back down I hear a lot of thumping and unbridled scarfing of food above me. I shudder to think that I may have been that way too if he hadn't warned me. Now I feel bad, though, because he can't do anything but hide up here now...

*********************

A couple more days go by and every time I go to see Nalak he acts the same way, telling me to leave the meet right at the entrance of the tree house, won't let me see him, and when I descend I hear what sounds like an animal. I never question what's going on because I figure Nalak will tell me when he's ready.

I'm finally able to go back to school and I head out to the woods to let Nalak know and also give him a morning snack for disturbing him.
"You planning on making open fire bacon?"
I turn and see Matt looking at me with a suspicious look. I adjust my backpack on my shoulder.
"What?"
He lifts an eyebrow. "Are you really going to act like that package of raw bacon in your hand isn't real? And that you're not going towards the woods at 7:00 in the morning? Or that I haven't slept well in almost a week because I hear the sounds of a wild animal scurrying along the side of the house every night?! Huh?!"
"The squirrels are rather rambunctious in the late eve."
Matt points his finger in my face. "If you don't tell that freak to quit climbing on the house at night, I'm going to call the RDC myself."
I stare at him and look at the package of bacon in my hands. He crosses his arms.
"H-how did you know?" He points at the side of the house and I see hand marks on the side of the house. "Oh."
"Yeah, tell your stalker to stop crawling around at odd hours or let that mofo in."
I nod and head to the woods.
I knock on the bottom of the door and it opens, a hand coming out.
"Bye." He says, taking the bacon, and closes the door. I frown and pound on it. "Nalak! Open up! I need to tell you something."
"WHAT DAMMIT?!!!"
I glare at the bottom of the house.
"Look, I don't know what the hell your deal is, but let's get one thing straight: if it weren't for me-"
"I wouldn't be in this situation. You caused this... Your blood activated me. So, leave me alone."
"And you know what, forget the meat. I think I've been nice enough to bring it to you. Don't expect anymore. Oh, and my brother knows you're about, so stop climbing on the house. You're not coming in. I will never let you in!!!"
All I get for a response is a snarl and a pounding on the door.
I roll my eyes and start going down the stairs.
"GET BACK HERE!!!!" Nalak screams as the door flies open, though I can't see him.
I look up and smile.
"Come and get me then you albino freak."
I turn and leave, feeling a little bad but he's acting weird.