Lucid Blood

Ch 15

As if creepy Fae with even more creepy smiles wasn’t bad enough, it was the girls that made me feel sick.

At Iraz’s feet withered a girl, covered in nothing more than a white slip of fabric that served as a bikini, and another a skirt. Her skin, gold tanned, was decorated with thousands of tiny silver lines. They show through the flesh at her temples, necklace her throat, twist over her shoulders. The lines were everywhere, from her chest to stomach, even over her calves, but I would have seen more if a red wasn’t covering her skin.

The girl clutches a wickedly curved dagger and dragging it over her skin, carving long silver marks over her body which weep grey liquid.  

Worst part was she wasn’t shaking, or crying. She was smiling dreamily as she slices open her skin, practically begging for Iraz’s affection. Her feet were torn up, covered in silver liquid from her toes to ankles, but she didn’t seem to notice, or care.

More girls twirled around the diamond Fae, laughing and screaming in joy as they dance. They were move around him in a circle, the ground under they’re feet trampled and splattered with strange liquids. Even guys were dancing with the girls. Smiles stretched over the dancers faces as they frolic. More lines were etched into their skin, from silvers, gold’s, blues, greens and even purples. None of them seemed to care about their feet, even when they stood on rocks and branches, they keep dancing, lost in the music promising to take them away.

A handful more girls were with the other two Faeries, the green one and Mr Holey. Liquid leaks down their skin, but none of the girls seem to notice. They move slowly, dreamily. Dancing to their own music, lost in a trance. Red and black vines creep over their skin, burning away flesh. A girl leans over to the green Fae, smiling sweetly. She pushes her lips against him, unfazed by the cold smile on his face. She falls backwards, giggling tiredly, moving with the vines like they were hands on her and not vines burning her flesh open. Pink liquid dribbles down her skin, stains the vines riving over her.

And I realize that the lines under their skin was blood, but distinguishable through they’re skin. The liquid pouring down their flesh, seeping from wounds was their lifeblood

And none of them cared.

I turn towards the Golden Solider guy scared to find what he was doing. Several more girls –and two guys- trembling in the water. Hardly any wore clothes, but the ones who weren’t didn’t bother acknowledging they were naked, or close to it. They laugh, touching their hair and body lovingly, even reaching over to others to braid hair or run they’re hands over someone’s back affectionately. Blood slicked their skin from the animals crawling on them. Otters, and other creatures clung to them, drawing blood with their teeth and claws. Fish dart around them, they fins and scales tearing open flesh like a hot knife through butter.

Then I spot someone familiar, giggling sluggishly as an eel twists around her legs and an otter crawls over her torso towards her shoulders, gouging grooves with its claws. It was the girl I’d seen the other day, at the queen’s garden. Her blond hair was silver with blood, and her smile seemed permanent on her face.

I watch in open horror, not sure if what I was seeing was. They all look so happy and free, dancing and playing like nothing was wrong.

They didn’t shy away from the beaver like creatures crawling towards them or the vines shooting up from the bloody dirty to encircle bodies. I had the same feeling as watching those people who liked to be treated like pets, or slaves.

But this was worse.

My stomach rolls, threatening to empty itself right there and then. The smell of blood stains the wind, clogs my throat. I turn away, trying to stay quiet as nearly gag. It was horrible, choking me ruthlessly.