Oracle

Part 8

Jaspar covered his mouth with his hand as he began to gag at the sensations. He was trapped in the city now. They weren't going to let him go, he could tell that easily. Who knows what would happen to him now.

His stomach flipped, and Jaspar didn't know where to move. He scrambled forward and out of the blankets he had wrapped around himself. He didn't know where he was, but he didn't want to throw up on the soft bed he was currently on. He fell hard onto the carpeted floor next to the bed before hurling. The pain in his knees jarring him too much to hold it in any longer. Jaspar heaved several times.

The sour taste of bile filled his mouth and the bitter smell of sick filled his nose making him feel even woozier. He could feel the sick on his hands as he slumped on them to stay upright. The soft carpet under his hands now matted with his sick. It was likely also on the clothes he had been sleeping in. He sniffed loudly as he tried to stop shaking, drool blocking his nose.

A heavy hand landed on his back and rubbed gently. "You couldn't wait a few moments?" a grouchy and sleepy voice commented. "There was a bucket."

"Fuck you," Jaspar cursed at the voice, recognising it straight away. Jaspar's not so white knight. The man who was the cause of his blindness but had also saved him from being gang raped. Jaspar had tried to put all his anger and venom behind his words but throwing up had left him weak and it came out like a weak wheeze. The man just continued to rub his back gently.

"Come on," The man yawned, arms moving around him and picking him up bridal style. Jaspar's first instinct was to struggle against the hold but he felt too weak. His stomach still turning painfully and his head aching. His limbs were heavy while his head felt strangely light. He was held securely against a strong chest. The man didn't have a shirt on unlike Jaspar. He had a strong smell, not one Jaspar could easily describe.

There was a buzz of magic and some banging as things were being pushed out the way with magic before a door swung open slowly. As the door opened Jaspar was suddenly aware of the strong smell of cigarettes and alcohol, a low dim of conversation from underneath the floor and a strange sensation running over his skin. The smell was unmistakably one of a pub or social club. Where were they? Jaspar thought again dizzy, his head leaning against a bare muscled shoulder.

"Elison?" A voice yawned tiredly. "Is something wrong?" The voice had a slight accent which suggested he wasn't from the county they were in, but it was clear and very well spoken.

"The seer threw up," the man who was apparently called Elison commented, rocking Jaspar gently, revealing to Jaspar the Elison hadn't known his name either. "I'm going to take him to the bathroom, can you clean up for me Just?" he asked with an apologetic tone. "I'll get you some chocolate when I go out later."

Just made a snorting noise which was clearly unimpressed. "I work here Elison. Sick is hardly the worse thing I have ever had to clean up," he said calmly. "Even out of hours. Go clean him up," he paused for a moment as something passed over his mind. "Is he still aware?"

"Yes," grumbled Jaspar, dark thought going through his mind. Still, he supposed with the bandages on it would be hard to tell if he was awake or not.

"Hello. My name is Justice. Elison won't touch you inappropriately so don't try to fight him when he cleans you down. I'll grab you some more of my clothes to wear. Would you like something lighter or would you prefer the long sleeves again?" the voice commented, their voice oddly gentle towards Jaspar.

"Long sleeves please," Jaspar murmured, his toes curling at the idea of behaving but he was far too weak and vulnerable at the moment to do anything else but obey the orders. "Sorry about the sick," he added weakly realising that the man wasn't just going to have to clean the sick of the floor, he was going to clean Jaspar's sick of his borrowed clothes too. As far as Jaspar knew at the moment, this Justice was completely unrelated to the men who had taken his eyes and was just a worker at the place they were staying.

"It's fine, it's not your fault," the man said gently, a hand patting his shoulder. "Move Elison," he ordered with a little more strength.

Elison grumbled at being ordered about but moved, the smell of cigarettes getting stronger for the moment before he walked into another world. Jaspar could tell because the sound of him walking on the floor changed from a soft sound to the almost harsh slapping sound of bare flesh against ceramic tiles.

Jaspar was lowered to the floor, the ground hard under his hands. Elison walked away from him and Jaspar heard the room shut gently and a lock click into place. If Jaspar had any strength left he would possibly be scared again, but at that moment, the only thing Jaspar was feeling was numbness.

Heavy steps moved past him and taps were turned on. A steady stream of water beginning to fill a bath tub and there was a strong scent of soap as Elison undoubtedly put some bath soap into the water. It smelt sweet like strawberries. The smell actually made Jaspar feel more helpless and exhausted. It felt so out of place in the situation.

He was blind. He was at the mercy of some unknown force who had who knew how much power in the city. About to be washed down by his possible captive in a strawberry smelling bath. Jaspar felt tears soak into his bandages but he stayed still and unmoving.

"I'm going to take your clothes off now," Elison commented gruffly but oddly gently, kneeling or possibly crouching down next to Jaspar. "Try not to panic but you need a bath now." Jaspar inhaled at the announcement, his knees closing together nervously. The shadow touched him again. This. This wasn't going to be as easy as he first assumed.