The Unexplained

Chapter 22

-Abby-

It's gotten worse.

So much worse.

The water that is falling onto my bare back and running down my skin now sends sharp pebble-like pains through my skin. The holy water that is mixed in causes this pain, my demonic DNA reacting to its existence. My body trembles with fatigue as I sit back against the glass wall of the chamber. I press against it, making myself be as far away from the water as I can. My mother only opened one other valve to the holy water, but it feels like she has opened several. She's only come back once. Other than that? This past day went by without any food or water. I can't consume the water that is pouring from above me because of the poison that is seeping through with it.

The only thing that is keeping me sane is my thoughts. Ironic isn't it? Normal thoughts would usually eventually drive me insane because it's natural for me, but the thoughts and questions about my friends won't. Is Cas okay? What is she feeling right now? And what about Jack? What's going on back at the house? Is Jack okay? And what about Phe and Austin? Has that bastard Merlin showed up at all since he took me? Is Jack okay?

Okay. I suppose I'm a little on edge.

I guess you can say that I'm crazy for Jack...

The demonic side of me is itching to show, but I won't let it. Not even after my mother comes waltzing into the room like some bitchy model with her underwear in a wad. Her dress is different again, backless in fact, the cutout stretching around her sides. The skirt hangs down at her mid-thigh, clinging to her legs. Her dress is always black, and it's no different this time.

"Hello Abbadon," she calls as she walks over to the valves.

I flinch, barely able to bring myself to speak. "Mother..." I spit bitterly.

She sighs as she spins around to face me, leaning back against the edge of the valve console. "Awe, come now. Don't give me that..."

I go silent.

"Well if you're not going to say anything I might as well turn on the next valve—"

"NO! Wait, please. I'm sorry," I whisper, glancing up at her. She looks impatient. I quickly try to strike a conversation by asking something that has been on my mind for a long while now. "Why are you doing this to me?..."

My mother looks at me with a blank expression. At least, I can't read it. The stare of her eyes bore into my soul like a raging fire. Maybe I've made another mistake? Maybe she's simply intimidating me? I can never tell anymore. I'm afraid to assume. "What are you doing here?" she asks, repeating my question in a taunting matter.

"I don't know, mother. That's why I asked you."

She sighs and watches me, almost with disappointment. "Oh my dear child...you have no idea about the extent of your powers, do you?"

I watch her as she approaches the tank I am in. Usually, I'd move as far as I could from her, across the empty space of the tank and with my back pressed up against the wall. Now, I am too afraid to move. I'm afraid that if I do, the pebbles that are being pummeled against my skin will turn to swords without any effort by my mother. I'm afraid I'd crumble in front of her, that I'd show her every dreadful ounce of emotion that I kept hidden since being here. The anger, the sadness, the worry, the pain...all of it was going to pour out of me if I moved a single muscle, I could feel it. I fell all of this and yet my mother is asking me if I even know the extent of my powers. I always thought I did. I knew what I could do and what I couldn't.

Maybe I was wrong? Maybe I didn't dig deep enough?

"I suppose I don't," I finally reply, my voice a whisper and my tone seething with anger.