But, None Of That Matters.

Chapter 1- Shuttle

I force my eyes to stay open this time as I'm scared that if they close, they might remain closed forever.

How much longer?!

For how much longer will hell consume me?!

Like a multitude of tiny daggers, the tattoo gun claws at my chest, back and thighs.

"Do the arms next!" My hearing is fuzzy, so I can hardly make out Victor's bellowing voice.

Please Stop.

"We can't. He's too close to losing consciousness again. I don't want to be tried for murder so perhaps we should continue tomorrow. It's too risky when he's so weak."

"Ughh... I guess I can wait. But, by the end of tomorrow, I don't want him to be recognisable. Every limb and body part will become your canvas." So I'm not even a human anymore... I'm so irrelevant that I'm just a canvas?!

"Sounds good. Come back same time tomorrow."

"Of course." Victor sounded evil as he spoke, almost as if he'd become even more beastly.

I crawled to the pharmacy, which thankfully, wasn't too far. However, I crumbled with weakness at the doorstep and couldn't gather any remaining strength to get myself inside.

"What's happened?!"

"I ne— hum."

"You need to get home?!" It was the pharmacy girl. I guess she must have seen me drop at the door and ran out.

I couldn't respond.

"Don't worry, I'll get you home. We have your address on our system."

I continued lying on the cobblestone while she ran back in fidgeting on a computer and rushing out with a green box in-hand.

"Let's go." She hung my arm over her shoulder and I didn't even have enough energy to wince from the wounds.

Eventually we managed to get back, and, to be honest, I'm surprised she was able to carry my weight this far. Yes; I'm skinny as a rake, but she looks as fragile as a china doll.

"Mum, I'm just going to sleep. Don't wake me." I tried to speak as loudly and sternly as I could.

"Okay, love. Have a good night's sleep."

The girl was amazingly silent; matching her footsteps with mine. I'm glad really. As many assume my mother to be to deaf as well as blind but, because she relies on her ears so much, that her hearing now excels.

"Yuri, if you were wondering, is my name." She tucked me into bed and slid a towel behind my neck in an attempt to collect all the sweat dripping from my skin.

I can see, from the mirror, that I look half-dead, if not a corpse. My face is as white as the non-branded toothpaste next to our sink; except, I felt so hot. Nothing makes sense.

"It's a fever." She stroked her chin. "But, I don't know what the cause is... What happened Samuel?"

She can't know. She can't know. What if she tells mum?

"I'll get you some water, as you need to stay hydrated. I've brought some ibuprofen with me, thankfully. But we also need to focus on reducing your temperature- I'll get a cold, wet flannel to put on your forehead for now." And she did all those things, calmly and confidently- like a doctor... but nothing was happening.

A couple of hours had passed and I still wasn't feeling any better. In fact, I feel worse. I must still be losing a lot of blood.

"You look even worse than before; I don't know what I'm doing wrong! I've done exactly what my dad did for me, when I had a fever!" She looked at me with tears in her eyes, as if I were about to pass away. 'I'm scared... really scared' is what she's telling me. But, it changed. As if she suddenly knew everything.