The Magic Within ↠ Once Upon A Time

[Chapter 88] Caged In

Mom (Regina) sticks gauze pads along the left side of my waist. My red skin stinging from the alcohol she had applied before. The salve she covers over the burns cools out the pain, and the cotton is soft against my skin. I try not to flinch. I don't want to scare Mom any more than I already have. She's already nervous enough as it is while she's wrapping me up. The living room lamps shine against Mom's glossy eyes. She holds back as much as she can. I do my best to stay still, even when the wounds hurt like crazy.

Gold sits on the couch across from us. His eyes scan over the blisters Mom covers up and the burn marks along my arms. He studies me like I'm some lab rat, but despite that, he's the only one who knows how to mend magical wounds. He's helping Mom at a distance.

I barely understand any of this. Gold knows more about me than I know about myself. It's infuriating.

However, it's not like he has the answer to my magic. He only has the answers that'll heal me.

For that, I'm thankful for.

I'm not thankful for every stinging burn that scorches through my skin. If there was any way to avoid this, I'd do it. Does Dr. Whale have anything that can put me down? Wait—I don't think we need more people to know about this?

Then, Mom tightens the bandages around my waist.

I tense up, but I bite my tongue from shouting.

Nobody notices a thing. They all must be thinking I'm truly my papa's daughter; little do they know I'm cursing in every language I know.

"I still don't get it," Mom states, "We're all bounded by the same magic, Gold. How come Melody's magic didn't affect us?" Putting the roll of bandage back into the tray, she grabs the salve. Mom pulls herself back onto the couch already examining my arm, the worst of it all.

"We're not attached to her magic like Melody is," Gold explains as a matter of fact.

"Then how come we've never been affected by our magic like she has with hers? The worst I've had is a migraine that's lasted for two days." No matter how many times she's looked at my burns, her frown gets bigger.

"You're asking me like I'm her pediatrician."

Mom scowls.

"Besides..." Gold leans his body closer, planting his arms on his knees for support. "None of us know about Melody's past. Her magic is like her DNA. We would need a full history to understand what makes her different to us."

"She's not an alien," Mom sighs.

I don't want to tell her that even her breath makes the burn marks more inflamed.

My neck is cramping up. However, if I dare move, I risk opening a blister. The burns might be up my shoulder, but it didn't touch my neck. Something already occupies my throat. However, it's not to say that my slashes were free from the fire. They're closed up on the outside. It's still a work in progress inside. The smoke just made breathing harder. Now, my throat is so dry that my voice is hoarse. Fresh air is no help.

When will Zelena get back with my third cup of water?

As much as it feels like the house is packed, the party isn't full. Emma and David aren't here like the rest of us. They're too busy moving Clayton's body. Where he'll end up, I don't know. It would take a lot of favors to cover up a lone dead body in the morgue. Either way, who knows what lengths they'll go through to keep this whole thing in the back burner.