The Forgotten Child

Chapter 11

They were red. Her brow creased, her brain trying to figure out what was happening. How'd her hands become red? The conditioner was clear and the shampoo was green. 

Goosebumps started to crawl across her skin. She pushed her now trembling hands through her hair once more. The thick substance spreading through her fingers making Alyson's stomach drop. She looked down at the water it too was running red.

Then it struck her, Blood. The smell of Iron, the thick slippery substance, the red colour, it all made sense. But where? Where was it coming from? Alyson looked up at the showerhead. It was clearly water. She looked over herself and found no trace of anything. 

Alyson could feel her chest rising and falling in a panic. The blood was strangely warm even though the water was blazing hot, all she could feel is the warmness of the blood. The blood-covered her and the water seemed unable to wash it away. She started frantically scrubbing at the blood. But it would stick like a second skin.

The smell was making her light-headed. It was so powerful and overwhelming it felt like it was suffocating her. The smell wrapped around her like a nauseating blanket. She slowly backed up into the shower wall. Her breathing coming in in short quick breaths. 

She scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed at the blood coating her. It was everywhere. She couldn't get it off it was tainting the water yet the blood wouldn't come off. Her skin was starting the become raw and tender but Alyson couldn't feel it all the could feel was the panic that spread through her at the sight of the blood. 

It wouldn't come off no matter how hard she scrubbed. When she thought it was gone it'd come back. She was tainted with it. It stained her skin like a horrible tattoo.

Now she could even taste the blood as it covered her it's a metallic taste making her mouth feel sour. And her lips tingled with the taste of blood. 

A loud knock suddenly sounded through the room. Making Alyson jump and gasp in fear.

"Alyson? You okay in there? Kai is going crazy out here?" Hayden's voice carried to her. How could he not smell it from there the thick poison of the blood that covered her? Then as she thought that he opened the door.

"Alyson? Are you okay? I can smell blood," Hayden says as he approaches the shower. 

"I'm going to open the curtain," he warns and pulls it open. His eyes go wide and his face pales. He quickly shuts off the water and leans towards Alyson.

"What's going on?" Hayden asks his eyes wide and full of fear mixed with sadness.

"There's so much blood, I dunno where it's coming from or how it got all over me," Alyson said as tears streamed down her face. Hayden's eyes look to her wrists. Alyson follows his eyes and sees the mess she's made. She was rubbing much that she tore through her skin and was making herself bleed. 

Her eyes widened in fear.

"C'mon, let's clean that up," Hayden said his voice very soft and sad as he wrapped her up in a towel.

"Hayden, I didn't. I didn't mean to-" Alyson said her voice soft.

"No, don't bother with excuses," Hayden's words were soft but they struck Alyson harshly. He took hold of her arm and started cleaning the wound. His hands were gentle and steady but his eyes were cloudy with emotions that made Alyson feel guilty.

"I swear I'm not making excuses! I didn't mean to! I-" Alyson tried to explain but he cut her off again.

"If you were having urges why didn't you tell me? I thought you said you hadn't done this since we met! I can't believe you did this! I thought you were over it," Hayden said his voice mixed with anger and disappointment.