Fighting with Fire #2 ✔

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐 - 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐨

"Anyone here?" I called out softly as I stood next to the door and listened for the tell-tale sounds of heartbeats — but there was nothing, apart from the weak heartbeat of a rodent or something like that — an animal, not a human.

After breaking the lock off, I pushed the door open and whoomph, instantly I was hit by the chemosignals of pain and suffering and anguish. Steadying myself against the metal doorframe, I gasped whilst I adjusted to it all. All the overwhelming sensations.

They were here.

That much was evident.

The room was dark and dingy but reeked of blood, sweat, and tears.

Looking closer at the walls inside the room, I saw the claw marks as well. The claw marks meant that my pack had been trying desperately to get out. So desperate that blood had been drawn from their fingernails and fingertips.

I could hear it all — the screams, the sounds of torture — echoing through the room ceaselessly.

Until it did cease. It stopped entirely.

"Who's here?" I instantly whipped around to check if the door was still open, and it was. "Who are you?"

Someone mumbled something indeterminate and inaudible, even for me.

"Who's there?" I repeated, backing against the wall; something was off, something wasn't right.

The person (or thing?) groaned and in the half-light, I saw them stumble (or crawl?) towards me.

"Theo..." I thought I heard it say.

Ever cautious, I stepped forward towards it slightly.

It was Abi, she was dragging herself across the floor.

"Abi!" I exclaimed but saved my excitement after seeing the agony etched into her face, and dropped down to her. "What the hell happened?"

"My leg," she groaned.

A glance told me everything — she'd been caught in a bear trap; her leg was a bloody mess. Her strawberry blonde hair was matted and bloody, her face grey.

"I'm gonna have to get it off," I warned her and moved around to her leg to grasp the trap with both hands. It would be hell to get off, if my grasp slipped even ever so slightly, the trap would spring shut again.

"Do it," Abi said through gritted teeth.

Slowly, I pulled the trap open, careful I didn't touch her bleeding, mangled leg. She cried out as the metal jaws slid out of her skin.

Then her leg was free, "Move your leg!" I told her, and I let the trap spring shut as soon as her leg was free.

"Aahh..." She moaned as she inspected her leg and the holes that the jaws had left on it.

I chewed my lip, worried; I knew she wouldn't heal as quickly as I would. She was only human, after all — being a banshee didn't give her any healing powers whatsoever.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Oh, yeah, just great." Her sarcasm was evident — there's the Abi I know. Then she said seriously, "But thanks, Theo. If you didn't show up, I wouldn't have made it."

I knew she meant that last part seriously; she must've predicted her own death. I shuddered.

"How are you here?" She frowned up at me.

"Looking for you lot, obviously." I smiled weakly before I noticed the blood running out of her ears. "What happened to your ears?"

"The tests..." She looked away, shuddering almost imperceptibly. "They were doing tests on us, all of us."