"Reality was nothing anymore and nothing was my reality... "
Bloody Truth
"Wakey, wakey!"
"Ugh... No..." My lips were chapped as I moaned and groaned in protest as a bright, blinding light shattered my mortifying sleep. A glass screen cracked inside my mind and the headache came charging towards my temples.
I was dead tired.
Trita chuckled from somewhere above me; "Someone had a rough night! Come on sleeping beauty."
I slapped away Trita's hand as she tried to push me off the very uncomfortable, thin sleeping bag with her foot.
"Unlike you," She pointed an accusing finger down at me, "I slept like a rock! I swear this place is awesome. I literally didn't wake up once."
"Aurora." Sonya's muffled voice filled my ears and she gave me a stern look, but it had no real effect. Mainly because of the foaming toothbrush in her froth covered mouth, and also because I was in no mood to do anything but rest. It felt like a heavy load was placed upon my shoulders. I don't remember ever feeling so stressed and worn out like I did at that very moment.
My eyes were trying to stay open, but they shut as soon as Sonya glanced away.
"Just leave me..." I mumbled and buried my face in the pillow. A memory triggered in my brain.
Leave me...
The sentence sounded like a tune I'd kept hearing over and over in my head. It made me feel ill.
Why?
"Aurora, come on." I momentarily forgot about Sonya trying to pull me up from the floor. Her one hand was holding onto the couch behind me and the other was tugging me up by my arm. I groaned, all my energy was gone. What the hell is wrong with me? I feel drugged up...
"Stop playing." She laughed, clearly thinking that I just didn't want to get up and ready for the day just yet.
"Can't I just sleep a bit longer?"
"You slept for at least ten hours... I'm sure you're good to go." She laughed.
I'm pretty sure I was not good to go.
In fact, I think I haven't slept at all. Though, I have no memory of being awake.
"Stop being dramatic, Aurora." Trita chuckled as my lame body sluggishly resisted Sonya's playful tugging, "That's my specialty."
My temples continued to protest in their pulsating, annoying way.
"My parent's phoned. We need to leave." Sonya's hand moved to my upper arms and she tugged a little softer, afraid she was going to hurt me.
Unfortunately, she did.
As soon as her fingers curled around my skin, I let out a horrible, pained shriek. The unexpected yelp shocking me more than the blonde above me. Trita's eyes widened with surprise. "What the hell?"
"Oh!" Sonya immediately let go and stumbled back. She almost tripped and fell backwards, but luckily Trita was there to catch her. She landed with an 'oomph' in the shocked brunette's arms and almost gasped in her toothbrush.
I suppose it was too early in the morning for horrific screaming.
"Ah..." I delicately touched the soft spot with my index finger and winched as the pain shot through my arm and down to my stomach. I instantly felt more nauseous. The feeling of dread was growing as my eyes skimmed my arm.
A cracked breath escaped my lips.
Sonya didn't entirely know how to respond; she hated it when she accidently hurt someone. Usually, when she did something so silly, like stepping on someone's foot, Sonya freaked and apologized for at least ten times.
Trita pushed Sonya away a bit and came to sit next to me; her hands extended towards my arms.
I was hesitant when her hand reached out. A sudden realisation hit me. I'm scared of my best friend touching me.
Why on earth would I be?
Something was off. The way the sunlight shone through the window and across the floor, never quite reaching me. This made me nervous for some reason. My vision blurred a bit and my sensed were slow. Trita's faint touch startled me. "Let me see."
"No!" Trita's eyes narrowed at my sudden startled voice. I tried again, lowering it to a normal level; "I mean, it's fine. Really. I'm fine."
"You don't look fine?" She said with knowing eyes. "Are you hurt?"
"You're so pale, Rora. Are you feeling alright?" Sonya was back in the living room after she'd quickly rinsed her mouth in the freshly disinfected sink. Sonya always cleaned the sink. Not that the house had plumping. We brought our own water; just to brush our teeth with in anyway.
"I'm fine!" I laughed softly and waved Trita away. I didn't want her to touch me.
"Let me see." Trita extended a hand towards my arm, but suddenly, a memory hit me.
"Stay put!"
"No!"
A growl echoed like a bomb through my ears.
"No." I jerked back; away from her.
"No?" Trita pulled her hand back like I'd burnt her.
"I... Sorry." I quickly shot up from my spot on the floor and stumbled back, my balance literally gone. My legs were bruised and hurt, I could feel the pressure I put on them from my sudden movement, but I refused to sit. I refused to be motionless. I have to move about; I have to escape.
I tried to push back the thoughts that came crashing back into my head like bullets; one by one they hit my temples and the throbbing echoed along with the rhythm of his heartless growl.
I felt ashamed- for allowing him to do to me what he did- and miserable, but most of all, I felt utterly hopeless and so confused!
His laugh replayed in my head. The laugh of a hell-ridden angel.
It was dark and I was alone. Last night I was alone. With Death. How was that even possible?
I screamed at him and I begged. I fought against him as best I could, but I still felt like I hadn't done enough. I knew I didn't do enough. He kept me alive... Why?
My hands shot to my temples as his long, black-clad claws tried to caress the pain away, but instead it doubled from his deadly touch and the needles pricked my veins until they bled and drowned me in a wave of nothingness.
The darkness faded to ruby.
The red water shook in waves and tumbled out from the sides. The white surface came barging closer and suddenly the feeling of blood rushed past. I breathed in the stale air and then it was back. I was underwater.
His bite played at my throat...
I dared to open my eyes in the utter darkness, but was surprised by light. My eyes burned suddenly from a strange sensation.
I soon realised that I was underwater, but just not in the way I thought.
I lifted my head up from the white, porcelain sink, filled with fresh water for me to brush my own teeth and I gasped in a heavy dose of air. The small shattered bathroom was filled to the brink with sunlight.
I closed my eyes and tried to lull the noise of my mind. Wet strands of my hair clung to my cheek; I was flushed and hot to the touch.
My hands were gripping- no, clenching onto the basin.
Daylight was safe.
I'd unconsciously run to the bathroom and stuck my overheating head into the water. In my deluded state, I'd slammed the bathroom door shut.
Trita and Sonya whispered in the living room. They were worried; I had no idea what to tell them.
'Relax! I'm fine! What? Oh, last night? Yeah, I met Death. No biggie.'
"This is all wrong." I whispered to my reflection.
My voice sounded alien. Raw. I looked alien to me. So scared. I don't get scared. Not like this.
The old mirror was cracked and slightly dusted off; probably by Sonya. I tried to focus my attention on my eyes. They seemed so sunken in and dull, but beneath the surface, there was fire and pain. I'm not a quitter- I'm not! I'm not...
Thanatos is... real? They're real? All of them? How? Death was meant to be peaceful, but I had the horrible feeling that he was going to make me suffer before I would ever find peace.
Reality was nothing anymore and nothing was my reality.
This was one long, never-ending nightmare and the thought of taking my own life sounded far better than having Death mess and play with it. But I won't give in. I will not give him the satisfaction. That's exactly what he wants. He will not get to me more than he already has. Never.
I'm probably an idiot for thinking that. I can feel that smirk beaming at me from all sides of the small bathroom and I wished that I could disappear from memory just like he did.
What a mess.
I felt miserable and terribly alone.
What happens next? Where is he? Where is he waiting for me next? Have I lost it?
Does he want to kill me? Does he want to play with me for a few more days?
I carefully lifted my blue sleeve up from my arm and an inaudible sob cracked through the air.
It was blue and bruised. I looked closer and I could easily make out the shape of five fingers grabbing onto my skin.
That was it.
My knees quaked and fell onto the closed toilet seat next to me. My legs shook and I clutched my stomach, feeling my empty stomach contract. I made a gagging sound, but tried to keep the noise down. Trita and Sonya were right outside, waiting for some sort of explanation.
There was none.
Everywhere it pained, but inside more than outside. My head felt like it was about to explode with stress. My soul was shattered. It felt like he was feeding from it; enjoying his time shredding me apart, piece by piece- sense by sense.
"Think, think..."
I gently leaned my back against the icy tiles, but with a gasp I shot back up and arched my burning back. Even with a thin long-sleeved shirt on, I could still feel the bruises on my back blaze like fire against the freezing wall. I carefully removed my shirt and dropped it on the toilet's lid.
The sudden cold air covered my bare chest and shot a chill through me. I turned my back on the mirror and peered with my head sideways at my reflection.
It wasn't a damn dream! How much proof do you need, Aurora? You have more than enough!
My back was covered bruises.
My silent tears tasted strange.
Like him.