I'd just finished up splashing water onto my face when the door flung open for the second time today.
Irene stood at the doorway, dressed in a different suit from before, and a new shade of red was painted onto her lips, "Hey, little lightning boy. I'm so happy we could meet each other again."
"Cut the shit," I snarled, "what do you want from me?"
She chuckled as she approached the bed to sit down. I stayed planted by the sink, hands curling around the porcelain, watching with hawk eyes as apprehension filled me. The blouse she had on was low-cut, but I was only drawn to the skull tattooed just below her collar bone. It was the same tattoo that Bay had on his chest and I wondered if the entire gang had it as a form of brotherhood.
Irene was playing with something at her lap, and when she brought it up closer to her face to study it, I blanched when I realized that it was a needle.
Oh, fuck that. I made to haul ass toward the door, but my body collapse like a sack of potatoes. I convulsed as electricity tore into my muscles, teeth clenched painfully, squeezing my eyes shut as I was tased for an entire minute. Once the horrible sensations faded, I was left exhausted on my side, slightly panting, unable to move.
Irene tutted as she nudged me with her foot, "I'm starting to like tasing you, but don't make me do it again."
She kneeled down to my level and I immediately tried to recoil, but my body failed me and a sharp prick violated the skin of my neck. I felt the liquid enter my vein and my eyes slid from Irene's lupine grin, to the tiled floor, until finally, everything fell away to darkness.
.
.
.
The world came back to me in the form of a spinning white room.
It was dizzying, and to relieve myself from feeling any more sick, I squeezed my eyes shut. Although a bit fuzzy, my memories were still with me, so I knew that I had been drugged and probably taken to another room.
I released a shaky breath, my head feeling heavy. Hands tied to my back, I was hung upside down from the ceiling. A headache had already set in long ago. I could control electricity, so it seemed...but why could it be used against me? If anything, it should be a source of power, and yet here I was, chained up like a butchered slab of meat.
I tried slowly looking around the room, taking in my surroundings and studying it. There was a small window at the back wall, but it was too high up to access and the glass was clouded, making it difficult to see through. Unlike the other room, this one didn't even have the bare necessities, only a large sink, two wooden chairs, and a metal table with an organized assortment of...tools.
Only that they weren't tools. I knew what they were, but I couldn't bring myself to even mentally label them as tools for torture. The only positive aspect was that there was no camera. At least that I could locate.
I tensed up when the door to the room opened, and heart in my throat, I tried to spin my body around so that I could see who it was that walked in. Discombobulated, my eyes zeroed in on a pair of long legs clad in coal-gray dress pants, then to a cream button up— in which was currently being folded at the elbows —and finally to the face of Bay.
He pulled up a chair and placed it a perfect distance in front of my hanging body, not too close, but not too far either. He sat on it backwards, leaning his forearms against the top rail of the chair, and went on to study me like he would an open book.
"So you can shoot out lightning, huh? Like some mutant freak."
I bristled at the insult, and just when I thought things couldn't get anymore worse, Irene stepped into the room with a dark look on her face, "He sure can. Our compound is completely fucked. We'll need to move, and soon too, zeds are trickling in like fucking ants."
Bay held out a hand in a calming manner, "Don't worry, baby, this won't take long."
My mind was spinning as it determined the meaning behind every word that left his mouth. He was going to torture me.
"Now Fang," he crooned, "tell me what you know about Aegis Stronghold, and I want everything in detail."
"Why ask me? I'm not anything special. I just arrived a few months ago," I cringed. My voice sounded rough, like I hadn't drank water in days...even though that might be the case, since I was feeling nauseated, which was a sign of dehydration.
"Hmm, nothing special?"
I flinched violently when he suddenly reached out and snatched the chain-necklace hanging in front of my face. He squinted as he read the dog tags, "But this says you're in the Special Operations Forces."
Now I was stumped. Why the fuck did Aegis require us to wear those things?!
I blinked back to reality when I heard a cackle come from Bay. He rose slowly, discarding his seat to freely prowl the small room. I exhaled shakily when he brushed his hand against the weapons displayed out on the table-top.
"You don't want to share anything?"
He stopped just shy of my hanging form and crouched down to be of eye level. Something sharp dragged against my neck and he whispered, "Are you sure?"
A heavy blanket of silence reigned down as the gravity of his words hit me like a tidal wave. Without warning, I turned my head and vomited.
Bay immediately reeled back, "Fuck, Irene! What'd you give him?! Is he..." he closed in to peel my eyelids open, "is he fucking high?!"
I nodded, smiling, but after a long moment of repeating his words in my head, I blanched.
"I just injected him with a little something," Irene stated, "it shouldn't kill him, he's not even fucking human."
Bay shook his head in irritation, then stormed over to my hanging body to crouch down again. He slapped at my cheek a few times, "Hey buddy, focus, okay? Tell me what you know about Aegis Stronghold. You guys got a lot of soldiers patrolling at all times? When do they switch out?"
I shook my head out of his grasp, to which seemed to push his patience.
"Well if you ain't got anything to say then I have no use for you," he pressed the knife against my neck and I balked.
"Wait babe!" Irene cried out, "Let me have at him!"
Bay froze for a few moments before withdrawing completely. He went to the door and paused at the handle, "Don't take long. We gotta pack up and leave."
And with that, he shut the door behind him on his way out, leaving me with the company of my next torturer. I knocked out some time after that and woke up with little light in the room. A number of things had changed in the time I was out.
For one, I'd been switched from my previously uncomfortable position, to being somewhat hung, right side up this time, from a low hanging pipe along the farthest wall from the door. While it still wasn't the most comfortable position I could have been in, I strongly doubted comfort was the most important thing the people here wanted me to experience. In fact, my wrists were incredibly sore from the handcuffs biting into them for a number of hours, my head was still fuzzy from the drugs, and my stomach hurt.
I tested my strength, peeved when I found myself still weak from the drugs. A sigh puffed out past my parched lips.
"Well, did you have a good nap?"
Irene came to stand before me with her arms crossed and her usual sadistic smile adorning her face. Would this woman give it a rest with the visits?
"I did until you showed up," I grumbled back.
"Boo-hoo. I'm here to give you a little bit of a wake-me-up, then."
I raised my head up slowly, as opposed to my racing heart beat and alarm. Irene was at the metal table, running her hands across the assortment of tools playfully.
"Where's Bay?"
"Out," she didn't bother turning around, "since you fell asleep, I had to wait for you to wake up."
I glared at the back of her head, "Boo-hoo, bitch."
She turned around this time and I balked at the black whip curled in her grasp. I instantly began to break out in cold sweat.
"What did you just say to me?"
My breath caught in my throat when she unfurled the whip, trailing in against the floor as she sauntered toward my sad frame, "Get away—"
She cut me off mid sentence with the crack of the whip meeting the skin of my chest. It was more than excruciating as my flesh split and warm blood pooled down my stomach. I couldn't bring myself to look down at the damage.
"Oh, you're a strong boy. Didn't even scream with that one."
I was panting in anger, fear, and pain. The tears were already rolling down my cheeks as I glared daggers into her eyes. Irene only smiled though, and she approached to run a hand down my abdomen, her hand coming back silver.
"You bleed beautifully," a loathsome smile bent her lips. She brought the whip down on me once again before I could even take a single breath, and I let out an enraged roar. My chest heaved in savage breath as I glared in animosity at her.
"I like to play a little rough, so bear with me."
The crack of the whip sounded and this time, I let out a wail, my head rolling in agony before finally hanging in painful defeat. I could hear the blood rushing in my ears, so much that I failed to notice another party burst into the room.
A cool hand placed itself against my cheek a few moments later, drawing my face upward to meet the worried gaze of Wren. I must've let out a sound to tell him how relieved and in pain I was because Wren nodded in sympathy as he worked to release me. He gathered me in his arms and made for the door.
I saw Irene's body on the ground on our way out and for a split second, wondered whether she was dead or unconscious. I myself was fading in and out of consciousness because the next time I opened my eyes, we were outside, running in the wilderness.
Wren noticed that I was awake and held me closer to him as he continued sprinting through the forest. I didn't know how he was doing it. My ass wasn't exactly light— it must've been difficult for him to full-out sprint while carrying me bridal-style.
"Sorry, Wren," I mumbled. My head was bouncing against his chest almost comically, so my apology came out wonky.
"Hang in there, Yui."
I sighed. The need to go back to sleep was overwhelming, but I couldn't. I was afraid that if I did, I might not wake up again. But it was harder and harder to stay awake, even with my body jostling around, and the moment my eyelids closed over my eyes, I was out like a candle.
.
.
.
I opened my eyes and found myself in someone's arms, and after a while, realized that it was actually Wren's arms.
We were laying on a stiff bed that was way too small for the both of us, considering that I was squished against his chest with practically no breathing room. Weirdly enough, I found it mildly comfortable, a small part of myself liking how safe I felt in his embrace.
"Fang? You awake?"
I shifted as an answer and made to sit up. Wren placed a gentle hand on the small of my back as he carefully propped me up against the headboard. My torso was wrapped up in bandages and the pressure of them helped in keeping the pain at bay, but once I sat up, a dull throbbing began. I didn't make a sound, but my face must have showed my displeasure, because Wren slid out of bed and went rummaging in a backpack by the nightstand, later pulling out a pill bottle and a water flask. He handed me two painkillers and I took them without hesitation, chugging them down with the water.
"Easy," Wren soothed, "you might upset your stomach."
I took his advice and drank a bit more slowly. Realistically, I could have finished the entire bottle, but I saved half for Wren. Knowing him, he probably hadn't drank from it ever since the escape, trying to save it for when I woke up thirsty.
"How are you feeling?"
I sighed softly, "I've been better."
Wren brushed something off my shoulder, then proceeded to bring his hand up to rub the top of my head. I was puzzled, yes, but too tired to bring it up, "I cleaned the wounds and put some ointment on before wrapping it for you. Hopefully it'll stop it from scarring."
"I'm not afraid of scars, just thankful that you saved me when you did," I blinked down at my hands, entwining my fingers when the silence got a little too stifling, "where are we anyways?"
"Well, we've been on the run for about an hour now. I stopped at a motel so that I could tend to your wounds. The guys are headed to a location with a chopper for transport."
"How far?"
"I talked with them not too long ago. They'll arrive next town down, which is five klicks away according to them."
I sighed in relief. Then we'll just have to hold out until then. I hoped that we don't run into any Horrors or hordes. I wasn't exactly in top condition to be fighting anything big and Wren didn't look like he carried much firepower on him other than two handguns.
Wren brought up a chair and lowered into it, crossing his legs as he did his arms, making himself comfortable, "You should rest more. I'll wake you when it's time to go."
I glanced at him, noticing the exhaustion he was keeping well hidden behind that care-free face, "I slept more than enough. You're the one who needs to get some shut eye, you look like a panda with those eye bags."
He frowned, but chuckled nonetheless, knowing that I was only joking around. He reached underneath his seat and retrieved a small book, "Looks like we'll both be staying up then. Good luck staring at the wall."
I rolled my eyes, but positioned the pillow against my lower back for support, settling into the mattress as I gave the room a once over. I wrinkled my nose in disdain, "What is this place? You couldn't find a five star hotel or something?"
Wren's eyes left his book for a second to give me a pointed look, "Sorry, your majesty, I'll make sure to arrange our next sleepover at a castle."
"Hmph, it's the least you can do."
The book was covering the lower half of his face, but he failed to hide his smile as it reached his eyes.
I blinked, it seemed like, and the next moment Wren was nudging me awake. I looked up at him blazingly. Had I fallen asleep?
"You feel up to leaving now?"
I begrudgingly dragged myself out of the bed, with Wren's help of course, and managed to make it to the door walking straight-backed before I hunched over from the tenderness of stretching the wounds on my torso. Wren paused beside me and held out a palm showcasing two painkillers, along with an apologetic smile to show that he understood. With a grunt, I took it in exasperation.
.
.
.
"I can't fucking walk anymore."
After a gruesome hour of silent, non-stop trekking on the side of an empty rode, I decided that it was time to speak up my mind. How Wren was managing, I didn't have a clue, because the guy hadn't even broken a sweat.
When I saw the unmistakable form of what could only be a gas station in the near distance, relief flooded me and I picked up the pace, finally walking alongside Wren, who'd been leading the entire time.
"I have to make a pit stop."
We got there after some time and we did the usual sweep. There were only three zeds shuffling around inside the store and were easy enough to kill. I took to the shelves and grabbed anything that hadn't perished, stuffing them into my backpack. I met up with Wren at the front of the store once I was done. He was seated on the window seal, to which I lowered myself onto with a sigh.
"Can I ask you a question?"
I looked over to meet Wren's gaze, but his attention was directed at the floor. I inwardly sighed, and answered, "Shoot."
"Where's your mom?"
I momentarily froze and in response to my silence, Wren panicked, "You don't have to answer! I-I just...I didn't know whether she was...or if she'd...Fang?"
While he was flailing about, I'd looked up at the ceiling in an attempt to keep my tears at bay. I hadn't come to terms with her death, even to this day, and for the subject to be approached so abruptly, it caught me off guard.
"She—uh," I cleared my throat, "she didn't make it. Got scratched by a Horror on our way out of Bethel city."
Silence reigned down right after. It was quite awkward, and I managed the encounter by playing with my fingers and avoiding his heavy gaze that had been burning into the side of my face.
"Yui, I'm sorry."
The sound of his soft voice made my lips tremble, and discontent, I pressed a tight fist against my mouth, willing myself over and over again to get it together. I hated crying in front of people more than anything else, and in an attempt to remain dry-faced, I bit down onto my tongue to alleviate the impulse.
"I'm here for you if you need me, however you need me."
I huffed out a chuckle, "I know."
A short moment of silence passed between us, and afterwards, cool fingers gently guided my chin to make me face Wren. His eyebrows were furrowed in an expression of worry, but in his warm eyes radiated strong feelings of love and kindness— it made my heart shudder.
"You know I love you, right? When you ran out there, you nearly gave me a heart attack. I don't have anyone I care about as much as I care about you. To see you put yourself in harm's way..." Wren couldn't finish that sentence, but I knew well enough that he felt emotional at the simple thought. I stared at him a bit longer than necessary. Did I really mean that much to him? I looked away with my brows furrowed.
Wren couldn't still have feelings for me...could he? I quickly brushed off the surprising thought. He loved me, yes, but that love couldn't possibly be anything more than love felt for a dear friend.
The thought brought along a sour feeling in my chest.
"What's wrong?" Wren asked in obvious concern.
"Nothing."
He didn't looked convinced. Before he could question any further, however, I jumped up and made for the door, "Let's get moving. It's getting dark out."