Play Believer by Imagine Dragons for this chapter
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(Please read the authors note at the end — thank you)
Chapter 49: Save Her
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
I groan inwardly at the annoying noise that doesn't seem to want to shut off. Begrudgingly, I go to lift the sheets to find the source of the disturbance but I can't. I almost scream in agony when I try to move my right arm, my limb violently protesting against me.
Huh?
I try to open my eyes to at least gauge where I am but they won't move, I'm stuck in this dark, blank space.
What's going on?
I can hear noises around me but they're faint and quiet, the previous beeping noise becoming more distant by the second. I'm begging my eyes to open, my fingers to twitch, my toes to wiggle but they won't. I'm stuck as this lifeless board, drifting from reality.
I don't know how long I lay there, fighting against this unknown force, desperately gripping to any hope of freedom but it was no use. Time just dragged on and on and on. Painfully. And slowly.
As the darkness consumes me, ready to swallow me whole, I know it's over. There's no way to fight this. My body is bound by invisible chains, my mouth and eyes sewn shut, making escape futile.
I stop my useless attempts to thrash about to loosen the binds, instead relaxing my body into a state of tranquility, ready for my struggle to finally end.
I can feel my life force being sucked away drop by drop, numbing the awareness to my nonexistent surroundings. I can no longer hear the thrum of voices or even the incessant beeping sound that was grating against my eardrums.
Everything is quiet.
Everything is still.
I welcome the peace with open arms, knowing this lonesome suffering is almost at a close. Soon I'll be free and away from this secluded limbo. Just a few more moments. My heart begins to slow, it's previous loud thumping now undetectable as each pump becomes further and further apart.
My mind begins to shut down, all thoughts escaping my brain, forgotten and unwanted as they're no longer of any use. It's over.
The veil of darkness is finally dropping to fully cover me when I suddenly feel a warmth spark at my fingertips, jolting my entire body, everything rushing back, and forcing it away.
I yearn for it to return, to envelop me once more but instead the chains which trap me choose to tighten and tighten to the point where it's excruciating, my body writhing in pain, a meek, pointless attempt at willing the binds to slacken somewhat.
Tighter.
Tighter.
Tighter.
I wish the darkness had come sooner. Anything is better than this. The numbness of my body is different to before. Instead of a comforting emptiness, harrowing, gruelling spasms rush up my spine, my entire being numb to everything except that antagonising feeling.
If I could move, I'm sure it would look like I'm having a seizure of some sort, my body jerking with unpredictable and aggressive movements. The thoughts pounding in my mind were full of distress and torment, further pushing me into a downward spiral of eternal affliction.
Would this ever end?
As if on cue, I stopped, all movement halted as I lay there motionless, surrounded by a euphoric silence, no longer hearing a white noise as blood pounded in my ears.
However, the serenity which I yearned for only lasted moments. Before long, I started to heat up, the chains now seeming to brand my skin and I could only imagine the menacing glow of them in my mind as if they really were there.
The temperature scorched me, heating me to my core. I felt as if I was on fire, invisible flames torching my flesh. It must have been a figment of my imagination though because I didn't smell cooked meat but it certainly felt like I was a spit roast.
I would've let go in that moment but something was stopping me. I could still feel the tingles in my left hand. They danced along my skin, licking at the flames to cool me. Whatever that feeling was, it was anchoring me, being my final tether before there really was no return.
I concentrated solely on it, trying my hardest to block my mind from the sheer agony my body was facing. It worked but only partially, the pain was still prominent but I'd managed to reduce it from vicious stabs to relentless throbs.
Hours passed and the pain wouldn't dull. I was still focusing on the tingles in my left hand but my energy was wearing thin, my willpower close to its tipping point.
I was done. It was over.
The darkness started to return once again but then the tingles in my left hand increased so they were rushing up my whole arm, pulling me back to reality — or whatever the hell this was.
They traveled through my body and loosened the binds as they went, not much but now I could wiggle around, giving me the smallest inkling of hope.
The movement sparked my body but in a warm and comforting way. Once it reached my ears, I could hear murmurs around me, soft and quiet but nevertheless, they were there. I strained to pick up what was being said but only managed to decipher a few words.
"...hold on..."
"...I need..."
"...please..."
"...crap..."
"...stop this..."
"...shit..."
"...fuck..."
"...save her..."
Words were starting to muddle together the more I tried to concentrate so I gave up but something about that voice made my mind race in wonder. I recognised it.
Despite the clear worry in the voice, it was deep, smooth and inviting. I wanted to open my eyes and see the person so I would know who it was but I couldn't.
No matter how much I tried, they wouldn't budge.
"...Aurora..."
Wyatt?
I've never heard him sound so desperate, so vulnerable. I want to hug and comfort him, tell him everything is alright but I'm not even sure what's wrong.
What could possibly cause him such distress? It doesn't matter. He's in trouble.
He needs me.
Instead of trying to open my eyes, I attempt to move my fingers instead, ignoring the torturous pain that relentlessly shoots through my body.
I have to do this, for Wyatt.
I want to scream and cry and give up all at the same time but I bite back everything I feel and concentrate on wiggling my fingertips.
Come on, Ari. You can do this.
After what feels like a lifetime, I manage the slightest twitch of my fingers. Using all my strength, I concentrate on my hand and try harder, this time to move my whole hand.
Slowly but surely I can regain some control of it and as I do I can feel the binds loosening further. I'm almost free. I've nearly done it. Just a little more.
Using my complete concentration, I focus on each limb one at a time, willing them to move. The movements are stiff and small but it's enough. The chains snap and I can finally open my eyes.
Carefully and slowly I do so, adjusting to the harsh, bright, artificial lighting. Everything is clean and white but it's too difficult to keep my eyes open fully for long so I choose to squint instead.
My ears prick at a familiar beeping noise, finding a strange comfort in the sound. I release a ragged breath as I try to fix my breathing, only now noticing that there's something covering my mouth and nose: a mask of some sort.
Where am I?
I go to move the mask slowly, as I can only move my left arm but as I reach for it a large hand wraps around my own, stopping me.
My eyes dart to the owner of the for mentioned hand and I release a breath I didn't know I was holding. Wyatt looks down at me, a look of utter relief on his face, his eyes shining with unshed tears. As he looks at me a few slip down his cheeks, dripping onto his top.
Watching him in confusion, I realise that this is the first time I've ever seen him cry.
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Hey guys, how was that?
She's awake! I was lowkey tempted to kill her at one point (sorry) but it didn't fit my plan so she's safe...
And guys I know I don't do descriptive writing often because masses of it wouldn't fit the story but hopefully I managed to convey to you what Ari was going through and how she felt.
IMPORTANT
Also, I sort of mentioned this before but would you guys like to see a spin off book or a completely new one that has no relation at all? I've kinda got an idea for both so I'd love your feedback cause I keep going back and forth.
It's either an action (completely new which involves government agencies, spies and the mafia) or a (kinda) chicklit spin-off that can be read as a stand alone.
I'm sooooo torn cause I'd love to write both.
Well, that's all for now, until next time, byeeeeee xx