Teaser Tuesday

From the NaNo again. Since I have given Stone's POV for two weeks, I am switching to Larch today. She is in the hospital after nearly burning in a fire and can't open her eyes. She just heard a conversation take place. Ms. Snarky is actually cleaning up her act since she has no one to interact with, I find that very interesting. As always, 1st draft.

Who would I never have to worry about again? And was that Thomas and Stone speaking? I tried to open my eyes but could not, I felt like I had sand in them, they were so gritty. This thing in my throat was about to drive me crazy and I wanted it out. I needed someone to help me but the swishing and beeping were lulling me back into sleep.

The door closed and someone approached the bed. I heard the dividing curtains close and felt the mattress sink as someone sat beside me and took my hand. The hand was warm and rough. I knew immediately that it was Stone.

“Come on Princess,” he whispered. “Come back to me. The doctors said you had such a shock that you need to retreat into yourself. I think that’s bullshit because you are strong, so very strong. What you did during the fire was amazing, I’ve never seen a braver person. Come back Larch so we can see what is between us.”

I wanted to do as he said but I couldn’t. I remembered the searing kiss we shared not long ago and I remembered how I felt when he touched me but I also remembered that my parents expected me to be with Thomas and he loved me. I knew that Stone had some issue with me and I still wondered what it was.

The feel of his hand on mine was amazing. I felt secure and peaceful but most of all happy. I let myself relax and the dreams started again.

I was a little girl laying on top of my best friend. He had found me hiding in the lab. They were going to take me away from him and I didn’t want to go so as we were playing I ran away to hide in the forbidden room.

My dark haired boy looked into my eyes, His eyes looked like the sky after a storm and he promised to protect me. I was happy and secure with the boy I loved.

The door opened and heavy footsteps came towards me. Someone put their arms around me and pulled, dragging me off of my boy. I held on to him but was no match for the strong arms. I heard him cry out for me as the door shut. I knew I would never see him again.

I looked into the face of the Professor. This was a man who scared me. I associated him with pain and I knew from the look in his eye that I would be in pain again.

The dream shifted.

I was older and in another lab but was locked in a cage like an animal. I tried to bend the bars and escape but they wouldn’t budge. I knew I had strength but for some reason was unable to make the bars move. I didn’t understand. I hurt. There were pieces of gauze taped to my skin. Terrible things had been done to me.

Someone came in and looked at me. He was different than anything I had ever seen before. His skin was the color of mine but it was smooth and scaly just like the snake I caught in the garden. He had no hair and his eyes were slightly slitted like my Japanese nanny. He was beautiful.

“I’m here to save you, Larch but you must return to save us one day. You’ll be strong. Don’t forget me and come back. We’ll be waiting.”

The cage door swung open and he picked me up. It hurt when he touched me but not from him, I hurt from the nasty things done to me. Skin was scraped off and needles were jabbed into me. I had been hooked into machines and my throat was parched from the screaming.

Everything went black.