Tangled

166

166

166 Lisa: Fevers and Dreams

LISA

How long has it been?

A few days?

Weeks?

The sun should keep me oriented, but a fever gets me the first night I'm there.

The girl, Marisol, comes by every so often. Always with food. A few times with bowls filled with some noxious liquid that has my nostrils trying to close, avoiding the smell coming from within. She's expressionless as she shoves it down my throat, and I'm too weak to fight her off.

It's medicine, I think.

I think that because I slowly get better after the third bowl,

In between moments of lucidity, I dream.

Normal life. Home. Mom and Dad.

Working with Ava at Beaniverse.

Flirting with that cute guy who accidentally wandered into our professor's Eng Lit class instead of some sort of philosophy class

two doors down.

Cozy, happy dreams, of a place far from here..

An escape from the reality that chains me.

17:37

At some point the dreams turn from happy comfort to something uneasy and dark.

Sunshine warms my face as Ava and I relax at our favorite cafe,

sipping lattes and chatting. For a moment, the world feels right again, like I'm back where I belong

But then the shadows come

snaking across the ground. I try to warn Ava, but my voice won't

behind her.

comes out. The shadow reaches for Ava, engulfing her, dragging her away as she kicks and struggles. I lunge for her, but my feet are rooted. Darkness swallows her

reach for her hand to comfort her, but the plane lurches, throwing us forward. Oxygen Ava's screaming. I'm screaming. The world outside the windows is a

Impact.

erupt. Pain

than the last. Ava, drowning in a sea of blood. Ava,

55000

And always, I'm helpless to save her,

watch as she suffers.

against my chains, but I can't escape. I can't wake up. The

finally, mercifully, I do wake

throat feels raw, my limbs heavy and weak. Marisol kneels beside me. holding

liquid hits my tongue, but I force myself to swallow. Anything to chase away the lingering

torment.

a curious intensity. "How often has the Master fed

once," I rasp out, wincing at the pain in my

eyes widen. "Only once?" She shakes her head. "The withdrawal shouldn't be this strong, not for a single feeding." There's something in her tone, an undercurrent of emotion I can't quite

you

"He must favor

The idea that this monster might favor me fills me with nothing but

]]

tie lase mast but

weten, my mind dealle

with Mariel's odd behavior.

I want is to

ere will die

mure endle

she doesn't wees to care about my

to me agan her hate prodding at my

detach that make

against my neck, my wrists, my ankles. It's only when she peers

have any I rasp out, my voice rough

a strange intensity. "Only once," she repeats, as if tasting the

of his fangs sinking, the agonizing pain, and the sickening rush of pleasure that followed, makes bile

return.

to

at me. There's something wistful in her expression, a longing that I can't quite comprehend. "When did you know? she asks softly, her eyes never leaving mine. "When did

Fevers

For