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

across the ground. I try to warn Ava, but my voice

behind her.

dragging her away as she kicks and struggles. I lunge for her, but my feet are rooted. Darkness

shifts, and we're on a plane, Ava beside me. She's gripping the armrests, making a joke about the turbulence. I reach for her hand to comfort her, but the plane lurches, throwing us forward. Oxygen Ava's screaming. I'm screaming. The world outside

Impact.

and rends. Flames erupt. Pain

nightmares keep coming, each more horrific than the last. Ava, drowning in a sea

55000

unseen monsters. And always, I'm helpless to save her, forced

watch as she suffers.

chains, but I can't escape. I can't wake up.

mercifully, I do

raw, my limbs heavy and weak. Marisol kneels beside

gag as the bitter liquid hits my tongue, but I force myself to swallow.

torment.

often has the Master fed from you?" she asks,

surprised by the question. "Just once," I rasp out, wincing at the pain in

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

you

she mutters, "He must favor y greatly, for

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

]]

tie lase mast but no words

weten, my mind dealle

with Mariel's odd behavior.

all I want is to curl

ere will die

mure endle

she doesn't wees to care

hate prodding at my skin

that make me

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

rasp out, my voice rough from disuse and screaming. "He only bit me

a strange intensity. "Only once," she repeats, as if tasting the words. "But the withdrawal... it's so strong.

agonizing pain, and the sickening rush of pleasure that followed, makes bile rise in my throat,

return.

hard, trying to

expression, a

Fevers

For