Broken World Chapter 4

I finally got around to finishing chapter 4. My distractions in the form of Dark Souls 3 and Wrestling had subsided for just long enough to write again. 

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                He felt incredibly tired. He knew he’d woken up, but he didn’t want to open his eyes. He just wanted to go back to sleep, but there was a stinging pain keeping him from doing so. The pain was coming from his shoulder. What was it? He was in between sleep and consciousness as an image of Melisandre, the red-haired girl from his class, came into his mind. He’d seen her recently…. She’d been fighting something…. Then an image of a gigantic spider-like monstrosity entered his mind, and his eyes snapped open.

               

                The pain in his shoulder was real. It wasn’t as bad as he remembered it, luckily. He pulled himself up into a sitting position with the little strength he had. He tried to raise his arm to rub the fatigue from his eyes, but his arm wouldn’t lift and pain assaulted him when he tried. He used the other arm.

                He looked around. He was lying in a bed in some white room. The sun glared through the window, warming him. There were bags of some liquid hanging next to him, connected to tubes that were connected to his arm. He was in a hospital. Sitting next to him was a familiar guy with long hair and glasses, reading a book.

                “Seymour? What’s going on?” he asked. He was shocked at how weak his own voice sounded.

                “You’re awake?” Seymour sounded surprised. “They said it would be a few more days until you woke up. You lost a lot of blood. So much you almost died…. What do you remember?”

                “The… demon… that’s what got me wasn’t it? That was… stupid of me. And… Melisandre?” he remembered it all now. “No way. Is she part of your organisation?”

                Seymour laughed. “I wouldn’t call it my organisation. But yeah, she’s part of it. She’s pretty strong too. I guess if you didn’t know then…. No. Your actions were still crazy” he sighed. “You told me you didn’t want to fight them, and then you run in blindly at one, and a dangerous one at that. Did you change your mind?”

                Edwin thought about it for a moment. It did seem strange that another one turned up near his house so soon after the last one, considering he’d spent 16 years without seeing any until that first encounter.

                “Maybe I should learn to defend myself. You know.. I still feel really tired”

                “Maybe you should!” Seymour said enthusiastically. “We always need more people to fight them Edwi….. it’s an uph…… attle….” Is he getting quieter or is it just me? Then, before he realised what was happening, he’d fallen unconscious again.

*

                Edwin awoke once more. He had no idea how long he’d slept for, but now he managed to pull himself up into a sitting position. His shoulder didn’t hurt so much anymore, but the arm was very stiff. He rubbed his eyes and looked around.

                Seymour wasn’t next to him anymore. Sitting in his place was Melisandre. Edwin froze. What’s she doing here? Wait, Seymour did say she was part of the organisation… She was reading a book too. She glanced at him, then went back to his book. They sat there in uncomfortable silence. Edwin felt strangely nervous. Eventually he worked up the courage to talk.

                “So… I heard you’re part of the organisation….” He started, unsure how to talk to her.

                “That’s right” she answered. The silence came back. What a short answer.

                “Sorry for interfering in your fight. I guess I should’ve stayed indoors.”

                “Definitely.” She answered. Again, short answer. “I was doing fine against it. All you did was get yourself hurt.”

                “Well, I guess I paid the price for being an idiot.” He said with a weak nervous smile. She glanced at him. It looked as if her expression softened for a moment.

                “The urge to help people isn’t such a bad thing.” She said. Silence again. For some reason Edwin felt the need to say something, anything.

                “Seymour asked me if I wanted to learn to fight them. I’m thinking maybe I should”

                She glanced at him again, looking either… concerned? Or maybe irritated. “You shouldn’t. Seymour just wants more soldiers to help us fight this uneven battle. Not everyone is suited to it though. Especially considering what happened last time. And the first time too. Beatrix told me about that.”

                The first time, I ran away. The second time, I ended up in hospital. I kinda get her point. But both times are just because I don’t know how to fight them, surely. “I’ve encountered them twice… is that normal for someone who doesn’t hunt them? Maybe they’re after me.”

                She put down her book, apparently giving up on getting any further with it. “It is strange. That’s why we’re keeping an eye on you now. The first time, you didn’t get hurt. The second time, you wouldn’t have gotten hurt if you hadn’t gotten in the way. We can continue to watch over you until we work out what’s going on, and then we’ll fix the issue, and you’ll be fine.”

                He thought about the idea of Melisandre fighting these demons, and Beatrix, and Seymour. His initial reaction had been that he shouldn’t get involved. These were monstrous creatures that no person should ever have to fight. Somehow, now, with the idea that they might be after him, and that other people would have to look out for him, he started to feel responsible. Maybe he should fight them. Melisandre went back to reading her book, and they sat in silence. Edwin silently debated about what he should do.

*

                The next time Edwin awoke, Seymour was back. He had a laptop with him this time. He took notice as Edwin woke up.

                “Awake? Huh… Your recovery is pretty…. Crazy. You’re almost ready to go home” he commented.

                Thoughts of his conversation with Melisandre came back to him. “Did the red-haired girl from my class, Melisandre, talk to you?” Edwin asked.

                “Her? No. She’s not really one for talking though. She barely even talks to her own brother.”

                She has a brother? I wonder who…

“I talked to her about those demons…” Edwin started. Seymour’s eyebrows rose. “I told her I was thinking about joining the fight after all….” Seymour smiled enthusiastically.

                “Definitely! We always need another hand! I’m guessing…. That last attack changed your mind? If they really are targeting you, although I really can’t think why they would, then it’d certainly help.” He looked thoughtful, then he frowned, as if annoyed. “Well. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s wait. They might not be targeting you, and you might be able to go back to a normal life. How about this? If they attack you again, then I’ll show you how to fight them.” Edwin could tell that Seymour was restraining himself. Obviously Seymour wanted Edwin to join. Maybe Melisandre had spoken to him, or maybe Beatrix had told him to ease up with trying to recruit Edwin. Either way, his offer sounded fair. Edwin wanted to go back to a normal life if he could. Before Edwin could answer, however, Seymour’s phone went off. As he answered his phone, before he even had a chance to say anything, his eyes went wide in horror.

                “Seriously?” was all Seymour could say. “Alright, I’ll get ready.” And with that he finished the call and put the phone back in his pocket. He turned to Edwin. “We’re definitely going to need to teach you. The last piece of evidence has appeared…. There are demons on their way to this hospital. I better get-“ his sentence was cut off by the sound of a crash and then an explosion that rocked what felt like the entire hospital. He glanced into the corridor, then back to Edwin. “If you see one, try to run.” Then he ran out.

                This isn’t good. Edwin sat up and inspected his shoulder. It was still bandaged up, but he could move it without any pain. It just felt stiff. He started pulling all the medical wires off himself, much to the distress of the heart monitor, and searched around for his clothes, which were nowhere to be seen. If he did have to run, it was going to be in hospital clothes. Should he go into the corridor? He had no idea what the situation was. To try to move around might be to be running towards danger for all he knew. He decided to stay where he was, but to be ready to jump up and run if need be.

                He heard the faint sound of screaming. Then what sounded like another crash rocked the hospital. He was straining his ears now, and he could feel his hairs all over his body on end as his senses all heightened in alertness. As far as Edwin could tell, there was nothing near where he was. Even so, he knew the terror that he’d been through was now being visited upon the other patrons of the hospital.

                He realised that he really couldn’t just continue his life, knowing that these monsters were out there, knowing that he himself was unable to do anything about them. Constantly aware that if one of them came upon him he wouldn’t be able to do anything to protect himself. Like right now he thought. If one of them wandered through the door he wouldn’t be able to do anything. Except maybe jumping out of the window….

                As something walked by the doorway to his room he immediately tensed and actually considered jumping out the window, but after he turned to see what it was he breathed a sigh of relief. Some lady had poked her head into his room, with a friendly smile on her face.

                “Oh I didn’t mean to scare you” she said as she saw his reaction.

                “You surprised me” he admitted. She’s not wearing a doctor’s coat or a nurse outfit… She could’ve been a visitor for a patient. Upon further inspection she must’ve been middle-aged. She had no signs of greyed hair but she had the look of an older lady. She seemed to be wearing just enough makeup that Edwin couldn’t tell if she had any wrinkles or any other tell-tale signs of age.

                               

                “I was just wondering what all the fuss was about” she said sweetly. There was definitely something strange about her.

                “I’m not sure” Edwin started carefully. “I heard the crashes but I have no idea what’s going on…”

                “Oh no that’s not what I mean dearie” she said. That’s it. Her voice and the way she talks. She’s definitely older than she seems. “I know what all that is. I meant all the fuss about you”

                Edwin felt a sinking feeling suddenly. As if his stomach had dropped out and as if his breath had disappeared. Something was wrong. His mouth had gone dry but he managed to ask the question. “What fuss about me?”

                She smiled and shook her head pityingly, as if she was talking to a toddler.

                “Didn’t you think it was strange? How they keep showing up everywhere you go? Well I thought it was strange, so I thought I’d come and take a look for myself.”

                Could she be from the organisation? Another crash rocked the hospital. No. If she was then she’d be out there helping, trying to stop whatever is going on. But she knows about… them?

                “Who…. Are you?” he asked.

                “They told me they can smell you. That you smell tasty. But honestly I just don’t get it. I can’t see anything special about you.” She sighed. “Oh well. They just want a tasty snack, like any child. I guess I’ll just have to let them have you. They’ve been oh so good after all.” She shrugged nonchalantly, smiling all the while, and then she turned to go.

                “W-wait! Who are you?” Edwin asked. He couldn’t bring himself to get up and go after her. Something about her felt incredibly dangerous.

                “Never you mind, dearie. I might not approve of their tastes, but what’s a mother to do? I’m afraid you’re just going to have to end up as food.” And with those chilling words she was gone.