Seeing Talow again should have been a happy moment, but it only signified the sadness of what was happening.
He was only here to help get Tor out of the room and into the field outside.
Talow knew the area. He had all sorts mapped out that he could Jump to easier just by visualizing them.
Things weren't how they were supposed to be.
Having Talow here made it all too final. Sparrow collected a bag of his belongings, handed out the protective crystals Resolve had been threading together, and gave the rest to Shie.
He didn't touch the bag of Resolve's things still laying with the rest downstairs. He only smothered his own ward to his chest and let Talow vaporize them both into thin air.
What else was there to do?
Fifteen was now five, soon to be four to protect Shie with.
Dashiell had only remained with us so that he could be here when Rush returned. With a week gone and our family breaking in front of our eyes, he was going to use the chance to leave the Base, shed his skin, and keep walking.
He'd do it until he died or something else took him. With the slaughter of the last Toxiorb still fresh in our minds, he couldn't keep waiting on a slipping hope.
Talow was his ticket. He was already packed into a bag of his own to spring the spontanious trip outside on him when he returned.
We lingered outside Tor's door in silence. With time almost up for Dashiell, it seemed like he had nothing left to say either.
He was ready. He had nothing left now.
"When you do go, will you come back?" I asked from the floor I sat on "you'll find a way to get rid of that thing?"
Dashiell, leaning on the wall, only smirked.
"Its not that easy once it fuses with you. I'm going to try and find Rush before it takes over. Either way, I'm going to be as far from here as possible."
His smile was sad. I frowned back and dropped my head to run circles in the floor with my fingers.
Carrion leant by the staircase. His fingers picked at themselves when he looked over at Dashiell remorsefully.
Blight sat by Shie's door, one leg up to support the arm dangling from it.
Ransom picked at Dashiell's bag he squatted behind at the same wall Dashiell leant against.
"So, you're just going to go straight?" Ransom spoke up.
"As long as I can remember" Dashiell smiled to himself "and even when I don't, I'll be far from here."
So, it really was suicide. Better out there than being shot in here. Hearing him say it so thoughtfully made it apparent how final these moments were.
We didn't know what to do with such a heavy decision when another was already being carried out.
"I'll never hurt Shie" he vowed to us all "and I'll make sure nothing makes it back here."
"What about Rush?" Carrion mumbled.
Dashiell peered sternly at him, but said nothing more on the topic. His eyes lifted to Shie's closed door instead.
We kept Shie in her room so that there was no risk to her. With Dashiell still infected, we couldn't take chances. We couldn't even hold him or support him on his own decision to leave.
All we could do was gather in the same room and wait.
Talow reappeared in the middle, wiping his forehead and jerking a thumb to the door with a smile.
"I got the big one o...."
"Good. I'm next" Dashiell grunted back over Talow's triumph as he rushed for his bag.
Ransom held it out for him, rounding over to me as I got to my feet.
Talow peered at us in confusion, looking Dashiell up and down as he shouldered the bag and held out his hands.
This was it. He'd be gone for good after this.
"Dash....!" I blurted, but not before Talow had disappeared once more.
"Fuck" Ransom muttered and rubbed my shoulder for support "that's it."
"Just four left" Carrion picked his nails "all of us are in a room we could barely move in before."
We looked around at the emptiness and took in the silence.
I hated it. It was too empty where lives should have been. Games could have been played, arguments had, laughter ringing up the stairs where we stood...
But, nothing.
It was just us.
"We can't let this happen again" Blight spoke solomnly.
"Obviously" Carrion grumbled back.
"We have to make sure nothing makes it past us to Shie without being triple checked" he looked up to us seriously "no new mates, no strangers, no-one we knew. We have to be very careful now on who stands beside us."
"How will we get the numbers then?" Ransom frowned back "we can't just be a horde of four; five counting her."
"For now, we will have to be. As far as anyone knows outside these walls, we are still filling these rooms. Let's keep it like that until we do for real. We can't have Souls knowing we aren't as big as they think we are."
That was something we could agree on. Once others clued onto the fact only four of us left the room now, they could form a plan to strike.
Resources were hard to come by. The prospect of having multiple rooms worth would be very tempting to more than a few of them.
"You need to break the Oath with the Blood Demon" Blight spoke to me "We can't have anyone near our doors, especially him. If more of his kind find out, they'll make thier own dirty nests in here and spread further."
Ransom nodded with Carrion.
"But, I don't know how to" I cringed back "I'm not sure if I can even just cover up something like this."
I held up the stab wound before looking at it myself.
"You'll have to figure something out" Carrion huffed now "We can't have him dumping meat outside our door that is meant to be enough for fifteen people. I know Shie has an appetite, but it's not that big. It'll only go to waste and attract the other things out there."
Like Cosmo who roamed the Base? I hadn't seen it up close yet, but I didn't want that chance to ever come.
Okay. I'd have to break a bond. I could do that.
"Tor's room will have to be wiped out" Blight flopped a hand to it "the webs and bones he's hoarded will only leave rot and smell. As for Tor, he's up there now" his finger pointed to the roof "you know how he is. We have to be careful when we go up there with three of them guarding the deer field."
Tor, Sparrow, and Ever. They'd completely deafen someone not even near thier grounds. Three was a nightmare.
"You'll have to mention that to your little buddy" Carrion added to me "I don't want that shit coming back on us. There's already five of them around here, could be more behind unmarked doors."
I blinked back, falling silent.
Wait, five?
He still believed Hunt was alive. He still had no clue about the baby Blood Demon's at all.
There was another I didn't know about out there?
So, I had done my job well. That would mean something to Oxalis.
Our heads all turned when Talow reappeared beside Tor's door and he approached us.
"I'm not free you know" he held out a hand to Blight.
Blight sighed, got to his feet, then slipped into Shie's room.
We all stood there, waiting.
"Anyone else I need to take up?" Talow looked around at us.
Ransom peered too.
"What about the bags?" he mumbled.
The question pinched my gut at the reminder of the lives we had stuffed away behind plastic.
Carrion wrinkled his nose, leaning his head back.
"They aren't using them..." Ransom began softly.
"That's not the point" he hissed back.
"I can take them" Talow offered now "someone else can find a use for the stuff."
Like an op-shop? Dusted and lined on a shelf for two dollers until it's marked down after someone breaks it?
I smiled at the thought of some of these items making thier way into the hands of my mother who would display them like treasures of her own.
She believed every item had a soul and life before it crossed her door.
In a way, it'd be something for us to her. If it made it that far.
"It is better than letting it sit beside the sink" I added "I think that's the best choice."
"We still have the rest of Dasher's stuff to add to it" Ransom muttered.
"Jeez, and R...." Carrion sighed at the realization "look, I'll go help clean all it into one of the bags. Make sure he gets his money or whatever" he waved a finger at Talow and Shie's door that was opening again.
Blight looked confused at Carrion huffing downstairs but kept his hands firmly around a jar he held out to Talow.
"It's Jelly" he explained to his confusion "it'll help heal you and take away pain. People literally kill for this."
Talow wrinkled his nose, grimacing.
"This isn't wh..."
"And cash" Blight flipped out a wallet to slip out several notes he folded over to pass across.
Talow was more impressed with this offering that he stashed away quickly.
The more valuable Jelly hung from his hand with no regard. He looked like he didn't even want to touch it, but knew better than to reject a payment.
I leant around Talow to try and spot Carrion and his attempt to tackle Dashiell and Rush's halves of thier rooms.
"You good?"
"Yeah" he grunted as the bags rustled "things are looking a bit empty in here."
Another two rooms completely wiped. And with Carrion trying to tackle Rush's, things could drag on as he tried not to be affected by the memories.
"Maybe I should help" I mumbled.
"I'll start grabbing the things to take" Talow agreed with a wave of the jar "thanks for the... 'Jelly'."
His voice croaked in disgust but he forced a smile and started for the stairs with me.
"It's good to see you again" I smiled to Talow who returned it "although it could be better circumstances."
"You're telling me" he blew out a breath "the Base has been hell since the...." he peered around and leant close "...the shootings. It's noisy as all hell."
That's right. He was burdened with his father's gift, wasn't he?
What else did he have?
"I need new headphones too" he sighed "the ones I'm using you have to hold a certain way to actually make work."
I snorted, remembering when I was also too poor to get more for myself and having to resort to an elastic band to make mine work.
Gestering to the bags he heaved up into his hands, Talow quickly refused.
"I couldn't" he shrunk back "I've got a thing with taking a dead man's belongings."
"Fair enough."
Talow vanished, leaving me to haul up more to get ready to load them into his arms.
I wonder how he could be so collected when doing something like this.
Didn't the thought of it all disturb him?
Talow returned, handed the jar to me, and let me fill his arms again before he was gone.
He was dead himself. How long was he down there? Not long enough to have to survive off scraps and ransacking discarded items from freshly killed Souls it sounded like.
I slid the jar onto the bench behind me and hauled up more bags, shoving them on top of each other as they tried to slip free.
I wasn't down there long either. Maybe he'd be more hardened if he had been, like Carrion.
Would Eagle like him better that way? Or just the way he was?
It was obvious he had a softer side from what we had seen earlier.
Talow was back and grunting under the bags I loaded before he left me alone again.
"Carrion!" I called as I bundled the bags together "are you almost done?"
I heard a sniffle that was disguised by a flipping bag.
"Yeah" his voice returned "give me a moment."
"You don't have much of one left!" I replied as Talow was back for more.
"That's the last of it?" he eyed the ones around my feet.
"Almost" I mumbled back as he was gone again.
He was getting quicker. Maybe he was starting to get nervous of how long he had been here and how he had helped us?
"Carrion!" I shouted with urgency this time.
"Just..." he snapped down the stairs with several bags almost smothering his view "...give me some damn time!"
There was a box he used to support the bags on. Carrion stuffed it under one arm when he passed over the bags to me then Talow who reappeared.
He'd already taken what he needed from Rush's. There were no tears in the bags he lumped onto the pile.
It looked like another trip was needed, then that was it.
Talow was gone again.
"What's the box?" I questioned it still under his arm "breakables?"
Carrion shifted uncomfortably with it.
"There was some medical stuff up there" he mumbled meekly as it was covered by his arm "I thought Scalpel could use them instead. It's nothing important."
He was being secretive about the contents of the box. It was unlike Carrion to shrink back the way he was.
There was something in there he was guarding.
"That's it?" Talow eyed the bags that I piled into his arms "and that?"
He held out a hand for the box that Carrion kept close.
"I'll take it. It's for Scalpel."
"But I can have it over there right away" Talow chuckled, gesturing for it again.
Carrion hunched, growing defensive now.
"Why don't I take it?" I heaved a bag into Talow's hand instead "I've got to head there anyway. Scalpel is my Captor; he's been waiting to see me."
I could use this lie to my advantage.
Sparrow wanted to cut off his arm, and I didn't want him doing it by bashing it with a rock or getting one of the others to tear it with thier teeth. If Tor was going to stay with Sparrow, he'd need something for his Band too.
I couldn't rely on Talow. He'd get me what I needed for sure, but Eagle could dig through his mind and see exactly how he had helped us. I don't know if I could trust him not to tell too. Whatever deal Shie had made with him wouldn't protect us from those consequences.
No. I'd have to do this myself by using the box as my first step.
I could drop off the box at Scalpel's, check for supplies or weed him for information, and give both Sparrow and Tor what they wanted.
Then, they'd be happy, we could continue with our lives, and no-one would suffer.
"I won't even look" I held out my hands to Carrion.
His eyes darted between Talow and me before he slowly handed it over.
"Add this to it" Talow reached over to place the jar of jelly on top "he could use it more than me."
"Hang on, that's...." Carrion started to fight the decision before Talow was gone with a smile.
It was my time to get out of here too before things got ugly.
"I'll be back later!" I called to him "I've got an Oath to break!"
There was that too. I'd have to find time to actually complete my lies.
"Don't be out late!" Carrion snapped back "and don't drop the box!"
I flashed him a smile and slipped out the door with a cheeky wave to close it gratefully.
What even was in this?
It wasn't heavy at all. I could hear glass clinking against each other, and feel something rolling around my fingers griping the sides.
Whatever it was, it wasn't mine to see. I was going to give it to someone who needed it and take my opportunity to help out more.
I grinned at my plan and how appreciative Sparrow would be.
We hadn't parted on the best of terms, but I couldn't see him suffer. As much as he said he wasn't one of us, he was still the one who helped ease me into the horde and be there when I struggled most.
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I knocked on the glass when I entered Scalpel's ward and looked around for the man himself.
I heard one of the shower curtains swipe across the railing, and saw Scalpel poke his head from it.
"Phillius?" he gasped with a smile "I thought you'd be dead by now!"
"Gee, thanks for the confidence" I retorted and held up the box "I've got supplies."
Scalpel swung his body out on a backless rolling office chair before pulling across the curtains and flying down to me.
"Isn't it great?" he grinned as he spun around on the spot "makes things so much easier!"
"That's really amazing" I snorted at his amusement and lowered the box down when he stopped the foolish act "donations."
"For me?" he eyed them, flipping up the lid to rummage inside "holy shit! I could really use these! Needles! Vials! Pills!" he breathed as he held up each one before stuffing them back away and snapping the lid closed "where the hell did you get all of this? Some of this shit is expensive!"
"As I said, it's a donation" I shrugged.
Scalpel smiled and finally lifted off the seat he rolled aside so he could carry the box towards the back room.
I followed and hung at the doorway while he ignored the shelf of body bags to go around to the side where a cardboard box was.
I watched him open it and saw that the cardboard was actually glued to a mini fridge to help conceal it.
"You never know who comes snooping around here" he said as he lifted the vials and gently stacked them opposite the others he had collected "its amazing what people try to steal."
"And you are just showing me all of this?" I frowned.
"Well, I know you can't hurt me without a lot of witnesses" Scalpel smirked while still stacking the fridge tenderly "I'm not just a fancy name. I do know my way around defending what is mine."
"I wouldn't doubt that" I nodded.
I didn't know what a doctor could do to have such confidence in himself against anyone else out there, but he seemed convinced he'd be better off.
I wasn't going to test that.
Now, how was I going to get what I needed out of him without him turning on me?
"If you wanted to, you really could fuck them up" I joked "with a needle, or a body bag, or a saw...."
My eyes searched for one, focusing back on Scalpel when he turned again, chuckling.
"You make me sound like I'm a psychopath."
"That is what you are, aren't you?" I smirked to the smile and shake of his head.
He turned his back and I kept searching for something I could use.
Just bags and whatever was in that fridge.
What a waste of time.
"I need a bone saw" I decided to just throw it out there with an irritated sigh "do you have one of those?"
"If I did, would I keep it out here?" Scalpel replied jokingly until he turned to me again "why do you need one of those?"
I glanced, fidgeting.
"Reasons...."
"Don't say another word" he warned me as he got to his feet and reconcealled the fridge "Don't even think about it."
My eyes trailed to where the office would be and I understood.
Scalpel marched to his desk to haul up a CD player with a CD case he snapped open.
I snorted as he plugged it in, tapped open the top, and clicked in the CD.
"Track five" I heard him muttering as he stabbed the button o the front "track five, track five...."
Music started to play, causing groans to rise from the curtained beds.
"The same fucking song?" one growled.
"Again?!" another moaned.
Scalpel returned to me so he could grab my arm and drag me over to the desk we both lowered behind.
"The song will get stuck in thier heads. It only gives us exactly one minute fifty eight."
"That's not long for a song" I commented.
"What do you need a bone saw for? To cut off your own arm? Slip out there undetected?"
"As tempting as that is, it's not for me" i leant in close "it's for two others."
"So, it'll really be your head if he finds out."
Scalpel pointed to make sure who I knew he was obviously referencing.
"Yeah. I figured you might have one."
Scalpel snorted.
"If I did, I wouldn't have to use a shitty axe with duct-tape on the handle. It's a hard thing to come by. You'd have to get into a hospital for that sort of thing, and not a lot of Souls have upstanding government jobs around here."
His voice was thick with sarcasm. I groaned as his patients did.
"Turn off the damn music!" one yelled.
"Shut up!" Scalpel snarled back "enjoy the classics!"
"Can I borrow the axe then?" I breathed to catch his attention again "and something to stitch them up with?"
His eyes looked me up and down in judgment.
"You ever sewn anyone up before?"
I shook my head.
"I'll try my best. It can't be too hard, right?"
Scalpel sighed, listening to the song still belting out its aged tunes.
"Look, I'll make you up a bag, but I need that axe back. It's my only one and I can't get a replacement. If I do this for you, I want you to make sure none of it comes back on me, ok? I may be thier only doctor, but I can't rely on that forever."
He was scared. Scalpel checked the song again, his lips miming the words.
"I need you to promise me" he pleeded.
"I promise" I held out a pinky that he grinned at "or should we draw blood?"
"And catch a disease?" he scoffed as his pinky wrapped in mine "I love you but not that much."
I laughed and felt him flatten my hand out with his.
"When you stitch them up, you want to pinch the sides together and weave. Leave some above your thread so it's not so tight they can't move it properly. You don't want to run out of skin by going too close."
He mimed it across my skin that I watched curiously.
"Knot the front and end of it. Loop, loop, back through and pull."
"Loop, loop, back through, pull" I repeated with him "OK, I think I've got that."
"It'll be bleeding everywhere. Don't get dirt in it, don't even breathe on it. Put your shirt over your mouth before you stitch them up."
Scalpel was rushing his instructions now. The song was nearing its end.
"It's for a demon. It's going to be big" I worried.
"Fuck" Scalpel hissed, his eyes darting as he thought "OK, I'll pack the rest of my line, but you owe me more, as well as more hooks! I can't leave to get it myself!"
"Alright. I'll do that" I smiled back to have him ease up a little.
"I'll make it up now. I'll throw in a list of what you owe me too."
I smiled again, flooding with happiness at how easy this had been.
Our heads turned up as the track came to its end and was received with annoyed gratitude until the next one starting up was accompanied by a new wave of complaints.
"I'd better turn it off before all the noise makes Eagle himself come down here" Scalpel rose first with a groan.
I helped him up, only for him to slap his hand on the desk loudly and jab a finger to the curtains.
"Shut the fuck up! It's a classic!" he snapped "you wouldn't understand real music if you heard it!"
"That 'real music' is keeping me awake!" someone growled.
"And I'll put you to sleep if you keep complaining!" Scalpel barged for the curtains before pausing at them and gesturing for me to take a seat "I wont be long."
I walked over and sank into the chair that cradled my body. It felt good to actually sit in something with some support, even though it did resemble those plastic chairs from school.
My eyes traveled to the curtains in curiosity where I could hear Scalpel still hissing at whoever was behind it. Smirking, I leant back and felt myself starting to relax.
There was no danger here. The worst I had to deal with was someone complaining about a bit of music.
To actually have it that easy. To not have to worry about the family, to not tiptoe around the Base or be afraid I've offended the wrong person.
My eyes started struggling to stay open. They got heavier each time I fought against the tiredness.
Was I this exhausted? When was the last time I slept solidly without being paralyzed or drifting off because of injuries?
I had to stay awake. My head was lolling and bobbing back when I realized how I was losing my struggle.
Maybe a little bit wouldn't hurt....
I gave in and rested my head against the glass behind me. Instantly, everything fell limp and sank into the plastic chair.
I could still hear Scalpel as he moved around to make up a bag. The wheels clicked along the floor as he used the chair to make everything quicker.
I smiled again at it, picturing his giddy face while he dumped in what he needed into the open bag perched on his lap.
For a doctor, he really was so carefree. He'd seen it all; probably been threatened more than he could count, and he still acted like the smallest things amused him the most.
Talio's grin flashed across the darkness of my mind. We were back in that clearing before I dragged him into the shit, sitting around the warm fire and waiiting for him to finish poking his attempt at my mother's stew he never got to do.
He'd be good at it too if he was given the time. I never saw him cook once he was in the Base. Perhaps that was an indicator of how unhappy he was here?
Did I.... make him unhappy?
"Hey! Wake up, sleepy head!"
The harshness of having something thrown into my lap snapped me back from my thoughts and to Scalpel moving on to his desk.
"It's all there" he turned and pointed "I want it back."
He disappeared into the back room again where I could hear the glass clinking as the door was opened to the fridge.
I guess this was it.
The weight slung over my shoulder bore down along my bone. I shifted it across both to try and even out the discomfort, only to spread it.
Well, I couldn't have it all.
"See you later!" I called out to the back room unsurely "I'll bring it back!"
"I'll check!" Scalpel's muffled voice chuckled.
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Trudging out of the room, I glanced up to the office nervously, before quickening my pace for the tunnel.
No thoughts. Just keep it quiet.
The tune of the song glued to my brain and I hummed it with a smile.
It was a clever tactic, I had to give him that. The damn words were all my lips traced and hummed.
I hadn't felt like this since I was back home. The same song had sometimes crawled up the walls, but not nearly enough as her more preferred tunes.
Slipping into light, I still muttered and spun as I walked. I slid along the dirt, kicking it up as I twisted and snorted at my own antics.
This was so damn stupid, but no-one was looking.
"Sparrow!" I called out, sliding in the direction of his field "Tor!"
Kicking up more dirt and jumping around, I kept up the bounding pace. They were still several kilometers away but there was no way Eagle was going to hear my jumbled mind all the way out here and over his entire Base.
I gave myself to the charade anyway. There was no point walking along in misery when I could liven it up a little out in the open.
It was quite nice too. No hurry to shift or real need to. Just the cool breeze and shadows to dart along.
I could see why Talio would miss this freedom. It was peaceful to have nothing muddling my mind and no real direction under my feet.
Once I got this heavy bag off, I could really unwind out here before heading back to the gloom.
My gut turned just thinking about it. We had all lost so much. I was so ready just to leave it all and enjoy life out here.
But, I couldn't. Being tracked and Bound, as badly as I wanted to start new, I couldn't.
Being stuck in the Base was the best thing for me for now. I wasn't brave enough to cut off my own arm or try to run away again, not with this Band.
The circle of disappointment.
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Webs smothered on the grass signaled I was getting closer to the field.
I broke the soft blanket with each carefully placed step trying not to break more than needed.
They sure had been busy to get all of this ground covered in such a short amount of time.
"Sparrow!" I called while searching "Torture! Ever!"
I couldn't see anything nearby. Having my focus pulled to the webs ripping at the hair in my legs wasn't helping either.
"SPARROW!" I cupped my hands now to throw my voice further "TORTURE! EVER!"
How long was this field? Would I be walking more kilometers just to find them?
I heard scurrying and saw deer bounding thier way across the field and into the surrounding trees.
Had they moved on already?
I couldn't see or smell any blood around me. They wouldn't have bashed thier arms on a rock without someone noticing.
"SPARROW!" I bellowed, still searching.
I saw white and black peel from the trees in the distance, my face cracking into a smile.
"HEY!" I waved.
He sprinted towards me effortlessly. I saw his body become more defined the closer he got and noticed his smile back at me.
His Band still remained attached, although surrounded with blackened skin and old blood.
"Phillius?" Sparrow breathed as he slowed to a cautious walk "what are you doing here? You can't hunt here anymore."
"I'm here for you" I hauled off the bag with a grateful groan and stretch "that shit's heavy."
His eyes darted down to it. A claw reached for the zipper but didn't tug it.
"I got you something to take off the Band" I explained to his wonder "and the others too."
His eyes glistened as he finally pulled back the zipper to scoop out a syringe and roll of blue fishing wire.
"Is this for payment?" he frowned then glanced behind him to the trees "I can trade you a..."
"This is because you are family" I pulled out the rest to line on the cleaner surface of the bag itself.
"Are you sure? You don't want anything for it?"
He looked so confused and not wanting to place his faith in the offering. The tears were there, but he withheld them.
"If you guys can leave, then I'm happy" I smiled "I won't be able to, and I doubt the others will want to. But, there is no use being stuck here if you don't want to be."
Sparrow let out a sob and wavoured a smile that buried into my shoulder when he constricted me into a hug I returned warmly.
"Thank you!" he sniffled against me, his tears and drool clinging to my own skin "seriously, you h-have no idea what t-this means t-to all o-of us!"
"It means you not breaking your bones on a rock" I chuckled back and squeezed tighter "I saw your arm."
"Oh, that" he pulled from me in shame "well, it was a lot tougher than I thought."
"There is bone in there" I scoffed and he shrugged, laughing.
"It's harder when it's your own" he admitted with a smile "hurts just as bad when I broke it as a kid."
I lined up the items, running my hands among the sharpened axe and it's peeling duct-tape.
"And how did you do that?"
"Falling out of a tree" he snorted back and wiped his eyes that lingered on the axe "w-will it h-hurt much?"
I hesitated, seeing his fear still hovering on the blade.
"Well....." I grimaced before shrugging "Scalpel didn't say how much it would tickle."
Sparrow groaned at my foolishness and shoved me lightly.
"Fuck you" he laughed.
I looked to the trees where I could see another head poking out between them.
"Did you want to get the others?"
Sparrow followed my gaze and turned back to the bag.
"When I grab them, we should do Tor first, then Ever, then me. If anything happens or we are caught, I'd rather them have a chance to get out of here first."
I picked up one of the modified hooks to start teasing through the fishing line.
"Jeez, it's going to be rough getting through skin with these" Sparrow flinched as he picked up another to help.
"So, with the stitching, is it easier to do it like you are now or get you to Turn?"
Sparrow knotted the hook, thinking.
"Its about the same thickness either way" he pondered "you're going to have a tough time with Tor, I'm warning you now. He's never been one for needles or stitches, plus the fact he's glued to Pinecone."
"The kitten?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Pie for short" Sparrow smirked "she's as cute as pie too. Tiny little thing. Although she might turn into one if she keeps trying to sleep on top of Tor's hands."
We both giggled and moved onto the last hook and the reel to help speed the process up.
"I want him to do it" Sparrow blurted as he peeked up at me nervously "Tor's got a good swing on him. No offense, but it looks like it'd take you a few tries to cut my arm off."
"You know what, it probably would" I admitted defeat gratiously "I kind of didn't want to do it to begin with."
"Figured that" he smirked and dangled the threaded hook "looks like everything is set up."
We scanned the layout in silence, trying to delay the inevitable.
"I'll go grab them."
I remained sitting while Sparrow lifted himself up to hurry away.
I watched him leave, feeling my gut churning and my nervousness bubbling up my throat.
Would it be better if I left? Or should I stay for moral support?
Cutting off an arm.... It was going to be just as bad as being back at the Wall and tearing through those bodies again. I knew the sounds bone made when it snapped. The screams were going to be horrific.
Was I going to go completely deaf because I wanted to support them?
Maybe I should go....
Watching all three peel from the trees, I got to my feet now as my sensibility got the better of me.
I could still support from the sidelines. Somewhere safer than the path of three Scream Demons.
My damn eardrums would melt.
No. Fuck staying for that.
"Look, I can come back and see you guys up" I began when they were closer "I'm not staying here for the chopping."
It looked like Tor was already bathing in the blood of some creature anyway. Deep red ran from his chin and to his collarbones in one unbroken wave.
Either that or some sort of warpaint for this occasion.
"It won't be too gruesome. One cut at the most" Sparrow insisted.
Tor didn't look so sure about that. I decided not to mention it.
Sparrow thought a bit of blood was my issues. He was so oblivious to everything around he him.
"I want to keep what's left of my hearing" I smiled appolagetically.
"Oh."
His expression shifted as he realised. It looked appolagetic too.
"I didn't realise" he mumbled "with all of us b..."
"It's good" I waved it aside "I can still come back and sew it all up."
I'd save myself from the worst of it too. My choice was a blessing in disguise.
"What about Pie?" I searched for the kitten "I'd hate for it to go deaf too."
"She's back..." Sparrow started before Tor clenched his arm tightly in warning that he yanked away "she's fine. We left her at the nest."
Tor's eyes bored into me. If I make one move in that direction, he was ready to stop me. With the red down his throat, I wasn't going to provoke him into something I couldn't escape from.
"You can go there and wait" Sparrow said, turning to glare at Tor who growled at his decision "you can keep her company and make sure she doesn't wonder off."
Ever looked nervous too. His face darted from Sparrow to Tor then me.
"Won't we bleed out by the time he makes it back?" he almost whispered.
"Once it's off, we'll head to him. It's quicker that way."
Ever didn't look convinced. He shifted nervously on the spot.
"You can leave. This is between brothers" Tor hissed to him.
His voice rumbled in the same way as Arson's did the time I met him through the crack in the door. Hearing Tor speak for the first time shocked me more than his voice rumbling in my blood.
It was clear he hated Ever. Maybe he thought he was squeezing into a place Resolve should have been?
"I don't know where to find the nest" I interrupted the silent fued between both of them "I would like someone to help me."
"There you go" Tor replied smugly "make yourself useful."
Sparrow grimaced to his mate but didn't defend him. Sparrow let Tor guard him on thier walk further from us.
The guy towered over his own brother. It made me wonder how they could be from triplets that were supposed to be identical.
I was starting to think it was better when I couldn't understand him.
Ever swooped down to stuff everything back into the bag that he threw across the dirt to me so I could shoulder it instead.
"He's just being an arsehole" I began to Ever's coldness and averted gaze "thank you for helping me."
"It's what I'm good for" he snapped back with a huff "obviously."
I feel silent and followed Ever further down to where I had seen them peek from earlier. The trees had been pushed over here, and I saw branches had been snapped to form a smooth circle around the gaping mass of webs in the middle.
The kitten was already there, mewing in its high-pitched squeal as it yanked against the stickiness it was glued to.
"It'd be better without that thing around" Ever grumbled as he plucked it up and placed it on the dirt so he could circle to the back of the nest to lay down "but, it's his baby."
There was bitterness in every word. The hate between them was mutual and festering.
I picked up the kitten to cradle it as I sat at the entrance.
I could feel it's ribs under my fingers. It was so young and fragile, I was surprised it hadn't been seriously injured by accident yet.
"You could just leave?" I shrugged "find a place out there for you both."
"And leave him behind?" Ever scoffed "yeah, that's going to happen."
"He makes you miserable" I frowned.
"And I've just got to deal with that until he stops thinking he's the mother of a damn cat" his finger pointed to Pie nuzzling into my hand to try and nurse from it "things will settle down, he'll find his own mate, and I can live in peace with Sparrow away from here."
"But, you're stuck until then" I finished.
A hand flopped up and fell down at my conclusion.
"I'm stuck" he sighed.
The poor guy. Being around someone so hellbent on hate was sure to be putting a strain on thier newfound love, especially when it was family involved.
I peeled off the claws kneeding into my skin and set little Pinecone down to tremble its way back over towards Ever, mewing.
"It's going to die if it doesn't get something proper to eat soon" he eyed it as it lapped at the finger he offered "I've been telling them to take it back, but Torture wants none of it. He thinks he can feed it Silk and be done with it."
"Do I want to know what that is?" I turned my nose up in disgust.
"Your parents didnt fed you Silk when times got tough?" Ever puzzled over my reaction "it's like milk, from the mouth."
I suffered and groaned, making him laugh at me.
"Are you new to this? A Deadie?"
"I had normal food as a kid" I cringed "nothing from her....mouth."
The disgusting imagery flashed into my mind, along with the nickname Solanine had teased me with.
It wasn't a playful twist on my real name anymore. It only made me think of.... That.
Baby Bird.
I shuddered and gagged.
Now that's all I could think of from the name. Fuck.
"You can do it too if you are fucked up enough" Ever grinned to my horror "you've got the perfect baby right there."
Ever threw his head back, loudly gagging to my wails of disgust. He laughed through the disgusting noises and stopped only when I picked up a handful of dirt to throw towards him.
"You're nasty!" I groaned.
"And I wasn't even doing it" he smirked "you really are funny when you are riled up."
"Fuck you" I smiled.
"Fuck you too" he retorted back in amusement.
Things weren't so tense between us now. Ever peeled off the kitten to turn back to me so it could wobble its way over.
"You can replace Tor if you want" he joked as he laid down "I'd prefer you and your weak stomach to him any day."
He started gagging again, making me cry out at the noise.
"You are sick in the head" I jabbed back "you'd only follow me around, making gross noises and being a pain in my arse."
"It'd be fun" he smiled as he stretched out and rolled onto his back "maybe we were supposed to be brothers in another life?"
I snorted at his wonder and turned Pinecone around to push it back towards him.
"I doubt it."
"You never know" he smiled up at the webs above him.
He looked so sure about it, but I wasn't going to be wedging myself into something I had no part in meddling in. I was only here to stitch up Sparrow and Tor when they came back.
"Where even are they?" I slid out of the entrance to check the empty landscape.
"Somewhere" Ever waved a hand as the other dragged Pinecone up onto his chest "probably won't hear them either. They won't make a sound."
"From having arms cut off?" I scoffed back, still checking "I doubt that."
"Seriously" Ever looked to me "you don't want to be letting anyone out there know you are injured. Screaming with voices like ours gives away your position to bigger things out there. It's best to gag yourself or keep your mouth shut if you get hurt."
So, I wouldn't even know if it worked until they came back?
I ran my fingers over the straps of the bag nervously.
"They'll be fine" Ever soothed "I've seen Tor flog prey to death with a single swing. He's got it sorted. He's got a good arm on him."
Like that was going to calm my rattled mind.
"Do you know how to stitch them once they come back?"
My gut twisted and I grimaced at the brief run-down I had been given.
"I've got the hooks and wire ready for wh...."
"Wire?" Ever blurted in concern.
He roles over, gluing Pinecone to the webs on the ground so he could step over her and toward me to tug down the bag.
His fingers held up one of the hooks with a tut.
"Use webs. They're finer and cut through better. They'll last longer than fishing line."
"Webs?" I rolled my eyes "right."
"Use mine" he insisted as his fingers started to pick away my hard work "I'm the same as them; it'll be tougher than yours."
He wasn't going to accept another answer. Ever was already dropping the fishing line onto the ground so the hooks were ready to be strung when both demons returned.
"I don't want to be deafened when I'm doing this" I warned him.
"You won't even hear them" Ever smiled back, tilting his head past me "there's one now."
I saw Sparrow lingering at the entrance gingerly. He held his stump upright to try and contain the blood spilling over it and into the grass he tore up in his hands.
His mouth was clamped shut, blood dribbling from his teeth piercing through the skin that fused shut.
"The needles" Ever directed my attention to the bag again "jab in two of them so we can start."
I fished them out, seeing that Scalpel had thrown in four of them.
Two each then? What was even in them?
"We're here" Ever gently spoke to Sparrow who moaned through his agony "it's going to be over soon."
Sparrow nodded furiously, slapping a hand over the pouring one to try and staunch the flow.
"Needle first, up near the cut" Ever directed me "then we will start on sewing."
The skin was so torn that it didn't look like I'd be able to stick the needle near the initial cut. There was another below it that had sliced down to the bone.
Tor had missed. He had cleaved off the Band, but had left Sparrow with another injury that could have been avoided.
I'd have to jab somewhere between both folds of skin drowning in blood.
Picking off the cover, I checked on Sparrow's streaming eyes that darted from the needle I slid in.
His body hunched over and he moaned out his scream when I found something solid to plunge the liquid into it.
I saw some spill out of the gouges and worried that it wouldnt take effect.
"Get a needle into the lower one and start on it first" Ever demanded now "we can't wait for it to kick in. Just hope that it does while we are stitching."
Sparrow was losing too much blood. He leaned to the left, wobbling when he pulled himself up again. His eyes were starting to lose thier life behind a glassy viel.
Ever strung a single line of webs from his mouth that he tied to the hook he handed to me.
Keeping the line coming, I stabbed into the two flaps of skin to shove the hook through, feel for the sharp end, and feed the rest of it back up from the carnage soaking into my own skin.
Even used his shoulder to hold Sparrow up as I pulled the web tight and chose a new wedge of skin just a breath up from the first.
It was squashing together nicely. The loops were tugging tightly, making me smile at my achievement.
Weaving it back through the loops, I yanked again to test the strength of webs before I started my gouging stitches that carved through poor Sparrow's soul.
He didn't have the strength to stifle his moans anymore. He sobbed weakly against Ever who now bore most of his weight. He struggled to keep upright and feed me the line I was now stabbing into Sparrow with no regard to his wellbeing.
We needed to get this done. He was fading fast.
"Keep stitching!" Ever broke his line as Tor staggered into view towards us "I'll get him sorted."
I didn't have much line. Worry whined through me when Ever lowered Sparrow to the ground so he could hurry Tor along towards us.
"I can't do two at once!" I cried out.
"I'll do him. Just keep going!" Ever snapped back as Tor collapsed onto his side.
Ever snapped his fingers at him to get a line from Tor. Tying his own to mine dangling dangerously to the end, Ever snatched up a hook to thread and stab into Tor who pounded the ground, moaning through his own bitten lip.
He had missed too. He did have a good swing though, slicing his arm up the initial cut four times, mangling the skin that billowed out around the pouring blood.
Broken bone protruded from the end of his amputated arm. I turned my back on it so I could focus on Sparrow's wound.
He had been lucky. Tor had taken care of Sparrow more than himself. It looked like he had just hacked at his own arm until it had given out, rather than Sparrow's whose was carefully lined after the first miss to make sure it worked the second time.
"Sparrow" I tapped his side as his eyes fluttered "hey! Stay with me!"
His body was going limp. He wasn't complaining through the pain anymore. It was just us smothered in his own blood.
I kept going through Ever's grunts to. I could see Sparrow's side rising with each drawn breath that slipped through his slack mouth.
I had to hurry. If he regained consciousness and cried out in his lapse of judgement, I was done for.
Squishing the skin with one hand and stabbing with the other, I was powering like a machine forcing my way through the thick layers I shoved the hook into.
I didn't even regard Scalpel's words to cover my mouth during the process. My main concern was keeping the severed arm away from the mud staining my clothes.
Nothing else mattered.
Ever stabbed through Tor, and I worked on Sparrow.
Together, we sewed in silence, trying to give a new life to the only things that faded beneath our trembling hands.
ns 15.158.61.51da2
