Two Nights ch 3

“I think she’s coming to!”
Another mans voice.
“Stop crowding her, she needs breathing room. Can’t you see that you’re scaring the shit outta her?”
I put my hands up defensively trying to make out the images.
“W-who are you? What’s going on?”
The shadow that was standing moved back next to the other one.
“I think she’s still out of it man.”
“That’s a possibility, she inhaled its toxins so she’ll be dazed for some time.”
What are they talking about? Who are they? This is so unusual…are they going to hurt me?
“Hey sunshine do you have a name?”
I looked over at them and just stared.
“I-uh…I-I’m uhm T-Terra…”
They seemed to be looking at each other but it was hard to differentiate them from one another.
“Don’t ask her so many questions. She needs more rest she’ll be able to satisfy your questions soon enough, be patient.”
“Hey just cuz you ain’t trying to help her doesn’t mean you can order me around.”
I looked at the shadowed men and listened to them bicker on what to do. All I was thinking of though was if they were real or not.
“W-who are you?…”
One of them came over to me putting his hand on the artery that was pulsing rapidly in my wrist then moved his hand to my cheek feeling the heat then the back of my head encouraging me to lean back.
“We aren’t going to hurt you, just lay down alright? If you can understand what I’m saying do so.”
I understood what he was telling me to do but I was skeptical of his intentions. If it was a he for that matter, but I capitulated to his demands and laid back feeling a new sense of vertigo and nausea. My head was spinning or at least felt that way as I felt myself grow weak. I saw both of the shadows hovering over me now. They both were feeling points on my body…I wanted to stop them but had no clue of how to cease the sensation. I heard distorted noises but through them I could vaguely make out words.
“Her pulse-racing!”
“Put-this on-er”
I felt a cool substance on my forehead and frosty droplets ran down my face, my heart was racing while my head pounded and I saw the world in a cyclone. I felt nauseated and began regurgitating uncontrollably.
“Ro-the-side! He-let-do it!”
I was rolled on my side so that I wouldn’t lay in more of my own bile, my throat was aching and my stomach muscles were in excruciating pain, I screamed and more vomit spewed out around me. My breathing was quavering, impulses were being delivered to my brain begging it to give up. Hands were around me and lifted me into the air bringing me close to warmth, holding my head so I couldn’t wallow in my own filth. There was a shushing sound close to my ear, the voice I could understand clearly now.
“Just lay back you’re safe now. Don’t move so much. Calm down. Deep breaths ok?”
I felt a hand running through my hair soothing me, I assumed it was the voices hand. It didn’t mean me harm I was sure it just wanted to help. I was still vomiting but my breathing had steadied and my body felt lighter. There was a sense of rushing around me, the cool air filled with panic and a sour scent. My throat was burning even after my episode while I hung my head back with my eyes closed so I could stop the spinning sensation. I whimpered when I tried to talk to them, to tell them I could do without them, that I just needed to sleep more.
“Let me…down…”
“Not going to happen sweety.”
“But I’m fine…”
“No you aren’t. Just relax and work on your breathing. At least you aren’t puking anymore.”
“But…”
“No buts.”
“You’ll get tired…holding me…”
I took a few deep breaths, I didn’t even realize how hard it was to talk, if it was this hard then I had no chance on my own…I felt useless being carried around and taken care of by these two.
“I’m much stronger than I look, don’t worry I’ll be fine just worry about yourself for now.”
His hands were running through my hair again pulling it back from my face. There was a gentle breeze caressing me and wrapping around my face cooling it off.
“W-why?…”
“Hm? Why what?”
I thought back to Rachel.
“Rachel…why?”
I slowly opened up my eyes and blinked letting out a tear and slammed them shut due to the spinning room.
“Who?”
“She’s talking about her friend. You know. That one.”
“Oh I see…sweety it wasn’t your fault. It really wasn’t. Hey come on don’t cry. You’re a big girl. I know someone like you shouldn’t be crying so much.”
I felt a wipe over my eyes drying them up and a nudge in the arm.
“But I couldn’t protect her…”
“It had you both poisoned. Neither of you two should have made it. You’re lucky we showed up when we did.”
“Hey don’t tell her that. Listen sweety that thing you saw wasn’t from here. I’ll give you the details later but nobody would have known how to stop it aside from me and him. It wasn’t your fault.”
“I should have been the one to die…”
“Don’t say that! You stayed alive for a reason, now don’t go and say that you need to die because you’re friend wouldn’t want you to now would she?”
“N-no…”
“See? Those toxins would have killed normal people but you survived.”
“Barely.” The other man stated bluntly.
“Shut it man you aren’t helping.”
I listened to the one guy sigh and tap his foot impatiently while the other kept moving my hair back.
“You survived so I’m thinking there’s something special about you keeping you here. I don’t think this is just a coincident that we met.”
“There’s nothing special…lucky…”
“Doubt it but…how is your vision?”
I opened my eyes and shut them tightly as soon as I had opened them.
“Spinning…why is everything white…and why are you both shadows…”
“It’s the toxins leaving your body. Do you feel sleepy?”
“Yes…”
“Don’t sleep just yet okay sweety? I need to give you some medicine to get rid of it.”
“What medicine?…I don’t need it…”
“It’ll help you get better.”
“Will it make me puke again…I don’t want to make a mess…”
I heard a small laughter then water running.
“No it won’t make you vomit, though you will feel like you’re floating. Just sit your head up and take this. Keep your eyes shut.”
“O-okay…”
I sat up and felt a cup at my lips.
“Open up.”
I pressed my mouth around the edge of the cup and took it in my hands then quickly downed the bitter liquid.
“That stuff…tasted terrible.”
“Who said medicine tasted like candy?”
“I wish it did.”
There was laughter again.
“Damn only if medicine tasted that good, maybe then I wouldn’t have such a problem with hospitals.” Someone said.
“I second that opinion. I think she should be getting to sleep now. Don’t you think so?”
“Yeah that’s a good idea. You want to sleep sweety?”
“Mhm…yes…”
“Alright. Here.
I felt myself being placed on a soft cushion that was cold but comforting to be on, I felt my body sink into it gratefully.
“When you wake up you need to stay inside if we’re gone so we can check on you okay?”
“Okay…”
“Good girl. Sleep well.”
I heard a door shut and I had begun to doze off into sleep once again.