(Archived) Poth Short Stories and One-Shots

Haunted Memories - Chapter 5

Chapter Warnings: Nightmares, vomiting, implied/referenced sexual abuse, swearing

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Lotus's sockets shot open as phantom pain shot through his body. He laid on the bed, trying to dispel the face of his worst nightmares from his mind as gasping breaths and rattling filled the otherwise silent room... then he shifted and another sensation hit him that sent him diving out of the covers, past the bedroom door, and into the bathroom.

He barely got the lid to the toilet up before everything came up, the combination of roiling magic and last night's dinner burning relentlessly on its way up and reminding him why he was there in the first place, renewing his need to gag in a vicious cycle. Tears burned in his sockets and down his cheeks to join the horrendous contents of the bowl while he clung to the sides in an effort to somehow ground himself. Even after he had expelled everything he could, his body wouldn't let him stop, forcing him into painful dry heaves that constricted his ribcage with each spasm. After what felt like hours, but was likely only a few minutes, his knees gave out and he slumped to the floor, resting his chin on the rim as he tried to cough and spit out the acidic remnants clinging to the back of his throat around shuddering breaths.

"Shit, what happened to you?"

"S'nothing...," Lotus croaked, lifting his skull slightly to wipe the tears and grime from his face before reaching over to flush the noxious contents away; two weeks was nowhere near enough time to share something so personal... if he ever planned on sharing at all. He slowly repositioned himself, leaning back against the nearby wall to try and calm his breathing while holding his arms in an attempt to make the shaking stop.

"Looks a lot like something," Rurik pointed out.

Lotus didn't want to deal with this. Putting his hand on his knee, he used it to force himself into a standing position to stagger back to the bedroom, "Go away, Rurik."

The ghost followed him into the bedroom, their voice sounding smug, "Was the food you made bad after all?"

"Leave me alone," the skeleton's voice grew louder. His nerves felt like they were being rubbed raw and an uncomfortable, slimy feeling crawled across his bones as he retrieved the still-damp towel from last night. He desperately needed a shower now.

"Why are you grabbing your dirty towel?" Rurik questioned, popping up in front of the skeleton, "Didn't you use it last night?"

"It's none of your business, now leave me alone or I'll make you leave me alone!" Lotus yelled, not bothering to wait for their reaction to get into the privacy of the bathroom faster. His throat stung and he faintly registered the sound of someone banging on the ceiling somewhere above him, yelling at him to keep it down, but everything was drowned out by the urgent need to be clean again.

Tossing the towel onto the sink and throwing the shower on to the highest heat setting, he tore his clothes off while pointedly ignoring the embarrassing glow surrounding his pelvis and lept into the scalding heat; it felt like red-hot needles were piercing him, but the pain allowed him to focus on his task. Grabbing the washcloth, he began scrubbing vigorously to rid himself of the phantom touches from his nightmare; to wash away the shame that came with giving in. He scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed, but the sickening sensation wouldn't leave him. 

Throwing down the washcloth in frustration, he fell into a crouch under the burning spray as angry tears poured down his face and mingled with the water. Why?! Why did he have to remember their disgusting face? Why did he have to remember their repulsive touch? Why the hell did he become aroused?! He wanted to forget that bastard more than anything, but they continued to torment him! He hated it! He hated them! He swore never again! He was supposed to be free! What the hell was wrong with him?!