Freak

20.

20 (!!!)

"Can't stand the smell of rats"

The ringing it her ears muffled his voice, the feeling of blood splattering on her face took away her ability to understand them. It was warm and she could feel it running down her forehead and cheeks, felt it clumping her lashes together, burning her eyes. The man before her, the one who had just moments earlier stood there, hand on his gun, realization in his eyes, was no more. Whatever was left of his face was nothing but fractions of what had once been.

"What the HELL Dutch?! Blue, Blue? Come on darlin' look at me" there were hands on her shoulders and suddenly what had one been Micha Bell was blocked from view. She felt so numb, the world so distant as fingers found her chin directing her face towards that of her father. Eyes twitching back and forth over her face, staring at the blood that grew ever colder on her skin.

With every beat of her heart she felt the pressure in her chest and behind her eyes building, breath quickening until black spots bloomed before her eyes. Reaching her own hand up to her face she could feel the sticky texture, feel it transfer to the tips of her cold fingers.

"Get it off" she whispered, swiping at it.

"Get it off... get if off! GET IT OFF OF ME! GET IT OFF!!" falling to her knees she rubbed her skin furiously, only seeing more and more blood every time she looked at her hands, "GET IT OFF!" the world spun around her, only dimly aware that her whisper had turned to panicked shrieks.

***

Arthur felt utterly helpless. Crouching down in front of her collapsed form, he tried to pull her hands away form her face, hoping to wipe the blood away himself. But she was strong, much stronger than he anticipated, and whenever he managed to get one away the other would go back, clawing at the raw skin.

"Pick her up, follow me! Everyone else stay here, maybe clean up..." Arthur barely registered who talked but did as he was told. Lifting Blue up was hard since she squirmed around but he was determined to do whatever he needed to do. The man in front of him, the one who had spoken, was Charles, his impressive stature leading the way.

There was a small creek running behind the campsite. Charles motioned for him to get in. "Kneel down, lay her in the water so we can wash it off, but keep her close to you, she's panicking and needs to feel safe, don't be afraid to squeeze her." he instructed, always calmness himself. Arthur did as he was told, heart tearing as she pleaded with him to get the blood off.

Tears streaked her dirty cheeks and he noticed she'd given herself some shallow gashes with her nails, adding more blood, this time her own.

Pressing her as tight as he dared to his chest he watched his friend carefully wipe the blood of his daughters face, rinsing it with care when it got to bloody. He was humming an odd tune while he worked, methodically doing everything step by step in a soothing rhythm.

Once her face was clean he moved on to her hands. They spasmed as he did it, pulling away out of his grip. Over and over she did this and over and over he gently pulled them back, patience everlasting.

"I'm going to get something to bind the wounds, just hold her." He did, he held her like her life and his own depended on it. she was shaking, crying and moving slightly from side to side, every now and the mumbling incoherently.

Turing her slightly in his lap, he cradled her in his arms. Slowly she turned into him, pressing her face to him, hands clamping down on to his shirt. "All gone now darlin', everything's okay, it's gone"

When Charles came back he bound the wounds and wiped her face one last time. By then Blue was deathly still, only the sound of her irregular breathing proving her to be alive.