it all ends with us: ruins

010

Chapter Ten:

"I felt home in your arms."

Atlas had jerked awake at the feeling of someone shaking her and she opened her eyes but shut it due to the amount of bright light seeping in. She rubbed her face and then opened her eyes to see everyone staring at her. Theo and Apollo were at the foot of the bed and Eli and Kiera to the side. Ren was the one shaking her awake.

"Why are you all staring at me like that?" Atlas asks confused.

"Atlas, you were screaming so much. I didn't know what to do." Theo whispers.

"It sounded like you were being tortured." Eli adds.

Ren slides into the bed next to Atlas, hugging her as tightly as possible.

"Were you having a nightmare?" She asks looking up at the girl who was shivering due to the breeze.

"No, I don't remember." She shakes head.

"Merlin Atlas, you're cold to the touch." Ren presses the back of her hand to Atlas' forehead.

"I think you should go see Madam Pomfrey." Apollo adds in worry for his sister.

"I'm fine you're overreacting." Atlas mutters pushing the duvet covers off of her.

Everyone gasps at the sight of her legs. They were covered in bruises that looked days old. However, this couldn't be possible as Atlas had been fine a couple hours earlier.

"How did you do that to your legs?" Eli asks confused on how she could get that many bruises in such a short amount of time.

"I- "Atlas stutters not knowing how they were there.

Ren's eyes teared up at the sight of her friend's body.

"Atlas it's all over your neck." She says pulling the jumper down to see the red and purple marks around the young girl's neck.

"What happened exactly?" Kiera demands.

"She fell asleep after the party. She said she felt cold. I gave her my jumper and she dozed off. Me and Eli did soon after. I'm a deep sleeper but Eli woke me up to her screaming and she was thrashing around the bed like she was being attacked." Theo starts.

"I checked around the room and then the hallway to see if someone had gotten in while Theo tried to wake her but it didn't work. So I just went and got Apollo and when he couldn't do anything I got you guys." Eli finishes off.

Everyone stared in silence not really knowing what to do or what had happened. It didn't make sense to Atlas because she hadn't felt any pain and would've known if someone was attacking her.

"Does it hurt?" Apollo asked and Atlas shook her head.

"I'm going to get Ares then." He stated.

"No, he's going to overreact and get worried. We don't want to stress him." Atlas argues frantically.

"I'm not negotiating with you; I'm calling someone either way. Either Madam Pomfrey or Ares." He says seriously, making her sigh.

"Fine." Apollo leaves promptly after with Theo following after him.

Kiera moves from where she was standing and squishes into the bed making Atlas the middle man in between both girls. She also wraps her arms around Atlas softly not wanting to hurt the poor girl with a thousand and one thoughts running through her head. What could've happened?

"It burns." Atlas whispers. Her skin was heating up and turning the girl slightly red.

Kiera jumps out the bed wanting to give her some space. Atlas struggles trying to take the jumper off her head muttering about the way it hurts. Her throat was closing up and it was getting harder for her to breathe. The group looked at each other not really knowing what to do. Eli grabs his wand and mutters a charm trying to cool her down but it doesn't work. Just on time,  Ares, Apollo and Theo burst through the door and Ares runs towards his sister. He grabs her face and lets go quickly after the coldness of her skin shocks him.