Violet Shadows

2

Christine saw a sky.

It was a sky of velvet. Nearly iridescent, combing over to a nautical blue as dark as bruises. Inch by inch, the sky leaped off and layered to the floor breeching off any sunlight. Christine studied the canopy, finding it odd and pretty but too sluggish to suspect. It didn't seem like a typical design of the hospital, but she had lost consciousness before being rolled into the surgical room. She wasn't sure how fancy the most demanding rooms could be. And it wasn't as if her parents couldn't afford it. She'd seen the billings to sustain her comfort in a place that was haunted by death.

Christine tossed around in the hospital bed and was surprised to feel that her body wasn't aching—more specifically her head. The surgery must have been a success. The meds as well if she had a mind as clear as this.

She wiggled her arms, legs, each finger and each toe, and more enough to know that she was severely drugged to feel no discomfort. And that she was alive, the important part, that too. A sigh floated out of her. All those warnings from the doctors for naught.

Dad was right. She could be practicing right now if she wanted to. But she wanted to sleep. In a hospital bed as comfortable as this.

"My lady," A voice murmured in her ear, "You're awake?"

Christine immediately sprang up.

And to her horror found a beautiful albino boy looking at her, eyes glassy, smile forced. Christine's fingers tightened around the sheets, thoughts warping and snapping to find any reason why a boy would be in her bed. She went still.

He was naked. There was a boy in her hospital bed entirely naked.

"Why are you here!" The question came more out as a yelp as she tried to throw on whatever could cover—she saw it again. Christine fought her embarrassment, throwing the fistful of sheets all over him.

"I..." Unfortunately for her, the boy made no attempt to leave. Instead, his smile wavered. It held for some time before falling in parts, breaking out of fear. "W—Was I not allowed to rest with my lady after this afternoon?" A glistening tear ran down his cheek. Then another. "I'm so sorry." He trembled, wetting the bed with his tears. "This is all my fault, my lady. Please forgive my insolence."

    Christine turned frantic. Why was he crying?

"Please stop crying." He seemed to cry even harder. "You didn't do anything wrong." She told him, unsure how to console him. Wait—why was she consoling him? He was the naked intruder in her...

This wasn't a hospital bed. Christine pulled up the layered sheets, staring at the fabric, her thoughts molding at what she saw. No, these sheets were far stranger. More well-made. In a pattern which ripened through vermillion floss, forming a spiralized symbol that was certainly not of the hospital's. Unless her mom had made it, but this embroidery was far more complicated than the roses she'd seen.

Christine went ram-rock straight when the mattress dipped to her left. She pushed her shoulder back until hitting the headboard, making an effort to see the cause of movement with the dimness of light.

Her mouth went slack as an older albino boy rose. There was another one?

"You lot are so noisy." He said in pure disdain, rising.

"You're also naked." She burst out, surprised. Horrified, actually. And he certainly didn't care either, because he didn't try to cover what hung exposed. Christine was caught off-guard by a load of welts along his spine to his white hair billowing out at the neck, and the look of a savage face to go with it.