Into the Void

To be a monster? To be a human?

"Ye told me she vould be fine." Doctor. Schneeplestein says in an angry German Irish accent as he stitches up the very painful stab wound in my shoulder. He had rushed over to us the minute the others had left the room with a worried expression on his face.

The Doctor wastes no time, and soon my torso is bare. I'm not entirely comfortable with someone seeing me like this, but Dark has, thankfully, left my bra on, and besides, Schneeplestein is a doctor, so it's okay. Right?

I shudder at the feeling of needle and thread being pulled through my skin. Everything is still coming through secondhand, like a phantom sensation. The stab wound has dulled to a throbbing ache, but it's nothing compared to the feeling of phantom stitches being tugged through my skin.

The wound might not be painful to me, but Dark is flinching and clenching his teeth as he speaks. He flinches again as the needle makes another pass through the skin, trying to stay as still as possible to prevent unnecessary movement of the thread. "Yes, well, that was before Anti found out what I was doing. He threatened to tell Them what I was planning if I didn't include him in this whole ordeal. I can't afford to look weak in front of a shark like Anti. I had to improvise when she proved to be more loyal and far stronger than I originally thought."

"I told ye zat she could not be easily svayed. Vat did ye do ta zis poor child? If I had known zis is vat vould happen zen I never vould have agreed ta help."

"I did nothing to cause everlasting harm to the body. What I did was done purely to the mind." He grunts a little as the Doctor pulls a little roughly at the thread.

"Zen, I shall assume zat ze vounds and scarring covering her shoulder vas done by Anti. Zat does not explain ze ozher problems." I hear the sound of scissors cutting something, and then the Doc is standing in front of us, an angry and sharp clinical look in his eyes as he gives us a once over. "Eyes sunken in. Large bruising under ze eyes. Ze skin is less ply. She shows signs of severe dehydration. Ye have been vith her far longer zen a few days. She should not be in zis state."

"Tell him, Dark. Tell him all about the little torture sessions you and Anti decided to have with me because I wouldn't play along." I croak out as he slowly sits back in the chair, trying to find a comfortable position that won't aggravate the wound.

Dark sighs, "It was never supposed to be this way, Bri. You were never supposed to get hurt."

I snort, but the Doctor reaches out and grabs our chin turning our head in various ways before staring deep into my eyes. It almost feels as though he is trying to search for me through the eyes. He sighs and lets go.

"I can't get a proper diagnosis. Zere is too much of ye in her ta know how hurt she actually is. I need ye ta separate yourself from ze girl before I can do anyzing more."

"Right now, I am the only thing keeping her alive. If I leave for too long, she will die, Doctor." Dark says through gritted teeth as he looks up at the man in the white Doctor coat.

"I can not help her if I can't see her properly. Separate yerself as much as ye are able ta." The Doctor rolls his eyes and runs a hand through faded green hair.

Dark sighs and grips the arms of the chair for just a brief moment before standing up.

It feels like I'm being ripped in two as Dark's form starts to separate from mine. I can't stop the scream of pain that erupts from my mouth, Dark seeming to echo my cry as he struggles to stand up with his own body. Whatever tether he's put up to keep us together seems to be working against him. It's like sticking your body in molasses, hugging somebody, and then trying to pull yourselves apart. He has to fight for every inch.