Heroes and Wolves [book 1]

Chapter fifty-three

Layla

I'm met with fuzzy white light when I open my eyes. I sit up and blink which defines the blurs as straight lines that mark the outskirts of this large room. The walls and floor are plain grey concrete but the wooden tables and organised cabinets against the walls with the odd shelf up in between do add some character to this dull room. The cabinets are filled with different sized flasks, tubes and coloured liquids. The shelves have books lined up within them.

I feel the cold of the floor which takes my focus away from my surroundings as I get goosebumps in reaction to the temperature and I shiver. It's as if I am standing out in the snow with hardly anything on. It's only when I look down that I realise there's some truth to my thought. I am completely naked.

Shreds of my clothes and multiple misshapen and snapped chain loops are scattered everywhere. Jeez.

The wall slides open behind me. Baymin is stood in the doorway and at the sight of him, I quickly try to cover myself the best way I can but I am still showing too much skin and I hate it. I keep my back facing Baymin, not wanting to lock eyes with him and make this quite exposing circumstance more unpleasant.

     "Wear these otherwise you will get a chill" a pile of clothing slaps on the floor near me and I put my hand out to pat the floor until I feel the material beneath my palms.

I put them on straight away, not even bothering to see what he brought me.

     "Thanks" I turn to face him once I am presentable but I still can't look him in the eye.

     "Are you alright?" he walks into the room. 

I shakily nod in response as I'm not too sure myself but this unsure feeling balloons when I lock onto his neck. There are bruised finger marks.

     "Are you alright?" I turn his question around and he soon realises what I am aiming at.

He looks like he is about to answer when he glances around the room. He's taken aback by the sight of the broken chains and the shreds of clothing. I grow surprised at the sights too because it's not just the chains and clothing. There are scratch marks all over the floor and at the bottom of some walls. There is even one wooden shelf snapped in two and a table that is lopsided from a leg that has been ripped out.

     "The reason why I bought you to this room is because its soundproof."

     "But why did you leave me here?"

     "Because you were making sounds that were unbearable to hear" I meet his eye, shocked at his unexpected words. "That time I met you outside of Miscellania, your clothes were ripped and there was a lot of blood. There were no Mavlins were there?" his eyes narrow in scrutiny.

     "No" I mutter almost silent.

     "It was the monster, wasn't it?" I nod. "Why didn't you tell the truth?"

     "I don't know" I shrug.

I am just so used to being without anyone. If there was a time that I got ill or was cut, I would read about it and sort it out myself. I work best by myself.

     "You said the same to Maylock as well. He is just trying to do the best thing and you withheld that information from him. From all of us. We are in this together Layla. You aren't alone but you can't hold back vital information that could impact us."

     "Well, isn't that ironic" I jab but don't further the insult considering my previous worthless attempts. It's best to save my breath. "But I know, I know"