Corrupted (EXCERPT)

3, III

"I'm going to get you some orange juice." Malachi's voice came from a distance, distorted. "I have some left over salmon, as well. We need to get some vitamen D in your system, Raven. You're collapsing."

What did he mean by that...? Collapse?

What was happening to her?

Raven couldn't respond for the life of her. She just wanted to close her eyes... rest... sleep again...

As if he read her mind, he said, "Don't close your eyes, Princess, alright? I need you to stay awake for a little longer."

Why did he keep on calling her "princess?" When did this nickname stick to her, and why did he choose it?

She was far from royalty.

Far from average.

Raven's vision kept on fading from his mansion to black, then to his mansion again.

The next thing she knew, she was in Malachi's lap as he sat on a floor of some kind.

Maybe it was hardwood? She couldn't make out the texture, but the color looked like wood.

"Set me..." she muttered, "beside you...."

"You won't be able to sit up on your own," he answered. "I guarantee it."

He then opened a fridge door that settled next to them, pulling out a bottle of orange liquid and a packet of something pink.

Raven heard him tear open the bag in a hurry, twisting open the cap as fast as he could.

And she felt his arm under her back, gently pushing her up to a sitting position, and he held his arm under her shoulderblades to keep her from falling.

She watched him hold up a piece of something pink, though she couldn't tell what it was.

"This is smoked salmon," he explained, clearly noticing her confused expression. "I need you to chew and swallow, okay?"

Malachi didn't wait for a reponse, he just slid the bit of Salmon in Raven's mouth.

She let out a choked gag even though he was being gentle, spitting it out despite the delicious salt hitting her tongue.

"Raven," he warned. "I can get meaner. Eat it, okay?"

She was silent.

"Do you want me to feed it to you like a bird?" he questioned sharply.

She shook her head.

"Raven, eat the fricking salmon."

She only looked up to him with a pained expression.

He shook his head in defeat. "Look... do you want me to eat it and show you I'm not feeding you poison?"

A nod.

He sighed. "Alright."

And he took a bit of pink out of the bag, biting down on the salty goodness and chewed, swallowing seconds later.

"Ready?" he said, lifting another pink blob.

She stared at it cautiously for a moment. "Malachi... did you drug me?"

"No," he answered.

"What's happening?"

"Just eat, okay?" He pushed the salmon against her lips.

After a moment of hesitation, she parted her lips, letting him slide in a bit of salmon.

Somehow—and at some point in time—she managed enough strength to start chewing...

And the taste of all the spices—the taste of FOOD—made something ignite inside her and she wanted so much more... but she still couldn't move on her own.

"More..." was all she could say. "Please... more...."

"You want more?" Malachi wondered playfully. "Is that what you're saying?"

She nodded slightly.

"I don't know..." he teased. "You were fighting back so much earlier...."

She gave him an annoyed look, but the gazed down at the floor seconds later.

"I'm joking," he uttered. "Eat as much as you want, Princess." His tone sounded almost... gentle. "I have three packets of this. I can feed you all of it. How does that sound?"

Another small nod.

"Alright, but," he added, "you have to drink some orange juice as well, deal?"

She nodded again, the hunger burning her stomach scorching through all her resistance...

He pressed the rim of the juice bottle to her mouth, letting her swallow slowly as he titled the liquid down her throat.

Raven couldn't tell how long this went on for... drinking orange juice and eating salmon for the first time in what felt like centuries.

But she started fading when her stomach was getting full, and it was as if Malachi sensed this.

The rest came in bits and pieces as she tried to stay awake, but her brain started dissolving and her eyes wanted to shut constantly.

After the world faded to black for a couple seconds, she opened her eyes as a light feeling consumed her.

She noticed Malachi carry her up a grand staircase, then the black consumed her again...

When she opened her eyes again... he walked down a hallway....

Darkness...

And she saw him enter a room of some sort, though it wasn't the old one she was in, it had a giant bed with silk sheets that brushed her arms when he laid her down onto it.

Briefly, she felt him pull the covers over her, and she faded in and out one last time, catching a glimpse of him walking over to a light switch, dimming them.

Why was he so kind to her suddenly...? Did he drug her and was waiting for her to fall asleep? And when she woke, she'd be in a dungeon?

"It's alright," he whispered when her eyes started closing. "I won't hurt you, Raven. I promise, alight?'

And the last thing she saw was him settling down onto a leather armchair, pulling a book onto his lap and started reading.

Raven couldn't resist the fatigue anymore... the darkness was weighing at her mind... screaming at her to shut her lashes and drift away into her dreams...

Also... was he reading... Shakespeare...?

She never thought a boy like him could read...

But she couldn't resist the urge anymore, so she closed her eyes, head falling to the side and faded into darkness.