Fighting the Losing Battle

Chapter 13 - Fighting Temptation

Hope you like it - this will be the last update for a while, sorry! As soon as I get some time away from my college exams, I will write more, I promise! Let me know what you think! x

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Lukas POV

I have been standing guard for a day and a half now, and I'm finding it difficult to restrain myself from saying something, from telling her what they...we... are doing to her, that she's going to be okay, that it will all stop, eventually. But I mustn't say anything. And I haven't, yet. Somehow, I have managed to keep quiet, even that time... I was so close to telling her then. So tempted. I had been instructed to deliver her meal, which I did, the whole time glaring daggers down at the tiny portion of barely-edible...whatever it is they're trying to pass off as food, trying not to look at her sleeping, though clearly restless, form, trying to find a way to make it easier for myself. If only she knew. Just as I was leaving, she stirred, let out a cry, a heart-breaking cry. What was I supposed to do? I knew I couldn't help her, but I had to make sure she was okay. So I hesitated, by the door, just watching. Just waiting. Seeing her this way, clearly in so much pain, just made my urge to protect her so much stronger. She was hurting, and I couldn't do anything about it. Before I realised what was happening, she sat bolt upright, her eyes wide. She resembled a madwoman, hair matted and tangled, eyes darting, fingers gnarled into claws of pain – and yet, all I felt for her was... love....

Upon this realisation, of course, I had to leave. I had to get out of there as quickly as possible. Wrenching the door open, I flung myself out of the room, and away from her. Slamming the door, I could only pray that she wouldn't recall seeing me, or that, if she did, she would remember it only as another of her hallucinations. It would be so much easier for me, if she didn't remember. If only I could stop feeling, remove all emotion from my mind, and be completely numb. If only I could see her, and feel completely indifferent towards her... If only...

An angry shout rises from below, in the underground labs, jerking me out of the memory. The shout is louder than I expected – I had forgotten how close I am to the labs – and two voices grow louder, both clearly frustrated, arguing back and forth. Soon I can hear footsteps, accompanying the voices, and I realise they are headed straight for me. I try to look as though I am doing my job dutifully, rather than longing after the 'enemy', as they would say. Within seconds, two figures are striding down the corridor, argument in full flow. It doesn't surprise me to see Ryder – he is known for his rather aggressive nature. The other man, I recognise, but do not know by name. They don't seem to notice me standing there. Instead, they walk straight past, down another corridor. Snippets of their enraged conversation seem to fly through the air towards my eager ears.

"It was clearly your fault, you were meant to be in control! ... The prisoner ... What were you even doing anyway!? .... But WHY? ... No don't make excuses ... It's not my fault that you're a complete moron ... Can't even work the damn machine, it's not even difficult! ... Come on, you're not fooling me! ... Well, what are you going to do about it? ... The prisoner... Visions ... Not my fault if she sees our plans ... Meant to stop them ... Block her ... No, how about you tell that to Adrian..."

I strain to hear more but they are too far away, the conversation is lost on me. Clearly they are talking about something to do with her – I still don't know her name...I really want to know her name...NO! Come on, Lukas, that would not help matters! - and, from what I heard, I'd guess something has gone wrong for them... Is it wrong for me to be pleased? Yes, Lukas, it is wrong, you are not pleased!

All I can do for now, is to keep doing my job, appearing as loyal and dutiful as I can (my acting really is improving!), and hope that I overhear something more, something that will tell me what is going on down there. Either that, or I'm going to have to try to sneak into the labs... Yeah, I can already tell that wouldn't go too well... I think I'll just wait a bit longer...

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Kira POV

My eyes are just starting to close.

I don't know how to prepare myself for the dreams, but I am determined to fight it this time, as much as I can.

As the blackness threatens to steal me away again, I catch a glimpse of those familiar eyes. Those swirling whirlpool eyes. It's just a flash, the hint of a memory, but that's all it takes to realise, in an instant, that they are the eyes I saw before, the ones that I passed off as a dream. The eyes of my angel, the angel who betrayed me. It hurts to think of him, and yet, longing after the memory of those achingly beautiful eyes, such a bitter-sweet pain, something about him draws me back to reality.

I can't believe it.

Somehow, he made the dream vanish, in a way that I couldn't, not on my own.

And before I have recovered from the shock, the blinding flash of white takes my breath away, signalling the first vision since my arrival here.