Puppet {ManxMan}

CHAPTER 17

Malachi told Arthur.

I expected that. When Dakota said Malachi was whipped, he wasn't exaggerating. He was like a love struck puppy in the body of a bear. I was happy they didn't talk about it in front of me at least, they were decent enough to leave the room and leave me be so I didn't have to relive it.

The next time Arthur came in, he was carrying a tray of food. I was awake, sitting up against a stack of pillows and messing around with the black brace on my right wrist, staring at my hands and nails. I didn't want to bring it up, but there was still blood in the creases of my nails. I wanted to cut all of them off just to get the substance away, but that would be crazy.

Arthur made me a very light breakfast. Toast, bacon, and a cup of tea. I guess he took up Malachi's suggestion. At least it wasn't milk. His eyes were red and puffy, and he was acting a lot gentler than he usually did, which was saying something. He was naturally a gentle person, so the fact I could notice when he was being extra careful was a little... embarrassing, considering it was aimed at me.

I ate slowly, nibbling on a corner of the bread and staring down at my lap, not raising my eyes any higher as I willed myself to eat anything I could. Every time the food passed my throat I winced or gagged, and Arthur would reach out to squeeze my shoulder or pet back my hair. Everyone kept doing that, messing with my hair, brushing it aside and petting it like I was an injured animal. I didn't understand why they were so... nice.

"How's Ian?" I asked the question as Arthur was leaving the room with the empty tray of food I'm surprised I actually ate.

He paused before he even touched the door knob, hesitating before turning around and walking back over to the bed, "He's... in a bit of pain, but's he's alright. I had to sedate him so he could actually sleep. I don't... know all that happened, what they used and what they did, and I don't know if I can help him."

"You can," I reassured, "Even if he can't get his sight back, you'll get him healthy and fit. You're a good doctor, Arthur."

The smile he gave me was shaky, but he nodded, looking over my head and nodding towards something off to the side, "You probably didn't notice those there, but Kailas brought in some albums for you."

"Albums," I turned my head to see the stack of photo albums sitting on the counter, "Oh..."

"Some of them belonged to your mom," Arthur explained, "We brought as many as we could, and the books we couldn't carry we just took the photos out and boxed them. They're somewhere around here. Kailas thought it might be nice for you to have those memories."

I didn't reply or turn to look at him, just stared at the albums. When the door shut I looked over my shoulder to make sure he was gone before pushing the covers back and walking over to the counter, grabbing the four books before sitting back down. I recognized two of them, but couldn't bring myself to open them, so I focused on the third, which was new to me.

They were filled with photos of me, Kailas, Arthur, and Cass. They must have made it when I was kidnapped, so they never forgot me. Like how I continuously sketched their faces so I never forgot what they looked like. I shut the album before I could even look at it and laid back down, not pulling the covers up or anything, just lying there staring at the ceiling.

I was stuck in that room for two more days before they let me wear normal clothes and leave. Somehow Arthur found clothes that would fit me, jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt, and he said there was more clothes in my "room". I didn't get what he meant until he took me down a few halls, away from the infirmary and into an entirely new area of the base where he said most of the rooms were.

Arthur said I was basically VIP, so I got to stay in the same wing as he, Malachi, Cass, Ian, Dakota, Kailas, and a few others in their inner circle whom I hadn't even met yet. I didn't really want to meet anyone else though, I just wanted to be alone. The room was nice, surprisingly so, with a small adjoined bathroom and a closet. The ground was carpet, the bed was raised slightly and furnished with a dark green comforter, sheets, and pillows. There were even curtains hanging in front of two windows. I'd never had windows before.