Night Flyer

Chapter 13

    Namara sat curled up against the wall in the corner of her room, shaking. Her whole body hurt, her bones felt like they were on fire. Namara wrapped her arms around her legs, pulling them closer into her chest. Her breaths were shaky, rattling in her chest. Her throat hurt, it was raw, and breathing was like inhaling razor blades. 

  Her bones went from burning to feeling like glass, like if she moved they'd shatter. Namara's hands were shaking. Her nails were screaming in agony, curving outward from her fingers into claws. Like an animal. A feral animal. She made a fist, digging her claws into the palm of her hand, rewarded with a flash of pain. Warm, thick blood ran into her hands and dripped onto the carpet. 

  Namara let out a strangled sob. Frustrated at herself and at how little control she had. An unfortunate side effect of Namara's mutation was that there were moments when she couldn't control her nails becoming claws, and her normally steel hard bones turning to feeling like glass. After so many weeks of healing herself, all the pain from her healed injuries came rushing back. She felt every bone she'd ever broken, even cut she'd ever healed, all rushing back at once. It was agony, and sometimes it was triggered, and she couldn't control when or where. 

  She twisted her fingers into her black hair, pulling it at the roots. She coughed, a wet, raspy cough. Then she couldn't get her breath, and Namara gasped, pulling air in but it didn't fill her lungs. 

  There was a quiet knock at her door, but Namara didn't answer. She just crawled across the floor, getting closer to the wall. 

  The door opened and someone knelt down next to her, a gentle hand on her shoulder. 

 "Namara, are you okay?" It was Steve's voice. Of course it was Steve, because right now, he was the last person she wanted to see her like this. Weak. Pathetic. 

   "I'm fine Steve. Just leave..." Namara coughed, "Get out."

  Steve sat down next to Namara, "Do you need me to get Bruce? He's a doctor."

"No. I'm fine. He can't help-" Namara broke off, letting out a gasp of pain. Searing pain lacing through her bones. "Just get out Steve." Namara still couldn't breathe, and she didn't want to cry in front of anyone. 

  "Your not fine. Let's get you up off the floor." Steve grabbed Namara's arm and started to pull her up. Namara started to stand, but then a flash of pain went up her leg and she started to collapse. Steve grabbed her before she could fall and picked her up like she weighed no more than a loaf of bread. It was strangely comforting, being held so close to someone she trusted. In the circus, if someone had grabbed Namara, their intentions were not honorable. But Steve was different, Namara knew she could trust him. 

  Steve gently set her down on her bed and pulled the comforter up over her. "Just get some rest, I'll get you a glass of water."

 "Steve, thank you," Namara said as he left. She meant it.