No Pain: Book 1

Chapter 53: Star

          The door is open, all I have to do is run out and I can't even get my body to move. Chase is with that Idio and I can't even breathe right.

You are so pathetic, after all your training, everything you did to change who you were and you still can't save her! I catch the thought at the end.

"Him." I correct myself letting the pain consume me with the small movement. I deserve this, I can't save anyone. I couldn't keep Emily safe and I can't keep Chase safe.

He was right here! I deserve this, I couldn't fight through the pain to save Chase, young, innocent... Chase. I deserve every ache and stab of pain tormenting my body.

"Star?" Najee's voice is the most amazing sound in the world when I hear it. I want to look at him, I want to smile and make a stupid joke and I want him to give me a hard time about getting caught but he doesn't say anything.

I know he must be horrified by what he sees, not only the damage that's been done to my body, the scars I'll have to add to my collection but also the fact that I'm on the ground and he doesn't have any idea why.

"Star!" He exclaims finally getting a hold of himself. He drops to his knees beside me, arms sliding under me to lift me up. The movement sends fresh pain jolting through my body, the different kinds of pain melding into one big cocktail of pain. I scream. Najee freezes with me already pulled onto his lap.

"Star..." He looks down at me as I look up at him. "Are you... in pain?" He's confused but that's not what looks weird in his eyes.

"Najee..." I ask.

He nods "mostly, it's a long story." His eyes are filled with horror as he looks me over "what happened?"

"Cure." It's the shortest word I can think of "he... fixed me." Pain radiates through my jaw and up into my ear with every word.

"You can feel pain now?" He laughs without humor "he got me too."

What! What do you mean he got you too? What's wrong with you? I want to ask him a million questions but the pain is getting to be too much. It's making me woozy again.

"Is yours on a time limit too?" He asks.

"Yes." I try to hide the pain but I know I'm not doing it well. His hand brushes against my jaw. His touch is more intense than it's ever felt before.

"Your jaw is broken again." He sighs knowing how hard it's going to be to get me to get my jaw wired shut. I want to joke with him, tell him how I just can't seem to keep my mouth shut but the second I open my mouth the pain stops me.

"Don't talk anymore." Najee gently prods at my jaw but even that sends waves of pain through my skull. "It's bad."

"I noticed." I force out through the waves.

"I'm going to get you out of here," he says, "but it's going to hurt." My inability to deny the pain and assure him that I'll be fine is grating on my nerves.

"Ready?" He asks but he doesn't wait for a response. He slides his arms around my shoulders and under my knees. Pain fills my every sense, black ebbs in around my vision, there's a ringing in my ear. A jolt of pain makes white flash in my eyes and my head spin. Najee grunts, his face betraying his own pain.

"What happened?" I slosh the additional pain together with the rest.

"He shot me, I'm fine." He pushes the ground away pulling me against his chest. A sharp gasp makes him freeze and look down at me with pity.