Warped

Chapter 12: Lukas

My eyes snap open, only for me to blink and let my attention flicker around the room in confusion. There was some noise, something woke me up, but I don't hear anything now.

Petra and Olivia are now awake, with Axel sleeping in his far too small bed, and I have to rip my focus away from them before my heart wants to give up on trying to beat anymore. Such strong people, my friends, shouldn't be broken like this.

There should not be creaking coming from Olivia's bed, as she rocks back and forth with only one arm to keep her knees to her chest. Quiet pants waft into my ears, and whether that's because she's cold or sobbing silently I can't tell, but she shouldn't be making that noise at all. It's just wrong and bad and wrong on all accounts.

And Petra, who could cut through any monster in nothing short of a few seconds, should not be silent. I shouldn't be hearing nothing from her. Petra should be screaming, ready to tear apart the people who did this. That's what Petra should be doing. Not this slumped over outline, this shadow of the great warrior, starring out into space. Petra shouldn't look defeated, nothing can defeat Petra.

Sighing up to the ceiling, I feel the need to go comfort them... somehow. I don't want them to feel so terrible, but I have no clue what to say to them. I have no clue at all. Besides, it would be devastating if I tried to say something uplifting to Petra only to scurry away from her if my nose can't handle it.

I shake my head, even if I can't say anything I should be there for them. The first thing we did with our chains off was hug, one big hug. We don't have chains anymore, we can support one another.

"It's been fifteen hours since his transformation and there are no visible attempts of self harm or insanity."

Snapping upright, I get out of bed and walk towards Olivia. That's not happening, I'm not letting that happen to any of them. Even if I have to pin them down I'm not letting that happen. I don't care if they get mad or frustrated at me, I can't bare the thought of that happening to my friends.

Carefully, I sit on Olivia's bed and closely peer at her. She stops rocking, but remains in her curled position. Her dark outline almost emphasizing how miserable she is. So I lift one hand, checking to make sure my claws are sheathed, and rub her back.

Olivia's head snaps up with a shuddering breath, her back shaking madly beneath my hand. She tries to hold her breath, my mouth instantly drying up without a word to say to her, before a strangled sob breaks free and she clutches onto me.

Olivia sobs into me, and I start rubbing her back with both hands. Trying not to sob myself when I feel the spots of her spider skin through her prison shirt. It's a subtle difference, but it's there all the same. But it doesn't matter, I have a tail and claws but I'm still Lukas. Olivia has some spider skin but she's still Olivia.

"Hey, hey..." My heart flutters in relief when some part of my brain has figured out what to say and that I actually don't sound cat like or dehydrated. "It's okay, you're okay."

A clicking sob bubbles out from her, definitely spider like, as she hugs me harder. I begin to rub her back harder, muttering the same words as soothing as possible. I don't know what I can do to make her feel better, but I definitely don't want her to notice that I'm becoming increasingly stressed myself.

A low rumbling resonates from my chest, and only gets louder as horror streaks through me. The purr working it's way up into my throat as I feel Olivia stop sobbing. I've already stopped rubbing her back, a fistful of her prison shirt as I try to stamp it out.

"I'm sorrrrrrrrry..." I wince, letting go her. I sound so much like an animal, and the purrs are nothing like the human I wanted to be for her just a few moments ago. I don't want to be another reminder to Olivia of what's happened to us.