Zora refused to collapse without a fight and gathered all her power to go and lock the door properly but she slowly lost her balance and melted on the floor before she even reached it. Her efforts were in vain, she was laying on the floor, barely conscious asking herself what went wrong and why is she feeling this way all of a sudden. Before she fully lost consciousness she saw a glimpse of the door slowly cracking itself open and Raines's cold gaze.
-Just in time. I'm glad I took safety measures beforehand; he smiled relieved while picking up the fork with a cloth and throwing it in a bag.
-And here I thought the birdie was the hard catch; he chuckled to himself as he crouched down beside Zora. He carefully lifted her off the ground and carried her to the bed, tucked her in, head-patted her and whispered to her :
- I can't wait to pluck your feathers one by one. Just wait little birdie, I'll make your life a living hell.
INCOMPLETE CHAPTER, DO NO READ FURTHER
Shocked by what Oliver said she opened her eyes and spaced out long enough to almost cut her fingers off while chopping. Luckily for her that didn't happen. She only got a scratch because Oliver was paying attention to her all along. Otherwise...
it wouldn't have been such a nice dwelling. A cut that deep wouldn't even allow you to feel anything else other than a deep, sharp pain that strikes and restrains your sense of reality and the only things that would come out are sorrowful crystal clear tears.
-Hey watch out. You are going to add human meat in there if you don't pay attention. Are you an airhead?!?!You surely would've detached your fingers if it wasn't for me; he shouted worried, grabbed her hand and stopped the knife from going deeper into her flesh.
In a heartbeat Oliver dragged her to the bathroom, cleaned up the wound and got his medical kit.
Zora came back to her senses when he grabbed her hand but didn't say a word, not even flinched a second when she had her wound cleaned up with ice cold water. Instead she was looking at him unable to understand Oliver's actions thinking: "Why would he care? How can he look at me as I'm no disappointment? Instead he looks worried and I can't stop this tingly, uneasy sensation coming from my chest. What is this?"
- Does it hurt? Can you slowly move your fingers? Do they feel numb? he calmly asked as he bandaged her fragile hand.
- I can take the pain. Don't worry, I'm used to this kind of thing.
-Zora I'm not asking you if you can bear the pain. I'm asking you if you feel it. Why in the world would you get used to pain? You didn't even notice that you were chopping off your fingers; he said with a restless tone in his voice.
- It's called discipline. I got used to that kind of feeling over time and I can't respond to pain naturally, confessed.
-What?
As quiet as a mice, Zora glanced blankly at her hand and got lost in her thoughts again thinking:
-" He said that I have to be myself but, I don't know how to do that.
- Well that's why I'm here my dear.
-Dawn?
- Yes, that's me.
- How come I can hear you?
-Obviously, because I'm just echoing in your head. This is the only thing I can do while you're in charge of the body, she answered as monotonic as possible.
- I thought I can only talk to you when I'm unconscious or you try to force yourself out.
- Nah, I was always able to do this. I just didn't feel like talking to a whimsy, childish girl like you. By the way, that Oliver guy.... did he do anything to you?
- I don't know, she mumbled while averting Dawn's question.
-What do you mean you don't know?!?! He literally drugged us, yelled Dawn in frustration.
- It's just that I can't understand his reason for being so nice even though I am a complete stranger who broke into his house and attempted to murder him. He gives off mixed signals, I don't know whether I should stay and find out more or simply run for my life.
- Do you want me to make him talk? I have my ways and they're pretty effective.
- Hell no!!! The last time you helped me out you turned my family into a blood pool. There's no way I'd let you go rampant again.
- You're such a stick-in-the-mud.
- Well it's better than murdering people.
- Come on now... you know they deserved it. They made you suffer so much and I couldn't stand it.
- But I loved my family.
- No, you loved the idea of having a family. I know you just wanted to be loved but, having them treat you like that would only hurt you further, you know it.
- I don't want to talk anymore."
Zora blinked twice and took a deep breath returning to her surroundings. The bandage felt warm and was well wrapped around her fingers, the work of someone who refined his skills over time.
Speaking of time, half an hour has passed since Oliver left and it was way too quiet downstairs, silence is never welcomed warmly by Zora, it awakens certain feelings that have been buried for a while.
Restless, the girl sneaked out of the room to investigate... little did she know that waiting for her downstairs was...
Oliver cleaned himself up quickly and strangely, he didn't went downstairs yet. He took out of his jacket a phone and dialed a number with a serious expression. His face was showing concern and he was walking around in circles talking to the phone.
Needless to say, Zora plopped on the bed and gazed at the ceiling for a while, then her eyes slowly closed and the transition from reality to dream began. She was suddenly standing in the living room of her house. The atmosphere was most likely one from a horror movie scene. Splatters of blood and crimson fingerprints that started to dry and turn into dark paint covered the walls of the room. The eerie silence and the absence of a pure light would have sent shivers down the spine of anyone who would be there. Anyone except this girl, she was just standing there like a robot and didn't show any sign of fear, worry nor confusion. She looked like she's already seen and experienced worse than that, which is actually true.
Due to her past, she is not able to have the same rush of adrenaline as a normal person would have in such a moment anymore, her brain simply stopped releasing it. She had no urge to survive or die, pain was simply ignored and emotions compressed into a bullet. You just need to pull the trigger in order to release a full impact on her, which could turn into a chaotic event in less than an instant if you hit the wrong side of the wall. Letting that aside, the dream itself is the creation of our mind, be it a wonderful fantasy, a lie we want to seek truth from, or a painful and haunting truth that we try to run away from instead of accepting it.
In Zora's case it's the latter, she committed murder with her own hands, crime that the human conscience can't deny so easily or take it as an action that deserves a light form of punishment. The blame is gonna haunt her until she at least confesses her wrongdoing.
In the darkness of the room, a giggling sound echoes and footsteps start to approach the girl standing in the middle of it.
She flinched as she saw her family members coming out of the dark, all soaked in blood.
Finally, she reacts to something:
- No, stay back... Don't you dare come any closer to me!
-Oh silly girl... or what? You're gonna kill us? You've already done that!!! scoffed her mother while coming closer and closer.
- No, no, please go! Or she'll come....she whispered in fear, blinked once and the knife appeared in her hand mysteriously.
She looked at the sharp object and tears started to fall down her cheeks. Trembling she threw it away and ran out the door on the empty streets. No matter where she was heading, one of her family members appeared in front of her.
She took a turn to left, her siblings were there saying:
-Come and play with us dear sister.
She then turned around and her mother was there asking:
-Where are you going, my sweet daughter? You can't run away from what you've done and you know it. Come and join us; she asked while trying to embracer her daughter.
-Come and join us; they all repeated continuously.
The nightmare didn't seem to stop at that point for Zora, the worst has only come now when Dawn appeared there too. She snuck behind her back and whispered:
- How's your new family?
- What? Zora jumped and fell down on the ground frightened by her other appearance.
- Aw, look how clumsy you are. You can't even stand on those two small feet. Do you want my help? Dawn grinned joyfully.
- Of course she does. Without you she's nothing else but a useless scoundrel, her grandmother mumbled.
-Yeah you're more fun than her, her siblings agreed.
- She can't even stand up for herself, let alone be good at something; her mother pitied her.
Zora can't bring herself to get up after hearing such harsh words, weighing her down even more than the actual crime. She clenched her fists and asks coldly:
- Who's there to blame?
-Did you say something? Dawn leaned over unbothered.
- I said, who's there to blame?!?! Zora yelled and broke the silence while still crying.
- Excuse me? Obviously it's your fault, she answered, pointing out at her.
- Are you sure I'm the one to blame?
-Would there be someone else other than you? she laughed insanely.
Zora kept quiet for a good amount of time, thinking, and stared intensely at Dawn. Her eyes were facing the persona and the anger contained in there was visibly immense. The girl got up, rolled up her sleeve casually and punched Dawn in the face so hard that the impact felt so intense that it brought her back to reality in less than a second. She woke up breathing heavily, with her fist clenched midair, all covered in blood because of the sudden gesture that caused the wounds to open up.
-" Oh Lord. Oliver is definitely not going to be happy about this", she thought while getting up and looking for a piece of fabric to cover up the bloody mess.
She took a random t-shirt from her wardrobe, wrapped it up around her hand and quietly walked towards his room. As she reached in front of his door she stopped and looked down nervously thinking:
-" What am I even going to tell this guy about it? Hey, yeah I woke up like this, can you fix it for me? As if that sounds very normal. Forget about it, I'm going to bleed out if I stay like this for another 5 minutes."
- Oliver are you busy right now? I need your assistance; she finally asked after knocking the door.
- What's the matter? This better be urgent; he responded while opening the door.
After noticing what was going on, he showed a very worried expression and dragged her into the room quickly.
- Sit down and don't move. I'm gonna question you later about it; he instructed the girl with a serious tone in his voice.
He got his medical kit and took out a needle and thread, cotton, sanitary alcohol and one syringe. In the moment she saw it, she turned pale and became extremely anxious.
- It's gonna numb out the pain. Don't clench your fist like that when I insert the needle; he explained while prepping the injection.
-I don't think it's that bad. You can put the needles away; she tried to persuade him while trying to keep the wound covered.
- But your wound opened up and you're bleeding out too much. You'll die if I don't do anything; he stated as he tried to explain everything.
-I would much rather die then; she pleaded while trying to get up.
- Zora are you afraid of needles?
- Perhaps, she mumbled while avoiding eye contact.
- Listen it's not gonna hurt, just close your eyes and trust me, he gently said while unfolding the t-shirt around her hand.
She closed her eyes obediently and the silence filled the room rather quickly. Something changed, her presence wasn't the same anymore. Dawn has come out of her hiding a lot more subtle than usually, but that didn't stop Oliver from noticing it.
-So, you're not going to ask me why I came back? You're an odd one, she blabbed while analyzing the whole situation.
- You're definitely not Zora, I can tell. So I'm guessing you go by a different name; he concluded, trying to avoid her persistent gaze.
- Finally a normal request. Well, I'm Dawn; she grinned in relief.
-I still prefer calling you birdie; he replied.
- You have some weird ass passion for birds and I don't even want to know why; she stated while being grossed out.
-That's a bit harsh coming from the one who's obsessed with butchering random people; he replied with a sassy tone.
- So how's the operation going doctor?
- It would go better if you'd stop distracting me. And also don't flinch so much, Zora's the one afraid of needles, not you. You seem scared as well; he ambiguously asked.
- I'm better than that whimsy girl. I'm not afraid of anything; she contradicts while trying to hide her fear.
- Honestly, I agree with you. I prefer you more; you're not that aggressive, distrustful and self centered as she is. You're raw, honest and peaceful within a certain point; he confessed calmly.
- I feel terribly disgusted by what you just said. Don't say that ever again; she said while looking away.
- My feelings won't change even if you're still as harsh as before. I'm done now; you can go back or whatever. I'm not hurting anyone as you can see; he said while putting back his stuff.
- I don't know what you mean by that; she reasoned while going back to her place.