This imposter tries, he tries so hard to keep the beans down, acting like he enjoyed them. The doctor had to excuse himself, I think his mask was going to break if he didn't. I was going to have to leave, but then the beans made a second appearance.
"Doc!"
The doc comes rushing over and lets the imposter finish throwing up before handing him some water and pills.
"Here you go, John. Take these. These should help too."
He swallows them back grimacing, as the doc pulls me to the side.
"He should probably get some more rest. Go ahead and take him to go sleep. Those were sleeping pills, so you should get him there as soon as possible."
I nod, "Thank you doc." I turn to the imposter, "Come on, John. Let's lay you down alright?"
He grimaces and nods, "Alright, Sin. Let's go. You'll lay down with me right?"
My insides twist in disgust, but I try and give a warm smile, "Of course." I take his hand and snap us to the cell where our stuff his stuff was moved to and gesture for him to lay down.
I get in beside him and just put my head on the pillow and put my arm over my eyes.
"Is something the matter, Sin?" This imposter rolls over and props himself up to look at me as I uncover my face.
"Why would you think that?" I ask him.
"You're not holding me, kissing me, it's like you don't even want to be near me." He says, looking hurt.
'Cause you are not John, asshole.'
"Sorry, I've had a headache for some reason today." I mutter as he scoots closer to me.
"Well let me help you with that." He says and begins to rub my head with one hand.
'That does feel nice...'
Suddenly, his lips descend down on mine and I flinch, but remember I can't give it away that I know.
He starts to pull back and I pull him back down, kissing him chastely on the lips.
He tries to deepen the kiss, but I pull back causing his brows to furrow in question.
"You were just throwing up." I grimace.
His eyes widen slightly as he smiles down at me. "I can fix that." He hops up and goes to the sink where a toothbrush is. He brushes his teeth, washes his face and hands, and towels himself off. He walks back over to me and smiles hungrily.
My eyes widen knowing what he has in mind. As he bends down to kiss me again, I put a hand up to stop him.
"Have you forgotten that the door is wide open and you need rest? Not to mention that the room is not exactly private with bars on an entire wall?!" I quickly shake my head at him.
He sighs, " I just wanted to kiss you, my love... Were you really concerned at all for me? No one came for me. You have been acting cold and distant from me. I..."
Shit
I pull him to me and give him a fierce kiss, making him hum in response. I break the kiss and scold him, "Don't be silly. We were planning on coming to get you. Why do you think I was on the front line with a squad? We were going to start making our way when we were told that something was happening."
I see his eyes getting heavy, so I pull him on to the bed. "Lay down with me." I suggest and curl up on his chest, keeping my face down so I can avoid his gaze.
He wraps an arm lazily around me, and I sigh. I notice the scent of this imposter and solidify the fact that he's an imposter. John's scent was different than this. Even covered in dirt, mud, blood and gore, I know his scent.
I can't help the sob that catches in my throat, causing this John to stir, "Sin, what's the matter?"
I wipe my eyes and look into his, knowing that John will likely be seeing this.
"I love you, John. Don't you think for one second that I would ever leave you anywhere. I will come for you, always, no matter who might have you." I say cradling this imposters cheek in my palm.
I'm staring so intently into this fakes eyes, that I can see my sincerity touch him.
He pulls me down and kisses me again, but thankfully he stops and leans back to rest on the pillow. In seconds he's snoring and I'm leaving. I walk out and close the door silently.
I hope John got the message. We were coming for him, we know he's not here with us.
....
The Erlking's sickening laughter enraged me but I merely looked away from the screen.
'I heard you, Mary. I knew you wouldn't be fooled so easily.'
Hope enters me but I keep it deep in me, keeping despair on my face as the Erlking orders the guards to throw me back in my cell. I don't mind as they drag my limp body down the hallway, anything is better than being in the same room as the Erlking.
I'm thrown into my cell, chains attached to my cuffs again before I'm left alone with my dripping spigot. I just leaned up against the wall, my mind trying not to get excited.
Mary was coming for me, I knew a part of me knew she would, but for her to straight out tell me so clearly... I love that woman so much, I feel like my soul should explode.
My mind flashes scenes and sensations from my torture sessions earlier and fear grips my heart.
I hope they come as soon as they can.... Mary was right about having this 'gift' when I asked her about it so long ago when we merely just worked together... "death is a mercy, that you no longer have when you want it."
My body continues to shake lightly as I do my best not to think about what they had done to me earlier. I tried to just focus on what Mary said.
They were coming for me,.... They were coming for me..... They were going to come and get me..... I just had to hold out till then...
I can't tell time in here, so I don't know how long it's been since I was last with the Erlking. I've slept a little but who knows how long, drank lots of water and pissed the same amount. My stomach has been growling in hunger for a while now. I try not to pay attention to it, just fill my stomach with the water to try and take the pain away for now.
I was always cold now, with the rags that were once my clothes, still hanging off of me in strips, I would lay there shivering, not strong enough to do much except urinate and drink more water. It has been a while since I'd even had a bowel movement when the guards came and dragged me off, I was too weak to even attempt to walk.
I'm tossed to the ground, my head flinging back like a rag dolls.
*CRACK*
Everything is black, but I can hear something loud like people arguing. It's all fuzzy like I'm underwater. I try to focus on my breathing which is the clearest thing I can sense right now, echoing loudly as I exhale.
My eyes weakly flutter open, to shut immediately from the blinding light that enters them. My head hurts and my mouth tastes funny.
'Damn was I drinking last night? My head feels like it's going to explode.'
Groaning, I go to sit up, but my hands and legs feel weird, bound and heavy.
'What the fuck?!'
"Well look who's joined us again. Have a nice nap, John?"
The unmistakable rough voice of the Erlking enters my ears and everything comes rushing back. I'm a prisoner of the Erlking.
I open my eyes, and the light hurts but is more bearable now. I blink a few times as the pain resides from my head.
"No, it feels like I was drinking all night." I grumble as my eyes try to focus and see where he is in relation to where I am.
I find him on the other side of a table laden with more food and drink.
"Well, come join me for some food. I'm sure you must be hungry." The Erlking invites me over and I stand hesitantly, trying to not have my headache come back.
I weakly stand and on shaking legs, take the few steps to collapse in the only other chair available.
A slave approaches and begins to put food on the kings plate and my own, just like before. I have her pile it high with different things, some that I could possibly pocket to take to the cell to eat later. I need to keep my strength and not become so weak again.
My view is obstructed from the Erlking, so much is on the table, that I have to look around the dishes to see the Erlkings face.
He's already eating, so I quickly begin to start digging in myself, taking small tidbits of different foods and putting them carefully in my pockets as to not gain notice. My stomach is already trying to betray me, as nausea sets in from eating food again.
I act like I'm eating as I put as much food in my pockets with out it being obvious, and stop to take a few swigs of water on the table. I'm doing my best not to let what I just ate come back up as I now sip the water and force my stomach to calm.
"Since you're done eating, shall we enjoy a little viewing?" The Erlking stands up, wiping his face off and strolls over to another chair facing the screens. A slave is crouched on hand and knee, bent submissively as a foot rest for the king. The boy had to be only twelve or thirteen, but he was covered in scars, cuts, and varying shades of bruises. I stood up and slowly make my way to the other chair, breathing heavily as I sit down. I glance at the slave, the Erlking and the screen.
"Thank you, your majesty." I say quietly as we sit there in silence.
"What are you thanking me for?" He inquires, inspecting me closely.
"The food and for helping me realize.... that the people I thought would never let me down .... did."
I sound empty and hollow, it's how I've been feeling. Starving in a cell for who knows how long now, gives you time to think. Maybe she didn't know that was not me. They still have not come for me, so why would they not, unless they thought I was safe?
The Erlking sighs, "At least you have manners. Turn the screens on!" He shouts out and the screens pop on with a chaotic scene, screams and shouts are heard everywhere.
I'm trying to make sense of what I'm seeing, but this idiot needs to quit blinking so much. Then finally, it makes sense. They have him on the front line. He's fighting up close and personal with his fellow comrades. It's kill or be killed out there and I can tell it's getting to him.
Watching this on the screen, I feel detached and emotionless. I feel tired, that is what I feel deep in my bones.
I watch and see that he's fighting but he's being joined by others. I see the familiar silhouette of Mary, fighting near him when a call comes through the com's that can be heard.
"Sin, Bavarthos is here!"
My clone stops still, he stops for too long, one of the Erl's men pops through the barriers and runs his blade through my clones middle before he can move to react.
"NOO!" Mary screams and hacks the soldiers head in two, kicking him off her blade before grabbing my clones body.
"John?"
"Sin, I'm sorry...." My clone coughs and blood can be seen spraying out with that cough.
"Shhh... it's okay, you'll heal it just takes a little bit." She says fighting tears back. Even if she knows that is not me, it has my face and is probably taking her back to a memory, I can see the shift of despair in her eyes.
"No... I won't... agh!" He cries out in pain, clutching to Mary desperately.
"What are you talking about you won't?" She says confused.
"The Erlking... the Erlking sent me to..." his voice grows weaker.
Desperately she begins to shake him, "John?! Erlking sent you to what?!"
The clones voice is barely audible with everything going on around them.
"Not... John..." he croaks, "I wish I was...." His eyes close and all we have is audio.
"John?!" I hear Mary's voice call out before the croak of my clones voice comes out.
"Don't let him get Bavarth..." His voice drops off and we see his vitals flat line.
I hear the Mary screaming in the background, and the sounds of struggling before I close my eyes tightly letting the tears fall from my eyes.
As I open them, my blood turns to ice as I fill with dread.
The Erlking stands before me like a creature from a nightmare giving me a wicked smile.