Meliora - Extricate - 31

[lady_mab]

Jun Zhou

It's a struggle to fight my way through the cloying darkness. A damp, musty smell fights its way down my nose as I push my way around corner after corner. I can't see anything beyond a few feet in front of me.

I try to test the distance of my vision, but only my right arm responds.

The left hangs limp at my side.

I push on, fingers trailing over the brick wall to keep my bearings.

My feet slip and trip over something slick but I don't fall. I can't fall.

I push on.

I try to cry out, but my voice burns in my throat and my lungs wheeze with the effort.

I push on.

My next breath comes on a gasp, wrenching its way out of my mouth with sudden sharpness. When I open my eyes, all I see is bright, sterile light filling my vision.

The contrast makes my head spin and pain throb in the back of my skull.

There is something soft and warm covering my entire body, though the shaking doesn’t subside. There is another something, sharp and unpleasant, pricking my wrist, but I don't dwell on it.

I blink against the disorienting feeling of being somewhere else entirely. Last thing I remembered was--

My head hurts to think about it.

When I inhale, slow and steady through my nose, I smell bleach. A hospital level of cleanliness. How did I end up in the hospital?

More importantly, I smell powder-fresh laundry detergent and a subtle sweetness.

My lungs groan in protest as I take a deep breath. The muscles in my neck creak and squeal as I force my head to turn to the side.

Zoné slouches low in a chair right beside the hospital bed, asleep. His arms are crossed over his chest, and there is gauze wrapped around his head, concentrated on his right temple. Behind him, Lysander stares at his reflection in the opaque window. He spins his e-cigarette anxiously in one hand.

Air wheezes out of my mouth and a croak breaks the silence of the room. I had been going for 'Hello', but I suppose this will have to do.

Lysander jumps at the sound, nearly flinging his cigarette to the other side of the room as it tumbles from his grip. A beat, then his eyes land on me. "Jun!" He jumps across the space between us, knocking into Zoné's chair as he does so.

Zoné chokes on his tongue and jerks upright. He manages some incomprehensible garble until his gaze swivels to me. His eyes spring open and panic returns to his features as he lurches to his feet. "Ohmygodyou'reawake."

I croak again, wince, and settle for a barely noticeable nod. I watch him, trying to read his face for any sign of an explanation for his own injuries.

He notices my stare and misreads it, attempting to scrub the exhaustion from his face. "Good," he says, though the words don't quite fit his mouth. He looks like he wants to say more, or quite possibly like he wants to cry. Instead, he settles for the single word voice over of everything left unspoken.

"Good," I agree. I try to brace myself against the bed and push myself upright, but pain from both arms makes me stop and fall back into the pillows with a gasp.

There's a small needle bandaged to my right wrist, connected to an IV. My left arm is covered in gauze, covering half of my palm and going all the way up to my elbow. I try to flex my fingers and receive a lance of pain in response.

"What happened?" I rasp, studying the bandages around my arm.

I see Lysander glance to Zoné, but my partner doesn't turn away from me. "Zoné says some monsters attacked the two of you. One of them grabbed you but..."

I remember that. I remember being unable to fight against it and being horrified at how helpless I felt.

It dragged me on for what felt like forever. I think I cut my arm when I struggled against it, but I don't remember how.

Lysander moves to sit on the edge of my bed, and takes my hand in his. He is trembling -- or perhaps I am the one shaking. "Jun, what happened?"

I struggle to piece it all together. I remember being carried away. I remember thinking that we must have reached the outskirts of the city when buildings started to reappear. And then I remember trying to find my way through twisting corridors that smelled damp and musty -- rain that never quite dried, old wood that had turned to rot -- and long abandoned buildings echoing my footsteps back to me.

But I can’t reconcile the time between those two memories.

Before I can figure out how to put thoughts into words, muffled voices come from the other side of the door.

The three of us look up just as the door bursts open and a frazzled looking nurse I recognize from my uncle's restaurant fails at stopping a very determined Jonas.

"Doll face!" Jonas falls across the other side of my bed and grasps my shoulder. "Are you okay? No, fuck that, you're covered in ugly bandages and you have these gross little welts on your face."

My hand responds as I pull it free from Lysander's grasp and touch my chin. I can feel something cool and a little sticky beneath my fingertips. An ointment, perhaps. "How did you know I was here?"

There's a breath of a pause before he rolls his eyes and reaches out to fix my hair. "I know everything, sweet cheeks."

I don't want to push him for answers. If he wanted to give them, he would have.

The nurse lingers in the doorway. "I'm sorry," he says, wringing his hands. "Visiting hours are over. I have to ask you to leave." He glances at me then around at the others.

"I will fight you, little man," Jonas snaps, though the nurse is clearly taller than him. "If you don't give me fifteen minutes--"

"Jun." The nurse cuts him off without even bothering to pay attention. He switches to Mandarin. "Meimei, your uncle is worried about you."

The air leaves my lungs and I sink back into the pillows. "Where is he?"

"He is at home. He asked me to look out for you."

My fingers twist around my blanket and it takes several seconds for me to figure out words I want to use. "They are okay. Can they stay?"

His eyes narrow and he clearly wants to say no. But then he nods and lets some of the tension out of his shoulders. He switches back to English for the rest of the room. "They want to keep you in the hospital overnight to monitor you. You do not have a concussion, but there are minor burns on your arms and face, and your left arm was cut badly. The doctor will come check on you in the morning, but if you need anything, push the call button."

He starts to retreat, but I call after him. "Gege, what is your name?"

"Xue. Let me know if you need anything." He nods once to Lysander and closes the door as he steps into the hall.

Jonas huffs as he takes my hand in his, careful to avoid the IV. "I'm sorry I couldn't do more for you, Doll face."

"It's fine." I don't know what he did, but I am thankful for his presence all the same.

Zoné is silent at my side, fidgeting with his zipper and refusing to meet anyone's gaze.

Lysander stoops down to pick up his e-cigarette and pockets it. "Jonas, what are you even doing here?" He sounds about as tired as I feel.

This time, there is no hesitation as Jonas shoots him a glare. "I have my ways, alright?"

Lysander's response is to hold up his hands in defeat.

"Do you need anything, Jun? Like, literally anything. I could have someone bring you a fucking parfait if you want one." The corners of Jonas' eyes are creased with concern. I didn't think he would show this level of emotion for me, but I can tell that his feelings are genuine.

"No, thank you. I do not need a parfait." I give him what I hope is a confident smile. "I will be out tomorrow, so I have nothing I need immediately." I realize that my eyes burn but that is likely because I still have my contacts in. Nothing much that can be done about that until I can get eye drops or my hands work with greater dexterity than they exhibit right now.

Jonas sits forward and places a kiss on my forehead. "Text me when you get out, alright? I want to make plans to see you after Christmas. Dinner, remember?"

"How could I forget?" I asked him to look after Glen for me -- though I bet at this point I owe him for a lot more. "I will let you know."

When Jonas slips back to his feet, he turns and gives the other two across the bed a long look. There's no sort of emotion, but the lack of expression is just as worrisome.

He springs into action by adjusting his cardigan and spinning around on his heels. Not fast enough that I miss the sour look that crosses his face.

The tension remains heavy in the room after he leaves.

Lysander's heavy sigh cuts through the silence and he scrubs his hand over his face. "Alright. I'm... Well, I'm glad you're safe, Jun."

I study my hands in my lap. "Me too."

"The hospital staff has already informed your uncle. I honestly think they only let me stay until you woke because I'm a teacher." There's a burden in his stance that I almost apologize for. It's the weight he bears whenever he realizes the responsibility he has for us.

As our Informant. As our teacher. As an adult, when we are just kids.

He wouldn't accept an apology if I gave one, so instead I say, "Thank you. For everything."

Lysander gives me an understanding glance. "Zoné, you coming?"

Zoné, who has been silent this entire time, doesn't look up. He clenches his hands together in his lap. "I'll stay here."

My heart aches to see him like this. "You do not have to--"

"It's my fault this happened, Jun." He finally looks at me, panic and fear pulling the corners of his mouth into a frown. The guilt I never quite fought down since waking up returns full force to try and choke me.

I want to tell him no, he's wrong, no one is to blame but the people putting us in these positions. I know that's not what he wants to hear.

He won't accept excuses.

"You can stay if you like," I say, softly. I reach over the edge of the bed and he catches onto my hand.

Zoné nods.

Lysander casts us one last glance before ruffling my hair and heading for the door.

And then it's just me and Zoné.

I can feel a tremor as he grips my hand, and I know that it's as much his as it is mine.

"How is your head?" I ask, not wanting to let the silence stretch on for too long.

His response is automatic. "It's fine." A beat. "I'm sorry this happened to you."

I let my head roll over on my pillows so I can watch him easier. "You did spectacularly back there."

A huff of laughter shakes his shoulders, but it's not enough to make its way to his face. "I was so terrified."

"How did Jonas know I was here?"

Zoné doesn't return my gaze.

I push on. "He's Fletcher's Informant. While I do not doubt his abilities to have heard something, it has only been--"

"I called him."

For a moment, I think he means Jonas. But then I realize.

Zoné doesn't give me the chance to cut in, anyway. "I was so scared. I didn't know what to do. I trust Lysander but... I knew that he wouldn't have been able to find you quickly enough. Your jacket had fallen off, and your cell was in your pocket--"

I hadn't thought about that, but I notice the pale blue fabric peeking out from behind him.

"I know my brother's past here in Eminence. He had--has a criminal record. So when the trail went cold I thought... he had left. But he didn't. And knowing him, he wouldn't have let useful contacts go." Zoné spits out the word and I catch the smallest glimpse at how he feels to be the brother left behind. "So I called him."

"Thank you," I repeat, but he tries to shake it off. "I mean it, Zoné."

There's a long pause before he slumps forward to rest his forehead against the rail of the bed. "I know. Why do you think this happened?"

I shake my head and sigh. "I honestly cannot say. I do not even know all the questions I should ask yet." I lift my hand and pat the top of his head. "I wonder if anyone else was attacked."

"If there were, it's not as bad as you and me." He props up his head and gives me a rueful grin. "I think some people in charge of Meliora checked you in to the hospital, because they called me and Lysander right after your uncle." The smile wavers, then drops. "Lysander came and found me at the church. I was able to get you checked in for the event. God I... honestly had no idea what to do, Jun. I was so worried--"

I have to roll onto my side a bit so I can reach him better. But I press my palm to his cheek and wait until he looks at me. "We are okay. This is something we will figure out."

His eyes are red, but they're dry. "Yeah," he says, squaring his shoulders and sitting up a bit. "Go team us."

My ribs hurt when I laugh, but that doesn't stop the giggles. "Go team us."

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