Hai! So thank you very very much for the feedback, and I agree, chapter one went dooooowwwnnhhillll. (IT SUCKED). XD
So after pacing, banging my head against the wall, and trying to get a solution to fall out, I think I have a much better idea of what I am doing. :D So, I have re-written the first chapter, and here is the second. Also, I now have a sub-plot fulla drama (yay), because I NEED A SUB-PLOT.
Elias flashed his smile, staring back at me with our identical eyes. I was frozen to the spot. This CANNOT be real.
'You didn't stab me enough times,' he said quietly. I trained my eyes on his shoes, my heart skipping a beat for every step forwards he took. Chuckling, he reached into his pocket. His hand opened; a piece of white fabric fell heavily to the ground. It was crumpled, soaked red with what could only be blood.
'You know what that is, don't you? I keep my promises Novalie.'
I shook my head hard and said very quietly, 'I don't know what that is…' My mouth was so dry I could barely open it.
His face dropped with disappointment. He was so close to me by now.
'It's a cravat.'
The room lurched around me. I pressed my feet into the ground to try and keep myself upright. 'You can't be… Alive… I am dreaming…'
'This is no dream. It is too real, isn't it?' I staggered against my desk chair, which dug into my back sharply like a jolt to tell me "this is reality".
It was too real. I was not dreaming. My senses were alive, and I didn't know how to react.
'Stop…' I implored.
'Stop what?' Elias dug his hands into his pockets casually.
'STOP! STOP IT!' My hand closed around my ink pen, and I lurched forwards, thrusting it at his face. It was a stupid move, he could easily stop me – but I wasn't thinking. I flinched instinctively, but he did not block me or hit me. Instead, I kept falling forwards, and my eyes shot open as I caught myself.
There was no one in the room.
Where the hell did he go?! The cravat was gone too. The pen slipping from my hand and my heart thrashing in my chest, I only had one thought on my mind. Wrenching thr door open, I flew into the corridor. I had to skid to a halt sharpish though, because I almost ran into someone. Oh, it's Levi! He backed up in surprise. Relief hit me like a wave, and I yelped, throwing my arm around him.
He stiffened. 'What the hell's wrong with you?'
I almost smiled at that. Such a Levi thing to say. I released him.
'I don't know… I don't even know what is real anymore.'
His frown deepened. 'Why?'
'I just saw Elias…' It sounded even more ridiculous out loud.
'No you didn't; he is dead. I sat by his dead body for about fifteen minutes,' Levi assured me. 'No one can keep their eyes open that long.'
'I know… I am going mad…' I sighed and dug my fingers into my hair. Ever since seeing Elias, I had become more and more dizzy. I felt out of control of my body.
'Your speech is slurred,' Levi told me bluntly. 'What have you been doing?'
I frowned and shook my head. 'Nothing…' I swayed, catching myself.
'You look drunk.'
'I don't drink…'
He grabbed my wrist and steered me back into my room. I stumbled after him helpessly. My eyes drooped – I could barely stand up.
'Go to sleep. I don't know what the fuck happened to you, but you aren't leaving this room like this.'
I barely had a choice, he just took me by the shoulders and shoved me onto my bed. Glancing past his shoulder, I saw a woman in the doorway.
'Need any help with her Captain?' She asked. My vision was too blurry to make out her face… But… Do I recognise that voice?
Levi swivelled around. 'Get someone from the infirmary.'
'No need,' she strode into my room, titling her head at me. 'I know what's wrong with her.' I could hear the smugness in her voice.
'Spit it out then.'
'She's high on Hajuli.'
'What the fuck is that?'
'Hajuli? It's the new drug around here. Haven't you heard of it?'
I tried to protest. 'I doshe tak dlugs.' Well, if they understood that, it would be a miracle.
'This woman, high? Tch.' Levi's voice dipped underwater. I could hear water in my ears… Wait, I can feel water. I am underwater! How the hell did I get underwater? I need to breathe… I need to find the surface…
LEVI
Novalie started panicking, reaching around as if she was looking for something. My chest tightened. What on earth happened to her? I grabbed her hand and pushed it back down, growling at her to keep still. She wasn't listening, and wriggled away from me. The girl that had come in opened her bedside draw. She pulled something out and opened her hand.
'See? Told you.' In her hand were three white pills, all about diameter of a grain of rice.
'They could be anything,' I argued.
She chuckled. 'Why don't we ask Squad Leader Hanji to test them?'
I shrugged. 'Go ahead. But if they are these… Whatever you call them… What are they going to do to her?'
'Make her sleepy, hallucinate, etc, and then she will propbably get addicted to them if she isn't already. They are illegal, you know?' She folded her arms almost triumphantly. 'I have every right to report her for this.'
I scowled, and her face lost its smugness slightly. 'Just get them tested,' I snapped. She wordlessly left. Novalie was curled up, covering her eyes. I sat beside her.
'Novalie?'
For the few seconds that I got no response, I thought she couldn't hear me in whatever spaced out state she was in, but then her hazel eyes appeared from under her hand.
'Did you take something?'
She shook her head, then gasped and clutched it. I frowned deeply. I didn't want to believe that she had… In fact, no, I have seen more than by fair share of drugees in the underground, there are always signs. She had none of them. Unless she only just…
No. Not Novalie. It is all bullshit.
'Le… Hi?' She mumbled. She was even struggling with my two syllable name.
'What?'
'I don… 'ike it…'
'I'm not surprised.'
She screamed suddenly, trying to scramble backwards into the wall, but her motor skills were in shambles. I looked over my shoulder to where she was staring in utter horror.
Of course, there was nothing there. I leaned over and covered her eyes with my hand. To see her in this much stress, it was disturbing. I didn't like it any more than she did. She calmed a bit then.
'I wanna… gerrup…'
'You really think that is going to happen?' I scoffed.
'I'll… Tie…'
'Tie?'
'T…T-R-Y.'
I sighed and stood, putting out my hands to help her up. As soon as my hand was gone from her face though, she yelped.
'No…No… Don… wanna s- see…'
I hastily blinded her again. She felt around. I took her arm and pulled her into a sitting position on the edge of the bed. Her breathing was very raspy.
'Nema mind… I can't… Stand.'
'Really?' I said sarcastically. 'Go to sleep.'
'Can't…'
'Stop arguing already.'
She huffed, swaying a little. 'Pease… Don… Lemme see…' She motioned floppily to her face. I knew what she meant, and she groaned, falling against me.
NOVALIE
It hit me then. A wash of calmness. I could feel myself slipping onto Levi, and his arms stopping me from falling further...
There is a thudding sound… What is that?
Oh, it's his heartbeat… Well, at least he is alive, right? Wait, what if he ISN'T alive? What if that is a hallucination? What if Levi HIMSELF is a hallucination?
What if every thought going through my head right now is utter bullshit? That is likely…
That lady said I took drugs – did I? I don't remember that. Would I do that? I don't even know anymore.
You don't care about that… A small voice inside me said. I listened to it unquestioningly. You just want to sleep, don't you?
Yeah… I do…
There is nothing to worry about… You are happy…
Am I?
Probably.
I don't care anymore…
