A/N How was the chapter? Let me know what you think.
Resting against the toilet seat, I had been woken up during the night with a sickness in my stomach. Hurling into the metal bowl, I was trying to keep as quiet as possible. I didn't want to wake Helen, and the soldier was just outside; asleep on the couch.
Wiping my mouth again with a single piece of toilet paper, I slouched back feeling exhausted "What's wrong with you?" grumbled a voice from behind, making me jump.
Turning, I gasped as the soldier stood with his arms crossed in the door way; the black mask still attached to the lower half of his face. Looking down, I didn't know what to tell him "I'm not sure…I just, don't feel well" feeling a sheen of cold sweat on my forehead, I wiped it away with the long sleeve of my oversized shirt. I had been arguing for some time now on getting the soldier to find us some better clothing, but he refused. Simply saying that it was a waste of fuel, and that we'd have to make do for now.
Watching him take a few large strides, I slightly flinched as he crouched down to my level. Watching his right hand reach out, he pressed the back of his hand against my clammy forehead to check my temperature "You have a fever" he said before retreating his hand. Watching him get up, he turned around to the small bathtub that lay pressed up against the wall. Turning the taps on, the water started to fill the large space.
"What are you doing?" I asked with a frown as I felt my body tremble with heat.
"I need to get your temperature down. If this doesn't work, then I'll have to get you medicine" listening to his words, he waited for the bath to fill up before turning to me "get undressed"
Looking him up and down, I wasn't sure if I had heard him properly "B-but-" not having time to argue my case, the soldier had crouched back down to me.
"…Get. In…" reaching out for me, he had lifted me up from under my arms. Standing me in an upright position, I watched as the whole room including the soldier begin to spin – the scene before me morphing in odd directions. Almost falling over, the soldier had grabbed me without hesitation. Feeling the effects of the fever worse than ever, I could only stutter in protest as he tugged off my shirt.
Lifting me up into his arms, he carried me over to the bathtub and placed me in the lukewarm water. Shivering, the level came up to my shoulder as I sat submerged under the transparent water – my body on full display. But at the moment, I couldn't really care all that much. To me, it felt nice and relaxing. The shivers in my body slowly fading. Feeling my eyelids drift shut, I felt myself begin to slide under when I was quickly pulled up. Hearing him heave a sigh, he sat just on the edge; his back leaned up against the wall. Clinging to his arm in the bathtub, I felt afraid that if I let go I might drown; so I held tight.
Sitting somewhat curled in the bathtub, the water was starting to go cold. Feeling the back of his hand against my forehead again, he got up from his spot on the side "It's time to get out" nodding my head, I felt better but I still wasn't all 'there'. Grabbing the side, I tried to push myself up but the soldier ended up having to help me.
Feeling his hand grip under my arms, he pulled me up with little effort on his part before setting me on my feet; the cold floor sending a shiver up my spine "Am I getting better?" I asked, a feeling of drowsiness taking hold; both from the fever and the lack of sleep.
"We won't know until tomorrow. You need to get some rest" wrapping a towel around my shoulder, he started to rub my arms in order to get a little warmth back into my body. Once I was dry, I shrugged my shirt back over my body.
"Thank you" I mumbled while blinking to stay awake so that I could make it to my bed. Looking up to his grey eyes, he nodded his head before guiding me out of the bathroom. Walking the rest of the way by myself, I collapsed on the bed before entering nothingness.
Waking up the next morning, I didn't feel awful but I certainly didn't feel well. It had hit me during breakfast that I didn't know what had caused the sudden fever, and I was worried that it might be because of an infection of some sort. The only question was, what kind? And did it have anything to do with the baby?
Finishing my meal, it also happens that Helen had slept through the entire ordeal undisturbed; and with that information, I felt relieved. Not only did the soldier see me naked last night, but I had also been a sick, stumbling, klutz who almost drowned in a bathtub. It wasn't something I wanted people to know about.
"Everybody outside" ordered the soldier as he gestured for us to use the ladder. Chewing my food faster, I quickly swallowed before getting up from my seat. Watching Helen go up first, I quickly followed and then the soldier. Once we were outside, we waited for the soldier to go first. Walking close behind, we came to stand by the familiar white fold out table; an array of weapons resting on top "pick one" he instructed.
Glancing over at Helen, I looked down at the table before grabbing a black gun that looked not too heavy. Feeling the slight weight in my hand, I went to stand at the line made by a thin branch; the red dot still marked on the tree.
Since first learning how to fire a gun, it didn't take me long to get the hang of it. I was starting to get quite good at it. Shaking the feeling of the fever that I still had, I concentrated hard on the target. Adjusting my stance and aiming my weapon, I lined up my shot before firing several rounds. Once I emptied three bullets, I lowered the gun to check my work.
Impressed with myself, I had managed to hit the red target two times; the third bullet just sitting outside the dot "You're getting better" encouraged the soldier as he stood to my right, his arms crossed as he observed. Watching him walk away, I became instantly confused as he went to stand in front of the tree I had been aiming at "now shoot me" he ordered, his hand resting carelessly by his side. Turning to look at Helen with a look of confusion, her own hazel eyes were wide "look at me, not her" he ordered again "I told you to shoot me"
Stuttering, I felt my body shake with nerves "Why? Why am I shooting you?"
"Because I told you to…and because you want to" he added, his eyes staring at me in an intimidating manner. Is this a test? Am I really supposed to shoot him? Could I?
"I don't want to shoot you…" I replied, keeping my gun lowered.
"Stop lying…" still standing in front of the tree, I wasn't sure if he was going to move or not "think about what I did to you…" ignoring his tempting voice, I knew what he was trying to do. He's trying to get under my skin, but it's not going to work. I'm not going to shoot him "think about the room…think about me. How I made you feel"
Frowning, I wanted him to stop talking "…Please stop" Lowering my head, I could tell that Helen was equally disturbed about what the soldier was saying to me. Why would he bring that up? Why would he want to make me angry? Just so I would shoot him? Why? There's so many questions.
"…Helpless. Afraid. Crying…calling for someone to help you" feeling the familiar sting in my eyes, I felt my body tremble and shudder. Everything, including the fever and his words were suddenly taking a heavy toll on my mind and body. I felt as if I were going to snap at any moment – but I didn't want to. He was making me. Just like Erik, he was manipulating me into doing what he wanted – and that was the final straw.
Aiming the gun in an instant, I had fired a single bullet. Feeling time slow down as it whizzed through the air, I watched as it struck. Not a body made of flesh – just wood. I had missed.
"Lesson four" he spoke simply "never let your emotions – anger, get the better of you. Your judgement becomes clouded, you're not focused…and when that happens – you miss" taking a step away from the tree, he walked past me not at all fazed about what had occurred.
I knew it, I thought to myself, this was all a test. A sick, manipulative test. He used my hatred, my anger, my sadness, just to teach me a lesson. How this man was cruel. Walking over to where he stood behind the fold out table, I slammed the gun down – my anger not yet gone, but instead increasing. How dare he do that to me.
Storming off without so much as another word, Helen called out for me, but the soldier had stopped her. Walking off into some unknown direction, I didn't care where I was going; I just knew that I needed to get away from all of this – and him. He's going to drive me insane if I stay any longer.
Once I could no longer hear anything but the sound of my heartbeat and the slight gust of wind, I found a place I could sit; which was on a moss covered log. Resting my elbows on my thighs and my head in my hands, I stared into the distance as the birds chirped along the branches. I just need a moment to calm down, a moment where I could feel free from everything that's been happening. But as I looked down, the bump on my stomach became a firm reminder of the hell I had been cast into.
"Running away isn't going to solve your problems" not jumping at the sudden interruption from the soldier, I didn't at all turn to acknowledge him.
"Leave me alone…I don't want to talk to you" I said bluntly, a sneer in my voice. Looking away from my stomach, I tried to tune my thoughts of mind on the birds as they flew away and high up in the sky. It almost seemed as if even the birds knew there was danger near. Maybe the soldier reeked of it to animals. I wouldn't be surprised.
Hearing the purposeful loud footsteps as they came closer, I instantly got up from my position on the log. Watching him reach out for me, I took several steps back "Don't touch me" I sneered at him as he went to grab me again.
"This isn't a game. If you want to whine like a child, then do it in the bunker" the soldier said while stepping over the log to get to me. Taking even more steps back as he started to gain, I did the one thing I shouldn't have – I ran.