Salvaged
Those last words I heard, "doctor" and "medic". I couldn't distinct their voice, it sounded too hollow. Yet somehow, I could hear the worry in it.
The colors would suggest it was… No… I nearly killed them, why would they save me?
I couldn't set it all straight. Who was it that saved me? Was it them? Someone who looked like them? And what happened to 15? Why wasn't Red with him like last time?
And just as I got my mind to calm I shot upwards, and immediately backwards as I felt something hit my forehead.
"Oh for the love of-"
"Are you okay?"
The voice I heard sounded a bit phased out, like it wasn't completely there. I'm getting a strong feeling that I am in another one of those weird nightmare's I've had.
"Hey? Can you hear me?"
The hollow sounding voice was now accompanied with a blur of grey and black moving around in what slight vision I had.
Where even am I?
I felt a soft hand being laid on the back of my claw. Without hesitation I pulled my claw towards my body.
"Hands off."
While they appeared silent I tried to sit up straight and look around. I only saw what looked like the light falling into a doorway.
Not even hesitating I stood on my feet just to fall flat on my stomach.
"Come on, you have been through enough. Rest."
"I'll rest when I'm dead."
With my claws I slowly dragged myself over the floor to the doorway. And upon seeing the blurring outline of my talons I felt those same hands around my stomach.
"That's enough for now."
Lifting me up, they slowly laid me back down on the bed.
"Just rest. Your wounded badly."
Knowing I didn't have much of a choice I laid my head back down, closing my eyes. But staying awake purposely.
As I was laying there for god knows how long I heard footsteps and an all too familiar voice.
"Do you think she is awake yet?"
Followed by another familiar voice.
"I'm not sure Marina, we can take a look though. I too worry for her wellbeing."
Callie? Oh great, I'm at the Agency.
While laying with closed eyes the steps got louder. Not wanting to risk anything I decided to keep pretending I was asleep.
"She's… Asleep?"
"Looks like it yes."
"1, are you sure she doesn't mind being back here?"
"No, but I couldn't leave her out there to be found by anyone else. Especially if it is them."
'them'? Maybe those guys from the prison are looking for me, or could it be this 'Ennea'?
"But I'll leave you to it now, there's a lot of paper work me and 2 have left to do."
"That is fine by me, I'll stay here for a while."
Slow footsteps, a door closing and the scraping of a chair over the floor. Like nails on a chalk board. No doubt that Marina was sitting on it now. Then silence.
Dead silence.
Do you know it? No sounds at all, as if time was standing still. No clock ticking, no person breathing, no objects moving against each other, nothing at all.
Until suddenly.
"How could I have done this?"
Done what?
A silent sob, followed by another as I felt a drop of water fall on my cheek. Slowly rolling down to the bed I was on.
"Why did I ever agree to helping them?"
Stop playing the pronoun game already! Who did you help doing what?!
Oh right… you can't hear my thoughts.
A soft hand stroking past my face, like a cloud trying to grasp me as it held me in a caring fashion.
"C-can I ever resolve this 16?"
I felt that the bed sag a bit around my hips as it challenging to keep still like that. I wanted to react, to comfort her. I wanted to tell her I'd forgive her no matter what. But would I truly?
I felt a weight leaning onto my right shoulder. As slow small drips of water got accompanied by silent cries.
While keeping my eyes closed I slowly reached my left claw over and put it on the back of her head.
Gasping, her entire body stiffened.
"It's okay, I will forgive you no matter what."
Slowly removing my claw from the back of her head I opened my eyes to see her looking at me in terror, like she had witnessed a murder.
"Y-you were awake?!"
I slowly nodded as she got to sit up straight while the look of fear slowly turned into worry.
"What happened to you 16?"
"Nothing new."
"Come on, you can't hide it. The change is obvious."
"Change? What change?"
Not saying a word she took a soft hold of my right claw and rolled up the sleeve to expose my arm. I twitched in a second from shock, what had happened to me? All the veins in my arm, Since when are they pure black?
Easily showing through my skin, it was difficult to look away from it.
"How? When?"
"That's what I was asking you."
"I-I have no clue… I honestly have no idea."
Then suddenly the voice from before came back, sounding like it was reverberating in my head.
"I do know what happened."
"… Did you just hear a voice Marina?"
She looked at me as if she just heard the weirdest question ever asked.
"Then it must have been in my mind."
"In your mind indeed."
What in the world?
"Oh don't be so surprised, I have been within you all along."
"You look troubled 16, are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Stop pushing yourself so far 16, a lot of peo-"
"I am not 16 any longer!"
She moved back a little as I shouted it.
"We heard you called yourself Elena, but…"
"But what?"
"Your still seen as one of us by most agents."
"I am not anymore."
At that exact moment the door opened, and a pink with black haired woman came walking in.
"Are you two okay in here."
"Get out… Now."
"Elena no need to be so rude, she saved your life."
"Doesn't make it right that she shot me off that cliff."
Callie looked at me with a twisted form of curiosity and anger in her eyes.
"We know what happened that night. I never shot you."
"And what proof do you have?"
"Can we please settle this down calmly"
Marina interrupted sheepishly.
Looking at her, I knew it would scare her if this would end up in a one on one fight.
Taking a deep breath I got up off the bed as Callie immediately stepped up to me and held me back.
"You should rest more. You were at the verge of death until 2 days ago."
"She does have a valid point there."
"Shut up! I know what my limits are."
Both Marina and Callie looked at me like I was speaking to a ghost.
"Elena you,"
Marina sheepishly began
"You're talking to someone who isn't there."
"Would either of you care to explain why I can hear some kind of hallowed out voice then?"
Both of them remained silent, their lips not moving. And still I heard that same hollow voice again.
"I can explain it to you, but you won't like it."
I sighed laying my forehead on my balled up claws. What in the world is going on? I already was some freak of nature with just those claws, now my veins are pure black and I hear voices in my head.
"Me and you, we're bound together. A two minds in one body kind of deal, except I have very little control"
"And if you are inside me, but you can't control me. What proof do you have that your there? What is your name? You're not making any sense!"
Callie suddenly took a hold of my shoulders.
"Calm down! Your talking to ghosts. You've taken a strong blow to the head, we still have to check you for any brain damage."
"I'm fine Callie, I'm just fine."
Sheepishly Marina intervened.
"W-well you are hearing voices… S-so that might not be a good sign. A-a-are you sure, you don't want it checked out?"
"No offense, to either of you. But does anything about me scream 'normal' to you?"
They both shook their heads, Callie in a self-assured manner, and Marina with some doubt behind the motions.
"Well to return to what I was originally saying, those black veins look like proof. Your claws, hey even your cracked eyes scream that something or someone changed you physically."
I already hate whoever it is I keep hearing.
"What do you mean, cracked eyes?"
Callie looked confused.
"How do you know that? How do you know your irises look like they are shattered? There are no mirrors around, you couldn't have seen it."
"The voice that claims to be within me said that."
Marina looked at me a little worried as Callie didn't doubt for one second and called Marie through the agency broadcast.
"Oh great, a reunion."
"Do you know them?"
How much worse can this get.
"You can say about this whatever you want Elena, but you are hunted out there."
So Callie claimed.
"Hunted?"
"Yes hunted."
"Well good thing I am an undercover agent then."
"Elena you do not understa-"
Without a second off doubt I stood up from the bed and pushed her aside. Walking out the one and only door that was there.
But just around the corner I got stopped by Marie.
"16, I am so glad to see you are alright."
The silence that stalked the hallways left the conversation a mute.
"You're not going to react to her?"
"Are you actually alright?"
"No"
It was the only answer I left her with. Heading for the exit, knowing full well where it was. None of the agents who passed me even tried to stop me. The horror in their eyes as they saw me, the chill filling the rooms I passed.
I am no more than a monster to them.