Happy new year everyone! Now I need everyone's opinions. Either I give you longer chapters and make you wait longer in between, or you live with two page chapters at fairly regular intervals. Yell your decisions and I'll act accordingly.
:D Ta for the reviews, guys.
For three days Shalimar flitted between consciousness and the void, her waking moments filled with a wary fear, though her new captors had still made no move towards aggression. In consciousness she was only vaguely aware of the changes in her body, as natural movements - previously made impossible by the device - returned to her without thought. On the third day, though, as Adam - asleep in his lab chair - neglected the sedative he had been administering regularly, Shalimar truly awoke for the first time in days.
She didn't want to wake. The blankets surrounded her like a warm cocoon and she felt more comfortable than she had for a long time. It took her several minutes to notice the lack of restraint in her limbs; only when she rolled over, seeking the comfort of sleep that was quickly leaving her behind, did she realise her new freedom. Escape lingered at the corner of her senses and she was suddenly alert. Pushing upwards on wobbly arms she moved up against the wall, letting it take her weight as she moved one hand to the back of her neck.
It was gone! The pin that had held her without movement under the Knife or the Fist or the Dick's hands was gone, a tight patch of scar tissue in its place, already beginning to heal. Gathering all her willpower she coaxed her body upright. Begging her legs to take the weight, holding her self on the walls beside her, she fought an internal battle for a moment. To open her eyes and aid the coming escape or to leave them closed against possible failure. Undecided, she moved for where she knew the doorway was, a cold draught and distant noises guiding her. She stumbled as the doorway appeared beneath her hand, taking away the support the wall had offered, and she fell into the hallway. Air was squeezed out of her lungs, and she winced in pain and fear as her left hand, concealed as it was in its cast, made a hollow noise as it hit the ground and jarred her injury. She lay completely still for a moment, listening for the slightest movement or word to tell her that her attempted escape had been noticed. When there was nothing, she began on her way once more.
Jesse froze in the hallway, unsure whether or not to believe his eyes. He hadn't thought Adam had meant it literally when he said she would sit up and walk out of the lab. Shalimar was sat in the hallway a few yards from the entrance to the medilab, her back up against the wall. He stepped back into the adjoining corridor as she scrubbed at her eyes, just looking around the corner so that he could pull back out of sight at a moment's notice. The bulky plaster cast on her left wrist was getting in her way as she tried to clear her eyes and she lowered her hands again so that she could feel along it with the other hand. Taking tight hold of the cast at the base of her wrist she tugged it upwards. Jesse winced in sympathy as she let out a mewl of pain. She lowered her left hand gently to the floor and spent a moment breathing deeply to calm the pain. Then she began rubbing both eyes with her right hand. Seeming to finally get them clear she squinted into the bright lights of the corridor, Jesse took another step back, trying to stay unnoticed as she slowly started to examine her surroundings, blinking rapidly as her eyes, too long unused, adjusted to their returned use. Seemingly satisfied, she turned back to the white bulk on her wrist. She winced slightly as she lifted it, searching it for a catch or weakness that she could use to remove it, scratching at the white material in vain. Giving in, she rose slowly, taking all of her support on the wall beside her. Jesse could see that her left side didn't seem to want to follow her body's instructions and she staggered a little as she regained the vertical, trying to keep her balance. Every step was more hop as she held her balance precariously on her right hand, her left side still refusing to keep up. Jesse cringed to see Shalimar, previously so strong and graceful, making her way so painfully along the corridor away from him. Realising that if he headed down the opposite corridor he could head her off without difficulty if she continued at her current pace, Jesse sneaked behind her as quietly as he could.
The light hurt her eyes with its persistent glare, but the decision had been made. It had been necessary to forfeit the safety of the soft and caring darkness for the ability to find somewhere to hide or some way out, though she didn't know where she would go if she could escape. Her wrist was a solid ache and her head throbbed at the invasive light joined with the extra effort of being upright - something she hadn't been for over a month.
She froze as there was a soft noise behind her. Heart racing, she turned fearfully. The corridor was empty behind her, but footsteps sounded, moving away from her.
Jesse reached the end of the corridor that joined the one Shalimar had been making her slow way down. Carefully looking around the corner Jesse scowled as he found he couldn't see Shalimar any more. She had to have gone into one of the rooms along the corridor between the lab and here. Preparing to go searching through the rooms one by one, Jesse stopped as there was a scuffle behind him. Turning slowly he found Shalimar desperately trying to right herself again from hands and knees where she'd fallen, taken off balance when he had stopped unexpectedly in front of her. She yelped as she put her weight on her broken wrist. Jesse moved to help but stopped abruptly with tears in his eyes as she fell over herself trying to get out of reach as he advanced. Not knowing what he could possibly do to help and not make matters worse, Jesse backed away slowly and, as soon as he was sure he was out of sight, hurried for the lab, biting his lip to keep his emotions in check.