5-2: No Touchy
Why does she have these phobias? You tell me. I'm just the mastermind, nothing more.
(((-2-)))
Janika hugged the pillow to her chest. She rocked back and forth, trying futilely to comfort herself.
The water faucet didn't have a filter. Any number of germs could have made their way into the tender cuts and scars that had formed on her hands over the past few days. Maybe those were because of the rough bar soap. She should get a new one again. And her gums were red and sore due to her vigorous brushing even though she hadn't eaten in so long.
Janika looked around her room. There was no trash or dust to be seen, the vents were blocked off, and the wrinkles on her bedcovers numbered zero.
Everything blurred for a moment as she tried to understand her behavior. "What's wrong with me? I used to eat hot dogs and play with my cat at the same time, but now I can hardly go five minutes without washing my hands. I'm so hungry…"
No sooner had she said it out loud than visions of nasty rats gnawing on moldy bread and others of filthy bugs that clung to her skin, digging in their mandibles, assaulted her. She sank to the floor, crying freely now.
"Janika?"
She jerked her head up at the sound of a familiar voice. Aelita was staring, concerned, from her computer screen. The girl breathed a sigh of relief. At least she couldn't catch germs from her virtual friend.
"Hi," she said tiredly as she rose to her feet and went over. "What are you doing in my room?"
"Looking at your laptop, of course. Is something wrong? You're crying. Are you alright?"
The teenager slammed her fists down on the desk suddenly, making Aelita start in surprise. "Why does everyone act so worried about me? I'm fine! Just stop spying on me and…and don't…and…"
Janika swayed on her feet as the room began to twist out of proportion. She felt lightheaded and couldn't figure out why everything suddenly looked so far away. She tried to grip the chair but her fingers had no strength. The teenager's head lolled back and the last thing she heard was her friend's frantic voice.
"Jeremy!" Aelita called as she reappeared on his computer. "Janika's down in her room and she just fell down while she was talking to me!"
"You mean she fainted?" He grabbed a paperclip off his desk. "I know she usually locks her door. I'll go right down, Aelita."
"All right," she said before vanishing.
The blonde boy in glasses rushed out of his room, nearly slamming into a group of kids walking down the hall. Ignoring their indignant cries, he sprinted down the stairs to his friend's floor. Sure enough, her door was locked. He pulled out the paperclip and not-quite-expertly managed to get it open.
Once inside, his eyes fell on Janika's still form. He knelt beside her and shook her shoulder. The dark-haired girl was pale and shaking out of control.
(V)
Ulrich glared at Sissy as she sidled up to him, still waiting for his reply. "You know I'll do it, and then your little gang will be expelled. All except you, that is."
He twitched uncomfortably. She would tell, and then they would be broken up and X.A.N.A. would have a go at Earth without anyone to stop him. Was saving the world worth this humiliation? It was a close call.
"So what's it gonna be?" she asked. He stared angrily at her and she stood up straight. "I could just walk over to my daddy's office right now and tell him about—"
"All right! I'll go out with you tonight, Sissy. Just don't tell your father what happened."
(V)
Shadows reached for her, their long fingers tipped with wicked claws. They grappled with her, preventing her from fleeing. A larger shadow darker and deeper than any she had ever seen rose up before her.
It seemed to laugh, tauntingly inviting her to eat as much as she wished.
The shadows changed from dark figures to slimy worms and maggots. Their writhing little bodies surrounded her, burying her alive! Janika tried to call for help, scream, anything!
Her eyes snapped open and she gasped for air. Everything was white. There was a beeping noise beside her and the sounds of muted voices echoed hollowly in the room.
"Are you all right? The doctor didn't think you'd be awake for at least another hour."
Janika turned her head and saw Jeremy sitting in a chair beside her bed.
She chuckled almost ironically. "I couldn't sleep. Where am I? I feel so weak."
"The hospital. Aelita saw you pass out." He had been typing on his laptop and now put it down. The computer nerd looked excited about something.
But this place was making her nervous. Hospitals were full of sick people, and there was an air vent in the corner. It had probably carried germs all the way from the other end of the building...
"Well, I feel much better now so I'm gonna leave."
She started to sit up but was pushed back down by Jeremy's hand.
"You're not going anywhere for now. Just tell me what exactly is going on with you. I think I've figured it out, but—Janika?"
The girl's breath caught in her throat. She stared at her friend's hand the same way she would at a cobra. Her eyes widened and her jaw clenched as she tried to keep calm. Don't move. Just keep still and it won't hurt you, her thoughts rationalized.
"Janika? Is something wrong?" He reached out to her.
"Don't touch me!" she screamed in a voice very unlike her own. "Get them away from me!"
The dark-haired teen dodged his hand by falling off the other side of the bed onto the floor. The IV attached to her arm was yanked out as she staggered away from Jeremy. Her screams attracted the attention of a nurse. The woman ran in and tried to quiet Janika down, but by now she had backed into a corner and was lashing out at anything that came within reach.
Three men dressed in white finally burst in and hauled her forcefully back to the bed. Janika grew hysterical when they laid their hands on her. The nurse managed to dose her with a sedative at last and half a minute later the girl grew silent.
I hate shots! I would have kicked that lady right in the face, but it's kinda hard to do when you're being held down by three bodybuilders.