Arachnophobia - Part Twelve – (Couldn't think of a name…)
Author's Note: Hey, I told you this one would be next! By the way, if you can't already tell (you should be shot), I am into the whole 'pain thing' as some of you call it. Anyway, the next chapters are going to deal with Iolaus' mind and his pain (Cuz I like pain. And if you don't… get out) Don't worry though… it'll be FUN! Yay! The last part of this is really good, I think. When you review, tell me what you think of that in paticular.
On a sad note: I think I just killed Lauriela by allowing her to speak… Not speaking was what made her unusual, and I had to go and wreck it… Damn it! Bad Jillian! Bad:smacks herself with a large trout: You know what? I don't think she's gonna talk too much anymore…
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Duh… If I did, there would be NEW EPISODES! Starting with this one.
Interesting Note: I don't know if I told anyone this, but the healer, Freck, was named after a funeral home I went to a few times. Just thought I'd share. Kinda foreboding, ne:evil laugh: MWA HA HA HA HA!
Lauriela and Hercules sat next to Iolaus. Freck (by the way, I love how creative that name is) had departed long ago, promising to check on the blonde at sunset.
That had been sometime around late afternoon. The sun was now beginning to sink below the horizon when there was a knock on the door, and Freck walked in carrying his sheepskin bag.
"How's he doing?" the healer asked.
"His fever's climbed higher," Hercules replied, wincing when the hunter cried out and twisted in his sleep. "His dreams seem to have gotten worse, but we can't wake him. Luckily, his wounds haven't reopened."
It was true… Over the last few hours, Iolaus' body had burned fiercely, as if a raging inferno from the fiery pits of hell smoldered inside of him. His dreams had turned from whimpering and the occasional choked sob to full out screaming and shrieks. Hercules couldn't imagine what could scare his brave friend so badly, but whether it was in terror or in agony, was beyond the demigod.
He'd called out names. Among them were Hercules', and Iolaus had screamed as if he were dying. The demigod's heart seemed to shatter each time the hunter cried out. He felt as if… this whole thing was his own fault. The way Hercules had allowed that… creature to catch him off his guard with that web…
As Iolaus cried out again, Hercules apologized for what seemed like the thousandth time.
"Hmm… I thought as much…" said Freck, digging through his bag, muttering to himself. "Let me see… what in here do I need…?"
There were herbs to numb pain, some to relieve coughs, both of which he was sure to need later. There were powders for minor illnesses, stomachaches, to clean wounds. A few roots peeked out from the corner of the bag to be used mostly headaches, backaches or arthritis.
Finally, with a short, triumphant yell of, "Ah hah!" the chubby healer pulled out a small vial of a sick-looking yellow liquid.
"I knew I had it in here somewhere," he said.
"What is it?" Hercules demanded, becoming protective of his injured friend again.
"It's the best I can do for now," Freck replied, "It's a mixture to help with the fever. Slow acting, but very effective. If Iolaus continues like this, the medicine will work."
"What about the antidote?" Hercules demanded.
"It still needs time to counteract the venom, if it's doing anything at all. Be patient."
Freck added a few drops of water to the vial, shook it for good measure, then had Hercules tilt Iolaus' head back so he could pour it down.
"Now, there's a little girl across the village with a whooping cough that needs my attention. If there's any change, for good or bad, one of you come find me, understand?"
They both nodded and the healer left them to watch the hunter twist and turn in an agonized sleep.
There was a piercing scream on the air. It chilled Iolaus to the bones to hear it, but that didn't stop him from trying to find the source of the sound.
It wasn't real though. The blonde man could feel it wasn't actually happening.
"Hello?" he called, trying to peer through the fog.
His voice echoed eerily in the empty air. Patches of the thick, unnaturally white fog was thin in some places, allowing him to see whatever was there.
The ground seemed soggy. It squished with every step he took. Iolaus took a breath of the humid air, wincing when he caught the scent of rancid swamp air. The thing that caught Iolaus' attention was the color of it. It just seemed to… glow a pale sickly yellow.
Patches of the soft ground were hard enough to get good traction on, and when he did, Iolaus booted crackled with the dead grass and whatever else was attempting to grow here. Each step… crackle crackle.
He called out again. This time, he was answered with another blood-curdling shriek. Iolaus sprinted in what he hoped was the right direction.
Fog, there was so much of it… Where did it keep coming from? It was preventing him from finding whoever screamed. He pushed on anyway, following the inhuman screeches.
"Hello?" Iolaus yelled into the white abyss.
A weak voice close by spoke. So close in fact, that it startled him.
"Over… here…"
Iolaus spun around quickly and some of the fog seemed to lift, leaving him with a clear sight of a familiar someone. Long blood-streaked brown hair hung in his face, damp with sweat and tears. Leather woven pants were ripped down the legs, and a yellow shirt hung from broad shoulders, shredded to ribbons. He was held up only by ropes around his wrists, making it look like he was on a crucifix. Iolaus couldn't see what the other ends of the ropes were tied to.
"Hercules!"
A whip cracked sharply, and the demigod's body jerked sharply, letting out another ghastly moan. Again, fog obscured his vision so that he couldn't see the person with the whip.
"Iolaus… how could you?" he asked weakly, fatigue could be clearly heard in his voice.
Iolaus thought it was odd that his best friend was tied up. His unnatural strength should have allowed Hercules to break free easily. He gave it no further thought as he rushed to his aid.
"'How could I' what?" Iolaus asked, fumbling with the knots on the ropes.
Hercules' azure eyes began to glow red, and an evil looking grin spread itself across his face.
"BETRAY ME!" he roared.
The demigod snapped the ropes holding him as easily if it were thread, catching Iolaus by surprise. A powerful hand clamped itself around his neck in a vise-like grip, choking off his air and lifting the smaller man two feet into the air.
"Herc?" the hunter gasped, trying to pry the fingers off his neck. It was no use though. It was like trying to bend steel with his bare hands. "Herc! Let go!"
The demigod didn't answer, only squeezed tighter.
"What are you doing?" Iolaus coughed out violently, breaking into a cold sweat of fear.
But again, there was no answer as the blonde kicked his feet, desperately trying to escape from his best friend.
Iolaus' vision darkened, his movements turned sluggish. Until finally… his world went black…
Author's Note: So, what'd you think? REVIEW PLEASE!
Jillian