Two Halves
I don't own Teen Titans.
Chapter 11: To end the suffering.
They kept screaming and Beast boy couldn't stop it. They just kept screaming. They were in pain and he could not anything about it.
This kept going around in his head as he was in the medical wing of the Tower, sitting at a desk. He was staring into a computer that was monitoring the other Titan's heart rates and signs. But it wasn't looking good. He didn't want to look over to where the injured Titans lay. He had the computer to keep him busy. It said their heart rates were more intense, but they were still holding up. But those screams. Those Goddamn screams. They just kept coming. Forcing his head to turn. Forcing him to see what he couldn't cure. And just like that, he found his gazed fixed on them.
They were on three separate beds, but they weren't in comfort at all. Amidst the wires coming from their bodies were metal straps. They struggled against them like a wild animal in bondage. Each of them, however, had to be locked down differently. Robin was given the standard four leather straps tightly around his legs, thighs, and chest. Cyborg was covered from his feet to his neck in an alloy body cast. Starfire was strapped down just as Starfire, but her hands were wrapped in strong alloy. Her eyes had an alloy strap across them.
The only thing that was free was their mouth. That was the worst part. They had to be left uncovered. This allowed their screams to just erupt out. It was horrible. It was like invisible instruments were torturing them. Those sounds could chill one's spine even if they a person was used to this noise. Once in a while, there was the word, "Mom!", "Dad!", "No!", or some random alien speech. They just made Beast Boy sick to his stomach.
Finally, their was that symbol. Imprinted on the stomach portion of everyone was a red dagger. Reminded him of Trigon's symbol. His personal emblem of destruction. Raven was once a carrier of such a symbol. But they had been cleansed from her body. And now the curse had hit them in another form. Whatever the cause was, the marks were most likely the cause of this. Beast Boy made the mistake of touching them and nearly had Robin ripped his arms off.
And so here they were, twisting and screaming with those damned symbols on them. They were like this when Raven and Beast Boy found them. They were like this when they got them back to the tower. They were like this as they brought them here and strapped them down so they wouldn't hurt themselves or each other. And Beast Boy had to watch them. And then worst part was that he kept thinking he deserved the torture they were going through.
The screams finally got to him. He reached over and turned on the voice order feature on the medical computer, he said into the speaker, "Computer, release straps only when patients' heart rates have decreased. Repeat…only when hearts rates decrease." The machine beeped in relay as a confirmation message appeared on scream. He opened the door, but stopped ion the middle of it. He looked behind him, once again seeing the tortured bodies of his comrades and their screams. He turned his head quickly and walked into the hallway, the door closing behind him and sealing off the screams. But they were still there.
"Goddamn it!" BB yelled as he brought his fist into the wall.
He could not block out the screams. Closing the door wouldn't work. They were still hanging around in his mind like gas vapors. He could hear them no matter what. It was that demons fault for doing this to them. But Beast Boy felt like he was suffering even greater. The demon wanted him to bleed to death rather then experience what they were going through. That creature probably knew he would survive. Must have had a different suffering in mind for him rather then what he gave the other teammates. And Beast Boy hated to admit it, but it was working. He felt sad though he should be joining the others on that nightmare they were undergoing. Anger at his folly and hatred at his lateness in the battle even prolonged it more. And those damn screams kept coming.
Then there was Raven. She too nearly died because BB didn't keep a close eye on her. He made a promise that he would protect her no matter how much she tried to stop him. After they had gotten back home and strapped the others down, she ran off into her room like she always did. But this time, she looked scared when she ran off. No surprise, but she should have stayed with him. He would have comforted her. Yet she probably was confused about him. Just adding to the problem. That was Beast Boy. Always screwing up and not helping anyone
Just then, Beast boy looked up to see something that suddenly calmed him down. It was Raven, but she now had changed. She changed in the way that she was wearing her white leotard and cloak. It was a massive impact on BB. It was just like two days ago. Him looking into the crack in the door and there was Raven. Standing there in that white attire. An Angel amiss that dark room of hers. A sort of light in the worry in BB's heart. Everything he was worrying about seemed to disappeared when she walked up to him. She was so beautiful. Yet there was something wrong with her. It was her eyes. Those orbs that BB could get lost in were filled with fear.
"Beast Boy?" she asked. He was knocked out of his hypnotic state and there was once again the fear and anger in his heart, along with those screams.
"Sorry. Are you okay?' he asked.
"I was just doing so thinking."
"Yeah, it's been hard."
"You don't the half of it," she stated.
"I could guess," he replied. He then added," What is wrong with them?"
"The demon used a curse called the Mind Dagger. It's a very ancient black magic curse. The victim is shown the most horrifying image in their lives over and over again. All the while, the black magic slowly engulfs their soul. Twelve hours later, death comes."
"Shit. Is there a cure?"
"No. But one can stop it. Either the castor willingly gets rid of the spell. Knowing the demon, he is going to let it go."
"And the other method?"
"Only two and a half hours are left before they die. If I head to where he is now, I can take down the demon in only an hour."
"You're going to fight it?" BB asked.
"Killing it is the only other method to saving them. Besides, he was a part of me, an evil one at that. He must be taking care of. Besides, this isn't going to be easy," Raven stated.
"Why? I can help you. We can stop him together."
"No. I have to taker him down myself," Raven replied.
"You can't go alone. I saw how strong he is. You're going to need backup," Beast boy added.
"I can handle this myself."
"You can't do this-"
"Will you have some damn faith in me!" Raven shouted at him.
"I do. But you could at least use some backup! BB yelled back.
Raven then turned her back on BB, the two of them just standing there for a minute.
"What is the problem? Why wouldn't you let me help you?" BB asked.
"No. You can't come. Can't allow the pain to continue," Raven said in a weak voice.
Okay, so it's about the others. I know they are going through pain unlike you can' believe. I have an idea and so do you. In a way, we both suffer in somewhat of an even greater degree. Wouldn't you say?"
Raven didn't answer.
"But can end it. We both can halt the suffering, together."
The girl still remained silent to him. BB walked toward to her and put on arm on her shoulder. "Don't worry. It's going to be okay."
Raven then quickly turned to him and answered," Have you seen what has happened? We have officially entered hell!"
BB could answer. He was looking into her eyes. They had that glassy eye look to him. The kind of look a person got when they were about to cry. He hated her having that look.
"I know I have to be strong, but after this…this! I have tio fight this demon! You can't come. He'll kill you. I know you are strong, but I have to take care of him all my own!"
"I still want to help," BB replied. He still couldn't take his eyes off hers. Raven's eyes were beginning to fill with tears. He hated seeing her like this even more.
She then dropped her head and began to sob. Her shoulders began to move up and down and BB saw tears drop from her face and hit the carpet like raindrops.
"Why? Why do you want to help? Why do you want to protect me? Why do want to save me even you know death could come to you? Why wouldn't you just let me go?"
B couldn't take it anymore. He didn't want her to cry anymore. H took his hand and placed it under her chin, lifting head up. As their faces meet, he saw how pain was indulged on her face. Two teardrops were moving down her face. He was going to end her pain. He began to close the gap between their faces. Before Raven could protest, his lips brushed against hers and stayed locked with them for only a few seconds. Their warm lips together, the feel of BB's hand against Raven's light skin, their eyes closed: in that moment alone, they were in paradise.
But all good things must end. The two parted and opened their eyes at that moment. BB didn't see sadness on her face. He saw her eyes open in surprise and her checks bright red.
"Because, Raven, I don't want to see a woman I love die again because I messed up."
"There it was. He had said it. He had said that one word that had eluded his speech for too long. He waited for Raven's replay. But he got something else. The surprise on her face reverted back to sadness. Her fists clutched at her sides and her eyes getting that glassy look again, she opened a vortex into the floor and disappeared through it like she always does.
(I hurt her. Damn it!) Bb thought at what had happened. There was good old BB again. Always screwing up. He had just confessed his feelings for the Goth girl that he shared a special connection with, and he confused her. She probably wasn't going to let him come no matter what his answer was going to be. And now he only prolonged her sadness, which just added to his long list of screw-ups yet again.
(No. I am not going o screw up!) He thought as he ran down the hall towards the stairs leading to the roof. He was going to find Raven. He was going to safe his friends. But most importantly, he was going to get an answer. He was going to find out. He had to.
Will Raven meet death or victory at the demon's hands? Will BB be her savior? Chapter 12 is coming soon!