Here's chapter 2! It should give a lot more detail of the story. I still haven't had any reviews but I assume Chapter 1 wasn't so entertaining to have any. Anyway, please review! It would mean a lot to me and encourage me to post! Enjoy Chapter 2! :D
As Boris stated, my room was at #16 with my luggage already placed by my bed. It was but a fragment of the room which consisted of a small window flap that a cat wouldn't even be able to fit through, a desk with a candle, a dusty bookshelf with mere 3 hardback spines I could spot, a bedside cupboard and a small bathroom through the wooden door on the west side of the room. I pulled out my equipment before taking out my 'work' outfit- an elbow length white dress shirt with a sleeveless black waistcoat and a black pleated skirt. I kept my shoes and socks on, removing my gloves.
The infirmary or medical support headquarters was far lighter than any of the rooms I had been in here so far. There were several empty beds, computers, filing cabinets, a showcase where all the medicines and bandages were kept and necessary equipment. At once I adapted to my environment. A piercing cry made me jump, realising I was on the same floor as the dungeons. I guess it was time to work.
The dungeons were vile with the smell being so rotten that I found it difficult to respire. There were rats and even the stains of dried blood in most places, etched into the cold stone walls. The tortures these boys had to go through reaped my mind and I hoped, I wouldn't be there to see the vile actions.
A guard walked up, holding a rather bloody whip in his hand, his face covered in shadows from the cloak he wore. He stopped, watching me approach but didn't say a word and instead walked past and ignored me without a second glance.
The sound of heavy breathing and pants came from a cell to my right. It was too dark to see from outside so I entered the chilling chamber, to see a petite huddled up figure sprawled across the floor. His clothes had tears from the beatings with blood seeping through tremendously. His face bruised with endless purple patches. The boy, a rather small boy with a navy tone coloured hair laid in the darkness.
I knelt down, putting aside my briefcase and reached for the lesser bloody arm of the little boy. He jumped, seeing someone else here before relaxing on seeing me.
"Let me help you" I implied, pulling his arm gently so he could sit up. A hiss escaped him as his body moved and leaned against the brick wall in the rear.
I reached for my case and opened it up to reveal the necessities. First cleaning the wounds and blood away from his shoulders and his back to which he didn't complain, with a wet cloth. I then applied antiseptic using some cotton wool. He hissed again at the touch as I applied gently and silently. Finishing off, I wrapped his more severe wounds with fresh bandages and handed him a painkiller.
"Take this, it will help with the pain" I gave him the bottle of water I kept in my briefcase.
He looked at me confused in what looked like shock, through his blazing red ruby coloured eyes, I realised he had quite a large nose for such a small person. He took the pill reluctantly and water. Satisfied, I stood up closing my briefcase and glanced back to see him looking down at the tiny pill in the palm of his hand.
"Is something wrong?"
My voice must have unnerved him as he glanced up shaken. His eyes narrowed and lips twitched but remained silent. I decided to leave him at that.
"Take it. It's just an aspirin" I alleged before turning out and towards the next cell.
I awoke that night in a jolt, hearing the feint sounds of breakage echoing in the hallways. Still dressed in my shorts and tank top I slipped into my shoes and headed out into the darkness. The echoes were coming from the floor above. Keeping as discreet as possible I silently made my way towards the source of the noise.
Of course, the thought that I'd end up getting lost didn't occur to me but I continued walking through the dark and dingy tunnels. My feet had stopped when I came upon a room lit up from the flame torches in the bricked walls.
There were broken stone bricks on the ground everywhere. One pillar of bricks standing before me as I watched with confused eyes.
Suddenly the tower exploded before me sending dust into my eyes and fragments of shattered rocks at my skin. What was that?!
I looked up squinting with my hands in front of my face in protection to see a spinning white and silver blade that flew back into someone's gloved hand.
The figure moved from the shadows and I caught a pair of icy aqua blue eyes, so blue it would put the ocean to shame. They were cold and emotionless. He must be one of the trainee's. I noticed the blood red colours of his hair which spiked up in 2 points like devil horns. He wore an orange and white uniform with purple sleeves and orange strapped belts around his waist.
The stranger stopped and glared down at me, where I was now crouched on the floor from the impact. My legs weakly stood up and our eyes met in a blazing battle between aqua and emerald.
"Gomenasai. I didn't mean to disturb" I exclaimed softly, joining my two hands together in front of my abdomen.
His eyes narrowed before he spoke.
"Who are you?" his voice was ruthless yet discreet.
"Juliette Sakurai, I'm here as the abbey's infirmary service" I confessed in my same tone. Something about him made the hairs at the back of my neck stick up, shivering.
His eyes widened for a second then narrowed again with his aqua eyes colder than before. Whatever I had said seemed to have deepened of what seemed like hatred for me. Something I was used to. I stood just as impassive and mysterious as he was to me.
Finally he turned around and began to walk away.
"Are you having trouble sleeping? I can give you a sleeping draught if you-" I was cut off when he rapidly spun around charging towards me and grabbed my neck callously, shoving me against the hard wall. I winced slightly, gasping and looked up seeing anger and hatred written on his pale face.
"What are you trying to do? Why are you really here?" He hissed in my face baring his teeth together.
I let my body go numb and limp and my face frozen on an emotionless state.
"I am but a doctor, nothing more."
His grip eased off and he harshly turned around and left the room. My hand reluctantly touched the area he once held tight, feeling myself quiver. There was such hatred in his eyes, was this the work of the abbey?
I don't know how but I managed to find my way back to my room last night after the incident with the red head. I woke up in the morning feeling rather relaxed, more used to the stench of the pitiful abbey. I had my briefcase ready. There was a morning training session at 6 in one of the training facilities and there would be casualties which I would have to tend to.
Having to watch the beatings of the trainee bladers pained me inside but I sat and watched with no emotion. What else could I do? They were strong, holding off the lashes and beatings and exhaustion, something they was probably used to. It was horrible...
My eyes fell upon a familiar gray haired male who entered the room, glancing round the trainee bladers. He spotted me but decided to ignore by walking around watching the fierce battles being fought.
There was a drop of a body as one collapsed, giving in to the beatings. I got up at once and walked over to his side, taking his wrist to check his pulse. It was weak and his skin was cold. His forehead felt past boiling. This boy was suffering from a high fever.
Taking out a cloth and the water bottle from my briefcase I dabbed the damp cloth onto his forehead, watching his uneven breaths and slightly red face. The boy who had caramel brown hair merely looked 12, winced as his wounds burned. I took out the antiseptic and cotton wool and cleaned them before applying some healing cream I kept from Tokyo.
I had then realised the room was silent. No sounds of beatings, blading, breathing. My head turned to see every guard, every blader, even the gray haired guy staring right at me in silence. I took no notice. Had they never seen someone being treated before? I slipped my hand under the boys head and lifted him up and hauled his right arm over my shoulder and helped him over to the seats. His eyes opened and he flinched away from my touch, almost as if he was scared.
I recovered my briefcase and turned to the guard who had been hurting him.
"He has a high fever. He must take rest for a few days before he can do anymore physical work."
The guard said nothing but stood staring before nodding in agreement. I turned back towards the caramel haired boy whose eyes widened. Even more when I hauled his arm over my shoulder again, supporting his weight. Without a word I took him back to the infirmary not realising a pair of awe struck silver eyes were following.
At the infirmary, I left the boy to rest in one of the beds. The only strange thing I noticed was he trembled and flinched away whenever I came near to him. His eyes darted around the room, shaking. Did the infirmary scare him? I drenched another cloth in cold water and rested it on his forehead. His eyes closed tightly and I could hear him whimper softly. Something was really wrong.
"What is your name?" I asked him.
He opened his eyes and looked up at me as if he couldn't speak.
"Do you have a name?" I asked as I rinsed the cloth once more.
He nodded slowly.
"Juan..." he croaked.
I smiled slightly; at least he's warming up to me.
"That's a lovely name. Tell me Juan, have you been eating well the past few days?"
This seemed to have shaken him as his eyes shut halfway. He shook his head.
"My meals had been stopped..." he whispered.
I nodded in understanding; my hand paused for a second in its job but continued. The poor boy...
I left the cloth on his forehead and got up to the cupboard in the infirmary. Taking out a plastic box I walked back and sat down by his bedside. He watched me with open curious amber eyes as I opened the lid to reveal my lunch. His eyes opened wide to some extent as I handed him the box to which he didn't react to. I gave in and left the box on the side.
"Eat, you need to build up your strength, I can always grab more lunch later" I noted and pulled out a painkiller and set that aside too. "Then take the aspirin, it will help with the pain and fever."
The boy watched me in trepidation and froze in his position. I decided to help him sit up and laid the box on his lap. He stared down at it, like he hadn't seen food before. I simply packed 2 cheese sandwiches, some chicken fried rice and salad. I watched him in curiosity.
"Is something the matter?" I tilted my head to the side a degree.
He didn't look up or reply. After a minute his lips moved.
"...is this, poisoned?" he mumbled as his hair covered his eyes leaving them in shadows.
I was taken aback, astounded at his accusation. Leaning back on my seat I watched in shock at his sudden judgement. He turned to look at me, a cold look to his eyes, different to before.
"Nani...? ...Why would I poison you?" I replied tone free.
His eyes narrowed.
"Because they have all did so in the past."
I raised an eyebrow a little.
"Who are 'they'?" I edged on.
"The ones before you" he retorted before looking back at the food.
I sat back, thinking. The ones before me? Did he mean the previous doctors here? Surely they wouldn't allow such things...
"Juan, I promise it isn't poisoned. Look." I took another spoon from the table and caught a spoonful of the rice and popped it into my mouth. During the time he watched me ponderously. I swallowed and set down the spoon again. "It's perfectly fine and safe. You can eat it."
Something changed in his eyes, hope...or trust began to show deep within his amber orbs. He lifted a sandwich and callously took a slow bite, chewing it and swallowing. He paused a few seconds before carrying on.
I stood up and grabbed my briefcase.
"When you're done you can leave the box here. Rest as long as you want and if you want to then go back to your dorm. I'll come see you soon all right?" I reassured as I turned to face him.
He stopped eating and gave me a small smile that lightened me up inside.
"Perhaps you are different" he stated before turning back and eating.
Me? Different...?
So we finally have met Tala! But Juliette doesn't know that yet and after the way he treated her I don't think she would want to! Anyway REVIEW please? I really want to see what people think of this story and if it's good enough to continue. Thanks to the 2 who followed and favorited this story, means a lot! :D