Jack: Silenced

I

The lull of water rumbled a rhythmic lullaby, one that kept his heart in pace with his shallow breaths. There was a faint nagging that he was supposed to be doing something, that he wasn't supposed to be laying on a beach, staring up at the sky with clouds in such undulating cirrus stripes. He couldn't be sure what he saw was the sky. Maybe he'd seen the universe wrong all along. Maybe birds, when they took off, plunged into a source of water encircling their ball of terra and air.

Fingers graced his cheek. They were cool to the touch in this heat. Jack wanted to kiss after Flynn's fingers. Except those weren't Flynn's fingers. He could envision her touch at all times: the rough callus of an amazing warrior. Others said Flynn was gentle with Jack. He knew Flynn struggled to be gentle.

These fingers were soft, delicate, and knew the tantalizing tickle of a spider's stride.

Jack flinched.

"You're already up," she said, this girl who was touching him that wasn't Flynn. The ending strands of her hair joined her fingers like a clutter of arachnids waltzing across his face and arm. He inhaled cinnamon and other spices that reminded him of Alabaster's lair: a witch.

Jack wondered if he wasn't supposed to sleep in this foggy dream. Was it a dream or his imagination? No. He didn't see visions of women when his imagination ran wild; he saw monsters.

"Are you a monster?" he asked. His throat felt raw, like he'd been coughing. The more sensation returned to him, the heavier his wet clothing felt.

She laughed, like this was a common question. "Only if you're mean to me. Do you have plans of being rude?"

Her spider-fingers pried his chin towards her; the motion felt leaden. Jack couldn't read if she was joking. Her features were too soft and perfect, like an illustration of a 1950's housewife. Her hair piled over one shoulder with the impeccable curves of twisted taffy. Those almond eyes traced every inch of him with the intensity of painter, saving an image for later.

Her words were disappointed, Oh, you're already up. Jack wondered how long she'd been sitting here, touching him.

"You're so handsome," she whispered. Her lips curled into a smile.

"Uh—I—um…" Jack didn't like her examination. It reminded him of Ms. Daisy Blackwell and the other boys and girls at his church and school that wanted him to play, but only when he was confused. That didn't happen at Camp Othrys. Luke and Flynn didn't let people play with him and then pretend it didn't happen afterwards. Flynn, in fact, had offered to make others play with Jack and make them "confused."

"Have you been ill?" Her delicate fingers pinched the skin of his arm, and Jack could envision her with fangs, not enough meat to eat.

Jack didn't know he wanted to tug at his hair until his limbs didn't respond—too weak. Before Camp Othrys, there were lots of questions about his emaciated state: "Does your mother not feed you?" "Pft, I thought anorexia was only for girls?" "Why don't you eat some fucking cake?" Jack didn't like to explain: he never could put on weight, would never have the muscles Luke or Axel had. Once they medicated him, the weight and appetite fluctuation increased even more.

But she didn't need to know that. This stranger didn't need to know any of that. "No. I just—"

"But you are a hero, else you wouldn't be here. You need sleep, brave one." Her thumb tickled his chin in a stroke.

"N-no. I'm a child of Apollo. I heal quickly—" Jack didn't get sick.

"Sh. Sleep." Her fingers tightened slightly along his jaw. A lovely song, sad and soporific, harmonized with the rush of the waves. Weariness weighed upon his chest, crushing out any thoughts, concerns, or dreams. But Jack knew his body and his health. He didn't need to rest yet and wouldn't have naturally. This encroaching slumber was enforced by magic or drugs. His heartbeat and breath fought in a panicked flutter against the effect, decreasing with each thud and gasp. Empty sleep took him before he could scream.

Thank you all for reading! I hope you enjoyed, and I hope all of you are having a lovely winter holiday :D (2020 is almost done O.o) and thank you all for your patience. There's been a lot happening (for everyone, I know XD) and getting these out have been challenging lately. Stay tuned in two weeks (hopefully '') for the next portion of Jack's Silenced, to confirm, as you've all probably guessed, whose island Jack had the horror to wash upon.

Call out to all_knowing_spork for editing this piece!