Calibers in your Flesh

The cozy, orange glow of the desk lamp warms the ivory pages of the small book resting on Fae’s lap. Her feet dangle over the edge of her bed. Her eyes drift over the words again.

'What do we mean when we say 'love'? Love of another person, love of a higher being, or perhaps even love of an object. Is there truly any meaning to this thing we call 'love'? With this premise, its merely more than an addiction.’

Fae's brow quirks, “that's a dramatic interpretation.” Her thumb slides off the page. It flaps to the next.

'When people think of addiction, they think of this internal war between one’s desires and willpower. But addiction isn’t always the minefield we need to cross, but often are the roots in which life is contained. We almost all have addictions that cause harm to others. Think of a time where love harmed you.'

'You didn't need to think for long, did you?'

"Hmm." Fae taps the page, playing with her thoughts. "An addiction. Maybe it is? Or maybe its-"

BAM!!!

The book slips from Fae's hands and tumbles to the ground.

“W-what the?” Her heart pounds in her throat. That was the front door. The thump of feet tramples down the hall. Fae drops to her knees in front of her bed. It nears her room. She slaps a hand over her mouth with a choked whine.

The footsteps diminish, passing her room. Fae swallows hard, rising on trembling legs and staggers toward her room door.

Through the trepidation jumbling her thoughts, a glimmer of sense blooms. Whatever's going on, that girl down the hallway is responsible.

Alison...What the hell did you do now?! Fae's mind screams. It doesn’t matter. She needs to get out of here. Fast.

Her thoughts race against her will. Just what did she do? She pissed someone off... No, she had a fight with someone... Fae wildly shakes her head.

Hah, it’s not rocket science. She did it again, didn’t she? She stole something from someone!

A shrill yell screeches through the house. Alison. Fae shoves her door open and dashes down the hall.

She halts in front of Alison's room and her body cripples with terror, gawking at the scene enacting in front of her.

Two men in black subdue Alison to her bed. Alison blubberingly sobs, fervently flailing beneath them. Her dark brown locks twisted and frayed around the gloved hand dug in her scalp. The other one restrains her arms behind her back. Her shirt is twisted and torn, exposing her lacy red bra that rivals the shade of her face. She madly kicks her legs knotted in the covers. She screams again.

"Get off me!"

Fae gapes, paralyzed.

Saliva bubbles through Alison’s gritted teeth. She drags her face across the bed sheets and her large, bloodshot eyes catch the silhouette at the door frame, “F-Fae, help!”

Fae’s mind thaws. Her legs bolt in the room and she throws herself across the bed. Her body collides with one of the men and shock thrashes through her. The man grunts from the impact and they both tumble to the ground. Fae's head thwacks against the floor.

Fae rises from the ground. The world shifts and warps ahead of her. Alison repeatedly yells illegible words at her. Her visage splits, doubling across Fae's eyes, though her panicked state is palpable. The room starts spinning. A ring dangerously swells in Fae's head and she squeezes her eyes shut and slams her hands over her ears.

“Fae, watch out!” Alison cries.

An arm slings around Fae’s waist and knocks the air out of her. Her head flings backwards with a cold leather glove clamped over her mouth. She thrashes about, her screams hot and muffled. Her head painfully throbs and her heels beat against the floor in her struggle.

Fae's head declines backward. Her heart beats like static, yet her eyes flutter backwards. Black splotches bloom from the corners of her vision. The gloved hand gently swipes displaced strands of hair from her sweaty face.

Fae gazes above through her waning vision. Ghostly grey eyes watch the consciousness fade from her body. The grin slithering on his face and stretching past reality is the last image Fae sees.

The figure grips Fae tighter. “What a brave girl.”