Chapter Two[II]: New Plan - Run (II)

Xenos Waters drops to the ground, Felix tumbling with him. They both pant, sprawled out on the cold ground, snow gently falling around them. He leans on his arms, mindful to keep his hand open so the glass doesn't go deeper. Every breath he takes hurts and shivering from the cold every second doesn't help. He looks at his right hand, specifically at the blood pouring out of the wounds, not looking like it's going to stop anytime soon.

He dips his head, resting it on his forearms. Xenos doesn't have the energy to keep his head up, much less stand and keep running. He wants this to be a dream more than anything he has ever wanted, but the pain in his body proves, once again, that it isn't. Whatever that thing is, truly exists in this world. Suddenly, he realizes the voices in his head stopped, he doesn't know when that happened, but he doesn't care. His main issue is that thing finding them since they're completely vulnerable right now.

Looking at Felix, he notes that he's gasping for air on his back in a starfish position. Felix must have felt his stare because he looks over to Xenos, pure bewilderment and terror in his eyes. "What the hell was that thing?" Felix asks breathlessly.

Xenos tries to push himself up, all he manages is to make himself tumble onto the ground, his whole side flaring up with pain as he lands on it. He curls into himself, the snow under his hand turning red. "A nightmare, that's what." He looks at his hand again, grimacing as he is finally able to register just how much the glass shards sting. "It felt so. . ." he trails off, there's nothing that can really describe the aura of that thing.

"Wrong? Unnatural? Evil? Demonic?" Felix suggests as he rolls onto his side to face Xenos.

He shakes his head, dark hair going into his eyes. "Close, but not quite." Felix merely nods, seeming to agree with Xenos.

Felix frowns. "Aren't you one of the orphan kids?"

Xenos suddenly feels very self-conscious about himself, it happens every time that he hears the people in school whispering things about him, knowing very well that he can hear them. He just bobs his head, lips in a tight grimace. Xenos opens his hand, wincing as the glass moves from the motion. He pressed his right hand firmly to the ground, his palm to the sky.

He pauses to shiver, teeth chattering as the wind picks up, taking away any warmth he managed to gather. His clothes are damp with sweat and snow, it seems they have yet another thing to worry about: hypothermia. Maybe that's a better way to go then by the claws of that creature, he isn't even sure that it wants to kill them, but he knows well enough that wherever that thing is going to take isn't going to be good.

His shoulder pulses in pain but Xenos doesn't dare to look at it, but by Felix's wince out of the corner of his eye as he looks at the spot, Xenos is sure that it looks just as horrible as it feels. The pulse is awful, his whole shoulder is burning in pain, it almost feels. . . infected by something. Like that creature has somehow managed to poison him with a single touch, it's pure agony, and Xenos has to try desperately to keep the tears pooling in his eyes from falling.

Lifting his left hand, Xenos gently grabs a hold of a particularly large shard of glass, he bites his inner lip to suppress a cry of pain as he pulls it out, blood flowing more freely now that there is no blockage. He continues to pull out the larger pieces, teeth grinding together as he does so. He breathes heavily once all of the big shards are out of his hand, placing his hand gently on top of the snow to cool the burning pain pulsing in his palm.

There's a tense silence for a few moments before Felix speaks, "We should probably be somewhere warmer."

Xenos almost wants to say no, he's fatigued beyond belief, his shoulder and palms hurt like hell, and breathing is also a pain because of his more-than-likely cracked ribs. He doesn't say that, however, as Xenos knows that if they stay in the snow any longer they might end up with hyperthermia. Xenos really doesn't want to deal with another issue right now. Plus, the creature might come back.

That thought sends Xenos clumsily staggering to his feet, whole body feeling twenty kilograms heavier as pain shoots up his sides and makes him wince. He watches as Felix slowly raises himself up, testingly placing a bit of weight on his right foot and stumbling slightly, Xenos somehow managing to steady Felix.

"Thanks," Felix breaths with a grimace, gently grabbing Xenos' right shoulder, the one that wasn't touched by that creature. Xenos hesitantly reaches around Felix's waist and grabs his side, allowing for Xenos to properly help Felix stand. Xenos ignores the burning pain in his palm because of the pressure put on to it.

"Where should we go?" Xenos asks.

Felix pauses to think for a moment. "The orphanage is closer than my house, so let's go there."

Xenos hesitates, something awful dawning on him. "N-No, no way. What if-- What if that creature follows us there and hurts the children and staff?"

Felix's expression turns stiff, lips pulling down in a deep frown as if he hadn't considered that before. Which, he mostly hadn't, considering they were running for their lives only minutes ago. "Yeah," Felix says slowly, looking troubled, "we definitely shouldn't go there. That also means we can't go to a hospital, or anywhere with people for that matter." His expression brightens slightly. "We can go to my house, my dad's gone for the week."

"I know some first aid, so I can wrap our injuries until we can get a doctor," Xenos adds, relieved that they had somewhere to go.

He hears Felix let out a sigh of relief. "That's good-- no, that's great. Let's head to my house quickly, we don't know when that creature is going to reappear."

Xenos stiffens, nodding grimly.