Rise

Drip. Drip. Drip. Eyes open to a blur. Crimson falls from her lip as she sputters for help. But of course, no one came. No one ever did. Why would they? She was a freak. Monster. An Illusivus. Her heart pounded in her ears as the deafening silence was shattered by a loud crack. Her eye felt warm as liquid seeped from it. She came to realize the heated whip had struck her eye as the adrenaline faded. The welts that littered her pale skin felt like fire. She felt every ounce of Life drain from her being as her wounds left red pooling around her.

She lifted her aching head to face a blue fog that seemed to emanate from her damaged eye.

She had to rise. It wasn't an urge or a whim. It was a desperate need. She couldn't pinpoint why or how, she only knew that she must rise. She felt her body drag itself upward. As the lashes tore through her pain tolerance and enveloped her in agony. Bones cracked, blood spilled, wounds stung, and she rose. The searing pain felt like Death was toying with her. And it was.