Chapter 20: Boiled Bat
The first thing she noticed when she opened the room was the acrid smell. It stank of seared flesh and as she approached the large four poster bed that sat centered on the far wall, she understood why.
Takoda’s beautiful face had been badly burned and as she got closer she saw the burns extended down onto his arms and legs. His clothes were in tatters and, in various places, looked like they had been set ablaze. Her mouth dropped open and she choked out a sob.
His eyes fluttered open and his face seemed to relax a bit in her presence. A strained but genuine smile spread across his face, though it didn’t last long as he hissed in pain. Ophelia had to cover her mouth and nose to stop herself from gagging when she realized wet pieces of his flesh were laying in piles around him, as if they had melted off his body.
Fighting down tears and the urge to vomit, Ophelia could only manage a whisper, “What happened to you, Takoda?”