As I open my eyes I hit the realisation that I survived another night, the sunlight burning through the open window is proof of that. I lay for a moment enjoying the feeling of warmth as it spreads over my exposed skin, desperately trying to find unconsciousness again. Giving up, I haul myself out of the colossal bed, hissing at it as it fights to keep me within its hold. Once free I turn to glare at the immense thing, it's the size of two king beds and completely useless. Just as everything else in this place is I think as I make my way towards the window lined walls of my room. When I first came here I had marvelled at the city below, fallen in love with the lights and sounds, the people. Now, I hated it all. Nothing would ever convince me that there was beauty to be found in such a place, they had seen to that.
Turning my back on the city I hobble my way to the bathroom, and sink into the waiting bathtub. Tears spring into my eyes as the water burns my skin and penetrates the fresh cuts on my body, my grip on the edges loosens as my body becomes accustomed to the temperature. Despite the bath my head still aches, my muscles remain tensed and the bruises and cuts that adore my body hold their places. I used to get a healing bath; once the water hit an effected area it was immediately healed. The deepest bruise couldn't keep its hold, the longest cut covered over in moments, even your muscles let go when nothing else could make them. I stopped getting the bath months back, I don't know whether they realised the battered look was more realistic or it was punishment for my uncaring, ungrateful attitude.
My eyes closed for only a few seconds before the bathroom door burst open and a tall, slim man bounced through it. "Do you ever knock Kevin?" I sighed turning my head to take him in. Kevin was one of the only people I trusted in the city; time and time again he had gone above and beyond to help me. He had proven a great alley, a great help and a great friend.
"Since when have you cared my dear?" He grinned at me as he sat himself on the edge of my bath. "I come baring gifts!"
"Ah gifts, which means I have something to do today don't I?" I grimaced resting my head back and taking in the mural on the ceiling. Over-done blue sky with fluffy white clouds, bird s and angels flying around, useless I thought before Kevin's head popped into my line of vision.
"Yes, yes you do but at least this is a good exchange today," He mused as he held a bottle of healing bath up to me and smiled. "You have a photo shoot today so we can't have you all purple and green can we?"
"I suppose not," I replied as he poured the solution into the water, my eyes closing in response to the reaction of my body. The aches vanished, the tender bruises cleared and as I fully submerged myself my headache passed. "So why the sudden change in my appearance, I thought it was decided I looked better all beat up." I asked as I pulled free of the water.
"You receive your new affiliate today; turns out James didn't survive the night." He informed me with sad eyes. Thinking back I knew James had no chance but I got him out anyway forfeited and got him to help as soon as I could. It wasn't enough, it wasn't ever going to be enough, but I couldn't let him die alone. "Are you ok Dree?"
"Why wouldn't I be? James was just another affiliate, plenty more where he came from." I sighed rising to my feet and stepping out of the bath. Standing before the mirror in the bathroom I couldn't help marvel at my healed body. There were no marks to be seen, no blemishes anywhere. "God I wish they'd give me this more often, I'd be able to seduce my way out." I almost laughed as Kevin wrapped a robe around my shoulders.
"Don't change the subject Dree, you're not ok with James dying. You're not ok with any of them dying." He said as he pulled my dark red hair from underneath the robe.
"I don't have to be ok with it Kevin, I just have to be good enough to keep another alive as long as I can." I sighed drawing the robe around me and pulling my hair into a bun atop my head.
"Alright, but you know where I am if you need to talk." I nodded at him in the mirror and watched as the dark thoughts left his face. "Oh and you didn't hear it off me but they are talking about making these bigger again." He said indicating my breasts and I looked at him in disbelief. "Say no!" He finished with a laugh.
Turning my back on the city I hobble my way to the bathroom, and sink into the waiting bathtub. Tears spring into my eyes as the water burns my skin and penetrates the fresh cuts on my body, my grip on the edges loosens as my body becomes accustomed to the temperature. Despite the bath my head still aches, my muscles remain tensed and the bruises and cuts that adore my body hold their places. I used to get a healing bath; once the water hit an effected area it was immediately healed. The deepest bruise couldn't keep its hold, the longest cut covered over in moments, even your muscles let go when nothing else could make them. I stopped getting the bath months back, I don't know whether they realised the battered look was more realistic or it was punishment for my uncaring, ungrateful attitude.
My eyes closed for only a few seconds before the bathroom door burst open and a tall, slim man bounced through it. "Do you ever knock Kevin?" I sighed turning my head to take him in. Kevin was one of the only people I trusted in the city; time and time again he had gone above and beyond to help me. He had proven a great alley, a great help and a great friend.
"Since when have you cared my dear?" He grinned at me as he sat himself on the edge of my bath. "I come baring gifts!"
"Ah gifts, which means I have something to do today don't I?" I grimaced resting my head back and taking in the mural on the ceiling. Over-done blue sky with fluffy white clouds, bird s and angels flying around, useless I thought before Kevin's head popped into my line of vision.
"Yes, yes you do but at least this is a good exchange today," He mused as he held a bottle of healing bath up to me and smiled. "You have a photo shoot today so we can't have you all purple and green can we?"
"I suppose not," I replied as he poured the solution into the water, my eyes closing in response to the reaction of my body. The aches vanished, the tender bruises cleared and as I fully submerged myself my headache passed. "So why the sudden change in my appearance, I thought it was decided I looked better all beat up." I asked as I pulled free of the water.
"You receive your new affiliate today; turns out James didn't survive the night." He informed me with sad eyes. Thinking back I knew James had no chance but I got him out anyway forfeited and got him to help as soon as I could. It wasn't enough, it wasn't ever going to be enough, but I couldn't let him die alone. "Are you ok Dree?"
"Why wouldn't I be? James was just another affiliate, plenty more where he came from." I sighed rising to my feet and stepping out of the bath. Standing before the mirror in the bathroom I couldn't help marvel at my healed body. There were no marks to be seen, no blemishes anywhere. "God I wish they'd give me this more often, I'd be able to seduce my way out." I almost laughed as Kevin wrapped a robe around my shoulders.
"Don't change the subject Dree, you're not ok with James dying. You're not ok with any of them dying." He said as he pulled my dark red hair from underneath the robe.
"I don't have to be ok with it Kevin, I just have to be good enough to keep another alive as long as I can." I sighed drawing the robe around me and pulling my hair into a bun atop my head.
"Alright, but you know where I am if you need to talk." I nodded at him in the mirror and watched as the dark thoughts left his face. "Oh and you didn't hear it off me but they are talking about making these bigger again." He said indicating my breasts and I looked at him in disbelief. "Say no!" He finished with a laugh.