Page 24 of Unwell
I wrapped my fingers around his wrist, fruitless really given the girth of his arm.
‘Larry. Look at me.’
His pupils were saucer-wide and as mad as bucking pigs.
‘We’ll find them. My ribbons and your rats. We won’t stop until we do.’ I tipped my head, pulling his fingers to my tattered hair.
‘They hurt you,’ he whispered, his hands trembling as he petted me like one of his rodents. ‘Made you ugly.’
The words cut me deep. Even though he didn’t have the cruelty to mean for them to hurt. I swallowed down the ache.
‘Maybe. Or maybe your rats are in the kitchen looking for scraps. Better scraps than what we get.’
His brow furrowed. ‘Better scraps?’
‘Yes,’ I whispered, watching his breathing settle. ‘They’re smart little friends. They know where to get the good stuff. They are small enough to escape, yet still they come back. Because they love you.’
Larry dropped his hands and nodded. ‘Maybe theygot cheese instead of dry bread.’ His voice softened. ‘Cheese.’
‘Cheese sounds better,’ I said with a smile.
His shoulders dropped, his hands opened as he nodded. ‘Cheese is better.’
When he flopped into a chair, it groaned under his weight. The room collectively relaxed.
‘Maybe they’ll come back when they’re full,’ he said softly.
I gave his hand a squeeze before stepping away.
My skin prickled as I walked back to my room.
Everything sounded twisted. Even the steps of my slippers whispering against the linoleum. The overhead lights buzzed like flies crowding a rotting carcass. Every shadow was too deep and too long and distorted.
My arms weren’t any comfort as I wrapped them around myself. The air grew colder and thicker with each step.
By the time I reached my door, knots twisted my stomach tight. Apprehension bit at my heels.
But my room wasn’t my room.
It looked the same. But it smelt different.Feltdifferent.
The curtains shifted despite the windows being sealed tight. Every breath was thick and heavy, tasting faintly of iron and death.
My eyes caught on a sliver of something pale on the floorboards.
A ribbon.
One ofmyribbons, curled like a lost snake.
I bent to snatch it up with shaking fingers. My mouth went dry at the red stains marking it.
Another ribbon lay a few steps further on.
My pulse quickened as I followed the silken breadcrumbs.
‘Hello?’ My voice felt brittle in the silence.
No answer.
