Antithetic's Tale

Chapter 14

I was still stunned because I could not move again. Thyra looks right I need to get rid of the ice crystals on my body.

I was just waiting for someone to come in so I could order him to take me to the laboratory. For an hour I endured the pain and still no one came in.

I felt a little happy when the door opened. Good.

"Iris." He says. I still can't recognize who he is because he did not turn on the light in the room.

"Take me to the laboratory." I ordered even though I had no idea who he was. The important thing is that I can be taken there because my wounds are really sore.

"You're too weak." I stared at him and tried to recognize this man's voice. He is not Ion and he is not Dr. Willows.

"I didn't expect this." He says. Who is this creature? If I could just move he would probably be injured because of what he was saying. Yes, that's true, but do they have to tell me that hour after hour?

"Look at you, you can't even move. I'm so disappointed, Iris. I thought I can't easily defeat you in the future because based on the book I wrote for you, you're too powerful." I was surprised by what he said. Is he the one who will kill me ?!

Why can't I move! Why am I not familiar with his voice. I never thought I would even know him personally. I thought in my dream he would only show up. It was too early for him to introduce himself to me.

I need to see his face. I had to overthrow him before he killed me.

"Why don't you just kill me now?" I asked him. He can do that without much difficulty.

"Because it is not written in the book." He says. My wounds ached again.

I could see him coming out the door. He was in front of me but I did nothing! Why am I getting like this ?!

"Athena!" At the same time there is the flow of light throughout the room. Ion came in again and ran towards me.

"I'll take you to the laboratory." He says. It was as if someone was absorbing my energy and my vision was blurring again.

I cried when Ion lifted me up. My side hurt so much that I was able to hold on to him tightly.

"You need to be as awake when the glass is removed." He says. That's why only now will they remove it from me.

We took the elevator and headed to the laboratory. It's good that Ion came because if not, I'm probably screaming in pain in that room.

"Iris, how did you get ice crystals on your body? Who did this to you?" Dr. openly asked me. Willows. This man is really very talkative. Why didn't he just start removing the glass from my body?

"Proceed." I said and slowly closed my eyes. My wound was still fresh even two days ago when I got it. I'm sure they will hurt because even though my wound is still deep, they need to move it to remove all the ice crystals that have pierced various parts of my body.

"You know what, I didn't expect this, Iris." Dr. said sadly. Willows to me. He didn't expect that he would treat me because they were just taking me what was in my body. Psh.

I just didn't speak because my body was really hurting. It looks like I'm about to numb from the pain.

"We will start." He said softly. I don't know if what he said was really weak or if I just could not hear properly.

     I felt the cold metal on my skin wound. Take a deep breath because I am sure I will be hurt by what they do.

"Ahh!" I screamed as the metal entered inside my wound.

"Calm down." He told me.

'Can we change the situation? Moron! ' I want to tell Dr. Willows but I do not have enough strength to speak.

      I felt them remove a crystal attached to my flesh. How can I endure the pain that's killing me right now ?! I think, I can't handle this.

"Wi-willows." I call her name. I might die if they continue what they are doing.

    Why am I acting like this now? What is happening to me? I was not like this before.

"Iris, what do you need?" He asked as he landed a piece of ice glass on a metal tray.

"I-i can't handle this." I poured my energy just to say those four words?

"Dominic, get the syringe!" Dr. shouted. Willows to one of his staff.

"I can't believe you! I thought you could. What exactly is happening to you, Iris ?!" He asked me a panicked question. I was weak so I could not answer him. I don't even know what's happening to me anymore.

Flashback

"Iris. Are you ready?" I stared into his eyes. Why every time they do this to me, that's what they always ask. I just didn't answer that and I went straight to the laboratory of this building.

"Do what you want to do." I told the scientists around the door to greet me.

"We'll put you to sleep, Iris." Dr. Willow. I stared at him but he just avoided looking at me. I'm used to it, no one is staring at me.

"I don't want to. Get started. I still have class." I told them.

End of flashback

      What is really happening to me? Why can I no longer understand myself?

"You are acting so frail." Dr. added. Willows. I admit it, I am getting weaker.

     He pointed the syringe he was holding at me. Gradually I felt fluid in my body.

     In just a few seconds, I could no longer feel my body. The anesthetic they injected into me is already working. I no longer feel pain from my wound.

      They have continued to remove the crystal from my wounds. I just woke up and looked at the ceiling. I don't want to see what they are doing because I just feel sorry for myself.

      I never thought that I will pity myself. I thought I was strong. I thought I was weird.

       Why am I feeling this way? Why do I feel sad?

       These past few days, too many things are happening to me. Things I never thought I would experience and feel.

       I laughed, I felt pleasure. I never thought I would be happy. I thought being happy was just for people. That's for everyone.

       I do not know if I should regret my departure from the world. I don't know if I did it right. But pleasure dominates my brain. Pleasure because my life cycle is different. Because of the end, I was also lost in the eternal darkness I grew up in.

      But, was my decision right?

      Why since I came out of that darkness, have I started to be different.

     They told me I was different from people so I believed that. I only believed in them when I was young. They told me that I should not associate with people.

      But why do I gradually feel that I am no different from them? Why am I slowly seeing our similarities?

"Iris. The operation is successful." My attention went to Dr. Willows when he said that. Is it really successful?

I would have touched my wound but I could not feel my hand. My whole body is still numb.

"Don't dare to move. You're just wasting your energy. After an hour, you can go to your room. Rest, Iris" Dr. Willows before he left the room that was part of the laboratory where they operated on me.

     I want to sleep but I can't. I'm bored. I was disgusted with myself. In the past, I just stared in the dark but I did not feel bored. I lived like that for twenty years.

      Can I still wait an hour to move? Why am I not sleepy ?! I HATE MYSELF.

     Suddenly the door opened and Ion spat out, still a trace of concern on his face. Fortunately, I can talk to someone.

      I was shaken in my brain.

      When else have I had an interest in talking?

"Are you alright, Athena?" He asked me. I could not move so I just did not respond to him.

"Does anything hurt?" He asked again. He took a chair and placed it next to my bed for a chair.

"Are you hurt?" He calmly asked me.

      I'm not sure if I can speak. But I tried.

"Why are you acting so strange?" I asked him. He frowned.

"What's strange?" He asked me again.

"You're not you." I said. He made a face.

"I can not understand you." He says.

"Why are you like that now, why do you look worried?" I asked him. I noticed he was stiff. Is there something wrong with my query?

"Be-because I'm your brother." He said once looking in the other direction.

"But we're in Mreine, Ion." I told him. It's not that I don't want him to worry about me, but he's not like that. In the past, when someone took something from me, he waited at the door to laugh and tease me. It looks so new to me. Him, looking so bothered because of my situation.

"I am." He said again.

"You are not." I told him. He stared into my eyes.

"Why? Do I have no right to worry?" I averted my eyes from what he thought. He looks like Zephyr when he's serious.

"Nothing." I just answered. He really has no right to worry, especially me. I don't even worry about myself. I feel sorry for it but I can't worry about my condition. If something bad happens, I think, it is my fate.

"I have. It's my rights not yours. Meaning, it is my business. Not yours." I stared at him again. It's my first time hearing that tone from him.

"But you're worried about me, Ion. I think, that's my business." Why do I want to deal with this thing? I am being senseless, again.

"It's not. You know what, you should rest." He said to interrupt our senseless conversation.

"I think, you should too." My answer.

     I looked at the clock in the laboratory. The last time I checked it (before Ion came), it's 2:34. Now, it's 3:01. I can only move in a few minutes.

"Are you hungry?" Ion asked. I still thought he was leaving.

"Am I hungry?" I asked myself. I heard Ion's weak laugh. I can't look back so I can't see where he is now.

"Here. Eat this when you can finally move." He said once down the sliced sliced apple on the plate in my stomach. Damn him.

"Heck." I said softly.

"You're learning to swear huh." He said laughing.

"Is it bad?" I asked him.

"It is bad, Athena. So stop it." He said with one hand against her.

"I gotta go. After you eat that, let's go home. Rest at home." He says. It's good that we're going home. I'm sure I've missed a lot of classes.

     He opened the door but before he left he said,

"You are my business, Athena."