Chapter 17- Morning
1009 Words
Something I wouldn't have thought about before actually living underground is the lack of early morning sun. No matter what time you wake up, the lighting in the room is always the same.
Lusso sleeps with his room pitch black, not a single nightlight to be found. I have a small light in my room, hating the way utter darkness presents the monsters hidden in my mind.
But here, in consuming darkness of the artificial night, I'm unbothered. Lusso's scent traces the air around me, the delicacy of his cotton shirt soft under my fragile grasp. I don't want to let him go, the vivid image of him slipping away from me all to real.
With my cheek on Lusso's muscular chest, I listen carefully to the strong beats of his hard. I rise and fall with his chest, wishing I could live in this moment forever.
I must spend hours just clinging to Lusso, before his shallow breaths become uneven as he leaves his dreams. I stiffen, unsure if I should move away from him before he wakes. But the air in the room is stagnant and freezing cold, and I can't seem to pry myself away from comfortable warmth.
A low groan rumbles in the chest beneath me, followed by tight arms pressing me closer to the warm body. It's all the reassurance I need for my paranoia to retreat to the depths of my mind, allowing me to melt into him again.
My eyes flutter up at him, and I find him already looking down at me. His eyes trace the length of my body under the covers, filled with a new emotion I don't recognize.
"I want to wake up to this more." His morning voice is husky, a new twist to his usually velvety smooth purr. I like it. More than I probably should...
His words cause an intense eruption of butterflies in my belly, and I sense a blush coming on. I burry my heated face into his chest, not wanting him to think I'm some immature child who blushes at everything. He just causes it so often, I want to swear to him that I'm not normally like this.
"What time is it?" I force out.
He pats the pillow down to see the alarm clock, then immediately wraps his arm back around me. I snuggle into the safety of his moment.
"7:20. We should probably get a move on soon."
I recoil lower into the covers, my face now on Lusso's firm torso. "I don't want to." I whine out, my head covered entirely in a thick duvet.
He chuckles lightly before dragging me back up to him, tucking me neatly under his crossed arms. Carefully angling my chin to not dig into his flesh, I watch his perfect face through the darkness. The only light illuminates from the alarm clock's red hue, along with a few other small things like the smoke detectors and such. Just enough to display a rough outline of his dominant features.
"We need to get you back to your room," he twirls a lock of my knotted hair.
"I knowww," I draw out.
Lusso turns on his lamp, and we take our sweet time getting out of bed. He gives me a series of lefts and rights to take through the vents, thankfully a fairly easy pattern. Eventually, we bid each other good bye and he boost me into the ceiling. I'm glad he didn't try to kiss me, because I haven't brushed my teeth yet. I wonder if he thought about that too.
I find my way around easily, and drop back into my room. Sweeping the room for anything out of place, I decide the place is empty.
I rush straight to the bathroom to take care of aunt flow, knowing I left my tampon in for to long last night.
Sorting myself out, I shower and change cloths. My mood is noticeably better after getting some good ole' vitamin D, my faint freckles showing a tad more.
Knock, knock. Someone's at the door. I cross the room with a nauseatingly sick feeling clouding my thoughts, my hunch telling me a horrible faith awaits me.
The door swings open just before I reach it, none other that Mr. King inviting himself in. Why he bothered to knock, I have no idea. Less than a minute ago I was worried my tanner skin would give me away, but I can honesty say all color has drained from my face. I've never been paler.
The repulsing grin that stretches the dry skin of his face makes my stomach churn, and I beg the world to let me pass out right now.
"You weren't in the clinic yesterday," he stalks towards me.
"I um-" I start, but end up standing paralyzed with an open mouth.
"Took the day off, after only an hour of work." He prowls around me, circling my trembling body. "After all my son does for you. Gives you a room, lets you eat meals with us. Pity." His accent is much stronger than Lusso's, and I struggle to understand him at times.
"Tsk, tsk. I expected better from you," he growls, right before he lunges. He throws me into the hard floor, and the air in my lungs quickly abandons me.
I know what's to happen before it begins, preparing for the inevitable switch. I wait patiently for my logic and reason to slip away, letting my internal shield take over.
"You came all the way down here just to beat the f**k out of a little girl?"
Punch. My stomach clenches around the impact.
"You little b***h, imma stick my toothbrush up your ass."
Punch. I grimace as my face throbs.
"Give me a gun you fucker, we'll face off like real bitches!"
Kick. Hard and swift, inflicted mercilessly to my shoulder.
"Okay, f**k!" I cry, starting to feel real emotional and raw physical torment.
"Now you wanna play nice?" He kicks several more times, before picking me up and throwing me back down like I god damn wrestler.
Hot tears drip down my cheeks as white hot pain sears everywhere. I slip away, thankful my body has finally deserted all hopes of the assault ending.
- Writer
