Chapter 26 - Tormented dreams

Tormented dreams



Kaede sat in the hospital room, watching Yuula's sleeping form, two days after the crash. In that time there had been no change in Yuula's progress, and although her doctors said they were hopeful for her safe recovery, Kaede seriously doubted that they meant it.

That day a special assembly had been called and they were told that Yuula had been in a car crash and was currently in hospital, breathing through a tube. Although Kaede had already known, it didn't make hearing it any less painful. Seto had called her grandparents and forced her to leave the hospital with them, although she had protested. Her grandfather had to pick her up and drag her away before she gave up attempting to stay.

When she had arrived home she let her grandmother take the glass out of her cuts and clean them without argument or complaint. The dress she had been wearing was ripped off her back by her grandmother, who forced her to shower before she bandaged them. Kaede hoped that her dress wouldn't be thrown away, but she knew as well as anybody that those blood stains wouldn't come out.

Although her dress was gone, the necklace was still with her. Kaede had left it in the hospital beside Yuula's bed, hoping that it would bring her good luck and a speedy recovery. But the necklace's magic wasn't working just yet.

During the assembly, when they were told, Kaede had looked over at Joey, who was the only other person who knew. He hadn't told her why he had been there that night, and really didn't care anymore. She was just glad he had thoughtfulness to ask how Yuula was doing, and feel sad that she was injured.

When they were told about it, almost their whole year started to cry. Sakura, Ana and Tea were huddles together, tears streaking their faces. Kaede forced herself not to cry, and found herself moving between each group of people, comforting and reassuring them. Duke was shaking so much when he heard, and as Kaede past the boy's toilets with Sakura, Tea and Ana, Kaede was sure she heard him crying inside.

After the assembly their group of friends were allowed to leave the school, and the nine of them left and walked to the hospital in silence.

They crowded in Yuula's room, Kaede holding the necklace in her bandaged hands, her grip on it so tight that it drew blood. Each of them took it in turns to sit next to Yuula's bed and “talk” to her, although Kaede passed on this, leaving the silence of the room. She walked down the corridor to the children's ward to see Tenshi.

She was sitting up in her bed reading when Kaede entered. Tenshi's cheeks had tear streaks down them and her eyes were red and swollen from crying. Kaede sat down next to her, waiting for her to speak.

`Mokie is still unconscious,' Tenshi said after taking a deep breath and still her voice shook as she said it. Kaede couldn't think of anything to say to this, so after asking how Tenshi was feeling, she went to visit Seto.

Inside Mokuba's room, Seto was sitting in one of the armchairs. He too looked as though he had been crying recently, and wiped his eyes when he saw Kaede enter. She looked over to the bed where Mokuba still lay as though he was asleep.

`Still no change?' Kaede asked, kneeling beside his chair.

Seto shook his head and tears began to fill his eyes again. She sat on the edge of the seat and put her arms around him as the tears spilled down his cheeks.

`How's Yuula?' he asked, wiping his eyes after a few minutes of crying into Kaede's shoulder.

`Same as Mokuba,' Kaede muttered, and hugged Seto even tighter.

They sat like that for what felt like hours, until Kaede pulled herself free and wiped the tears away from Seto's face. She kissed him on the cheek and left him, going to check up on the others. But when she arrived back in Yuula's room, they were gone, so she sat alone next to Yuula's seemingly lifeless body.

Kaede pulled the chair in the room next to Yuula's bed, so that she could watch her friend and check on her to see if she showed any signs of life.

But soon Kaede rested her head on her arms that were folded on the bed next to Yuula. Completely exhausted, she fell asleep as soon as she closed her eyes.



***



Hebeny knelt in the temple, pretending to be deep in prayer. But every so often she heard the door to the temple open, and would glance up at the door to see who it was. But each time she was disappointed.

She went back to her prayer, and whispered under her breath, `Please let him arrive soon, please let him be alright.'

As soon as she said this, the door banged open and heavy footsteps sounded on the marble floor of the temple. Hebeny raised her head and jumped up, seeing that it was Priest Seto. She ran forwards and when she reached him he lifted her into the air and swung her around him. Putting her back on the floor, he kissed her passionately and held her close to him.

Suddenly she pulled away, her eyes searching the temple for anybody else who might be there, watching them. Seeing no one, she sighed and rested her head on Seto's shoulder.

`We have to be more careful,' she said, looking up into his eyes. `If anybody saw, if anybody knew, the things they can do to us are terrible. You could be banished if you are seen with me, and there is no end to what they can do to me.'

Seto shook his head. `I don't care anymore; all this lying is killing us.'

`Don't say that, you know what they will do if they find out as well as I do, perhaps even better,' Hebeny scolded him. `They will do everything they can to hurt us, especially me; I'm only a slave, they can do whatever they want with me.'

`Sssh, don't talk like that,' Seto said, hugging her to him. `You're not a slave anymore, you hear me.'

He took her and led her out of the temple. She quickly took off the necklace he had given her and put on a pair of old, worn down sandals. Whenever they were around other people she had to pretend to be his slave, because if anybody knew that they were more than that, well, Hebeny hated to think about the consequences.

She walked just behind him, as slaves do, and ignored any stares they attracted. She knew as well as any that any girl slave is usually subjected to rape by her master, and that was clearly what these people were thinking. Little they know, Hebeny thought as she stared right back at them, her head raised in pride and dignity.

As Seto led her through the town, they entered into the market area. Looking around her with caution as she always did when entering here, Hebeny slowly and reluctantly followed Seto into the market, knowing all too well that it was the breeding ground for thieves, spies, prostitutes and dangerous gangs. Seto strode through without any fear, so Hebeny ran to catch up with him, confident that he would help protect her.

Seto stopped at one of the stalls selling jewellery. Hebeny hovered behind him, anxious not to linger for long. Usually when she and Sanura were made to run errands for Seto or Isis, Hebeny would make them sprint through the market, not stopping until they were as far away as possible. Waiting for too long in there could cost you your life.

Hebeny was watching Seto purchase a necklace when they heard a loud screaming. Hebeny looked towards where it was coming from, and then back at Seto, who was also looking for where the sound was coming from.

Hebeny heard the footsteps of someone running towards them and gripped a knife she had concealed beneath her clothes, just in case. She turned around to face whoever it was and to her relief saw it was Isis. She was about to greet her but Isis shook her head.

`No time, come with me quickly, they've got Sanura,' she gasped between breaths, and then she took of again, in the directions of the screams. Hebeny ran after them, determined not to be left alone in that horrible place.

They turned a corner and a horrible sight met their eyes. There was a huge crowd of people circled around the wall of one of these buildings, shouting and jeering at the figure of a small girl strung up on the wall. They were throwing stones at her and calling her names. Hebeny recognised the blonde hair and ran forward, realising that it was Sanura. She pushed through the crowd, shouting.

`STOP IT, LEAVE HER ALONE!' Hebeny shouted at them. They jeered even louder and pushed her to the ground. She snarled and got to her feet, still yelling at them to stop.

Isis and Seto joined her, and seeing them the angry mob began to move away, muttering about protecting “The mad and demon possessed freak”. Seto lifted Hebeny onto his shoulders so that she could reach Sanura and cut her down. She took out her knife and sliced the ropes that had been cutting into Sanura's wrists, and lifted her over her shoulder so she could carry her down. Isis helped to lower them both to the ground, and then ran off towards the palace. `I'm going to find Herya, she can help her.'

Seto took off one of his robes and wrapped it around Sanura as Hebeny examined her wounds. She had been stabbed several times in the chest and the neck and blood was covering her white robes. Her wrists had been slashed, and the rope had been caught in these cuts, causing her even more pain. She had bruises and little cuts around her body and face from the stones they had thrown at her, and her face was swollen and caked with blood.

Hebeny put her ear to Sanura's nose and listened. She was still breathing. Hebeny shook her, desperate to wake her. She shook her shoulders and slapped her face, desperate for her to live.

Suddenly Sanura coughed, her whole body lifting with the movement. Hebeny hugged her as she did, hearing her cough loudly in her ear. When she held her at arms length, Hebeny saw that new wet blood had appeared at Sanura's mouth. Touching her robes, she saw that they had been covered in fresh blood, brought up in Sanura's coughing. Hebeny pushed Sanura to the ground, urging her to lie down. Seto began wrapping her wounds in the robe he had covered her with, tearing it into shreds while Hebeny desperately questioned Sanura.

`What happened, why did they do this to you?'

Sanura groaned, and coughed again; bringing even more blood spilling out of her mouth. Hebeny wiped it away hopelessly, asked her again, shaking her hard so she would answer her.

`I was walking through the market,' Sanura groaned, closing her eyes. `And I was talking to you Hebeny and you Seto, and Isis and my mother too, and everything was okay, and then these people grabbed me.'

Her voice was fading, and Hebeny shook her again. `Sanura, talk to me, don't close your eyes,' she shook her even harder, gritting her teeth. `Look at me, Sanura, talk to me.'

Sanura opened her eyes again and continued, her voice slightly stronger. `They took away my necklaces and rings, and forced me into this hut. They ripped my clothes and took my knife, stabbing my neck and chest. Then they tied my hands with ropes and hung me up on the wall, and all of those people started throwing stones at me.'

Hebeny was biting her lip so hard it bled, but she didn't notice. She took Sanura's hand in hers, and hugged Sanura to her. Sanura's blood rubbed against her white robes, staining them red. But Hebeny didn't care anymore, and let the tears spill down her cheeks. She closed her eyes and rocked backwards and forwards, still holding Sanura to her, still holding her hand. But soon she was holding onto nothing more than an empty shell, the hand she was holding had relaxed, gone limp, and she could not longer feel Sanura's warm breath on her shoulder. Already her skin was turning cold, and Hebeny could feel no heartbeat.

Hebeny let go of Sanura, laying her back on the ground, and standing up. She stumbled away and leaned over with her hand against the wall closest to them, the wall that Sanura had been strung to only minutes previously. She arched her back and retched, sobbing. She stood up and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, leaving her tears that were still rolling down her cheeks. Seto had stood up too, and was standing next to Sanura's body, watching her. Hebeny staggered towards him, and fell over. Seto ran forward and knelt next to her, holding her to him. He brushed away her hair that was stuck to her face by Sanura's drying blood and held her close to him. Seto's face was stained with tears as well, and his eyes filled with fresh tears every time he looked over at Sanura's crumpled body.

When Hebeny had stopped crying enough to speak she asked, `Why was she saying she spoke to her mother? I thought her mother was dead.'

`She is,' Seto replied sadly. `But Sanura, well, she wasn't like other people. Before she came to us she lived with her mother in a country not far from here. Her mother was thought to do evil magic and was killed by the villages, who drove Sanura away. She collapsed in the desert and Isis and I found her. We brought her back here, but she didn't remember much of what happened to her. She forgot how to speak or act around people. We tried to teach her, but she never understood things properly, and was considered to be slightly mad.'

Hebeny shook her head, not wanting to hear anymore. Seto took her hand in his and gripped in hard, pulling her even closer to her. She buried her face in his robes, and wept even harder.

Seto stroked her hair, and looked up only when he heard footsteps approaching. Isis had returned with Herya, and was explaining what happened, but she saw Seto and Hebeny sitting slightly away from Sanura's body, and stopped in her tracks. Herya saw to and jogged over to Sanura's body, checking for a heartbeat. She stood up and her shoulders dropped, and a single tear rolled down her cheek, and landed next to Sanura, mingling with the dust.

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