XVII: Don't Be Afraid

As soon as my consciousness left it came back, the pain was extreme. To the point where my body refused to black out.

My limp body lay on the floor, a shattered collar bone, and the corners of my mouth bleeding. I tried my best to keep my composure while I choked on fresh blood. The metallic taste filled my mouth and made me gag.

Sanzu stood over me with the bloody glass shard, his face filling with satisfaction and remorse. In a split second, a man equal in height rammed into him and brought him to the floor. His long purple hair flashed in front of my eyes. The others, even Mikey, loomed over my limp body. Mikey even looked surprised, his face filled with shock. They all looked as if they were looking at my dead corpse.

Takeomi got down on his knees and his hands grabbed my head, he slowly and softly lifted my head in his lap and elevated my body. Probably in hopes that it would help me somehow. "Don't be afraid [Y/n] it'll be okay now, everything will be okay."

In front of me Sanzu writhed under Rindou's body, Rindou grabbed the collar of Sanzu's shirt and screamed in his face. Multiple of Rindou's fists came down on Sanzu's face, it pained me to see them like this, but with the state I was in, I couldn't do a single thing.

Ran knelt down beside Takeomi with a warm rag in his hand, he pressed the warm cloth on the cuts on the sides of my mouth. The red liquid immediately soaking the damp towel. Ran cursed to himself and shouted at the others for something to put pressure on the cuts.

Like a puppy, Koko went and grabbed the medical kit from the bathroom, his body fuming with rage. He let me out of his sight for just a moment and I get hurt like this.

Koko knelt down on the opposite side of Ran and opened the medical kit, while the others tried to get Sanzu under control. Everyone else went to go help Rindou get Sanzu under control.

"Shit Ran, her collarbone is peaking out of her skin." Koko gagged in disgust. Ran didn't acknowledge his words he remained concentrated instead.

Ran put pressure on my lips and I groaned in pain, it burned. In a panic to get more medical supplies to get the bleeding under control, Ran accidentally hit my shoulder and I felt the split bones fold over each other. I let out a blood-curdling scream that froze the room, even the others who were fighting Sanzu looked back in shock.

Takeomi looked up from my shoulder blade and directly into Mikeys cold dead eyes, "She needs actual medical attention Mikey, if she doesn't she'll probably die." His voice was harsh and convincing, Mikey paused for a moment and finally shook his head.

"Pick her up, we're taking her to the hospital." Mikey paused, "Only two people go with her, that lowers our chances of getting caught by the authorities."

Before my consciousness faded once again, I saw Koko and Kakuchos panicked faces carrying my limp bruised body out of the golden doors and towards where help would be.

•••

The sound of the monitor beeped and I felt the IV needle in my skin. The heart rate monitor clinging to my finger, tubes and racks cluttered the room. The room was grey and the lights were dim, the only window was closed and the curtains were blocking out the bright sun. Everything felt neutral, even myself. I felt empty, I felt like I had been robbed of everything. Everything good in my life.

The first time I woke, there was no one sitting by my bed. No one came to visit, that's what the doctors said. And even my second week in the hospital I still didn't get a single visitor from anyone. It made me angry, it made me fume with rage.

Apparently I was informed that I was extremely dehydrated. I was starved and I had lost a dramatic amount of weight, I was underweight for someone my age. The doctors never asked how I got these wounds, the millions of bruises on my body that didn't fade, and weren't going to anytime soon. My mouth most of the time was wrapped in bandages, it was annoying and uncomfortable.

I hated life and had nothing left, I told myself that this was a dream and I was just going insane. But every time I woke up in the hospital I wept because I knew it was real, I knew everything that happened to me was real. Most people think this shit only happens in movies, but it doesn't because the world is cruel and doesn't show you the reality.

I sat up in my bed and tore the bandages from my mouth, the stitches were sore and I felt the blood leak from some. That would be a matter I had to deal with later. I pressed the red button to the side of my bed and called for the nurse, while I waited I stared at the blank wall. My expression was empty and I felt like a walking corpse, empty with nothing left but my own thoughts.

Seconds later my day nurse walked through the door with a plate of applesauce and some chocolates, her smile was bright, it made me feel warm inside. "Today is a special day! Today we're going to try some different foods and deserts to see if you can gain some weight."

I stared at her blankly as she sat the tray on my lap, "Thanks I guess." I said expressionless, my eyes locked on the applesauce and spoon. And the chocolate off to the side.

She stood next to my bed, her hands crossed and her foot tapping the floor. She laughed nervously, "Oh [Y/n] what happened to you?" She asked softly, her voice turning shaky. Her eyes turning soft, looking at me sympathetically.

I picked up the spoon and looked her dead in the eye, she gulped nervously at my intimidating demeanor. "I fucked with the wrong people. The people who I though were my friends, and the person who I thought loved me." I forced a smile, my eyes squinting slightly.

Tears formed in the corner of her eyes and she looked at me sympathetically, while she held back the tears I slowly switched between the applesauce and chocolates. She bowed to me before quickly walking off.

A lot of nurses asked me that, but I'd never answered one of them. Except for her, she was the first ever. Though I didn't tell her much, the barest of minimum.

All I wished for was for some visitors, that's all I wanted. All I ever wanted was for someone to look out for me and to not look at me with indifference. I wanted people to care.

I wanted to be saved.

Those words repeated in my head, they twisted my stomach and my mind. Knocking the tray over, spreading applesauce and cracking chocolate onto the floor, in a panic I leaned over the bed and threw up on the floor. My stomach wrenched and my throat burned, and of course the tears began to flow.

"Don't be scared [Y/n], everything will be okay."

Once this is over, would you guys like a Demon Slayer story from me? Because I want to write one. Let me know.-Duvichi