Darkness Girl: Trickster God

Chapter Thirty-Four: Invisible Scars

Sarafina rushed into the bathroom feeling like a steel cable under too much tension. There were drops of blood and shards of broken mirror scattered across the tile floor. Regan stood with her fist wedged against the wall breathing heavily. She was staring at the floor, and her eyes had the wild, glassy look of someone hugging the event horizon of sanity. Behind her, Eva peered around the door frame with an expression that was equal parts curious and terrified. 

'Eva, go to your room,' Sarafina snapped. 

Eva retreated, only to be replaced by Forester. His face went pale when he saw the destruction in the bathroom. 

'What the hell just happened?' 

'Get the first aid kit from the kitchen.' 

Forester disappeared, and Sarafina took a cautious step forward. Regan's breath was coming in short gasps, as if the air was depleted of oxygen. 

'I need you to calm down,' said Sarafina. 'Focus on your breathing.' 

Regan hissed. It was a savage, alien sound. 

'The blood came back. It never washes out. No matter what I do, it always comes back.' 

'You mean the blood on your hand? That's your blood. You cut yourself on the mirror.' 

Regan turned to face her with a twisted expression that was halfway between a mad smile and a grimace of pain. For a second, Sarafina thought she would attack her. 

'Not that blood. The blood in my hair.' 

Sarafina looked at Regan's hair. There were patches of brown showing through the blue dye, but apart from that her hair was clean. 

'I can't see any blood.' 

'Blood doesn't wash out. You can cover it up, but it never goes away.' 

Sarafina took a step back. There was something indefinably wrong about Regan's expression, like a mask painted by an unskilled artist. 

Forester returned with Sarafina's first aid kit; a heavy plastic toolbox full of bandages and sterilised instruments. He hovered awkwardly in the doorway. 

'Do you want some bandages for her hand?' he said. 

Sarafina kept her eyes on Regan. 'Not right now. Right now, I need you to back away slowly.' 

She heard Forester take a few cautious steps backwards. 

'Further.' 

He retreated down the corridor. 

Regan hadn't moved, but her muscles were tensed as if she was experiencing a kind of living rigor mortis. She was looking at Sarafina, but she couldn't seem to focus. It was like she was looking though her eyes and into the back of her head. 

Broken mirror crunched under Sarafina's foot as she took a glacial step backwards. In a few more steps she had backed out through the doorway. She quickly closed the door and let out an explosive breath. 

She found Forester in the kitchen, still holding the first aid kit. 

'I have no idea what's going on,' he said. 'How are we going to get this psychopath out of your house?' 

'Let's deal with the situation at hand first. You stay here and keep her contained.' 

'How?' 

'You're supposed to be a trained protector. Figure it out.' 

'What are you going to do?' 

'I'm going to take Eva and drive into town to get some blue hair dye.'