The Fence

Chapter 14: Holding Back

There's the feeling of a hand holding mine as I slowly blink awake. The lights are dim in my room, but still blinding to me. I roll my head to the side to find Ky is the one gripping my hand tightly, his eyes turned up towards the ceiling. I peer at his concerned face, using all my energy just to squeeze his hand. His hazel eyes meet with my own, and I watch as relief floods his features.

"Thank God," he breathes.

I can't find my voice, so I just smile at him. He grins back, the light reaching his eyes.

"Grey told me you'd be fine, but of course, I had to worry," Ky murmurs. "But, Bena, why are you such an idiot? Grey told you to stop. You don't have anything to prove here, and trying to could've cost you your life!"

"I'm fine," I finally croak, bringing a hand to rest on my dry throat. "Could I have some water?"

My brother leans to his side, reaching for the table settled next to my bed. He picks up a pink, plastic cup already filled with water, handing it to me when I raise my hand to receive it.

"So, what happened?" I say after I've had my fill on water. I glance down at my leg, noticing no bulky, white cast encompassing it. "My leg's not broken?"

"Donte filled me in," Ky replies, placing the cup back on the table. "Apparently, you and Sutikka used up too much of your energy. It was like a cramp, more than anything."

I find myself laughing, only until I realize he's being serious. "A cramp? It was just a cramp?"

Ky nods, amused by my reaction.

"Oh..." I trail off, frowning down at the limb. "It sure felt broken."

"If it were broken, you most definitely could not have gone on fighting," a new voice intrudes. "This was more of a mental pain than a physical one."

My head swivels around to the office door, eyes darting to read the nametag pinned onto blue scrubs. Donte. His caramel eyes reflect the light, gazing at me with a warm hue. His presence is comforting, like a doctor's should be.

"Wow," I say, not intending for it to be out loud. "Well, it's a good thing it wasn't broken, then." I feel my gaze resting on everything in my infirmary room, eyes scanning my surroundings for my cherry-staffed scythe. "Where's my weapon?"

"Right," Donte replies, heading back into his office. He returns with Sutikka in hand, smiling when I outstretch my hands for the weapon. "I guess I should've given it to you sooner." Once the scythe is in my grasp, I pull it close to my body, not worrying about the sharp blade on the end. He feels like a cloud in my arms; fills me with soft and pillowy comfort.

"Sutikka, are you okay?" I whisper. I wait anxiously for a response.

Sutikka's staff buzzes in my arm. "I was so worried about you Kirbena! You were out for two days!"

"I'm sorry," I whisper, guilt clouding my senses. I can't imagine all the things Sutikka was thinking while I was gone.

"Just don't worry us like that," he replies, his voice still harsh.

I feel myself turning to glance at the door when the knob starts turning. A face peeks in, with familiar sea blue eyes and ruffled blonde hair. Luci gazes into my infirmary room, eyes darting nervously to each of us. When no one moves, he steps inside.

As soon as the door shuts quietly behind him, Ky is there, pinning him to it like glue was smeared on the back of Luci's shirt. One hand is wrapped around the material of his shirt near his neck, while the other is raised and clenched above him.