Alice in Borderland

Chapter 25 - Morphium

My neck burns terribly and feels swollen. I can't say what hurts the most: my neck, which the masked man pressed off with his foot. My back and legs from the shards of glass. My arms from the cut wounds in the police car. My head from the blow. My shoulder back from the sick man who stabbed me with his knife. My complete right side of the car that hit me. My legs run away from that.

My head is filled with terrible pain and I need a moment to wake up. The pain overwhelms me before I can even open my eyes. I hear a scream and realize that it is coming from me.

Someone reaches for my hand and I turn to the one in pain.

"You have to stay calm"

Izumi. A tear automatically dissolves and runs over my face as I dare to open my eyes. I see everything as if through a veil and blurred. It feels like my whole body is on fire, but I easily press her hand and try to pull myself together.

I find myself a moment between consciousness and fainting when someone enters the room. Izumi helps me to sit down and confused I look at the man in the black bathrobe. I think he nods to me, but my gaze glides to Ann, who runs towards me and lights up with a small flashlight in his eyes.

"Sayuuri, do you know where you are?"

I try to say something, but there's only a croak coming out.

"Your vocal cords are still quite stressed, so I'll give you something against the pain now"

"You don't believe what a fright I got when I found you covered in blood on the side of the road," says the hatmaker, handing me a glass. I can see from Ann's facial expression that she doesn't think it's a good idea for all the medications flowing through my veins. But I just take the glass and drink it empty in one go.

"Now I know again why I can suffer you well, little one," laughs the hatmaker and takes the glass off me again, "Ann gives you something against the pain. You have time to take a shower and then we will take you to the meeting room to report"

"She's barely conscious," Ann admonishes him, but he only looks at her strictly and his point of view seems clear, "I've taken care of your wounds as best I can."

With my free hand I reach for her arm thankfully and she pats him easily. It takes me some time for the painkillers to work and I can get up. Izumi helps me into the bathroom and shower before she leaves the room. I throw my clothes over the bathroom mirror so as not to risk a look. I can't stand on my feet, so I sit on the shower floor right away. I try to clean myself up, but it's exhausting and I get to my limits quickly. I turn off my thoughts so as not to think about the night. How long I was unconscious. I see terrible wounds on my legs and arms and I tremble at the idea of what has now been carved on my back. After a felt eternity, Izumi knocks and asks if I am well. I turn off the water and Izumi helps me to dry out and get dressed. I notice her hesitation when she looks at my back, but I don't want to talk about it and run outside on the wall. Ann supports me up to bed and puts on new bandages. Once she's done she gives me an injection of morphine before she and Izumi help me up. They support me and run after the hatmaker. Arriving at the stairs we need a little longer and I feel like I'm losing consciousness again.

But the morphine seems to work and they help me into the conference hall. The hatmaker takes his place at the end of the table and the two women carefully place me on a chair at the table of the leader. I feel the curious and shocked faces of others, I have to look really bad.

"The spades 10, an exciting game apparently," I hear Mira with a swinging voice. My hands cramp and I clench them to fists. After that night I would like to slap my fist in her face, but my body can no longer walk an inch without outside help.