3 | in my head
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*🌸*
"No! I need you!"
~ Rumi
*🌸*
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"Spider's in the house," Someone hissed softly into the darkness. "Sleep, sleep."
The shadows were murky, thicker than water, slow as molasses. Soft whispers echoed throughout the darkness, loud enough that they were there but quiet enough that they couldn't be heard. It felt both too big and too small, just as empty as it was strangling. The darkness slowly wrapped tighter and tighter until the whispers were turned into gasps.
"Spider bit the mouse. Sleep deep."
Eyes blinked slowly. A hand reached into the void, desperate and scared, but grasped nothing, a smooth feeling of liquid slid through their fingertips.
"Don't wake up or else you'll find a spider in your mouth."
* 🌸 *
Nurse Adam Stevenson walked into the room. He was supposed to check the I.V to make sure it didn't need to be refilled or that it hadn't slipped from their arm. He hadn't expected it to since the patient was as still as a corpse but he checked anyway. After making sure it was in the right vein he laid their arm back on the bed.
As Adam looked at the patient's face, something rolled uneasily in his stomach as he looked at her. Dr. Williams had told him who she was early on but he still found it hard to grasp. The Quiet One? Alive? Here? It all seemed completely impossible yet here she was.
She didn't look like a terrorist. She seemed very weak and pale but Adam had learned that appearances can be deceiving, especially when everyone in the hospital looked defenceless. As Adam watched her he was struck by how young she was. She looked around the age of his daughter, Cordelia. His gut twisted at that realization, that at some point this villain had been a bright-eyed child, just like Cordelia, but then something had twisted her into who she was now. Moisture formed in the corners of his eyes, his fingers trailing over her hands as he traced a pattern on her palm, the way he always does with his daughter.
First Spinjitzu Master, he prayed silently, please look after this girl. Adam knew that he had stayed too long and straightened, forcing him to let go of the girl's hand. The nurse turned from the bed, moving the I.V pole so it wasn't in the way as he moved to leave.
Suddenly a strange noise broke through the quiet of the hospital room. A low gasping sound, sounding meek and scared. Adam spun around, his eyes widening when he caught sight of the movement in front of him. Harumi's eyes were open, darting around fearfully as she clawed at her head, a whimper falling from her lips. Immediately, Adam's instincts kicked in and he gently took her wrists, pulling them from her head.
He quietly shushed her, using a soothing tone as he spoke to the frightened girl. "It's alright, I'm here to help," Adam spoke clearly, voice gentle but steadying.
"Don't wake up." She rasped. "Spider..."
"What?" That was all Adam could say. Spider? Don't wake up? What was she even saying?
Her arms were so frail and small in his hands, trembling in his grip as her eyes stared deep into his. The look in them made him freeze. He'd seen the haunted eyes of ex-soldiers, grieving widows, and parents but there was something in her gaze that was so much worse. It was almost hysterical with fear and something else much deeper and darker. Before he could put a name to it, the expression was gone, glazing over with something else before they fluttered and rolled back into her head. Her head fell back into her pillow with a thud and Adam stood, breathless, his hands still holding her forearms as he looked down at the sleeping girl before him.
"Damn," Adam whispered to no one in particular.
* 🌸 *
Lloyd's knee hadn't stopped moving.
Kai glanced at it for a moment, eyes furrowed suspiciously as he looked at Lloyd like he was a puzzle he needed to solve. Unfortunately, Lloyd's lost so many of his pieces that he could barely see the picture anymore. Lloyd tried to force his leg to stop but it only resulted in an overbearing itch to drum his fingertips on the table.
See, anxiety doesn't just go away. It settles down, hiding under a blanket of security until it's time to spring out once more. He could almost feel it beneath his skin, just waiting in anticipation to break through the surface and rear its ugly head. For now, Lloyd would to keep the monster at bay, at least until he was able to slip away.
Zane watched him too. His unreadable blue gaze boring into him like they were seeing into his soul. Lloyd knew that the nindroid wanted him to tell the team, let them know he had a panic attack and then explain why. But then it would all be real. And that was...
Scary.
Lloyd glanced at Jay, who was happily munching on dry sugar cereal while reading the games and trivia on the back of the box. The green ninja graphic displayed on the other side stared tauntingly back at him as Jay rattled off the various questions. Cole and Nya participated in their own way. Cole would make fun of him, Nya would shove the Earth ninja into his eggs and then add into the joke with one of her own. Kai would then cackle and Zane would have to grab a cloth to clean up the juice that sprayed from the brunette's mouth. Pixal entered without blinking an eye at what she saw in front of her, simply moving to press a kiss to Zane's cheek before sitting down beside him. It was so innocent, the scene. Something from sitcoms and cheesy movies.
Lloyd used to dream about moments like this, where he had friends who would make him laugh, and a family who cared about him. That was what made keeping everything secret so much harder. That's what made keeping Harumi secret harder. They wanted to look out for him. But he wasn't ready to tell them, not just yet.
"Hey," a finger tapped on the table in front of him. Lloyd glanced up to see Kai's concerned gaze. "Everything okay? You seem pretty deep in thought there."
Zane glanced at Lloyd, casually moving his milk glass to his lips as he waited for Lloyd's response. Zane never asked pried, he never pushed too hard, but it was clear what he wanted Lloyd to do.
"Everything's fine," Lloyd went for an easy smile. Zane's eyes narrowed. "I'm just thinking about some things I have to clear up with Gayle."
Kai rolled his eyes. "Seriously, Lloyd? Work? It's the weekend! You don't have any missions for a while, why don't you just relax?"
"I will, after I handle this." Lloyd told him. Something moved uneasily inside of him. Lying used to be second nature for him but now it gave bitter taste in his mouth. Lloyd swallowed the feeling and stood with his dishes, moving to go put them in the dishwasher. Master Wu entered, the usual calm expression on the sensei's face as he poured himself some tea.
"Uh, Master Wu?" Lloyd's voice cracked a little and he cleared his throat to smother it.
The old man glanced questioningly at him.
"I was wondering if I could skip training today?" Lloyd nervously asked. He fiddled unconsciously with his hands as he waited for a reply.
Wu raised an eyebrow and gently dipped from his wooden cup. "Why? I thought you were all free today."
"I need to correct Gayle on some of her facts she put on her latest newscast. She's been ignoring my calls so I'll have to come directly to her." Lloyd said in an informative tone. Then he trailed off into a more hopeful one. "I also was hoping to go to the comic book store? Just while I was there."
Cole let out a snort of laughter. "That's why you want the day off?"
Lloyd shrugged helplessly, feeling the guilt naw at him like a stick.
Master Wu looked him over for a moment. His expression blank. Lloyd thought for a moment that he was going to say no but then he cracked a smile. "Alright, Lloyd."
"Y-yes? You're letting me go?" Lloyd blinked rapidly as he tried to mask his shock.
"Why not? You deserve a little break." Wu said pleasantly as he turned and walked away with his tea.
Kai pouted. "Wu never gives me breaks." He complained.
"That's because you never deserve them." Cole quipped back. Kai flipped an unflattering gesture back at the Earth ninja. Cole's jaw dropped, he retorted by furiously sticking his tongue out. Kai dramatically gasped as if he'd been stabbed before smacking Cole in the head. Lloyd exchanged a tired look with Nya as the two began sporadically whacking each other.
"You better get going, talking with Gayle will take awhile." Nya advised.
Lloyd nodded and forced his gaze away from her. He could feel Zane looking at him but he trusted that the nindroid wouldn't say anything, at least for now. It didn't matter that Zane was judging him, his stare pushing for him to open up, to speak, but Lloyd needed to deal with Harumi first and then he'd talk.
"See you, guys- uh- and gals." Lloyd hastily added. Nya and Pixal exchanged amused looks.
"I hope you have a good time at the comic book store." Pixal wished him politely.
"Thanks, Pix." Lloyd tried for one more tight smile before he left the room. He went straight for the garage, tapping the code on the panel at the door before activating his car. A smirk appeared on his face at the sound of the engine. As soon as he got into the sleek, green vehicle he set his course.
"Destination set." Said the AI inside. "Ninjago City Hospital."
NOTE*****
I probably should've mentioned this before but this story is as much about Lloyd, as it is Harumi. I'm interested in delving into the character Lloyd is and the impact his relationship with Harumi had on his life and thoughts.
Quiet's chapters often have a few weeks in between each one so if you want to get updates on my progress with each chapter you should consider following me. I keep my followers posted on where I am with my books on my message board, along with a few nonsense announcements about random things. Some people find them entertaining but that's up to you. 😂
I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I'm hoping to bring in more of Harumi in the next one!
LuckyBugBooks 🐞
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