Will Things Get Better?

Riley struggled to breath surprised By her strength and dealing with a pen in the side of his neck.

River was trying to pull Evie off and Riven was trying to get her hands from around Riley’s neck.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake!” Loreen yelled just as a pair of trees slammed into the house and roots started to rip Evie off Riley.

Riley gasped trying to breathe and remove the pen from his neck.

“Stop moving!” Riven yelled as he finally got the pen out. “Damn it, Loreen!”

Loreen rushed over and began to tend to the neck wound for Riley. “How did she get out of her enclosure?!”

Riley was still having issues breathing causing him to panic and unable to heal himself.

Loreen cursed and held Riley down. “River, got any of that ointment you told me about?”

Nodding, River quickly grabbed a small jar from her bag and opened it. She went to Riley and used some of it by pressing it to the wound. It would instantly close up the wound, the strange chemicals within the ointment made from her plants would seal the wound and solidify so that he could breath.

“Riley,” River said, grabbing his face. “Look at me, focus.”

Riley sucked in air in a deep breath before looking at River.

“It's okay, you're alive…you're okay.” River hugged him, keeping Evie held with her trees as Loreen snapped one of the collars around the poor girl’s neck.

Evie thrashed in anguish.

“Deal with it!” Loreen snapped. “You don't attack people here!”

Riley hugged River his body shaking as he began to hyperventilate.

“Riley, you need to take slow and deep breaths…can you do that for me?” River asked as she kept him held close.

Riley nodded holding her tightly as his breathing steadied. His mind was playing tricks and Loreen would recognize the look on his face as the one he had whenever Coral would drown him.

“She’s not here,” Loreen promised Riley.

River rubbed Riley’s back gently to comfort him. “Get her out of here.” She told Riven.

Riven picked up Evie and carried her out of the room, slamming the door shut a bit more harshly than intended.

“I couldn't…….” He replied shaking “it was just like before”

“You’re going to be okay, Riley.” River whispered to him, kissing his cheek. “We’re here for you…”

Alex looked at Loreen and River “why don't you two take him back to his room and look him over.”

River coaxed Riley to stand up and started to lead him to his room. Loreen grabbed up her bag and followed, getting some of River’s calming medicine ready.

Riley laid down on the bed still shaking but not as bad “i hate this…..”

“It's okay,” River said, sitting next to him and rubbing his arm gently. “Take your time.”

Loreen trickled a bit of powder in a bottle of water, closing it and shaking it to mix it. “Sit up so you can drink this.” She said, holding the bottle out to him.

Riley nodded and took the bottle slowly sipping it. “Thank you” he said to both of them “It was strange one moment she was asking for a hug the next….”

“She's been brainwashed to see you as an enemy. Don't trust her, Riley.” Loreen told him as she looked over his neck.

River did a quick glance to his neck as well. “Speaking of, how is it? Are you healing?”

Riley nodded “once you two calmed me down i was able to” he replied in an exhausted tone “I just couldn't concentrate because of the flash back.”

“Understandable,” Loreen replied as she got a cleansing wipe out of her medical supplies and handed it to River. Taking it, the tree girl opened the little wipe and started to clean off the ointment from Riley’s neck.

“Just stay away from Evie for now.” River suggested.

“I think I'll just hunker down in here until we leave” he mumbled.

“We'll probably head back to the Underground tomorrow and hand Evie over to Mark. He’ll probably have to work on making a stronger collar for her…” Loreen murmured and let out a heavy sigh. “She’s so sweet one moment and dangerous the next. It's so odd.”

“My papa would say she has a split personality,” River commented. “Her eyes turn silver when she gets mean…”

“That's what we all call The Storm.” Loreen replied with a shudder. Even she feared that thing. It seemed only Thrane never feared the monster that lurks beneath that innocent girl's skin.

Riley wrapped up in a blanket, scared to fall asleep at the moment.

River would stay with Riley while Loreen went to check on Evie and Riven. It would be a quiet day and night…