It's a line of dancing elephants. >.>
Eleven:
I am suddenly acutely aware of how scared I am.
~Sonny Elise Starr
Ava woke to the sound of a scream, and she sat straight up, her eyes darting around, still blurry for sleepiness.
Two men, wearing white, were standing in front of her. She was strapped down again, and Kevin and Greg were too.
The men held a person in their arms, holding him or her tight, because this small person was kicking and biting, her hair coming undone from the braid that hung down her back.
"Love!' Ava shouted her head spinning.
Nina's voice whispered in her ear, Here, another test from the Magi.
Ava's mind was reeling, trying to piece together, how on earth sweet, blunt Love could be here, away from her home back in the 1500's. Kevin was looking at Love without recognition, though he still looked distressed.
Greg was looking at the P, his eyes narrowed in concentration.
At the sound of her name, Love stopped biting and looked at Ava through narrowed eyes. "Mum was right! Travelers are nothin but trouble. Look what you have caused me! I got dragged out of bed and brought her to see you."
Ava looked at Love, her skin streaked in blood, a gash on her forehead.
She started trying to struggle against her bands, unlatch them somehow. She couldn't let them kill Love. She wouldn't be able to live, knowing she was responsible for yet another death. She would go mad, her mind constantly trying to find a way out of these bands that were holding her to a massage chair.
Love, looked at her "You're as stupid as an ass. That's metal, that is. You're not going to get out."
Ava stopped. How, in the gravity of the situation, Love be acting normally? Ava was close to screaming, her head spinning dangerously.
The men, exchanging glances, carried Love over to another massage chair, which was in the corner.
They held her down, pressing buttons of control panels that were on their white belts.
The metal bands went round Love's wrists, ankles, and legs.
She was spewing profanity, and Ava had an insane urge to laugh. She lay back down, still trying to wiggle out.
Love was now shouting profanity directed towards Ava, her face red from the effort. "It's your entire fault!" she screamed, her face now turning purple.
"I know!" Ava shouted back, surprising herself. Then she was crying, her shoulders shrugging forward, the sobs wracking her body. "I know it's my fault!"
Love quieted, looking at Ava through narrowed eyes. "What is wrong with you, stupid? Get over thy self."
Ava let the sobs go, let her mind go blank with pain and worry.
***********
When Ava finally came out from the dark, sobbing state, the bands had released. Love was telling Greg to get over himself too. Kevin was sitting, hunched over, watching Ava worriedly.
"What's wrong with you people?" Love said. "Why can't you stop moping? You have a problem? Fix it!"
Ava smiled. "Good to see you again, Love."
"And another thing," Love said, ignoring Ava. "This food is absolutely disgusting. We need some good quail and milk. Not this stuff. Noodles you called it? Their like floppy worms on the end of my fork."
Ava smiled bigger. She felt so much better, even though she did feel drained and tired. She felt so much better than before, that she had the insane urge to sing. She wouldn't of course. Knowing Greg, he'd start making fun of her.
Love looked annoyed, and was poking her noodles with the tip of her fork.
Kevin had followed Ava, and looked at her. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I'm fine."
"That's good." he bent down, his lips brushing hers. Ava wrapped her arms around his neck, wishing for human closeness, for something to reassure her, as only Kevin could. But there was nothing there. He was just kissing her, he had no idea that he needed to reassure her, no idea. He wasn't even like the Kevin she knew. He had no memories. He knew nothing except that she was his girlfriend.
She pulled back. It didn't seem right. It was as if she was kissing a stranger.
Kevin eyed her, looking hurt, but then smiled. "Let's eat."
Ava watched him, sitting between Love and Greg, his eyes trained on his plate, not saying anything.
Ava sat down on Greg's other side, picking up a fork and stabbing her pasta.
After they ate, Kevin laid down, his eyes locked on the P.
Love sat at the table, mumbling complaints, her eyes fluttering around the room.
"Can I talk to you, Greg?" Ava whispered, leaning over him, where he was sitting on his massage chair, looking off distantly.
Ava had decided she needed to tell someone about what The Magi had said. She couldn't keep it to herself any longer, and Greg had memories of the Magi, Love didn't care, and Kevin... Well, Kevin didn't have a memory at all.
Greg looked at her, his warm brown eyes boring into hers, listening.
And Ava told him all the things that had happened when they had been asleep. Greg would nod, every now and again, but he never interrupted.
"Well, you've made a mess of things, haven't you?"
Ava grinned and hugged him. "It feels so much better to have told you. What are we going to do, though?"
"Nothing at the mo. I'm sick Ava..."
She looked at him, his face pale, sweat hanging on his brow. "I'm sorry. I suspected, but I hoped."
He put his hand on her shoulder, patting it. "It's okay Ava. I'll be ready in a few days. We'll just have to wait it out."
"I guess so," Ava nodded.
"Are you all right, though?" Greg said, looking at her.
"Not really. Kevin is like a stranger, and..." Ava bit her lip, considering. Unable to hold it in, she burst out "I'm scared Greg! When they brought Love in, I broke. I can't be responsible for another life."
"Another life? You're complaining about not being responsible for another life? Don't. Just don't."
Ava blushed, pulling back. Yes, Greg had been so protective of Tatiana, up till the day she died. She knew that guilt was filling his head and that his brain was swimming in tears. Nevertheless, that didn't change the fact that she felt responsible too...
