Before the Fall

Chapter Seven - Rude Awakening

Xander

I still couldn't feel my body when they laid me on a small cot.

It was so strange to experience.

My eyes, which felt dry and gritty, were blankly staring at the wall.

Aster was nowhere to be seen.

Or maybe she was behind me. How would I know?

It felt like forever before someone stepped into the room and walked somewhere behind me.

That's when I heard someone being dragged.

I was barely able to move my eyes enough to see her being dragged, one guard under each arm, out the door.

My body was still paralyzed, but my eyes flooded with tears from the anxiety of what could be happening to my wife.

What had they done already?

What were they going to do?

I wanted to scream.

Needed to scream.

But couldn't.

* * *

Aster

I don't remember much after I was drugged.

I was barely coming to when two guards came in and lifted me up under my arms, dragging me out the door.

Through my hazy vision, I saw my husband still laying there in the room, unmoving.

I didn't even know if he was alive.

I'm not sure how many halls we went down.

Our pace never slowed.

Every time I tried to push a foot up to walk on my own, one of the guards would kick it out from under me, and then continuing along.

I felt sick.

I had no idea where I was, who I was kidnapped by, and what was going on with my husband.

I had a sickening feeling that I was somewhere at H-Corp.

Pretty sure they were behind this whole mess.

But I knew I needed to keep a level head about me right now.

If not for my own safety, for Xander's.

I was finally set down in a chair and left alone.

My head was so woozy, it was rolling around everywhere.

And it throbbed.

I clenched my fists to get some movement back.

Looking around, the room look like some police interrogation room.

In front of me was a mirror, most likely two-way.

I drug myself up out of the chair and staggered over to it.

Pressing my hands against its cold surface made me shiver a bit. I was happy to be feeling.

I tried speaking and it came out as a choked croak.

All too quickly my renewed energy was gone and I slid down the glass, collapsing onto the floor.

I wanted to cry but I forced my tears away.

I had to stay strong.

A few moments later the man I hated the most in the world walked in, looking smug like the fat cat who finally caught the mouse.

"You're awake! That's wonderful."

His hand reached out and petted my head like one would a dog.

I wanted to puke in his face.

I think he sensed my displeasure.

"You won't hate me forever. I promise." His breath stank as he whispered close to me ear.

"Do you want to see your husband?" Li's voice was too happy and he smiled warmly as he helped me to my feet.

My eyes wildly searched the room before he pointed to the glass behind me.

I looked through the glass, tears rolling down my cheeks as I pressed against it again.

On the others side was my husband.

My sweet Xander.

His body wasn't moving much and if it did, it was slow and lethargic.

I watched in horror as a guard yanked his head back by the hair and then proceeded to backhand him across the face, splitting the skin over his cheekbone.

I banged on the glass, screaming for them to stop.

But it was if they couldn't hear me.

I saw Li press a small black button on the wall.

Suddenly, sounds from the room Xander was in flooded around me.

His groans, his whimpers, the loud noises from skin meeting skin in violence.

Li chuckled softly beside me and then assured me he would be right back, leaving me alone to watch my husband get more battered and bruised.

Li stepped into the other room and I watched him shoo away the guard, squat down before my husband, and Xander's face looked distraught.

If only I could hear what was being said.