(You alright there, hon?)
Markus blinked a few times, his vision hazy. "What's wrong?" He mumbled as he looked around the room a bit.
Ava went to the side of the bed as started to undo the straps that held him down.
(Also sorry for such a short reply!)
(Yeah, I'm good–just tired. You're fine! Any response is better than no response!)
Sam lowered herself onto her knees, resting her head on the edge of the table. "I'm sorry, Markus, I was too nosey. At least you have a chance." Sam turned her head to the scientist. "One request. If he's to survive, he gets a job–and not here–and a home, and enough money to start off with." Sam was, to put it simply, in despair. How could they have done this, and to so many people? Why Markus? Why anyone when they knew the risks?
"I'm not sure if I can do that. I'm sure he could help us here before he can find another. If this works then he will be the second one to survive these creatures." Ava explained as she undid the rest of the straps and helped Markus sit up. "How are you feeling now?" She asked Markus.
"Better. I think they have calmed down now." Markus mumbled as he sat up, grabbing onto both Sam and Ava to regain his balence.
"They? Markus, what's wrong? How can I help?" Sam wraps her arms around him, feeling just as weak as he was, not physically, but emotionally. "What did you do to him!?" It was an anguished cry, and am was over the grief. If she was going to die, she was going to give Ava a piece of her mind.
"Calm down, Sam. He has a parasite inside him. It seems to control him from time to time. I haven't done anything to him except for introduce the parasite to him." Ava said sternly.
Markus looked at Sam. "She's pretty." He mummbled, his voice not sounding entirely himself.
Sam flinched at the comment, surprised, before shaking it off. "Tell me what I need to do. If anything, that's a good enough of a reason to get the parasite out of him."
"Give me a moment." Ava said as she let Markus go to grab her pad and start tapping on it again.
Markus leaned his full weight on Sam as Ava let go. "So I'm going to get you instead of him. Sounds like a fair trade." The voice that wasn't entirely Markus said as he lifted his hand to touch Sams face.
Sam didn't brush it away, but it was clear through her frown that she was troubled. "It was predetermined once I mentioned Markus–and I won't let him die to you." Sam's unsettlement was directed at the parasite, but mostly towards Ava. "Why are you killing my friend?"
"I don't think killing is the right word in this situation. Using would be a better one. Killing isn't my intention." The voice explained as it pulled Markus's hand back.
"Alright now I'm going to emit a very high pitched sound. You won't be able to hear it but the parasite will." Ava explained. "It may look like Markus is in pain but it will just be the parasite, not him."
Sam almost gasped. Could she handle that? Seeing Markus–or the parasite, whatever it was–in pain?
"I can't promise I won't do anything. By now you would know that." Sam said, smoothly, glaring at Ava.
"He will be fine." Ava said once more, letting out a huff of annoyance before activating the speakers.
It didn't sounds like anything but Markus jerked and let a startled cry of pain. He leaned into Sam, gritting his teeth.
(Sorry for the short reply.)
(You're fine!)
"Markus! Oh my god! It'll be okay, you'll be fine…" Sam clutched Markus to her, mumbling reassurances. She didn't know if she was reassuring Markus or herself. It took an effort for Sam to bite her tongue and not yell at Ava–this was beyond twisted, beyond any kind of torture, beyond evil.
Markus began to cough violently. He grabbed Sams shirt, desprit to have some stability. His coughing got to the point where he could barely breath between coughs.
(Sorry for the all-caps [and the short response.] If you'd like me to change that, just say the word.)
"MAKE IT STOP! TURN IT OFF! YOU'RE KILLING HIM!" Sam shrieks at Ava, not wanting to let go of Markus. "YOU'RE SICK! TURN IT OFF NOW!"
Ava just looked away. "It's not killing him. It's not killing him." She repeated over and over again.
Marks began to start coughing up something. It came up in pieces as he coughed but fused together once he had coughed it up, which had taken a lot of time and effort. It writhed in the air now that it was exposed.
(Ack! Sorry for the short reply! >~<)
"Yes you are!" Sam couldn't look at anything without feeling upset. All she could do was shut her eyes tightly, hold on to Markus, and hope for the best.
After that thing was out of Mark us he stopped coughing and held onto Sam, trying to catch his breath.
The creature, which looked like black flames now screeched on its own, still hearing the noise that no one elseems could hear.
Ava turned off the noise, now that the creature was out of Markus.
"Oh my god, Markus, are you okay? Are you…gonna live?" Sam's teary eyes went wide when she saw…whatever that thing was.
"What's…that?"
Markus slowly looked up at Sam once he caught his breath. "Sam?" He asked again, seeming a bit out of it, but other than that fine.
The thing had now seemingly perched itself onto of Sam's head. "I'm more than just a thing, you know." It spoke, sounding annoyed.
Sam yelped, swatting at the black–whatever it was. "Get off, get off, get off! I'm not particularly interested in being infested by a black goo!"
Looking up at Markus during the whole ordeal, Sam tried to smile–it came out like a grimace, considering she was in–not a scared, but panicked frenzy.
The thing kept avoiding her hands as she tried to swat at it. It crawled around her. "You said you'd take Markus's place as my host." It said, hissing when ever a hand would come close to touching it.
"So you're not…a parasite, per se, but…a sentient parasite? What will happen to me?" Sam mumbled. "Ava," she looked up at her, "what is this?" Sam wanted to ensure Markus' safety, yet she had no idea what she'd gotten herself into.
"This is the thing that was attached to Markus." Ava explained. "It will use you as a host."
"I'm not a thing!" It screeched, annoyed, though it was obvious only Sam could hear it. It had crawled down the side of Sam's face and seemed to be poking at Sams eyes, though it didn't hurt.
Then what are you? Why were you killing my friend? Do you want to kill me?
"Markus, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry you've been through this. Ava?" A flash of simmering, dormant anger flashed in her eyes. "Could you see Markus out?" Though she couldn't trust Ava in the slightest, Sam had to.
Ava nodded. She got her into this, the least she could do was help her friend out.
"If I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead already." It said as it seemed to examine Sams face, now directly over one of Sams eye. "They gave dubbed my species, a Shade. Makes sense."
What are you doing, then? Why have I been subjected to this, Shade? Tears formed in Sam's eyes as she stood rigid. She couldn't run. She couldn't hide. She could only accept this. At least her friend was safe.
The Shade started to touch Sams eye. It didn't hurt but it did feel weird. "Calm down. It's going to be alright." It said, it's words oddly calming.
No, it's not. My friend almost died to a lunatic, I said the wrong word to get me here, and now I'm going to live the short remainder of my life here… What could be worse? Biles of frustration and sadness build up in Sam, causing her to shake.
(Boop!)