The pain overwhelms me, taking away my focus and directing it solely at trying to make it stop. The broken-nosed girl gets up, throwing her shirt to the side, and sticking her thumb in one nostril. With a sharp exhale a mixture of blood and mucus lands on my head but I make no effort to dodge because I didn't even realize it was coming.

I have to make it stop! HOW DO I MAKE IT STOP!

"Prick!" She walks over to me grabbing my head and forcing me to look up. Leaning in she does what would seem to be a kiss from anyone who was looking at it, but it was far from that. She had pressed her lips to mine and used her tongue to open them, then deposited her saliva into my mouth. It happened so fast it felt like the fluid was being poured into my mouth. It only lasted a second before I came to through the pain and pulled myself away, but the second was too long.

The hand that wasn't in pain clutched my throat as my forehead hit the ground. My mouth hung open while I attempted to get rid of the fluid. Saliva flowed from my mouth as I gripped my throat tighter, it wasn't helping. Now, like the pain in my hand, the sensation grew in my mouth, sinuses, and throat.

My voice barely escaped my pian-constricted vocal cords, "What...Stop?" This is too much, I can't. I can't. Make it stop!

"That's what you get for breaking my fucking nose you cunt! There is no way to stop it now, so enjoy the feeling, every bit of it." I felt a blow knock me over onto my side, though I didn't see her do it I'm sure it was her.

My body convulsed uncontrollably as the agony increased.

The vile! THE VILE!

I reached into my pocket, shaking and twitching, gripping the vile with everything I had as I brought it to my mouth. I poured its entire contents down my throat, or I hoped I did. I couldn't feel my face, mouth, or throat through the extensive pain.

"Interesting, let me know if that helps, I'm curious. It will tell me if my ability is stronger than Veronica's."

Laying there I was able to form a small sliver of consciousness through the pain in anticipation of relief. It soon slipped away again after I was spared none. I clawed at my throat and smashed my hand into the concrete floor.

"I'll take that as a no on it helping. That's good to know!"

The pain was so great I couldn't bear to open my eyes, only noticing the impacts to my side and chest occasionally. Rolling over onto my stomach I slammed my head into the ground.

It has to stop! I have to stop it! I NEED--

"Tom. Tom. -- He's not responsive yet."

"Give it a minute, we're only lowering the dose until he wakes up. He may still be under the effects of her ability, so we might have to put him back under. Now, try again."

"Tom."

Waving my hand in the direction of the voice I spoke, "I'm awake, I'm awake. So stop saying my fucking name." Looking around the room it felt familiar but I had definitely never been here before. "The fuck am I?"

"Don't move so much." I felt a hand press down on me with only enough force to halt my movement to sit up. "You have a couple of broken ribs. Also, you have multiple fractures in your right hand, along with the concussion."

"How?" When the fuck did I get all these injures? The last thing I remember is that bitch shoving her tongue in my mouth.

"You entered a state of temporary mania induced by high levels of pain."

"That doesn't tell me who did this to me." I need to know who it is before I can repay the favor.

"You did for the most part. The concussion along with the fractured hand can all be traced back to you beating your hand and head into the ground. The ribs were a result of your confrontation with Sasha."

So Sasha is that bitch's name. I'll try to remember that. "I'll take it from here." Standing up I feel severe pain in my side but relative to what I had felt recently it was nothing. I stood up and began walking past the nurse-looking person who was next to my bed.

"You can't just walk out of here!"

"Let him go."

"But?"

"We won't have to worry about him puncturing a lung while he's sleeping. He has a deal with subject-1."

Taking a right out of the room I was able to confirm just by looking around that this was the medical wing, no surprise there. I passed a few rooms and went down a hall. Dead end. Fuck.

Walking back towards the room I saw an older man, the same one that was in the room with the nurse when I awoke. He leaned out of the room, angling his head towards me. "You have no idea where you're going, do you?"

"Just show me to the main halls and I'll find my way from there."

"No need to be so defensive young man. I'm only trying to help. Follow me."

We walked in silence while I tried to discern what his motive for assisting me was. He seemed to be too nice for a doctor here. The last time I was here they all stayed at least ten feet away from me, yet this guy is letting me walk just a few feet behind him without concern.

Stopping he turned to me, "Aren't you curious?"

"I'm not interested in any of your mind games."

"No mind games, you give me too much credit, just because I'm a doctor doesn't mean I know anything about the interworking of the mind. It's a simple question."

"Curious about what?"

"Why subject-1's solution didn't work to get rid of the pain."

"Subject-1?"

"Oh, yes, I believe you call her Veronica."

"No, I'm not curious. It didn't work, that's all I need to know."

"I apologize, I mistook you for having an intellect."

"Just show me the fucking way." I don't know if he's trying to get information about Veronica's ability or something else but I don't intend to bite.

Finally, we made it to a hall that looked familiar, "I've got it from here."

"You've been asleep for a few days so I would advise you to try to eat something before using subject-1's solution. If you don't I would recommend you lay down on something soft before ingesting it."

What a prick.