But my question has a look of horror fill his expression, and I see his muscles tensing.
“We need to hurry this up,” someone calls from the doorway.
“Coming,” he says, and I see his arms stretching out to lift me, which has me cringing immediately at the thought of the pain that will assault me at the movement.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” he says as he stops just before he touches me.
“Yes, you are,” I reply.
He shakes his head as he gently slides his one arm under my legs, even the slight movement has sharp pain rushing up my legs and lodging in my back, but I bite down on my lip, not wanting to stop him in case he leaves me behind. But when his arm slides behind my back, I can’t hold the cry in.
“Fuck,” he grunts as he freezes, “where does it hurt?”
I want to answer but can’t because I’m trying to control the pain, so that I don’t lose consciousness.
“Talk to me. Where does it hurt?”
I squeeze my eyes shut, taking in a deep breath to try to push down the sharp pains.
“Bion!” he suddenly roars, which has my eyes snapping open.
His head is turned towards the door, his arms are still in place, but he hasn’t lifted me yet. Instead, he is tensed as if ready to spring. I can’t see his expression, but there is a muscle twitching at his jaw professing his anger.
“What?” someone asks.
“She’s in pain,” my saviour says.
“Yeah, it seems like they all are. These motherfuckers were experimenting with them.” This man comes into my line of vision, and if it wasn’t for the pain, I would definitely believe that I was dreaming. This guy looks like a surfer if I ever saw one, but he has the kindest eyes as he looks down at me.
“Sweetheart, have they given you anything for pain?” He goes down on his knees next to my saviour while he waits for my reply.
“No.” My reply has the other man swearing angrily.
“Motherfuckers, what’s the point of keeping them in pain?”
“Where does it hurt, sweetheart?” Bion asks.
“Everywhere,” I answer again, even though now that my saviour isn’t moving, the pain is starting to diminish.
“Do you know why it hurts everywhere?”
“My back.”
I feel my saviour’s arms tense.
“Don’t move,” Bion says as he suddenly lies down next to me and then starts to slide under the metal bunk and behind me. I feel light fingers lifting the flaps of the coat that I am using. “Carefully move your arm further up,” Bion calls from where he is.
My saviour’s arm starts to move, and even though he tries to be as gentle and as slow as possible, it still jolts me slightly, which has me gulping in pain. I once again feel the flaps of the coat parting and then the light touch of Bion’s fingers.
When he slides out from under the bed, I see his expression has darkened in anger. He leans towards where he dropped a haversack near my saviour before he went to examine me. “I’m going to give you something for the pain. It will put you to sleep but it will help.”
“What did they do?” I ask, knowing that it can’t be good, but hoping that it won’t be permanent.
“I can’t really tell until I examine you more thoroughly, but believe me when I say that the pain will stop now,” he says this as he starts to inject something into my arm.
“Thank you.” I don’t care what he gives me. If it takes the pain away, I will be forever thankful. I see Bion and my saviour look at each other, and then Bion is inclining his head towards me.
“You can move her when she has fallen asleep, not before.” And just as he says that, I can feel my eyes start to shut, the darkness of unconsciousness pulling me in. My body seems to be floating and I realize that for the first time in a very long while, I am not feeling pain.
“What is your name, sweetheart?” Bion asks.
“Se…” I start to say, but my lips and brain don’t cooperate as I let sleep take hold of me. Before I lose complete consciousness, I feel strong arms lift me, and then I’m being held carefully against warmth that soothes my cold body.
“I won’t let anyone ever hurt you again.”
Those whispered words from my saviour are what finally lulls me into oblivion.