Lost Inside - 18. Chapter 18

One time Yuri got into a bottle of liquor. The dizzy not-quite-real sensation and heavy limbs bombarding him felt very similar to the clear stuff they pumped into him. The table they made him lie down on bent in funny ways, tilting his head down. It was up high though, so he could see Benny’s face and hold his hand.

He liked that part.

The rest of it all felt weird. He wanted to close his eyes and rest, but….

“Stay awake, Yuri.” Benny squeezed his hands.

“We’re almost there.” The buzzing noise was teeth rattling. Yuri snorted. Teeth rattling. He could see the little white shapes dancing in his head.

“Dancing teeth.” Yuri snickered.

“What’s that?”

“My teeth are dancing.”

“Okay.” Benny sat back on the stool and looked over the bed to the doctors standing around them. “He’s higher than a kite. Is he going to be able to do what you want?”

“It’ll be fine. We’ve turned off the drip now that we’ve created an avenue of delivery for the venom. This port will remain in for the duration of the treatment, like we discussed. It won’t hurt him.”

“Nope, doesn’t hurt. Not even a little.” Yuri wiggled his feet.

“Lay still, Yuri.” Millie said.

“M’kay.” He sighed. He was bored. And tired. A yawn was struggling to come out. He let it, huffing at the end.

“The port is secure. Time for the venom.”

They were sticking a poison in him. Somehow, knowing it was the Snake-yet-not-yet Snake guy’s made it not so bad. Plus he might remember.

He could remember his mate. Yuri reached for Benny. “Hold my hands?”

Benny leaned forward and laced their fingers together. “It’s gonna be fine.”

Yuri gasped. Heat flowed into his head like a tiny, hot thread of fire. The hair on the back of his neck stood up.

“Venom in. Bashta?”

The Jaguar had a closer link that most to a protector of the Carthera clans. Though he was a Jaguar, and not a Tiger, Bashta thought some prayers could help. Yuri wasn’t sure what stuff he was gonna do, but he didn’t expect the hollow rattle of wood bracelets.

Then Bashta began to chant and shuffle around the table. He prayed, in a sing-song voice, and in a language Yuri couldn’t understand. Then he laid his hands on Yuri’s head, his chant ending in a sharp ululation.

Under the sound of the loud cry, Benny growled, staring at the black Jaguar’s hands which were buried in Yuri’s hair.

A light, flicking oranges, reds, and black, intertwined in front of his eyes. Yuri tried to bat at it, but it grew, bigger and bigger. It was all he could see, but he didn’t smell any fire or hear it crackling.

Roaring filled the room; great, bellowing sounds of… fury!

A face came out of the flames, a whole body followed, claws outstretched for him.

Yuri screamed. He had to get away, but he had to stay for… for….

“What’s wrong? Why’s he screaming? This wasn’t supposed to hurt him!”

Fear and rage warred inside Yuri. He flexed his hands and needle sharp claws slid out. Yuri wouldn’t let that bad man in. He couldn’t.

A babble of voices came from all around him.

“Look at the monitors. His brain activity is off the charts.”

“Definite signs of increased activity in the hippocampus.”

“What’s wrong with my mate?”

“Bashta, step back!”

“Tell me what the hell is wrong with my mate!”

“There’s activity going on between his long and short term memory—a connection through the hippocampus, if you will.”

Why wouldn’t they stop talking? Didn’t they see him? They had to get away. Yuri shoved himself up from the table.

Bodies piled on top of his, forcing him back down.

Yuri roared.

“Grab him! Hold him down.”

Snarling and growling filled the room as utter chaos descended.

***

Yuri blinked. His eyelids were so heavy, like elephants sat on them. He was on his back, his face no longer mashed into the table.

What was that sound? He was tired, and it woke him up.

Yuri turned his head, the only part of his body he could seem to move.

“What are you growling at now?” he asked Benny.

“Yuri!” Benny flew out of his chair and leaned over the bed. “You’re awake. Thank God.”

“Excuse me, I’ll go inform the doctor he’s awake.” A small woman stepped around a curtain and disappeared.

“Where are we? Why does it stink so much? What happened?” Yuri’s mouth was so dry. He coughed.

“Here, have a sip of water.” Benny lifted his head and helped him take a drink. “Right now, we’re at the human hospital. You had some sort of episode when they injected the venom or when Bashta began chanting. We don’t know which.”

Yuri tried to reach up to touch his head, but his hand wouldn’t move. “What’s wrong with my arms” He craned his neck, trying to see... “Why am I tied down?” Yuri began to fight the wide straps across his body, holding him to the bed.

“Stop, Yuri!”

“No!” Yuri ignored his mate.

“You’re going to hurt yourself again. Please stop. These were just a precaution. You kept having seizures. You attacked—” Benny slammed his mouth shut, looking pained.

“I-I…” Yuri didn’t want to hurt anyone.

“It’s okay. Everyone’s fine.” Benny leaned forward and wiped away the tears building on Yuir’s eyes.

He had faint pink scratches over his forehead and nose.

“Oh my god,” Yuri whispered. “I hurt you. I cut you.” He went limp in the bed. Mates didn’t hurt each other; they couldn’t. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.”