Chapter Twenty-Two

                                    

                                          
As our captors dragged us through their camp, my ears rang and my vision faded in and out. It was a hard struggle to even stay awake as my consciousness seeped away and images blurred, sounds sounding muffled and far, far away. I was left in darkness, with nothing to accompany me but my thoughts. I could not see, i could not taste, i could not feel and i could not see.
                          
I felt alone, in the dark silence. I felt as if i was floating, in deep water, my body strewn across the ocean floor. I couldn't focus, not on anything. Not even on my own thoughts. 
                          
My mind worked on it's own, running rampant like a child down the streets. For a moment, the image of a child running faded in and out of my mind, then disappearing like foggy smoke in the streets. 
                          
I saw the smoke as well, as if it was real. Smoke surrounding me and enveloping my in it's foggy whiteness. 
                          
Everything was so.... Cold. 
                          
I felt nothing, but at the same time i felt everything. I couldn't focus, but at the same time i thought of everything there was to think. It was odd... or was it even?
                          
I couldn't think straight. A couldn't see at all, and i felt nothing. I could feel vast intelligence, but also vast space. Empty space. It was like i knew everything, while also knowing nothing. Running for hours, but going nowhere. 
                          
Seconds turned into hours, and hours turned into minutes as the clocks went backwards and forwards, appearing as faded ellipses, their color piercing through the black and confusing my eyes, deceiving my brain.
                          
Nothing made sense, while also everything fit together perfectly like a puzzle put together with skilled hands.
                          
I felt so...alone, so cold... and yet, so alive.
                          
In the darkness, everything faded as if it was never there at all.
                          
One thing, though, did not fade... but appeared. Jean's voice, fear stricken and loud screamed through the watery silence. I could not understand him although i strained to listen. Im not sure how long i spent in silence, in darkness... but with Jean's voice came light, came song.... And i certainly do love the song. 
                          
I tried calling back to him, but my voice was quiet. Silent, even. I tried to speak, but every time i opened my mouth it felt like ice cold water rushed in and filled my lungs. I tried to breathe, but water rushed into my nose as well and flooded my sinuses. Water rushed into my ears, into my eyes and it pulled at my hair, tangling it in the narrow, but strong currents.
                          
I was floating... i was cold... I couldn't breathe, see, feel or speak.
                          
I was drowning.
                          
My eyes shot open, my senses rushing back to me as i tried to get above the water. My head broke the surface and i coughed. I could feel the water i was in wasn't too deep, i could probably stand in it without it going over my head.
                          
Water still clogging my ears, it was hard to hear as Jean screamed for me. It was my name he had been saying. I opened my eyes as i choked on water, and saw Jean, bloody, beaten, desperately trying to reach me as two Marauders pulled on the chains attached to his hands and throat.
                          
The liquid now filling my eyes was tears. I focused on Jean, and only him. I stayed put in the tub of water i was in and watched him. A marauder pulled at my hair, but i wouldnt budge. They could do whatever they wanted to me, but when they hurt Jean... Thats about two miles way over the line. 
                          
Anger and rage boiled up inside me, more than i had ever felt before. I felt insanity creeping into me from the back of my mind, my old self coming back.
                          
No, the person the Marauders were now dealing with was not Mercy Anxo anymore. They had awoken something else.... Something far worse than Bandit. I rose silently from the tub, giving anyone that laid eyes on Jean a piercing stare.
                          
One of the Marauders loosened his grip on the chain around Jean's neck, before another nudged him with his boot causing him to tighten his grip again.
                          
They were afraid of me... and that was bad. Fear makes them unpredictable... but the insanity creeping inside of me would have no doubt, would have none of what they call 'reason'. 
                          
Like fast growing vines, the insanity continued to creep around me and take hold of everything. 
                          
I braced one foot on the edge of the tub before kicking off and making contact with one of the captors, knocking him to the ground with a heavy thud. His head hit the stone wall, and he did not get back up.
                          
Just before i turned to take care of my next victim, one of the chain holders whipped the chain and cracked Jean in the back of the head, rendering him unconscious.