Content Warning:
Skin peelingStranglingMild language
The kitchen floor was covered with newpapiers. Beneath, concrete could be seen instead of tiles or nice things. There were no walls between the kitchen and living room, though there were piles of rubble and wooden pillars in between. The living room itself had no windows and was completely empty. Wasn't really much of a living room. Nice blue rug though, practically untouched.
A potato peeler scraped along Ismael's hand. He flinched, tears running from his eyes. His hands were covered in little black spots.
"Sorry 'bout this Ismael," Najwa sighed, quickly wrapping cloth around the wound. "This is what happens when you go near the black water,"
"B-b-b-but we put her in a bag," he cried.
"Not too dumb of a choice, but it ain't 100 percent protective. Ya should've worn gloves," she advised, placing a hand on his cheek.
"o-kay…I'll 'member next time," he nodded.
"Hey," She scolded, leaning forwards and looking him right in the eyes, a finger raised. "There ain't gonna be a next time ya hear. If ya see a body in the port, assume it's dead an' leave it. Even if it's breathin', it ain't gonna be fer long. Got it?"
"Y-yes Moma,"
"Good, now I need ya to brace yerself. Look at me, and take a deep breath,"
---
To the left of the kitchen was a thin hallway of creaky wooden boards. It featured two doors, one to a plain blue and green bedroom, and the front door. There wasn't room for any stairs, so they had to substitute with a ladder to the second floor.
The second floor was also a long, wooden hallway. It had four rooms: a bathroom and storage room in the back, and two bedrooms in the front. One bedroom was marked for the boys, while the second was marked for Fajr.
Fajr's room had a window that looked out the front, at the slums. It had blue carpet covered in green paint. The walls were white, but they were covered with a wallpapier made from stitched together rags. Despite being her room alone, it had two beds, albeit said beds were shelves flipped over and covered in cotton.
In one of those beds, Setsune moaned in pain, sweat dripping down her sickly grey skin. Fajr, her bloodied hands covered in cloth, sat in her own bed, away from the window, staring at her curiously. Her big coat was away and replaced with a big white t-shirt that reached her ankles and had a knot around the collar.
"Can I take a look?!" Dawud exclaimed, opening the door.
"Hey!" Fajr exclaimed, pushing the door back. "No boys allowed!"
"(Y'ALL KEEP IT DOWN UP THERE)!"
"I helped carry 'er! I should be able to look at 'er!" He argued.
"This is my room!"
Setsune vomited into a bucket. The two looked over at her. They had discarded her kimono and rope because they were too corrupted. All that was left was the black cloth that wrapped around her body and the Broach of Eversor Bestia. Setsune's body was barely corrupted, with only a few spots around her face.
Her eyes peered open.
"Where…am I?" she asked, looking around. "What happened…to my…rope…?"
Dawud slipped through the door and rushed over to her. He got on his knees and bowed down to Fajr's dismay.
"Please help us, Shadow Velvet Ursa?!"
"Dawud…What're-,"
"We've been trapped in Adlernest all 'r lives! If we stay here, we'll eventually die, but ya can help us right?!"
Fajr crouched down, placing her hands on his shoulders, "Dawud, let 'er get 'er barins' 'fore askin' 'er somethin' like that,"
Setsune flinched, her hand on her head, "Adlernest…I'm in-,"
"That's right, 'Ursa'," Najwa called out, Ismael on her back. "Yer in Adlernest,"
Eyes widened, Setsune frantically sat up and reached for the window. As she opened the window, she left scratches in the glass.
"Hold it," Najwa jumped in, putting Ismael down and grabbing her from behind.
Without a word, Setsune grabbed her by her legs and tripped her. She pushed her to the ground and placed her hands on her throat, her teeth grit and her eyes like a wild animal.
"(Damn it…)," she snapped, struggling against the hands on her throat.
Ismael ran to the corner of the room, hiding away. Dawud grabbed onto Setsune.
"Please stop, we're not tryin' to hurt ya," Fajr called out. "Please…,"
"Let my Moma go! Let 'er go!" Dawud cried.
"Mo…ma…?" Setsune stopped, before falling unconscious.
With a thud, her head hit the ground. She lay utop Najwa, shuddering and moaning yet again.
"Kids…help me pick this troublemaker up," She groaned, trying to lift Setsune off of her. "Then yer gonna explain to me what's goin' on,"
To Be Continued......