Every hour on the hour, her eyes shoot open and all that leaves her throat rocks the entire building. For fifteen minutes they endure this if they don’t manage to get to her fast enough. All they can do is put her back under and stop the bleeding while still managing to pump blood into her.

“Isn’t there anything you can do to get her to stay under?”

The oldest of the three working on her glances back at the man questioning him. His one eye twitches, frown making his face droop like that of a dog. How many times had the same boy asked him the same question? And the answer he’s given has continually been the same. There’s nothing he can say differently that hasn’t already established her condition.

“Don’t you think if I could I would. She’s barely remaining stitched together. Just how the hell did she end up with a hole in her leg that size?”

“Gardenia…she survived as well.”

“Hmm…”

He moves to a shelf covered in pills and medications, normally meant for those mutated by the chemicals. Searching for something he can’t quite find.

“Lyugrew,what is it?”

“There’s a medication that would probably neutralize her toxins, but we don’t have it.”

“Hyle’s house will have it.”

“The place is destroyed. She wasn’t too happy with something.”

“Fink, Lyla picked up medications while we there. Maybe something she grabbed might work?”

“It’s up to your brother.”

The pair groan before leaving the room to look for Crow. Finding him in a heated argument with a woman whose hair is pulled back messily and face red as a tomato.

“You agreed! It was an agreement, Crow! Those people don’t care. They never have!”

“And you expect me to turn my brother away?”

“He chose to be there!”

“Zedrie, he’s my brother. I wouldn’t ask you to abandon our family. Don’t ask me to so do of mine.”

Crow’s voice is smooth, elegant almost. The two are afraid to even step in and say anything. Still, they need to know if the medication Lyla found will be useful or not. They wait for the pair to finish talking. The young woman spotting them and storming off as fast as a hurricane.

“Glad, I’m not you?”

“Because you’re a coward. What’s the problem?”

“Before Raven protests his cowardice. Because, I know he’s not. I’d like to ask a favor.”

“No.”

“Well, let me ask first.”

“I’m not letting anymore of them in. The place is supposed to be safe.”

“And what of Camellia?”

“Sucks, nothing I can do.”

“You two really are different. Ouch.”

There’s a tension between them that radiates around the small aged living room. A group of little girls look back at them. Far too young to understand that these two could quite possibly kill each other. Too young to realize it’s not just because they are siblings. However, because they are two very different individuals. Raven has always been hot headed and the first to lash out in anger. Crow is more collected and calculated. Every detail is scrutinized with meticulous ferocity. Nothing has ever gone unnoticed by him. Together they’re two different raging bodies of water. Fink shifts slowly from one foot to another. Impatience growing in his blood.

“Grow up, both of you. This isn’t the time to be fighting. Crow, Cammie, is practically family to you and Raven. Yet you’ll deny her medicine that might help her.”

“If you want to go get it, please be my guest. I’m not-”

The front door swings open. Another group of E.A.C members stumbling in. Raven and Fink exchange confused looks Crows face goes stone cold. Silent fur as these people he hates quietly fill the space in the doorway. All of them dirt covered, bruised, bloodied, and looking lost.

“Not my doing.”

“You’re not welcome here.”

The uninvited group simply stares awkwardly between the two brothers. Not sure if they’re really seeing tw oof the almost identical person or not. Raven scans what he can of the group for the only female to ever annoy him. Shoving Fink towards her without a second thought. Her hair is loose from her ponytail in several places. Eyes wild with terror. Shrugging Raven pats Crow on the back.

“They don’t listen to anyone who isn’t like them.”

It takes several seconds before Lyla hands the medicine over, begrudgingly to Fink. His eyes catch a glimpse of the letters on the bottles as it slips into his hand. Feet slam against the ground as he goes back down the hall. With undeniable exasperation Raven follows his friend’s path, watching as the tiny bottle is handed off to one of Crow’s companions. Grunting the man checks the bottle, paling instantly.

Shaking is barely the term to describe the vibrations rolling from head to toe off of Fink’s slender frame nad to the floor. There’s a harshness to the silence that takes over the room. Everyone’s movements are suddenly stiff. Only Raven remains confused, even as Crow’s steel toed boots stop beside him.

“I would hope my bro-Jidyeel?”

“We have a problem…”

“Yeah, Camellia’s-”

“No, it’s something I don’t even think it’s something anyone knew about.”

Jidyeel holds the bottle of medication up. A small pure white bottle with a sticker slapped across it. In Hyle’s handwriting it reads out: Project Gardenia: Subject B: Camellia Alessene Hyle.

“I’m not understanding.”

“Cam’s not a project. She lived in the manor.”

“That means nothing to Hyle. All children were opportunities. The very building we’re in was donated by Hyle himself.”

“She’s not like us.”

“Raven spent almost everyday with her, he should know best.”

“And I’m telling you as someone familiar with the contents inside the bottle and seeing the name on it, that Hyle clearly had other intentions.”

“You’re wrong.”

“Rave, shut up a minute. Rederveine was donated by Hyle?”

Jidyeel nods shifting aside a few things on a shelf and grabbing a photo album, handing it over briskly. Not caring if the orange haired male tears the pages.

“Gideon Hyle donated it to the city, after realizing there was an epidemic of abandoned children through out the kingdom. It seemed innocent enough, considering what he was doing. I was dumped here as a baby. The medication was given to everyone, minus the caretakers.”

“Do you know what for? Sorry, for asking, I’m trying to get a general idea here.”

“Why else. None of the kids were ever put up for adoption unless the person worked under Hyle. In most cases the medicine killed us. If not they ended up in that cursed place.”

“That doesn’t explain Camellia.”

Raven’s snarl is enough to keep Jidyeel at bay. Although, he knows what he speaks. He’s aware that there’s nothing more important to Raven than her. And quite possibly his own brother.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“Actually, it does… it explains some of it anyway. Crow, does this place have a record of all the kids that came through?”

“I could ask…but why?”

Flipping the book around so that they can see the yellowing page he’s looking at he slips a finger over a child no older than two. Carrying a baby in her arms. The infant is wailing and the girl has no emotions to dislpay, face as blank as a sheet of paper

“Camellia and Rose. She was too young to know he wasn’t her father. Those weren’t even their names apparently. At least not according to this.”

Watching them be distraught, Jidyeel administers the dreaded treatment. Hissing as it immediately kicks in, sealing up the hole in her leg that they had tried so desperately to seal off. Stitching shut the stabs in her sides and all other cuts and scrapes. The skin settling into a moss green color and pulsating.

“If anything remains as a record, it’s in the basement. Nothing was allowed to be destroyed. It also helps keep track of those of us who need medical attention. The wrong treatment can be a disaster.”

“I’ll ask her to let me look. Fink, there’s a library down the hall. Maybe you can find something. Raven, brother, stay put.”

“Whatever.”

The group disperses, Raven throwing his body into a dusty empty sofa chair. Never taking his eyes off the unconscious woman. Surprised when, instead of stalking out himself, Jidyeel curls up just like a small pup on the spare bed. The three assistants he has sidling out. One of them covered in pins, the other two simply having odd hair colors. The hall way is whispers followed by shouting. Hurried feet find themselves stopping in front of him.

“Move.”

“You’re really okay?”

“Lyla, move.”

“I’m just trying to check on you. I know you and-”

“Move, you’re blocking my view.”

A single leg shoves her gently to the side, but she’s dettermined, planting herself in his line of sight once again. He huffs, stands and moves her again, ignoring the dust clinging to his clothes.

“What makes her so important? Isn’t she dying anyway? Wouldn’t it be better for her?”

“You have a lot of nerve. Get out of my way. I’m not doing this with you today. Or ever. I won’t warn you again.”

“Or what?! She’s on her death bed, Raven. And if she cared about you enough she wouldn’t have-”

“SHUT UP!”

He fingers curl around her wrist, dragging her heeled feet across the floor. Her head nearly hitting the wall as he tosses her out of the room. She scrambles to her feet, glaring up at him. His skin is painting itself red, veins turning white beneath.

“All you’ve done since I met you is throw yourself at me. bat your stupid eyelashes, and literally talk shit about one of the few people who has actually treated me like a person before any of this. So excuse me if I’m willing to stick my neck out for her.”

“That’s enough, baby bird. I’m sure she meant no harm.”

Cold blues, barely blink as a .45 is placed against his head. Not that he hasn’t pulled a knife and held it to his throat.

“Don’t call me Baby Bird, unless you want me to shoot you here?”

“Go and sit. Killing me or her, isn’t helping anything. I won’t repeat myself.”

It takes several moments to get him to walk away, but finally Raven slips back into the room, slamming the door shut. Crow shifts his attention to Lyla, eyes narrowed to slits.

“I don’t know what you said to my little brother, but I’ll advise you to stay away from him and my sister while she recovers.”

Fink’s fingers dance meticulously along the spines of the books. The shelf he’s looking at dedicated to the Orphanage. He’s not sure where to start either. All the books are covered in dust, lettering faded on the sides.

“They all say the same thing. Almost anyway.”

Confused he looks around for the source of the voice. Spotting nothing until he moves one of the books. A girl manifests beside him her eyes reminding him of a fish. She smiles sadly.

“You seem to know a lot about the place.”

“I’ve lived my whole life here. This is my space and no one comes in without reason.”

“I assure you, I really don’t care what you do. But the history would be great, so start talking.”

“I don’t have to.”

Rolling his eyes he grabs the girl’s forearm. Trudging through memory after memory. Looking for the knowledge she has of the place. Finding it hidden amongst memories he wish he didn’t have to see. However, he does find a memory she shouldn’t have.

“Zyseid, could you and your sister show the new addition around?”

“Yes, ma’am. What of the baby?”

“We can’t force her to let go of her just yet. And I don’t want either of you to try to take her from the her.”

The boy nods and grabbing hold of the girl beside him starts walking. He points out the various rooms with elaborate flower details embroidered in gold on the doors.

“This, will be your room. By the way I’m Zyseid, and this is my sister Colwossied. We share a room down the hall, can’t miss it. Also, if that thing wails in the middle of the night I’ll throttle it.”

The boy skips off, pulling the dress he’s wearing up away from the floor. The girl he’s shown around merely watches. Her eyes solidifying on the sister.

“Does she have a name? The baby?”

Anything to get this distraught child to open up to her. Simply playing patient in hopes she can gain something from this poor soul.

“Vasgersithale.”

Surely, it was a joke. Why would a child from a village cursed and plagued with death be this far from it? Why would a cursed child even be here?

“And yours?”

“Hilstheyr…”

“I’ll make a nameplate for your door. Don’t mind my brother he’s rather, self-absorbed.”

Being tossed from the girl’s memory throws him off his feet. She looks appalled that he could even do such a thing. His head smacks against a shelf before he regains his balance.

“How dare you!”

“Not the memory I wanted, sorry. How much do you know about those two?”

He slides to the floor, breath short, eyes unfocused. The girl, on the other hand, moves a few feet away, watching him. There’s sweat across his forehead.

“Vas was six when the Dr. Adopted her. He’d never done so before. But he came and adopted them. Spent time with them even. What’s it to you?”

“Did they leave with those names?”

The floor spins and blurs, everything rising and falling rapidly. His stomach is in his throat.

“You shouldn’t have grabbed me. I can’t counter it and the only person who can hasn’t lived here for a long time.”

Groaning he shakes his head. Still waiting on her response.

“Just answer me.”

“No, they didn’t as far as I heard.”