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Description
‘I wasn’t sure what was going to happen next. Every day, every hour, it all just felt like one big blur; like time had stopped and yet passed on by all at the same time. I thought that if I could just hold on, something miraculous would happen. Like, I’d wake up back safe at home and stare into the eyes of my husband. Or find my daughter’s precious smile beaming down at me. I thought that no matter how bad things would get or how twisted I became, as long as there was hope it’d be okay. I just had to hold on…’

Sikotic sat on the cold dirty floor staring at the reflection of herself in the mirror. She hadn’t noticed it before considering how dark it was in the room. The mirror was just enough far back and tilted ever so slightly that the dim light over the wooden table wasn’t reflected back. But just shortly after Panic had begun allowing her to move about the room freely, she noticed the figure pacing along with her.

Sik placed her hand on the mirror’s surface as she stared at her own face. She hardly recognized herself with the sunken eyes, matted hair and gaunt cheekbones, but sure enough it was her. She looked down to her neck and bare shoulders, down at the deep bite marks and scratches Panic would leave behind when he came to teach his lessons. He never said why he was doing it, but honestly he didn’t need to. It was all old news to her when it came down to their beliefs and teachings.

The forever churning aches in her stomach made Sik cringe internally. Not once has Panic fed her while she was here. No, he left her to either starve herself or to take drastic measures into finding the nutrition she desperately needed. The last time he came to implement his ‘teachings’, Sik nearly tore her teeth through Panic’s neck and whether he mistaken it as an escape attempt or just wanted to punish her for crossing the line, the little teaching left Sik with a nice bruise on the side of her face. Either way Panic left the room smiling and praising on what a good job she did.

As Sik touched the discolored skin she felt the needle-like sting following immediately after. The pain was nothing to her anymore; in fact she was beginning to like it.

No, that wasn’t right.

Sik had always liked it. But to society it wasn’t normal. To Alo it wasn’t normal. So in order to curb herself she agreed to undergo psychiatric treatment and get help. She had even convinced her brother Andi to join her, though it had taken far much longer for him to find a sense of peace than it had for her.

But now she wasn’t on any medications and she had no help. There was no therapy, at least not the good kind. There was no stone to hold onto except for hope. Always hope. Yet still she couldn’t help but feel the way she felt. Sikotic feared she was losing sight of what was right and wrong anymore. The distinct guidelines that the world had set were becoming more and more vague to her.

Sik held the cloth sheet to her chest as looked away from herself. Although it was nothing more than a thin cloth and offered very little cover from her naked body, it had been something she could physically clutch and keep to herself; the one small act of defiance against Panic despite the fact that it was he who had given it to her in the first place. Still…

The familiar sound of the door’s metal locks sliding free made Sik look up into the mirror, just in time to see Panic carting something in. She turned around slowly as she looked at the thing, instantly realizing he was bringing in a TV on the cart as well as a bottle of orange liquid.

“Now be a good girl and get back in the chair Sik.” Panic said as he began pulling the long wire that had trailed behind him. “I got something special for you for doing so well the other day.”

Sikotic did as he asked as she pulled herself up using the mirror to support herself. With the lack of food she found it almost impossible to do anything beyond simply walking before becoming too fatigued. As she got to the chair, she pulled her sheet close to her chin before she lowered her hands down onto the armrests where Panic began buckling her in. Her eyes went over to the doorway where she noticed that it had become impossible to shut it fully with the TV’s power cord blocking it’s way. It seemed that even in her weak state Panic would take no chances.

Panic finished each individual strap before he turned back to the cart where the old TV was at. He fiddled around behind where the cord was coming from before picking up the water bottle he had set beside it.

Panic walked back to Sik as he uncapped the bottle and held it to Sik’s lips to drink who had been anxiously waiting.

As he tilted the bottle up the surprise sharp, acidy tang hit Sik’s taste buds causing her to pull back momentarily from shock as she realized what it was she had been given - Orange Juice.

“You’ll need your strength soon.” Panic whispered, his smile returning as he watched Sik drink the entire bottle.

Sik didn’t want to stop but was forced to as Panic pulled the empty bottle away from her mouth. She licked her lips eagerly as she felt her stomach gurgle before settling. “Why’s that?” she asked.

Panic only smiled at her as he turned away without saying anything. Instead he went over to the TV and pushed the large round power button on the bottom right corner. The TV made a static noise as the screen slowly dimmed to life. As it became brighter and clearer, Sik had to turn her head and shield her eyes away from the light in order to adjust, but when she heard the sudden scream of a male’s voice she couldn’t help but immediately look back.

The monitor screen was a light blue coloring and had been angled downwards into a room where it focused on a man lying on the floor. He had been rolled up into a ball with his knees cupped tightly against his chest with his head burrowed down against the kneecaps. Uncontrollable sobs could be heard from the horrible audio system but as the man screamed out Sik’s name she instantly knew who it was.

Sikotic tensed up as she threw herself outwards only to be stopped by the restraints. “Andi!” she shouted. “Andi hold on!”

“He can’t hear you Sik.” Panic said who had gone back to sitting on the wooden table to watch her.

Sikotic turned her attention to Panic as she continued pulling at the restraints. “Panic please! Don’t hurt him. Not him. Please!”

Panic frowned, “Hurt him? Did I hear correctly? I haven’t fucking touched him since I put him in there!” he shouted waving his arm around for emphasis before pointing a single finger at her. “You did this to him!”

“I didn’t!” Sik screamed back.

“Bull fucking shit!” This time Panic jumped up as he moved closer towards the TV screen before looking at it for himself.

“Panic please!” Sikotic continued to beg, as she jiggled her restraints every possible way.

“LISTEN!” Panic roared as the veins in his neck began bulging with anger as he balled his fists.

Sikotic became quiet as she became completely focused on the TV screen while she watched her brother wailing once again. Panic placed his finger against the image of Andi as he hissed, “Liiiiissssten.”

The only thing Sik could hear was her name being repeated over and over again until finally she heard the soft mumbles that were almost impossible to hear.

“I was good …. I was good … SIIIIIIK!” “Good Andi, no no no bad bad.. good. SIIIIIK!”

Sikotic softly lowered herself back down into the chair as she continued staring at the screen flabbergasted. “I-I don’t understand…” she said.

“He thinks you left him. Abandoned him! All because he wasn’t fucking good enough for you and your new perfect little family.” Panic said with a sneer.

Sikotic shot Panic a hateful look, “I never said that to him!”

Panic leaned his head forward, “Yeah, but you sure as hell implied it didn’t you?”

“I didn’t! And I didn’t abandon him, I’m trapped here because of you!”

Panic chuckled, “Are that fucking naïve Sik, really?! Or are you just too damn blind to see beyond yourself? Without his pills he’s become an emotional rollercoaster, at times he doesn’t even know why he’s here! All he knows is that he’s all alone and you haven’t come for him.”

Sikotic didn’t say anything as she continued staring at the TV screen, her heart bleeding for her beloved brother.

“He didn’t take those pills because it was what everyone else wanted him to do. He didn’t take those pills because he was disgusted of himself. He took them for you!” Panic walked over towards the chair as he knelt beside Sik and pushed his cheek against her own. “All he ever wanted was to be by his baby sister. But you made him change who he was for your own selfish needs, now look at him! He can’t even stand the thought of being WHO HE IS because he thinks you’ll leave him.”

Sikotic finally lowered her eyes away as she felt Panic’s heated skin pressed against her clammy one. “I would never leave him, I love him. There was nothing wrong with him, just … misunderstood.”

Panic pulled away from her cheek and stared into her eyes. “Couldn’t the same be said to you Sik? There was nothing wrong with you or Andi. Everyone else had a goddamn problem with you because they fucking feared you.” He stepped back away from her and brought his hands out to his sides. “They were afraid of what you could become! They were afraid of being wrong. They think their way is the only way to live and they want to change you and your precious brother! Now look at him!”

Giggling emitted from the TV made both of them stop as they each turned to look at the screen as Andi stared up at the camera as if peering right back each of them.

Panic’s eyes squinted as he crossed his arms over his chest and watched, however Sikotic knew all too well what was going on.

Andi pulled back away from the camera as he began circling around his room. “No! NO NO!” Andi slammed his body against the wall while simultaneously smashing his head against the concrete stone leaving a dark stain where his face had made contact.

Sikotic pushed herself up against the chair, pulling against the restraints once more. “Panic please!” she begged. “Let me see him, he’s unstable! He’s cracking!”

Andi erupted with laughter as he pulled away as he began smearing the blood on his face all into his hair and down his neck and shirt. “Gotta be good. SIIIIK! Gotta be good!”

Panic began laughing as well causing Sikotic to jerk in her chair with fury. “Look at him! He’s fucking beautiful!” Panic exclaimed. “If he didn’t make you so god damn weak he could actually have some potential, the fucking freak!”

“He needs me Panic!” Sikotic argued. “If he doesn’t become stable he will become wild, then there’s no telling what will happen! He needs control! I can help him!”

Panic shrugged, “Let him vent it out, it might actually be good for him considering all the shit he’s been through.”

“You don’t understand!” Sikotic exclaimed. “He’ll hurt anyone he comes into contact with and if he can’t then he’ll start hurting himself.”

“I don’t see how that’s my problem.” Panic said as he looked over at Sik before his eyes flicked back to the TV.

Andi was pounding his fists against each wall as he ran back and forth. Without warning, he suddenly lowered his head into a ramming position before he charged at the door in his cell. Sikotic had to flinch away as the sickening thud echoed through the TV’s speakers. When she turned to look back she saw Andi lying on the floor in front of the blood splattered door. Her heart felt like it had stopped beating all together as the thought of her brother being dead flashed before her, but when she heard the soft mumbling of her name and the soft twitch of Andi’s foot she felt relieved and realized she had been holding her breath. He was alive, for now. There was no telling what kind of state he was in and what damage had been done, but he was alive.

“Oh good! Problem solved itself.” Panic said as he grinned.

“He needs medical attention.” Sikotic said as she turned her sights to Panic.

“Not. My. Problem. Are you fucking deaf now too?” Panic retorted.

“Look Panic! You want me to go back to being who I was, I get that!” Sikotic angrily argued. “That’s why I’m in this god forsaken fucking mess right now!” Her voice cracked with a hint of hysteria as she pointed her finger towards the screen. “But he’s my past, my other half who kept me strong and hateful to every fucking person who did us wrong.”

Panic’s face hardened as he turned his body towards Sik as she continued on.

“He’s no different than you; he didn’t ask for this, he didn’t want any of this! You’re right, I brainwashed him. I took advantage of his weakness for me and exploited it for my own selfish reasons because I couldn’t bare the idea of losing him. But he’s not weak, I’m the weak one!” Sik was crying now. “And letting him die will not make me stronger. He has the same core values you do, he’ll listen to me. … He’ll listen…”

The sound of Sik’s soft cries was the only audible thing for the next minute as Panic seemed to contemplate his next move while he stared at her.

Without saying a single word, Panic left the room leaving the TV stand behind. Sikotic could only sit there with her head bowed low feeling as though she were dead herself. Andi had always been there ever since their mother abandoned them. He was always pushing her to do her best and keeping her strong for whatever came their way. They would let no one come in between and punish all those who opposed. When Sik first came to convince Andi to join her with Alo, he was beyond angry. The very mentioning of the idea of throwing away their entire beliefs for someone else was pure lunacy. But when Sik made her choice she continued begging her brother to join her, how could he say no? Eventually he gave in and together they spent years side by side in the loony bin until each were deemed safe to society as functioning adults. It took Andi longer than Sik to be set ‘free’, it was harder for him but he eventually came through. Now look at him … on the floor probably dying … all because Sik brought him into this mess. She risked everyone’s lives because she let Alo get to her. She hated herself.

The sound of metal locks being unhinged through the TV screen made Sik look back up. The door slowly opened as Panic entered the room and stood towering above the unconscious Andi. Sikotic shook her head side to side in order to blink away the tears that blurred her vision as she tried to see what was going on. What was he doing?

Panic bent over and grabbed each of Andi’s hands. With strong tugs, he began pulling Andi out of the cell until there was nothing left on the monitor but a bloody trail where Andi had been.

It was hours before Panic returned to Sik, but eventually he did as he pushed the door open and came into the room. Sikotic had been staring at the TV screen the entire time but now her entire attention was on Panic as she watched him wipe at his bloody hands, arms, and neck.

“He’s stable.”

If Sikotic could hug Panic she would have.

“The abnormal thickness of his skull helped ... a lot.” He growled as if unhappy at the idea.

It made sense. Sik and Andi both had unique genetics that made it seem as though they both had been bred for head butting and ramming things. Their skulls seemed to be of average size to the naked eye but inside was a completely different story. But even with their weird abnormal skulls, it had limits and Sik was glad that Andi’s seemed to have held up to the ultimate test.

Sikotic wanted to thank Panic but held her tongue knowing he would take it as a sign for weakness and compassion, so instead she chose her next words wisely, “He’s strong, he’ll pull through.”

Panic tightened his lips together as he looked at her up and down. “Don’t make me regret doing this Sik. Don’t fucking do it, because I can make it far worse than what he experienced just now.”

Sikotic didn’t want to say anything less she ruin it all; so instead she simply nodded to herself as Panic walked out of the room leaving her with only a empty, bloody cell on the TV monitor.

Description
‘I wasn’t sure what was going to happen next. Every day, every hour, it all just felt like one big blur; like time had stopped and yet passed on by all at the same time. I thought that if I could just hold on, something miraculous would happen. Like, I’d wake up back safe at home and stare into the eyes of my husband. Or find my daughter’s precious smile beaming down at me. I thought that no matter how bad things would get or how twisted I became, as long as there was hope it’d be okay. I just had to hold on…’

Sikotic sat on the cold dirty floor staring at the reflection of herself in the mirror. She hadn’t noticed it before considering how dark it was in the room. The mirror was just enough far back and tilted ever so slightly that the dim light over the wooden table wasn’t reflected back. But just shortly after Panic had begun allowing her to move about the room freely, she noticed the figure pacing along with her.

Sik placed her hand on the mirror’s surface as she stared at her own face. She hardly recognized herself with the sunken eyes, matted hair and gaunt cheekbones, but sure enough it was her. She looked down to her neck and bare shoulders, down at the deep bite marks and scratches Panic would leave behind when he came to teach his lessons. He never said why he was doing it, but honestly he didn’t need to. It was all old news to her when it came down to their beliefs and teachings.

The forever churning aches in her stomach made Sik cringe internally. Not once has Panic fed her while she was here. No, he left her to either starve herself or to take drastic measures into finding the nutrition she desperately needed. The last time he came to implement his ‘teachings’, Sik nearly tore her teeth through Panic’s neck and whether he mistaken it as an escape attempt or just wanted to punish her for crossing the line, the little teaching left Sik with a nice bruise on the side of her face. Either way Panic left the room smiling and praising on what a good job she did.

As Sik touched the discolored skin she felt the needle-like sting following immediately after. The pain was nothing to her anymore; in fact she was beginning to like it.

No, that wasn’t right.

Sik had always liked it. But to society it wasn’t normal. To Alo it wasn’t normal. So in order to curb herself she agreed to undergo psychiatric treatment and get help. She had even convinced her brother Andi to join her, though it had taken far much longer for him to find a sense of peace than it had for her.

But now she wasn’t on any medications and she had no help. There was no therapy, at least not the good kind. There was no stone to hold onto except for hope. Always hope. Yet still she couldn’t help but feel the way she felt. Sikotic feared she was losing sight of what was right and wrong anymore. The distinct guidelines that the world had set were becoming more and more vague to her.

Sik held the cloth sheet to her chest as looked away from herself. Although it was nothing more than a thin cloth and offered very little cover from her naked body, it had been something she could physically clutch and keep to herself; the one small act of defiance against Panic despite the fact that it was he who had given it to her in the first place. Still…

The familiar sound of the door’s metal locks sliding free made Sik look up into the mirror, just in time to see Panic carting something in. She turned around slowly as she looked at the thing, instantly realizing he was bringing in a TV on the cart as well as a bottle of orange liquid.

“Now be a good girl and get back in the chair Sik.” Panic said as he began pulling the long wire that had trailed behind him. “I got something special for you for doing so well the other day.”

Sikotic did as he asked as she pulled herself up using the mirror to support herself. With the lack of food she found it almost impossible to do anything beyond simply walking before becoming too fatigued. As she got to the chair, she pulled her sheet close to her chin before she lowered her hands down onto the armrests where Panic began buckling her in. Her eyes went over to the doorway where she noticed that it had become impossible to shut it fully with the TV’s power cord blocking it’s way. It seemed that even in her weak state Panic would take no chances.

Panic finished each individual strap before he turned back to the cart where the old TV was at. He fiddled around behind where the cord was coming from before picking up the water bottle he had set beside it.

Panic walked back to Sik as he uncapped the bottle and held it to Sik’s lips to drink who had been anxiously waiting.

As he tilted the bottle up the surprise sharp, acidy tang hit Sik’s taste buds causing her to pull back momentarily from shock as she realized what it was she had been given - Orange Juice.

“You’ll need your strength soon.” Panic whispered, his smile returning as he watched Sik drink the entire bottle.

Sik didn’t want to stop but was forced to as Panic pulled the empty bottle away from her mouth. She licked her lips eagerly as she felt her stomach gurgle before settling. “Why’s that?” she asked.

Panic only smiled at her as he turned away without saying anything. Instead he went over to the TV and pushed the large round power button on the bottom right corner. The TV made a static noise as the screen slowly dimmed to life. As it became brighter and clearer, Sik had to turn her head and shield her eyes away from the light in order to adjust, but when she heard the sudden scream of a male’s voice she couldn’t help but immediately look back.

The monitor screen was a light blue coloring and had been angled downwards into a room where it focused on a man lying on the floor. He had been rolled up into a ball with his knees cupped tightly against his chest with his head burrowed down against the kneecaps. Uncontrollable sobs could be heard from the horrible audio system but as the man screamed out Sik’s name she instantly knew who it was.

Sikotic tensed up as she threw herself outwards only to be stopped by the restraints. “Andi!” she shouted. “Andi hold on!”

“He can’t hear you Sik.” Panic said who had gone back to sitting on the wooden table to watch her.

Sikotic turned her attention to Panic as she continued pulling at the restraints. “Panic please! Don’t hurt him. Not him. Please!”

Panic frowned, “Hurt him? Did I hear correctly? I haven’t fucking touched him since I put him in there!” he shouted waving his arm around for emphasis before pointing a single finger at her. “You did this to him!”

“I didn’t!” Sik screamed back.

“Bull fucking shit!” This time Panic jumped up as he moved closer towards the TV screen before looking at it for himself.

“Panic please!” Sikotic continued to beg, as she jiggled her restraints every possible way.

“LISTEN!” Panic roared as the veins in his neck began bulging with anger as he balled his fists.

Sikotic became quiet as she became completely focused on the TV screen while she watched her brother wailing once again. Panic placed his finger against the image of Andi as he hissed, “Liiiiissssten.”

The only thing Sik could hear was her name being repeated over and over again until finally she heard the soft mumbles that were almost impossible to hear.

“I was good …. I was good … SIIIIIIK!” “Good Andi, no no no bad bad.. good. SIIIIIK!”

Sikotic softly lowered herself back down into the chair as she continued staring at the screen flabbergasted. “I-I don’t understand…” she said.

“He thinks you left him. Abandoned him! All because he wasn’t fucking good enough for you and your new perfect little family.” Panic said with a sneer.

Sikotic shot Panic a hateful look, “I never said that to him!”

Panic leaned his head forward, “Yeah, but you sure as hell implied it didn’t you?”

“I didn’t! And I didn’t abandon him, I’m trapped here because of you!”

Panic chuckled, “Are that fucking naïve Sik, really?! Or are you just too damn blind to see beyond yourself? Without his pills he’s become an emotional rollercoaster, at times he doesn’t even know why he’s here! All he knows is that he’s all alone and you haven’t come for him.”

Sikotic didn’t say anything as she continued staring at the TV screen, her heart bleeding for her beloved brother.

“He didn’t take those pills because it was what everyone else wanted him to do. He didn’t take those pills because he was disgusted of himself. He took them for you!” Panic walked over towards the chair as he knelt beside Sik and pushed his cheek against her own. “All he ever wanted was to be by his baby sister. But you made him change who he was for your own selfish needs, now look at him! He can’t even stand the thought of being WHO HE IS because he thinks you’ll leave him.”

Sikotic finally lowered her eyes away as she felt Panic’s heated skin pressed against her clammy one. “I would never leave him, I love him. There was nothing wrong with him, just … misunderstood.”

Panic pulled away from her cheek and stared into her eyes. “Couldn’t the same be said to you Sik? There was nothing wrong with you or Andi. Everyone else had a goddamn problem with you because they fucking feared you.” He stepped back away from her and brought his hands out to his sides. “They were afraid of what you could become! They were afraid of being wrong. They think their way is the only way to live and they want to change you and your precious brother! Now look at him!”

Giggling emitted from the TV made both of them stop as they each turned to look at the screen as Andi stared up at the camera as if peering right back each of them.

Panic’s eyes squinted as he crossed his arms over his chest and watched, however Sikotic knew all too well what was going on.

Andi pulled back away from the camera as he began circling around his room. “No! NO NO!” Andi slammed his body against the wall while simultaneously smashing his head against the concrete stone leaving a dark stain where his face had made contact.

Sikotic pushed herself up against the chair, pulling against the restraints once more. “Panic please!” she begged. “Let me see him, he’s unstable! He’s cracking!”

Andi erupted with laughter as he pulled away as he began smearing the blood on his face all into his hair and down his neck and shirt. “Gotta be good. SIIIIK! Gotta be good!”

Panic began laughing as well causing Sikotic to jerk in her chair with fury. “Look at him! He’s fucking beautiful!” Panic exclaimed. “If he didn’t make you so god damn weak he could actually have some potential, the fucking freak!”

“He needs me Panic!” Sikotic argued. “If he doesn’t become stable he will become wild, then there’s no telling what will happen! He needs control! I can help him!”

Panic shrugged, “Let him vent it out, it might actually be good for him considering all the shit he’s been through.”

“You don’t understand!” Sikotic exclaimed. “He’ll hurt anyone he comes into contact with and if he can’t then he’ll start hurting himself.”

“I don’t see how that’s my problem.” Panic said as he looked over at Sik before his eyes flicked back to the TV.

Andi was pounding his fists against each wall as he ran back and forth. Without warning, he suddenly lowered his head into a ramming position before he charged at the door in his cell. Sikotic had to flinch away as the sickening thud echoed through the TV’s speakers. When she turned to look back she saw Andi lying on the floor in front of the blood splattered door. Her heart felt like it had stopped beating all together as the thought of her brother being dead flashed before her, but when she heard the soft mumbling of her name and the soft twitch of Andi’s foot she felt relieved and realized she had been holding her breath. He was alive, for now. There was no telling what kind of state he was in and what damage had been done, but he was alive.

“Oh good! Problem solved itself.” Panic said as he grinned.

“He needs medical attention.” Sikotic said as she turned her sights to Panic.

“Not. My. Problem. Are you fucking deaf now too?” Panic retorted.

“Look Panic! You want me to go back to being who I was, I get that!” Sikotic angrily argued. “That’s why I’m in this god forsaken fucking mess right now!” Her voice cracked with a hint of hysteria as she pointed her finger towards the screen. “But he’s my past, my other half who kept me strong and hateful to every fucking person who did us wrong.”

Panic’s face hardened as he turned his body towards Sik as she continued on.

“He’s no different than you; he didn’t ask for this, he didn’t want any of this! You’re right, I brainwashed him. I took advantage of his weakness for me and exploited it for my own selfish reasons because I couldn’t bare the idea of losing him. But he’s not weak, I’m the weak one!” Sik was crying now. “And letting him die will not make me stronger. He has the same core values you do, he’ll listen to me. … He’ll listen…”

The sound of Sik’s soft cries was the only audible thing for the next minute as Panic seemed to contemplate his next move while he stared at her.

Without saying a single word, Panic left the room leaving the TV stand behind. Sikotic could only sit there with her head bowed low feeling as though she were dead herself. Andi had always been there ever since their mother abandoned them. He was always pushing her to do her best and keeping her strong for whatever came their way. They would let no one come in between and punish all those who opposed. When Sik first came to convince Andi to join her with Alo, he was beyond angry. The very mentioning of the idea of throwing away their entire beliefs for someone else was pure lunacy. But when Sik made her choice she continued begging her brother to join her, how could he say no? Eventually he gave in and together they spent years side by side in the loony bin until each were deemed safe to society as functioning adults. It took Andi longer than Sik to be set ‘free’, it was harder for him but he eventually came through. Now look at him … on the floor probably dying … all because Sik brought him into this mess. She risked everyone’s lives because she let Alo get to her. She hated herself.

The sound of metal locks being unhinged through the TV screen made Sik look back up. The door slowly opened as Panic entered the room and stood towering above the unconscious Andi. Sikotic shook her head side to side in order to blink away the tears that blurred her vision as she tried to see what was going on. What was he doing?

Panic bent over and grabbed each of Andi’s hands. With strong tugs, he began pulling Andi out of the cell until there was nothing left on the monitor but a bloody trail where Andi had been.

It was hours before Panic returned to Sik, but eventually he did as he pushed the door open and came into the room. Sikotic had been staring at the TV screen the entire time but now her entire attention was on Panic as she watched him wipe at his bloody hands, arms, and neck.

“He’s stable.”

If Sikotic could hug Panic she would have.

“The abnormal thickness of his skull helped ... a lot.” He growled as if unhappy at the idea.

It made sense. Sik and Andi both had unique genetics that made it seem as though they both had been bred for head butting and ramming things. Their skulls seemed to be of average size to the naked eye but inside was a completely different story. But even with their weird abnormal skulls, it had limits and Sik was glad that Andi’s seemed to have held up to the ultimate test.

Sikotic wanted to thank Panic but held her tongue knowing he would take it as a sign for weakness and compassion, so instead she chose her next words wisely, “He’s strong, he’ll pull through.”

Panic tightened his lips together as he looked at her up and down. “Don’t make me regret doing this Sik. Don’t fucking do it, because I can make it far worse than what he experienced just now.”

Sikotic didn’t want to say anything less she ruin it all; so instead she simply nodded to herself as Panic walked out of the room leaving her with only a empty, bloody cell on the TV monitor.