Who: Atticus & Cisco
What: Retrieval
Where: The woods
When: Sunrise, and beyond
Warnings/Rating: Sickness
The burning in his shoulder had become too much to bear. Knew that was dramatic. Knew that sounded dramatic. Had read it in fiction over and over, and had always thought it was a copout. Lazy writing. Didn't explain how something felt. Hadn't ever understood until this moment. His shoulder had become too much to bear.
The wound, which stuck to a dark sweater that was sopping in sweat, was red, angry and raised at the edges. His arm screamed when he moved it. Another phrase he understood better now. His arm screamed when he moved it, and his body fevered as it tried to fight off infection. Like a transplant that a body wanted to reject, Atticus' body was attempting to reject the bite. Knew the science behind it. Stephen had explained it all. Atticus, in turn, had tried to explain it to Matt. Wasn't something that could be healed. Just needed to run its course. The moon was soon. If he survived the moon, then he would be out of the water.
Out of the water. That phrase was a better one. More visual, while being less descriptive. That phrase could stay. Muddled thoughts as he crawled away from the lakehouse. The sun was up now, but the air was still freezing. Was freezing himself, despite the sopping sweat that dripped fat droplets from the end of his raggedy curls. Had been a hard month. Had more than a few days' growth on his cheeks. Looked a mess. Felt a mess.
Slumped against a tree. Closed his eyes. The burning in his shoulder had become to much to bear. He yelled. Wasn't exactly a howl, but it was close. He yelled. Head tipped back. Eyes closed. Was the last bit of energy he had, but the fuck you issued to the sky felt meaningful. This entire situation reminded him of a vampire and a cellar, and he was supremely tired of this bullshit.