#nr 14

Hein and Gruen stood in the kitchen washing the dishes.  

“How the hell did they get us to do this?” Hein grumbled, shaking his head.

“How should I know”

“I hate this”

“I know”

“Make sure those dishes are clean” Leia called just as they all heard a thump from the front door, followed by a groan.  

Hein and Gruen looked at each other before they quickly made their way to the door.  A knocking came before they reached it.  

“Hein...” a weak voice said from the other side.  

“That’s Rei” Gruen said and quickly opened the door.

Reiken was leaning against the doorframe, holding his arm tightly against his body a pain expression on his face.  

Hein and Gruen quickly caught him as he fell forward. 

“Don’t touch it...” Reiken gasped, turning so his arm wasn’t close to the other two.

“Reiken?” Leia and Saffron asked as the three guys stumbled into the living room.  Their eyes widened as they saw Reiken’s arm.  It almost looked like there was something wrapped around it, while blood dripped down his fingers.  

“What the hell is that?” Saffron asked, eyes focused on Reiken’s arm.  

“Demon...” Reiken managed to say “I... need...”

“You need help?” Hein asked, but before Reiken could say anything, his body started convulsing.  If it weren’t for Hein and Gruen he would have fallen.  They lowered him to the ground.

“That thing” Gruen said “We need to get it of him”

“How do you want us to do that?” Hein asked “It looks like its attacked to his arm somehow”

“Cut it...” Saffron said “We cut it of”

The convulsions stopped and Reiken just lay limply on the ground.  It took a while before his eyes slowly flickered open.  

“Rei?” Hein asked, leaning over him.  

“Get... it off...” Reiken gasped, clenching his jaw against the pain.  

The others cussed.  “How?” Gruen asked.  

Reiken groaned, his eyes rolling back as the convulsions started again.  Blood started staining the floor.  

“Hold him down” Leia said as he quickly got to her feet and ran to the kitchen “We need to get that thing of him”

Hein caught Reiken’s shoulder and pushed him down against the ground, while Gruen held down his legs.  The convulsions stopped again when Leia return, handing Hein the knife.  

“Get that thing of him” she said and took his place.  

Saffron quickly went to find the medical bag, putting it down next to Hein.  She held out a pair of gloves to him.  

He took it, pulling them on before he pulled on the thing around Reiken’s arm.  

Reiken screamed, back arching.  

“I’m sorry...” Hein said, gripping the slimy body of the demon and pulled again.  

This time Gruen quickly move to pin Reiken down, so that Hein could work without worrying that he’d cause extra pain to their friend.  

Clenching his jaw, Hein stabbed the knife into the demon’s body.  It visibly tightened around, Reiken’s arm, causing him to scream again, trying to pull away from Hein.  

“Keep going” Gruen said with a grunt.  

Hein clenched his jaw as he started cutting through the demon around Reiken’s arm.  “Come on, buddy” he said “You’re gonna be alright...  We’re going to take care of you...”

Reiken slumped down again, his breathing wheezing through his chest.  

As Hein finished his first cut, he started pulling the piece away from Reiken’s arm.  Blood ran down his arm.  Strange strings pulled out of Reiken’s arm, causing more and more blood to pool beneath him.  

Saffron jumped and pressed a cloth against the wound.

Hein took a deep breath and looked at Gruen.  

Gruen nodded.  “Keep going” he said “We need to get that thing of him”

“Keep him down” Hein said “This is going to get bad”

“I’ll do my best” Gruen said “You know how strong he is”

Hein clenched his jaw as he began sawing through another piece of the demon.  Reiken’s thrashing became worse and his screams hoarse.  

Slowly they managed to pull the pieces of the demon from Reiken’s arm.  Every time Hein removed a piece, Saffron pressed a cloth against it, to try and stop the bleeding.  

As the last piece fell off, Hein pulled back, wiping the sweat from his face.  

Reiken just slumped to the ground, breathing irregular, shivers running through his body.  Leia let go of his shoulders and quickly ran to bring bowl of water over.  Together the girls cleaned Reiken’s arm and bandaged it.  

When they finished, Gruen gently picked him up and carried him to the bedroom.  

“What the hell was that?” Hein asked as he just sagged back against the wall.  

“I don’t know...” Gruen said “He never mentioned any demon like that before”

“I looked like it was hurting him, sucking something out of him” Leia whispered “We don’t even know if it’s going to have...”

Reiken groaned and moved slightly, everyone turned towards him.  Smell beads of sweet dripped down his face.  

Saffron quickly stepped over to him, putting the back of her hand against his cheek.  She blinked.  “He has a fever” she said looking over at the others.  

“I’ll get some cold water and a cloth” Leia said and quickly left the room.  

“Let’s go clean up” Gruen said softly and pulled on Hein’s arm “There’s nothing we can do here”

Hein nodded and the two left the room just as Leia came back.  

Gently Leia and Saffron wiped the sweat away.  

***

Reiken knew that there was something wrong, it felt like he was moving through some kind of dream like state.  

His body hurt.  It felt like his arm was on fire.  It felt like it was burning.  There was voices floating around, but he couldn’t make out what they were saying.  He was in trouble and he knew it, but there was nothing he could do.  

Heat burned through him.  

There was something cool against his face.  It felt good.  He tried to reach for it, but his body didn’t want to move.

Leia sighed as she sat down on the bed.  Reiken’s hand twitch and she quickly took his in hers, stroking the back of his hand.  “Shhh....  It’s going to be alright” she whispered as Saffron changed the cloth on his forehead.  

“Come on, Rei” Saffron whispered.  

A soft whimper sounded from Reiken and then he started moving restlessly.  He shivered and then his eyes flickered open.  They were fevered and confused, barely able to focus on anything.  

“Reiken?” Leia asked, his fingers curled around her hand, squeezing it slightly.  

He turned his head slightly.  “Leia... Saffron?” he asked, voice hoarse and weak.  

“Yeah, it’s us” Saffron said before turning away “Rei’s awake!”

Footsteps came rushing towards the room before Gruen and Hein burst through the door.  

“Reiken?” they asked.  

Reiken’s eyes flickered towards them before slowly closing again.  

The two sighed.  

“Did he say something?” Hein asked.

The girls shook their heads.  

“No” Saffron said “He looked very confused.  I’m not sure he even knew what was going around him”

They nodded.  

“The floor is clean” Gruen said.  

“We burned the demon parts” Hein said.  

“Thank you” Leia said.  

When Reiken woke up again, his head felt slightly clearer.  He blinked at the ceiling and slowly sat up.  The moment he tried putting weight on his right arm, pain shot through him and he just collapsed back, gasping.  

The door burst open.  Hein and Leia quickly came in.  

“Reiken?”

He blinked at them before trying to sit up again.  Hein quickly stepped forward and helped him up.  “Easy now, Rei” he said.

“What happened?” Reiken asked slowly.  

Leia breathed out.  “How are you feeling?” she asked.  

“Sick...” he said quietly and looked down “Sorry...”

Hein pulled away.  “Don’t apologize” he said “We’re just glad you came to us for help.  I don’t want to think what would have happened if you didn’t”

Reiken frowned and looked at his arm.  “There... was a demon?” he said hesitantly and the other two nodded.  

“What happened... to it?”

“We killed it” Hein said “Had to tear it of your arm.  It looked nasty”

Reiken nodded, without warning his eyes just fluttered closed and he fell to the side, forcing Hein to catch him.