Single post in Rune Meisters

An annoying buzz filled Shannon’s ear. She flinched. Why did mosquitoes always aim for the ears when people are trying to sleep? She shook her head, and a terrible throb erupted at the back of her skull. Where did that come from? When did she fall asleep anyway? The last thing she remembered was… leaving home earlier in the evening? Wait… Where was she? Shannon strained to open her eyes. It felt like pins and needles pricked around her sockets. And that stupid buzzing pestered her left ear. She went to swat at it, but her hand didn’t move. Or rather, it couldn’t. It took a moment, but she realized something restrained her at the wrist. She could feel wide fabric or something itchy tightly wrapped around her skin. Shannon pulled and tried rotating her wrist, but nothing gave. “What—” she rasped and then coughed. Her throat was very dry and—now—scratchy. When was the last time she had a drink? What in the world happened? “What took ya?” a gruff voice asked. Gingerly, she turned her head aside. Through squinted eyes, she watched a man stand from a chair placed near the apparent cot she lay on. As he stepped closer, she could make out his older, weathered visage and the mix of gray and russet messy strands covering his head. A grateful smile grew across Shannon’s face. He drew closer and placed his rough palm against her forehead. Silent seconds later, he wiped moisture from her brow. “Yer still warm. Stubborn fever ain’t breakin’.” He walked out of sight. Metal objects rattled in his direction. Though Shannon couldn’t completely turn her head to view him again, she didn’t have to. She’d been in this room several times over the years, and knew it better than her own attic. He’d begun rifling through the medicine cabinet for one of his many aspirin bottles, no doubt. In any moment, she’d hear the cabinet door squeak as he slammed it shut. To her surprise, what she heard first was that buzzing in her ear again. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. Terrible mistake. It felt like a sledgehammer started playing volleyball with her dome. The pain nearly sent her swimming. Trying to clear her throat, she rasped, “I need—” “Shaddup!” he interrupted loudly. A squeak. The cabinet door slammed shut. Shannon jumped regardless. She should have been used to his outbursts by now. The man barked at everybody. He stepped back into her view with a small, striped cup in one hand and a round, white pill in the other. “Open it!” he demanded. She leaned forward as far as she could, which didn’t help her head a bit, and opened her mouth. He dropped the pill on her tongue, then brought the rim of the cup to her lips. Cool water washed over her tongue and submerged the small pill, making it easier to slide down the back of her throat in a single swallow. The man withdrew the cup and placed it on a thin, metal tray next to the bed. She almost pouted. The water was so refreshing, and her throat needed all the help it could get. But by the time she cleared it again to speak, he was already heading back to his chair. Her eyes burned. That buzzing assaulted both ears. She grunted, pulling at her restraints. “Could you untie me?” “No,” he said flatly while sitting back down. “Ya might try sumthin’ stupid like get up.”