As the syringe plunged the green liquid into Es’s veins, her body went limp, drifting into a deep, unnatural sleep. Ryan, with his jaw clenched, scooped her up and gently laid her onto the bed. Jay rushed to cover her, pulling the blanket over her as if that simple act could shield her from the tornt that clung to her unconscious state.
The room was thick with silence, except for the shallow rise and fall of Es’s chest. Ray, standing a few feet away, broke the tension with a sharp, serious tone. "What’s going on with her?" His eyes were fixed on Es, but the question was aid at Ryan, waiting for an answer that might ease the unease gnawing at him.
Ryan’s gaze never left Es as he responded, his voice calm but carrying a weight that didn’t match his expression. "It’s the poison. It’s still in her."
Kai, unable to hold back his frustration, stepped forward, his voice rising with disbelief. "But we treated her! I thought she was fine!" He shot a glance at Jay, as if expecting a different answer.
Jay shook his head, his tone heavy, almost defeated. "It’s not that simple, Kai. This isn’t a poison that just leaves the body. It’s one that latches onto emotions, mories... it stays, even when it’s no longer in her bloodstream. We’ve done all we could physically, but the effects linger. It doesn’t just disappear because we want it to." His voice was thick with regret, as though their efforts had been in vain.
The brothers stood there, each consud by their own guilt, staring at the fragile figure of Es.
"So you an she’s not completely treated... and never will be?" Kai’s voice trembled with frustration, his fists clenched tightly by his sides. The weight of his words hung in the air, as if he refused to accept what he was hearing.
Ryan, still staring at Es, didn’t turn to face Kai. His voice was steady but carried an underlying heaviness. "There’s no poison that can’t be treated, and no disease that stays without killing or harming soone—this poison is no different. It won’t kill her, but it’s left a scar on her emotions. Every small mory, every fleeting feeling... it’s heightened now. A small fear can beco overwhelming trauma. A mont of sadness can spiral into sothing far worse."
Kai’s anger wavered as he absorbed Ryan’s words. He glanced at Es’s sleeping form, the once fierce and resilient woman now vulnerable to the smallest triggers. "So she’ll always live with this?" he asked, his voice softer now, almost pleading.
Jay sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "We’ve done what we can for her physically. But her mind, her emotions—that’s where this poison has its grip. It’s not sothing we can just fix with dicine or antidotes. It’s... deeper than that."
Ray’s fists shook with frustration, his knuckles turning white as he tried to process everything. His voice, trembling with a mix of fear and rage, cut through the silence, "So you’re telling this poison sses with her mind so badly, it could even push her to... to end it all?"
Ryan and Jay exchanged a glance, both visibly tense. Their silence only made the room feel heavier. When Ray pressed them again, demanding an answer, they finally spoke—soft, almost defeated.
"Yes," they admitted together, the weight of the word hanging in the air like a dark cloud.
Ray’s heart pounded, a storm of emotions rising in his chest. He felt his throat tighten, struggling to keep his voice steady. "Then... why? Why did she collapse just now? What brought her to this?"
Ryan nodded, his expression tight with guilt. "The poison doesn’t just amplify emotions... it clings to them, feeding off the worst ones. Even the smallest flash of a mory can turn into sothing unbearable for her."
Jay, still seated beside Es’s sleeping form, added quietly, "She didn’t even realize it, but her body reacted to whatever she was rembering. That’s why she collapsed. Her mind... it couldn’t handle it."
Ryan shook his head. "We can help her manage it, but the only real cure is ti. Ti to heal, ti to process everything."
Kai’s temples throbbed with anger, his voice laced with bitterness. "So you’re telling she has to suffer for the rest of her life... because of our mistake?" His fists clenched as he turned to face Jay and Ryan, his eyes burning with frustration.
"And what’s this about taking care of her? For how long?" Kai’s voice cracked slightly as he continued, "There’s only a few months left. Once Ray gets pregnant, Es has to leave this place. And then what? She’s supposed to suffer alone, from this damn poison?"
He glared at both of them, his frustration now bordering on rage. "Have you both forgotten the promise we made to her? The clause we provided Es was that no harm would co to her. And aren’t you two supposed to be the best when it cos to dicine?"
Kai’s voice turned sharp as he directed his anger specifically at Jay. "You, Jay, of all people... a scientist like you couldn’t detect that poison in your own body? And now Es is suffering because of it." His voice shook with a mix of frustration and helplessness, his breathing heavy as the weight of their failure lood over them.
Jay remained silent, the guilt weighing him down. He didn’t dare et Kai’s gaze. The room fell into a tense silence, the air thick with regret and frustration. Ryan finally spoke, though his voice was quiet, almost defeated.
"We didn’t know," Ryan said, shaking his head. "But that doesn’t change the fact that it happened. What we need to focus on now is how to protect her going forward."
Kai scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. "Protect her? We failed her already." He turned away, his hands trembling with the intensity of his emotions. "How can we ever make this right?"
Reviews
All reviews (0)