Garden Of Poison

When Emily woke up from her deep slumber, her body felt weak and her eyelids heavy. Her eyelashes fluttered shut before reopening as she took in the unfamiliar surroundings. The last thing she remembered was the pain coursing through her body.

Her eyes stared at the ceiling before shifting to the bedposts, adorned with curtains resembling red silk coiled elegantly around them. Was she in Heaven? Because she doubted Hell would offer such soft bedding. Wanting to sit up, she pushed herself upright using her elbows.

"You are awake," came Raylen’s voice from one side of the room.

As Emily raised herself to a sitting position on the bed, she caught sight of Raylen setting aside the book he had been holding and rising from the armchair he had been sitting on. Her hazel brown eyes swept through the room before she asked,

"Is this your room?"

"It is. How are you feeling?" Raylen inquired, proceeding to the table and pouring a glass of water for her before bringing it to her. "Drink."

Emily accepted the glass with gratitude, savouring the water until the last drop, and then handed the empty vessel back to him. "The pain isn’t as intense as it was... last evening," she observed, her eyes briefly tracing the light filtering through the windows. Turning her attention back to Raylen, she inquired, "What happened?" Her memory of the final moments was obscured by pain and encroaching darkness.

Raylen, who had mentally rehearsed this conversation since the previous night, carefully broached the subject. "You remember the corruption afflicting your body, correct?" Seeing her nod, he continued, "I extracted the corrupted blood, but it didn’t improve your condition. Had I taken any more, you would have died. And if I left you as you were, you would have died too."

"But I’m still alive..." Emily said, looking at Raylen with curiosity.