Until July 10th, we're doing something special and sharing
some of our favorite Story Lines of the year that previously didn't make it
onto the blog.
In this one, Qhuinn has a nightmare of an alternate future... which involves Lash.
Originally posted: January 16th, 2013
Who nominated it: John Matthew
ENJOY!
XOXO!
The Unbound Team ♥
**The gif is for your use, especially if you have a blog or
if you want to upload it to tumblr. Personally, I have NO idea how to do
either. I just make them! *Laughs*
Google, google, google, my friends.
Qhuinn Ghardian
*It's been a brutal work out session. Pushing past my usual
limits, my muscles scream for relief. I've been hiding down here for the past
two hours, hiding from the pregnant female I share a suite with. Damn, I don't
know what happened - she was sweet one moment, talking about the baby kicking,
and next she was staring at my with murderous intentions. I'm feeling more and
more out of my league and I wish I could make this easier for her.* What I need
is a fucking instruction manual for this! *I let out a tired breath, speaking
to myself. I should get showered up and see if she's calmed down. Laying back
on the weight bench, I close my eyes. Maybe after I take a small nap. Get my
energy back for another possible battle. I chuckle as my body relaxes. What the
fuck happened to my happy Layla?"
Qhuinn Ghardian
*** DREAMING ***
*There's a noise. I recognize it but it still confuses me. A
baby's cry, a sound I haven't heard for a while. Young Nalla is older and
babies in the Manse? But there's no denying the screaming young has woken me.
They sound angry? Hungry? Lonely? I don't know. Why isn't anyone helping them?
I sit up and look around. I'm still in the training room and the wailing seems
to bounce of the wall - echoing louder and louder.*
Hello?
*No one answers. There's a feeling inside my chest. A tug
and pull. An urgency that is building alongside the baby's cries. Placing my
hand on my chest, it's heavy and uncomfortable. It comes with the thought
"Find your child, Q. They need you."
This is my young? Yes. I can feel it. The bond is familiar
now and blazing. Something is wrong and I promised. I promised I would always
be there.*
Where are you, precious one? I'm coming.
Qhuinn Ghardian
*Scanning the area, I don't see anything out
of the norm. Just the usual weight equipment and mats. I can't tell where the
crying is coming from, only that it's not in this room. It's .... over there.
A faint glow of light flickers from the locker area. Where
the showers are and taking a few furtive steps forward, I can now here the echo
from each cry bouncing off tiled surfaces. The young is there and there is no
break in the screams. They sound desperate. Terrified. It strikes fear in me.*
Any one here? Layla?
*Where is Layla? I can't imagine her being far from our
young. Did she have the baby already? I try remembering but the details are
jammed. I can't think beyond the constant wailing. I saw her earlier. She was
still pregnant. She'd just seen Doc Jane and there was no talk of an early
delivery. Did she miscarry? Is the baby living its last seconds?*
FUCK!
*I race toward the showers, my feet pounding as loud as my
heart. I come to a screeching halt. There on the wall. Fuck off. That's not ...
is it?*
Blood
*A blood hand print smeared into a long trail. I instinctively
reach for my daggers and come back empty.*
FUCK!
Qhuinn Ghardian
*I can't take my gaze off the blood. Whose
is it? It bombards my senses - teases it and I know. I know who it belongs to.
Layla*
LAYLA! Baby girl, answer me please!
*I start running, ignoring the increase in blood. It's also
on the floor and soon I see foot prints. Bright red staggering footprints. I
need a weapon. I need something. The endless crying of my young heightens my
awareness, pushing me straight into warrior mode. Whoever has done this.
Whoever has dared to threaten what is mine WILL. DIE.*
Show yourself. Coward.
*I enter the showers and the blood scent is like a brick
wall. Layla. My beautiful friend and mother of my child lies crumpled in a
heap. Broken. Bleeding. Her soft white nightgown is scarlet red, vivid against
the stark whiteness of tile. My eyes refuse to believe what I'm seeing. Layla.
My Layla. Where is my child? Crying. Always crying.*
Layla! Speak to me.
Qhuinn Ghardian
*I crouch beside her. There's so much blood.
There's the faintest of whimpers but she's already turning blue. I move her,
trying to access the damage. Where the fuck is all the blood coming from? My
hands start checking her body, shifting her gown. Then I see. I see where the
death blow was dealt. Death because there is no way I can save her from this
horror.
My hands are covered in her life essence. I stare at her
stomach, the place where the beloved young once rested, cradled. Nurtured. She
was already showing and I can still remember the joy of placing my fingers on
her bump and feeling movement. My hands shake as I reach out ... and find
nothing. No bump. No sign that she is pregnant.
And still the crying continues. It shreds my nerves.*
Where is the baby, Layla?
*I pick her up and cradle her in my lap. Her breathing is
labored, unsteady, faltering. Her eyes are slowly emptying, her life slipping
away. Her lips are coated with blood and they move ever so slightly. A word. My
Layla is trying to speak and I raise her face to mine, hoping to catch it
before she fades. Nothing*
I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you, baby girl.
Sorry I couldn't be what you want.
*I feel a faint wisp of air. A last breathe and with it a
name. The one responsible for this.*
Lash.
Qhuinn Ghardian
*Lash? What the fuck does he have to do with
this? He's dead. I stabbed him once, right here in this spot. It was his blood
everywhere. It was his death that changed my life and set the ball rolling. His
death that gave my life purpose. His death that put me in the path to being
with Layla in her needing. The fucker is long gone. Surely Layla was mistaken.
I gently try to rouse her again but her head topples
backward. Her mouth open. Her eyes both returning a death stare. Her warm body
already sending a chill through my grip. She's gone. Dead. Alone and
unprotected.
I lay her back down and I see her stomach better. The blood
isn't from between her legs. It's from her abdomen. Ignoring her last
utterance, I rip the material from her body and gag at the sight. The
horrendous sight.
Layla didn't give birth. No. The baby was ripped from her
body. Something ... someone had descreated her by tearing her open and removing
my young. Bile rises in my throat. Horror catches my breath. Rage fuels my
vision.
Some. fucker. violated. her.
Some. fucker. stole. our. young. straight. from. her womb.
Some fucker.
Lash.
Crying breaks through the intensity. The maelstrom of
emotions and fury. And laughter. Someone is laughing.
Lash*
Qhuinn Ghardian
Welcome hello dumbfuck. You miss me?
*Lash. He's here with that same sick maniacal grin plastered
on his smug asshole face. I raise to my feet, my fists clench, fury burning
through my veins. Vengeance. Layla's blood screams for it. But first, my
young*
Where. Is. My. Young. Fucker?
*My jaw is tight, my teeth clenched. I want to rip Lash
apart with my bare hands. Only when I know my young is safe. Only when I can
calm the relentless screams. Now I know why - they are frightened, alone, cold,
ripped from the nurturing body of Layla. Lash with pay for this. Pay for
eternity.*
You mean this? *Lash raises his left arm and from his hand
dangles my child. A boy. A beautiful screaming boy. Mine. My boy. My only
family. I reach again for my daggers, forgetting I'm weaponless and Lash
laughs* Looking for this, Cock Sucking Asshat? *In his other hand, a dagger.
THE dagger. The one I killed him with.* Sorry about the mess, but I was getting
impatient, true? Couldn't wait a second longer. Needed to see what your bastard
looked like and see? Just like his father ... a mismatched freak of fucking
nature. Shall we do what your cowardly parents didn't have the guts for? Shall
we, Qhuinny boy? Huh huh?
*Lash offers me the dagger, laughing before he reneges,
whipping it back and pointing at my son*
Oh wait. Can I have the honors? You know, tit for fucking
tat? I heard the blade just sliiiiidddeeesss in nicely like butter.
*I lunge forward but stop quickly. Lash nicks my son's skin,
blood starting to drip. The crying intensifies. I need to be smart. I need to
keep my word and protect my young*
Give. Me. My. Son. NOW.
*Lash shakes his head and slices my son again.
No? Be a pal, Q. I really really wanna see. Curiosity and
all. *Lash pauses and I can't wait any longer. I throw myself forward*
Paybacks a bitch, you fucked up piece of shit. Time to send
the bastard to its whore mother!
*I scream as I reach Lash too late.*
John Matthew Ghardian
*Walking in to the training center,
planning on getting a good work out, as I open the door.... What the fuck?
*hearing the sounds of screaming and thrashing around. I see Qhuinn, on the
weight bench. Getting to him a two long strides I shake his shoulder and give a
soft whistle. His eyes fly open and he looks at me with such terror on his
face.* ~asl~ Qhuinn, you okay man?
Qhuinn Ghardian
*I don't make it in time. My son, he kills
my son and I couldn't stop him. I can protect John and Blay. The Brothers. The
King. But not my precious child. I've failed.
I scream. Scream beyond breath. Scream beyond my rage and
grief. I start shaking and ...
My eyes fly open and I'm staring into John's. Concern covers
his features*
Qhuinn, you okay man?
*My heart is pounding. Was it a dream or reality. There's no
blood. No sign of Lash. Nothing. Just me alone in the training room. Now with
John*
F..u..ck...
*My voice is raspy. John watches me but I don't have words
for him yet. No way of telling him.*
I need a drink. Or ten. Or twenty, feel me?
*He nods, and helps me up*
And we need to go see Layla. Now.
*He nods again, understanding. That's why I love this male.
He's my best friend and he fucking gets it. Together we leave the room.
But my fear comes with me* ~
XOXO!
