Page 273 of Psycho Gods

CONFESSIONS OF A MONSTER

Lacuna (noun): a blank space or a missing part.

DAY 36, HOUR 8

“Wake up.” I slapped Sadie on the cheek, then leaned over and repeated the action on Jinx.

I’d opened my eyes about an hour ago and found myself in a room filled with dead bodies.

Sadie and Jinx were passed out among the carnage.

After retracting my wings, I’d stumbled over to Jinx and picked her up gingerly. Then, I’d carried her over to where Sadie was slumped over.

The first issue was Jinx’s dislocated shoulders and fingers; one by one, I’d set them back into place. I couldn’t do anything about her bruises or potentially broken bones, so I’d braided her messy hair to get it off her face. I’d wiped the dirt from her eyes.

I’d turned to Sadie.

Spitting on a scrap I’d torn from my ruined shirt, I’d wiped the crusted blood away from her nose, eyes, and mouth as best I could. After she looked better, I’d torn off more strips and wrapped them around a couple of the deepest cuts on her arms and legs.

Then, I’d worked on my leg.

Half my thigh had been cleaved off.

I’d started to wrap my shirt around it, then I’d realized the missing skin would regrow in the material. I’d quickly ripped the fabric away.

Head spinning and vision tunneling, I’d started to pass out, so I’d lain flat on the floor and tried not to think about the wound. It burned horribly and sent stabbing streaks of pain down my leg. Ignoring it was easier said than done.

That was the last of my healing efforts.

Now I lay on the floor between Sadie and Jinx, my leg propped up against the wall with the half-missing part of my thigh out of harm’s way.

“Wake uuuuuup,” I said morosely as I reached my tired arms out and slapped at their sleeping faces.

I knew they needed rest to recover. However, I also knew that we were trapped in a room full of dead bodies, and I was scared.

I had not gone through hell for them to just sleep it off while I suffered.

“Wake up!” I shouted and clapped my hands, going for the surprise effect. Sadie startled, and I turned my head with excitement.

She snored.

A stray eyeball rolled across the floor.

I gagged.

“You’re losing friendship points right now,” I groaned as I closed my eyes and tried to pretend I was on a breezy beach somewhere, drinking and smoking.

The problem was my leg throbbed and I was in agony.

Also, the room reeked.

Sharp rocks bit into my back uncomfortably, and it was oppressively warm.

This beach sucks.

My heart skipped a beat as I realized the worst thing yet—I was missing my pipe.

Patting around the gushy floor with my eyes closed, I desperately searched. Please sun god, I prayed. Since you literally didn’t save me at all, at least save my pipe. It’s the least you can do.