where my demons hide || COLTON

[RIO PEYTON COLESON]

She wasn't hungry, but they were forcing her to go to the dining hall. She had a feeling that the food here wasn't going to be much better than the food back in the prison she had been forced into. Sighing softly to herself, she shuffled along, tired from the testing that she had recently gone through. She wasn't sure what they were doing to her, she wasn't sure what they were making her into, but she didn't like it. That was obvious. No one seemed to like it here, and she could only guess as to why. It wasn't that hard to see how miserable everything was here.

She already felt like her spirit was being sucked dry and she hadn't even been here for very long. Shaking those thoughts from her mind, she knew that she had to hold onto the small semblance of hope that she had left. If she didn't, she surely wouldn't survive.

As she waited in line for the tray of slop that was supposed to be food, her blue eyes wandered around the area, taking in the sights of the dining hall. Everyone was eating rather peacefully and she figured that maybe it couldn't be that bad. She still wasn't hungry, but she knew she needed to keep her strength up. Grabbing the tray that was offered to her, her stomach instantly turned over as she studied the mix of whatever she was supposed to be eating. Grabbing a glass of orange juice, she stepped out of line and cast her gaze around for a place to sit. Finding an empty table in the back of the hall, she bee lined straight for it, settling down and staring at her tray. Completely uninterested, she pushed it away from her and pulled her legs up, sitting cross legged in the chair. She needed to figure something out, and soon.

[colton denada strosteven]

Colton was ravished. Deacon and Derek were the only two to thank forhim being alive. He wasn't sure how they did it, how long it had been. But he'd been on a respirator, oxygen killing him. He still didn't feel the best, his chest ached where surgery had been performed to try and imitate a three chamber heart. Like an amphibian, breathing water and air both. It had worked for awhile until he became dependent on water, and eventually his lungs had given out because they couldn't filter properpy. A new heart helped, but he still struggled, and gills sounded like they may be needed as well.

Since he had just come from the hospital, Colton didn't have contact in to hide the fogged blue color of his bleach blinded eye. He ran a hand through his hair and got in line, coughing feebly. Trayce bounded up to him.
"Colton!" He yelped, giving his best friend a hug. Colton tensed in pain as he was let go, Taryce sliding food over. "I already bought you some.. I'd stay but I gotta go talk to someone."
He bounced off and Colton looked around. New face, alone at a table. Female, too.
Colton approached slowly, drawing in a forced breath as he smiled. "Can I sit here?" His fixed the V neck of his short sleeve button up, tattoos prominent, and again tediously ran a hand through his hair.

/blockquote]

[RIO PEYTON COLESON]

Staring blankly at the tray of food in front of her, Rio slowly started running through her thoughts about what had happened here during her short stay. She could never leave. That's what she was told over and over again, and it wasn't something that she was taking very lightly. While it helped that she didn't have the freedom of the real world before she came here, this was like a smack in her face. No one had been honest. No one had been open. If she knew that she was coming to this hell hole she would have chosen to rot in prison. At least there she wasn't tested on like an animal.

Furrowing her brow, she ran her fingers through her naturally wavy brunette locks, pulling the wild tendrils back from her pale, tired face. She couldn't sleep at night, naturally, for someone just arrived to this awful place. The things that she scared herself into thinking were things that she never wanted to repeat out loud. They made her think she was crazy.

Shaking her head, she was suddenly aware of a quiet voice beside her, and she jumped in surprise, not having heard him come up to her at all. Her wide blue eyes stared up at him in silent shock, looking around to see if this was allowed. Were they allowed to interact? They had to be if they were allowed out in public, and she had already been out there. Studying the face in front of her, she realized that he looked sick. Feeling for the young man in front of her, she nodded at a chair. "They don't look occupied, do they?" She wasn't trying to be mean, but this was who she was. Prison had hardened her, this place was messing with her. She didn't know what was up or what was down anymore, and taking her frustrations out on other people had always been her answer to everything..

The only reason she hesitated now was because he looked so sick and almost frail. Watching him with a guarded expression, she bit her bottom lip, still studying him.

[colton denada strosteven]

Colton could barely be phased by the way she spoke. A lot of people were like that here. At least inthe few weeks he had been here. Though he'd been unconscious on and off for a week or two. Fed by tube, breathing by machine. It was nice to be out here.. Alive at least. Right now that's all he could have asked.

He sat down and set his tray down on the table, leaning back with a slow breath. They said in a few days, if it was working, he should start to feel better. And once that was so, he would beade to try and breathe underwater again.

He poked at his food, mismatched eyes peering down at it halfheartedly. "Not the best thing since buttered bread, huh?" He offered her a smile, had always been one to try and brighten things up, even when him, Trayce and Zach had been living on the streets before they were dragged here. "You're a new face for me, you new here, or have we just never met?" Being bedridden didn't help.

[RIO PEYTON COLESON]

Her hostility towards people was like a disease. She tried to lighten up, but it always backfired. So she didn't waste her time with trying to be nice when she didn't want to be. However, right now, this young man was trying to be nice to her. And for some reason, when she never would have in the past, she appreciated the kind gesture. Still studying him with her expressive blue eyes, she took in the differences about him.

For one, he had two different eyes. It didn't take a scientist or a doctor to realize he lacked sight in right one. Furrowing her brow, she wondered if that had happened before he came here, or it was something that he had acquired during his stay. She was certain that the slow way he moved was because of something that had happened here.

Her fury ignited in her heart as she thought about the pain that the people were put through here, but she refused to take it out on this fellow prisoner. Looking down at her plate of food as he pointed out what was quite obvious, she found she could only smile. It was a small smile, but it was honest and genuine, and something that she hadn't done in years, not even in the prison back at home. "Never thought I'd want that bread more than now." She said politely, trying her best to make this an easy conversation. However, even the thought about bread sent her stomach fluttering, and she pushed down the feeling that she wanted to be sick all over again. She had nothing left to throw up.

Trying not to think about her nausea, she glanced to him as he spoke up once more. There was no reason that she couldn't be honest, right? "New. I got here a few days ago. What about you? Been here long?" She prayed that he would say no. She wouldn't wish this place on her greatest enemy, let alone a guy that seemed as nice as he did.

[colton denada strosteven]

Colton chuckled softly, clearing his throat and taking a sip of water. It felt amazing going down his throat. "Well, nice to meet you. Nah, I've only been here a few weeks, but, on a respirator the past two. Lungs collapsed." He rubbed at his face. "Not the nicest place, but at the least the coroner's are decent." A smirk, people working with dead bodies seeming the best to ask for help. Interesting.

He tilted his head so he could see her better. "I'm guessing they've already started testing, huh? The first twenty four hours in those holding cells are the worst." He shifted his weight, looking down at his food and finally taking a careful bite. May as well. They really needed better cooks... He was surprised more patients didn't offer to help in the kitchen for credits. Maybe they would end up with better meals.

[RIO PEYTON COLESON]

Her steely eyes softened as she studied the pale young man sitting across from her, wondering what his story was. How had he ended up here? This wasn't fair. This wasn't right. However, what he said next made her suck in a breath, sharply. "You were on a respirator? For..for what? Did they do it to you?" Her gaze flashed in anger as she thought about what this meant. They were taking this testing way too far if it was putting the patients on respirators. This just couldn't keep happening. There had to be some law against this! Why weren't the police involved when they saw that no one came back out?

It just didn't make sense to her. Sighing in frustration, she shook her head. "It's nice to meet you too though. I'm sorry that happened to you." She told him honestly, feeling like she was at a loss for words. A fucking respirator. Hearing him speak up again, she nodded, finding his eyes with her own. "Nothing I'm not used to." She mentioned about the holding cells. However, while it was like being in a prison cell again, the pain that accompanied whatever they had done was not. "Do you know what they're testing for? I...I'm not sick. I don't understand." It was obvious that she hadn't chosen to come here, obvious she had to come here or rot somewhere else. "I'm Rio, by the way." She finished, remembering her manners.

[colton denada strosteven]

Colton nodded slowly. "Oxygen poisoning.." He murmured softly, watching the way she reacted. At least she knew it was wrong. As for her question, it seemed she hadn't quite been told yet. But she had already been tested on, so why not? "They...make people inhuman.. I was supposed to be able to breathe underwater. I became dependent though, couldn't breathe out of it. Uhm.." He paused, looking around, and nodded when he saw the scrawny male, Connor, stagger in unsteadily. Nothing but skin and bones, dark wings spreading from his back. He nodded. "See? Delinquent. They said it was rehab, hauled him in here. He's already sick. This on top of it has..destroyed him." Breathless and he had to stop talking, swallowing as he struggled a moment before relaxing. "I saw him a few times outside of this place.. He used to be pretty damn fine."
A sheepish smile her way, doing his best to lighten things up again, despite how dark this place really was.

[RIO PEYTON COLESON]

Her eyes only seemed to widen as she took in his response. Oxygen poisoning? How could be be poisoned with the air that they breathed? Well, there were obviously ways, but it just didn't seem like it would be plausible here. However, what she was thinking? She was certain that things like that could happen here because of what she had witnessed in her first days here. Closing her eyes, she leaned forward, pushing her untouched tray of food to the side, feeling more and more sick. Resting her elbows on the table, she held her head in her hands, wishing that she was back in prison. What had she gotten herself into?

And then she heard what else he had to say. Her blue eyes flashed up quickly and she looked as if she was trapped staring at a bright light, fixated, unable to move or react or anything. "I'm sorry, but I'm...I'm certain I just heard you say that they...make people inhuman? You c-can...breathe underwater?" She stuttered out incredulously. Rio was a very narrow minded individual and this was not something that she could easily believe.

That is until the young man with wings on his back walked into the cafeteria. Rio did all she could to mask her shock, but she couldn't stop staring. Not even realizing what she was doing, she reached for Colton's hand, needing something, anything to hold onto as the fear exploded in her heart, sending colored lights across her vision, making her feel as if she was swimming. The weakness that she was suffering from her first testing, as well as her lack of an appetite was making her feel faint and dizzy, and she wondered if she was hallucinating. Trembling slightly as she stared at the man that Colton was explaining, she nearly lost her composure. "This isn't happening."

They had sent her into a dream like state, that had to be it. Turning her wondrous gaze to Colton, she shook her head, and then heard his words, knowing he was trying to make things light for her sake. Forcing herself to release his hand, although that was the last thing she wanted to do, she clenched her shaking hands together and let out a small breath. "He...he was fine? I'm sure..."

[colton denada strosteven]

Colton was beyond surprised when she grabbed onto his hand, but of course, he didn't dare let hers go, squeezing it in gentle reasurrence. "That's what I said.." He murmured, watching her expression as Connor had walked in. He patted her hand gently. But then she was pulling it away to knot both of hers together and he sighed.
"I meant as,..in he was sexy," He teased, drawing in a steadying breath.

He searched her face. "Hey.. I know it's scary.. And it's messed up. You just gotta find the right people to make friends with, to have your back. Then it's not such a lonely place.. I promise."

[RIO PEYTON COLESON]

Panic swelled in her chest like a tidal wave as she continued to stare at Connor. She was certain that the boy didn't need to be ogled like some creature in a zoo, but she couldn't help it. Rio wasn't a believer. She didn't take these things lightly. So now that she was seeing proof to the words that Colton was speaking, she didn't know how to handle it. That was why she had reached for his hand. When he assured her that he did in fact say that they were becoming inhuman, Rio turned her eyes to regard him in shock.

"When do you find out what they're turning you into?"

She questioned him dully, feeling as if she wasn't really sitting in front of him. Rio was nearly having a panic attack from this discovery, and in order to keep that from happening, she tried "removing" herself from the situation. If she could watch it as an outside viewer, as she watched most things happening in her life, then she would be okay. It made sense in her mind, but try as she might she couldn't fully disconnect herself from this situation. What she wanted to do more than ever was to wrap herself up in herself and disappear. A normal person would want someone else to help comfort them, but Rio wasn't normal. No one here was.

Turning her gaze away from the young man with the wings, she looked at Colton, suddenly missing the feeling of his hand over hers. It had grounded her and as she sat there, she felt like she was spinning. Unable to help herself because of her fear, she reached for his hand once more, hoping he didn't mind. "I don't make friends easily."

[colton denada strosteven]

Colton shrugged. "Sometimes they tell you, sometimes you find out in the torture chamber.." He murmured. "I was thrown in a pool and held down."
Then Rio grabbed his hand again and he overturned it, holding hers tight woth a gentle smile.
"Who make make f-...friends easy in this situation? I lived on the streets with two guys, alley life, until we were removed amd hauled here... I wasn't used to people. You just find the ones you tolerate, wedge your way into thwir lives, find people that can get you benefits." He fished in his pocket and found some credits, adjusting his tie and half-vest.
"Here, I'll start. Would you like to leave this pit and go get some coffee? It's quiter.."

It was the least he could do. It was Colton's nature to help anything in distress. Living in an orphanage and then on the streets had defined him. He could be reserved, but friendly and flamboyant as well. Standing slowly, he offered his hand out to her again once he was upright.

[RIO PEYTON COLESON]

She tried not to succumb to tears as he announced that they either told you, or you found out in the torture chamber. When he told her they held him under water, her breath caught in her throat. This poor guy. He had endured so much and yet, he still seemed rather positive. He was trying to help her feel better when he was the one that had been so much.

"I'm so sorry that happened to you."

He words were honest, sincere. She really did feel for him. But she could not erase the fear that she felt over his admittance of a torture chamber. She didn't want to go there, she couldn't go there. Refusing to ask questions about it even though she was filled with them, she breathed a sigh of relief when he took her hand with a gentle smile. Feeling comforted by the act of kindness, she looked at him gratefully and listened to his words. This guy certainly had a hard life before coming here.

She wasn't ready to tell her story yet, but she could at least listen to his. "You seem like...well, like a wonderful person despite all you've been through." Rio wasn't nice to anyone, and the unfamiliar sensation sent a blush creeping up her cheeks, warming her face. Trying to push those embarrassing feelings away, she heard his next words as he pulled something out of his pocket.

Furrowing her brow, she heard his offer and nearly jumped from her seat in excitement. Coffee. She would love coffee. "I would love to, thank you, honestly. But...I don't...have any money." She admitted shamefully, nodding to the things he had in his hand. "What are those?" She really was trying to learn more about this place, even though she hated it. Rising to her feet, she left her tray of untouched food where it was, still having no interest. Standing off to the side, she waited for Colton, excited to stretch her legs.

[colton denada strosteven]

"It's alright.." Colton murmured with a faint smile. "I've.. Accepted it." He patted her arm before starting towards the door. "These? Credits. If you don't have cash, you can earn them by helping around, working at the store or as a lifeguard or barista or..whatever." He cleared his throat, slipping them back into his pocket, and paused as he watched Connor stumbling feebly towards a table.

"Be right back." Letting her hand go, he approached the jittery male and took his food and an arm to gently lead him to a table, talking a koment before kissing the top of his head and straightening up again. He iled as he reapproached Rio, offering his hand once more to lead her out of the dining hall.