A Big Change PV Lark Flaer Closed

»»————-　✼ @James McMurtrie ✼ 　————-««

Screams. Screams were ringing through the Ravenclaw's mind. Mixing with images of smoke and people rushing past her. She found it hard to breath, her throat collapsing in on itself as her hands clutched at her chest. Air. She needed Air. Breathing. Why was it so hard? Why was her head reeling? A nasty numb sort of pain, irritating and taking what was last of her breath away. Air. More Screaming as someone yelled out in pain. Two large shadows were reaching their tendril like fingers towards a boy on the floor as a girl screamed over and over. Another wave of smoke as flames lapped at her bare feet making Lark jump back. The stream of smoke felt like it was crippling her limps wrapping itself around her legs and curling up her arms, seeking out her chest.

Lark's mouth opened wide trying to scream, plead with whatever was gripping her to let go. Let her go. LET ME GO Why was this happening? Hot tears stung her face as they streaked down her cheeks. Had she actually screamed? One of the figures had spun towards her and was making its way over to her. Shoving people and tables out of the way, long legs striding faster and faster. NO. No please. No. Yet, there was no movement as she struggled against her own fear. Smoke still strangling her. As the figure got closer it raised its hand and took a large clawed swipe at her face.

A noise, someone's voice, seemed to rush across her mind bringing with it a breeze that pushed aside the smoke, air returning to her lungs as she gasped. She could feel her limbs, tingling sensations making her legs and arms twitch to life.

"w..what..." Lark winced as she spoke, her voice scratchy and barely above a whisper. Her throat felt sore as she licked at her dry lips. "Where.." She pushed the word from her throat as it ripped through her vocal cords, making her wince again. Had it all been a dream? Some sort of strange potion... spell induced.. something. There had to be a strange explaination. Surely the entire thing was- Lark's strikingly green eyes froze as they settled on a friendly face.

"James..?" More pain but she didn't care. Tears welled in the corner of the girl's eyes as she tried to sit up. It wasn't a dream. If James was sitting here.... She looked at his clothing, singed in spots and bits of ash still clinging to his hair. Clinging to the ledge of her lower eyelid, tears were threatening to streak down the girl's freckled cheeks. "How.." The corner of her lips quibbled as her mind tried to catch itself up. "Did you.. bring me here?" A tear finally released itself, sliding down her cheek cutting its way through the smoke that had tinted the skin on her face.

James shifted uncomfortably in his seat, unsure exactly how to respond. He’d rescued Lark with little thought to the social ramifications of such an act, but the few hours he’d spent at her bedside had given him pause to think...

He had no idea if Charlotte was ok... she’d fled with Gem and James hadn’t seen her since- and had barely thought to go and check on her... and then there was Dale. James hadn’t meant to leave him- it’s just he wasn’t particularly familiar with the counter-cure. And in the darkest corner of his mind... envy may have driven his actions somewhat. James refused to entertain such an idea...

He tried to push all those thoughts out of his mind and prayed silently that Dale hadn’t been hurt in the fire.

He offered Lark a sad smile...

“Of course I did, no man left behind and all that...”

He leaned forward and gently slid his hand into hers giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“I’m just glad you’re ok... you took a pretty serious knock to the head in there... it was all a little touch and go....”

He swallowed hard and pulled his chair closer to the bed.

“But... uh... don’t freak out but something weird happened... in there and I don’t know how serious it is of if you even know but... uh ... your hair... it’s kinda changed colour...”

»»————-　✼ @James McMurtrie ✼ 　————-««

Ignoring how stiff her muscles felt, Lark reached up and rubbed away the tears on her cheek. Trying to adjust herself in the bed to get more comfortable, she leaned forward and pushed against the pillow in an attempt to sit up more. Green eyes watched the boy carefully, studying his face as he seemed lost in thought for a moment. A couple groans came from the others ide of the partition next to them and it made Lark look around the room, her vision finally clearing. How many other's had been taken here... Her eyes finally found their way back to James.

“Of course I did, no man left behind and all that...”

Something caught in Lark's throat, maybe another wave of tears due to the pain? She couldn't be sure... but whatever it was something about the way those words left James' lips, they tugged at something deep down in her chest. "R..right." She gave a smile but felt a heat rise in her cheeks as James slid his hand into hers. It was strange. Of course they had always fooled around and had physical contact; hugs, mock jabs, nudges, shoulder bumping... but this felt... different. As his hand held onto hers, squeezing gently, it felt like ribbons of warmth were wrapping their way up her finger tips and around her arm before settling around her chest. In an almost innate automatic response her fingers squeezed back gently.

At the mention of things being touch and go, Lark's free hand rose to the spot on her head. A shoe doing that much damage? It did feel that way and her lungs still felt a little sore from all of the smoke. Thankfully magic had a nice way of clearing things up. Although... it didn't seem like everyone was accounted for at the Hospital Wing.. so maybe not everything. A voice in the back of her head nagged at her though, Gem? Elz, Dale, ? Serena...? .... Charlotte...? How was everyone else? A guilty feeling struck her stomach making her feel queasy.

Moving his chair closer, Lark listened as James mentioned things.. changing. Her hair? Peering down at the strands of hair that rested on her shoulders the girl's eyes widened. "What..?" She blinked hard trying to make sure it wasn't just her vision. "Was it some sorta Charm or something??" An uneasy feeling settled itself into her belly, swirling angrily. "But.. I didn't think that anything.. hit me other than that shoe." Lark's voice quivered slightly nervously trying to make sense of what her eyes were seeing. Her brows knitted together as she sat up straighter and inspected her arms which now giving them a good once over... looked paler.. more freckles along her forearms. Pulling her hand from James' and running it through her hair, she pulled the reddish locks to one side and gave them a closer look.

"What...the..." A small flicker of fear struck the girl. A fear that seemed to only feed the color making it a more vibrant red shade. It had to be something easily explained.. a charm? Hex? Some sort of.. something. Side effect of whatever potion the nurses had given her? She looked to James, mouth hanging open unsure of how to respond as her brain tried to process this new... change. She didn't feel it but her body and mind were still wavering in and out of a state of shock and recovery, making her thoughts more muddied than ever.