Ander - Part 4: Subchapter 29
29
Did they notice it yet? Banno didn't think so. They were too concerned with what was going on in this bed to bother looking down at the floor. He only had moments to think, but this itch... this damnable, infuriating, constant, incessant, ITCH!! It was a mass of tendrils working its way inside his stump, wriggling like a mass of baby spiders.
"Banno?" James asked, his brow slowly creasing into a frown. Valery peeked out from behind his tail, so concerned, the little darling.
"I shouldn't have done it, James," Banno said, letting the words pour out of his mouth all by themselves. He moved his legs slightly, squirming the way he's seen Wolves squirm in his mother's tent, moaning for their lives to just end already. "I tried not to, but... you have no idea what it's like. I couldn't stop myself... And now... it hurts so much..."
"Banno, what's the matter? What did you do?"
"It wouldn't stop itching, James. It's always itching! Always always always and I can't stand it! I just couldn't handle it anymore!"
"You didn't!"
No, but I will now, and it will feel oh so good, you softhearted waste.
Banno bent his knee and tented the blankets, bringing his stump up close, and then he reached down with both hands and hooked his fingers into the wound, puncturing the bandages with his claws, pushing them deep inside his own meat.
"Banno, no! Stop that!" James cried in alarm while Valery backed away, covering the bottom half of her face in horror. She was such an excellent little actor.
"I can't! It itches! By the Cora it itches!" Banno screamed, digging his claws into his stump, scratching that damn itch to death. Rivulets of blood poured over his fingers in warm torrents, and... and it did feel good. It felt like the first sigh after sitting down by a warm fire after a hard day's work in the cold winter days, that feeling of blessed release...
"Banno!" James dropped the long stick thing he was holding with a loud clatter and rushed to his bedside. There was a big spot of blood seeping through the blanket and growing bigger by the moment, like a crimson thundercloud. He grabbed a corner of the blanket and ripped it away to reveal a sight not even Banno was expecting.
His legs were resting in a pool of blood. No, a_lake_. His fur was absolutely saturated with it, his fingers red and dripping.
"Look away, dear! This is not a sight for eyes like yours!"
"Daddy?"
"Daddy has to work now, but I might need your help."
"But, is he -"
"Please, Val! Focus!" James opened a little compartment in the table by his bedside and pulled out a roll of bandages. "I need you to go to my room and get a belt from my closet, quick!"
"Okay!" Valery spun around and raced down the hallway as fast as her little legs could carry her, her tail swishing so elegantly, her hair bouncing so lightly...
"Banno? Hey!" James snapped his fingers in front of Banno's eyes a few times, so rude... "Hey! Don't go passing out on me, okay? Oh gods, look what you've done to yourself..."
His voice was sounding kind of echoey, but that was okay. Banno hated listening to this son of a bitch, so anything that dampened his voice was perfectly fine by him.
The meddlesome Fox tried to push him back down, but his efforts had about as much force as a springtime breeze. Banno raked his claws across the stump, shredding it the same way he'd shred a rabbit, dyeing his hands blood red. He raked and clawed and scratched at himself, swinging his arms in dangerous semicircles while James tried fruitlessly to keep him still. Drops of blood and clumps of fur flew through the air, splattering the room with beads of red. Some even splashed as far as the walls and, most importantly, the open doorway.
There were droplets everywhere now.
Banno fell back against the pillows, exhausted, a blissful smile spreading across his face. The itch was gone. The damn itch was finally gone.
"Godsdammit, Banno!" James shrieked and pulled the shredded bandages from his leg. They tore off in loose little red strips, dripping, breaking apart, splotching back down on the bed, but that was fine, too. There was bound to be dust on those bandages, maybe even a big brown spot from walking around on them for so long. It would have looked rather out of place on someone who was supposed to be bedridden. But not anymore, not when all the evidence was drowning in blood, much like Valery would soon be drowning... soon...
"Valery... soon..."
"Damn right Valery will be here soon. Any moment now, big guy."
Banno smiled. Maybe he did go a bit overboard...
"Dad!" He heard her voice. Coming... coming to be with him...
"Quick, give it here!"
But where was she? Why couldn't he see? Did he close his eyes?
"Okay big guy, this might feel a little tight, but don't move."
He could feel something slip around his leg, something smooth, and then it did become tight, just as the voice said it would. It pinched him, but Banno didn't mind. It was just pain. Other Wolves make such a big fuss over it, but he never understood why it was such a big deal. It was exactly the same as any other feeling - happiness and sadness, hunger and fatigue, anger and peace... It was just a... a different flavour. Yes, that's all... all of it... all is flavour...
"Wow, that's a lot of blood."
"I told you not to look, sweety, now go wait outside."
No! Don't send her away! She's the reason I'm like this! It's all for her! Let her watch! Let her... let...
Banno could feel himself drifting away, mayhap to sleep, mayhap to dream...
He went with a smile, knowing that he had done the right thing. Everything was as it should be. Everything was always as it should be because he was as he should be. He did not fear that he might not be able to wake up again. The thought never even entered his mind. Even as unconsciousness stole over him like a dark mist, he started to think of his next move. There was a problem that needed to be solved, and all problems could be solved with action.
He just needed to figure out what kind of action.
And who to use it on.
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