"Damn, you're heavy," Eric groaned as held the girl on his back. He'd managed to wrap her arms around his neck, but she still wobbled unsteadily on his arms. He was unnerved by her odd appearance. The black cloth, he'd discovered, was some kind of cloak that was way too long for her body, and draped off her like a heavy curtain. She wore some kind of black robe beneath that, which made her clothes seem to run together as one piece. Her hair was an odd purple shade, but it seemed to be growing naturally that way. Long ears poked out of the hair just a bit, and her mouth—which hung open by his face—was filled with a line of pearly white knives.
He'd stuck around for five or ten minutes, prodding her face and hoping that ice rain would wake her, but she was out like a light. At first he thought "Someone else will handle it" and went on his way, but at the end of the road he looked back and saw her slumped form in the street, bottom up like a small child. With a sigh he hurried back and hoisted her up.
It was his hope that she'd recover before he made it home, but she showed no sign of waking. He muttered a quiet thank you as he approached the house and saw no vehicles in the driveway. At least he would avoid some messy explanations. Many of which he was ill equipped to answer.
Careful not to drop her he wrestled with the front door. It popped open with a little convincing, and he stumbled into the home on shaking knees. Water pooled on the red kitchen tiles around them, and he waited a moment for them to drip sufficiently before he stepped into the carpeted living room. Still, it squashed beneath his feet, and he knew there'd be a marsh left behind. He just hoped it would dry out before Isaac got home.
The stairway stretched out before him. Even without added weight, they were a pain in the ass to climb up.
"Whatever moron decided the second floor had to be that far up is an asshole," he growled, biting hard on his teeth.
He tromped up the stairs. Suddenly, about halfway up, he felt himself getting lighter. His first thought was that he'd caught something akin to a runner's high. Free of his chains, he could make it up these stairs no problem. Once a treacherous mountain, now little more than a simple hiking trail. He grinned. Then there was a crash behind him.
The girl was heaped at the bottom of the stairs, her legs flipped over and folded by her head. Waves of panic washed over Eric, and he waited to see if she moved. She didn't.
"Oh no, no no, no, no! Be alive. Be alive." He flipped her right, stretched her out across the floor. Her skin was cold. He checked her wrist. No pulse. "Shitshitshitshitshit."
Hiff. Hew. Hiff. Hew.
"Huh?" He looked around. It was an odd noise. Quiet, and light. Oddly familiar.
Hiff. Hew. Hiff. Hew.
He looked down and breathed a sigh. She was snoring.
