Malice's POV

I walk down the street, not sure where I'm going. Some homeless guy is following me around but I ignore his vulgar remarks. He's offering to pay me for some action but I know he doesn't have the money. 

I keep walking.

It's getting dark quickly. I won't find shelter in time. It's pitch black within seconds and the old man is gone. Everyone is gone. I panic. I know Ganondorf is coming for me. I feel his presence.

I want to run but my legs don't move. As if frozen to the spot, I can only move in slow motion. I can't even turn my head to see if he's close yet! My heart is racing because I know this is my end! I shut my eyes. I don't want to see his face.

A hand grips my shoulder!

I jolt awake and instantly draw my knife in defense! I'm not going out without a fight!

Confused, I scan the room in panic. Where am I? How did I get here? Didn't I fall asleep in an alley near the beach? I have no clue what's going on but there's someone else in the room with me and I know I will die if I don't fight!

Voices echo through my clouded mind. I can't see straight, just blurs of faces left and right. The drugs are still in effect. 

Suddenly I'm on top of someone and I don't hesitate to cut deep into the body below me. Somehow, I hit my head on the ground, numb to the pain. I'm back on my feet when anxiety strangles me. Something is crushing me from all sides! Where am I! My chest doesn't have room to breathe. Where did that person go! As if wearing a straitjacket, I can't escape! Where did my knife go! Help!

My lips move but I don't hear my own voice clearly. It blends with the echoes of other voices. I don't know what I'm saying or what anyone else is saying. My eyes are open but I can't see anything. My fingertips are numb. It's like I'm already dead. 

I'm already dead.

I'm already dead.

I'm... Dead.

I let out my last breath. Stop fighting and let myself sink deeper and deeper into darkness.

✤ ✤ ✤

I'm waking up slowly. Am I still alive? I keep my eyes shut. I'm scared to open them but I know I have to.

For the first time in days, I feel lucid. Not only do I feel more present in the world, but I feel a lot of pain in my body which tells me that I'm wide awake now and that the drugs have worn off. I don't know how much of the past couple of days was a dream or reality but I know I'm no longer stuck in a nightmare. Question is, am I still in the alley? Did I ever get attacked? And if so, was it him?

I blink against the painfully bright light, my head throbbing in rhythm with my pounding heart.

Not moving my head, I take a moment to scan what's in front of me. I'm laying in a bed, I think, facing a window. No bars. That's a good start. I don't recognize the walls or the curtains or the sheets. Also a good sign. And there's a sofa chair in the corner and a potted plant on the nightstand. I'm definitely not at Ganondorf's house. I'd knock on wood if I had it in me to move my hand right now. 

I try to stay calm. This place doesn't look like a jail cell or hospital bed. Where the hell am I?

Confusion and disorientation haze my mind as I struggle to piece together the events leading up to this. I feel frozen, just like I did in my dream. I try to sit up, but gravity feels ten times too heavy and I'm unable to move even just by an inch. It's like my body isn't communicating with my mind. It's just lifelessly lying there.

I start off with something easier. I try to move my fingers. They are stiff but at least I'm able to move them. It takes a lot more effort to shift my leg. I move it just enough to see if there are any chains around my ankles.

"Malice."

I stop everything at once. There's someone else in the room behind me! A woman. I don't move, I don't turn around to see who it is. Maybe I can pretend to be asleep and make a run for the door when she doesn't expect it.

"You're at my house," she says. Whose voice is that? "You probably don't remember how you got here."

My hands tremble as I try to steady myself. My body aches, my skin prickles, and I can feel the tendrils of anxiety wrapping around my every thought. I'm on withdrawal and the craving is strong...

"I found you sleeping on the streets. I took you home with me so you can find some rest and recover."

Suddenly it clicks and Zelda's face appears on my mind. Her voice isn't as high pitched and bossy as usual. She's calm and there's sadness to her voice.

I still don't move. I don't know why I'm really here or what she's going to do with me.

"I want you to know that you're not forced to stay. You can leave if you want to. But... You're safe here and I think you should stay until tomorrow so you can get better."

I subtly reach down to my right boot. My hand moves slowly and cautiously so she doesn't get suspicious. When my fingertips reach my ankle, she speaks again.

"It's not there." I stop moving. "You're looking for the knife, right? It's not there."

She patted me down and stole my knife? For real?

Think... Think... How can I get out of here?

"Malice?"

I give up on trying to trick her. She knows I'm awake. I roll myself onto my back, fighting gravity with all my strength. Even breathing is a challenge.

The room is big. The door is wide open. Zelda's sitting right next to it on the floor. A big bandage covers her bruised cheek and many more bandages are on her arms like she's been in a battle. She's holding a water bottle, her hands nervously scratching off the label.

I try to pull my torso up but a wave of dizziness sends me back down onto the sheets.

"Easy," she says, getting up to do who knows what.

"Don't get near me," I warn.

She stops. "I don't really want to get near you," she says. "Are you going to attack me again?"

Again? I take a second look at the bandages. Was that me?

"Where's my knife?" I ask but I don't wait for her to give me an answer. "I need some H."

I need it badly.

"H?" she looks at me confused. Then she holds up the water bottle. "H2O?"

"Heroine," I snap. "Where's my stuff? Shit, where's my jacket?" I roll to my side, facing her. "Zelda, where's my fucking jacket?"

She flinches when I yell at her. "It's in my car."

"Go grab it," I say, waiting for her to move but she doesn't. She just shakes her head looking defensive as hell.

"I'm not leaving you alone in my house."

So that's where we are? The famous Hyrule mansion.

"Then I guess I'm leaving." I force myself to my feet, my legs wobbly and unsteady. Zelda keeps her distance and just watches as I collapse to the floor after taking half a step.

Every nerve is on fire. My skin is crawling with a thousand needles and scratching doesn't make it go away. My limbs ache from the weight they're trying to lift, and my head throbs like a drumbeat. The craving is insatiable.

Zelda's voice rings through my brain but I can barely hear her through my headache. She's offering me some kind of pill and water.

"Pain relievers," her echoing voice comes through and I basically eat the pill out of her hand.

"More," I pant but she refuses.

"Just one for now."

"I need my stuff."

I push myself off the ground. There's a lot of blood on the carpet but I don't ask questions. I'm more focused on getting something into my system and then getting the hell out of here. Gravity's a real bitch right now and I try to hit Zelda but my limbs are weak and I can barely even lift my fist let alone swing at her. She doesn't even have to dodge my pathetic attack.

Zelda wants to help me get up from the floor but I smack her hand when she touches me.

"Stay the hell away from me!"

"You need help," she says.

"You want to help me?"

"Yes."

"Then go get me some H, or oxy. Or crack, or literally anything you have available."

"I can give you water and food, and more pain relievers in a couple of hours."

I shut my eyes and curl up on the floor. Everything's aching. Everything's spinning.

"Hylia... you're shaking," Zelda whispers. I open one eye. She looks legit concerned about me. "Malice, please just let me help you."

I'm still confused why I'm here. How did she find me? This feels like a trap. I don't want to go back to the streets but if I stay I'm afraid Ganondorf will find me...

"How long have you been living on the streets?" She asks me in a soft tone. "And why?"

"Why do you care?"

"Because I'm worried about you." Yeah right. "Malice... Are you in danger?"

My heart starts pounding against the carpet. "No, why?"

"Because maybe I could help."

"You? You're the whole reason why..." I bite my tongue. Why am I even talking to this cunt? She ruined my whole life.

"Malice, I need to ask you something..." Zelda pauses. I don't have the concentration to listen to her. I feel like I'm going to puke any second. "Are you scared of Ganon?"

I look at her, confused and angry. "The fuck?"

"Is he after you?"

"He's in prison," I spit.

She sighs almost as if she's relieved. "Then who are you running from?"

I sit up in strain. "Ganondorf."

"Ganon's father?" She sounds shocked. "Did you run away from his home?"

"You can't really call it home... I was slowly dying in that house..."

"I'm really sorry you had to go through that. Do you know if he's looking for you?" she asks.

"Pretty sure, yeah."

"Are you scared he will hurt you?"

I shut my eyes as my stomach cramps up and claw the carpet in a fit of pain. I nod, eyes still closed. "He's going to kill me."

---

(I know this was a tad shorter than usual. It's because the POVs are switching. But since it's December and we're getting close to Christmas, I might start posting extra chapters here and there 👀 So be on the lookout for updates and be sure to turn on your notifications!)