This was going to hurt, I knew that, but I severely underestimated how much. 

Biting onto a cloth, I leaned against the bed as Hayden held my leg and slowly carved out the boils in my skin with a needle, draining them of their ooze. 

I wanted to scream and curse, but not in front of this angel I wouldn’t!!

BUT FOR THE LOVE OF—MMMMMM THIS HURTS SO BAD!

In this world, infections don’t work as usual, it’s strange, Sytes are airborne, and can get into any cut, they attach to wounds. 

There are three stages, stage one, where you get a cut, stage two where boils appear, and if you remove them you’ll be fine and stage three, you begin turning into a Syte. 

Gripping onto the bed, tears flood my eyes against my will as Hayden pulls out a leech-like creature from my boil. 

“A Syte Maggot…..thankfully it didn’t lay any eggs.” He calmly said as he flicked it into the bowl filled with the beads that came out of my skin made from Syte puss and cooties. 

DON'T BE SO CUTE WHILE YOU SAY THAT!

I scream in my head as I lean back and breathe.

“We’re almost done…” He said, tilting my head back I could see the worry in his eyes. 

“I’m…Hah….just fine! I could go for hours!” I mutter out. 

“But, I wouldn’t want you in pain for hours, so let’s make it minutes.” He said with a little smile, his eyes glowing a sweet gentle hazelnut. 

ADORABLE! I LOVE YOU! MY SWEET BABY! 

With that, Hayden removed all the maggots, beads, and unsightly infected growths on my legs. 

Then taking the mug filled with tea, he dipped a cloth in it and ran the hot tea down my legs. 

Biting the cloth again, I hit my head across the soft bed and just breathed.

I had never experienced pain to this degree, open sores covered my legs and the only thing to clean them was tea used to treat sore throats. 

I’d call child protective services on this world if they had it, to think these kids were living in such a horrid state! 

A book only tells you so much, I knew they had nothing, but nothing really is nothing. 

“There we go Piper…..all done.” He said, bandaging my legs up, his hands shaking.

Poor boy….he must feel horrible for hurting me….

“Didn't even hurt.” I say with a laugh, as he looks up to me in surprise.

“Is that so? I’m glad.” But his smile felt empty….

Noooooo! Don’t feel bad! You helped me! Don’t feel guilty for digging through my legs looking for maggots!

I’D LOVE YOU NO MATTER WHAT YOU DID TO ME!

“Thank you Hayden….you really are amazing.” I say.

Watching as he looked at me with those wide eyes, my heart melted, he was the cutest child ever. 

Well, he’s only two years younger than when the book starts. 

Wait- sixteen? How old was this body? I was seventeen so should I assume she is too?

She looks younger though, I’ll just assume she’s his age. 

“I’m just glad you’re okay, really….” He said and then smiled as he took the bowl and left the room. 

Lifting myself onto the bed, I slid my tights over the bandages to keep them there and put my pants back on. 

I meet my favorite character and he’s already seen me without pants, this seems like the setup to another bad online novel…..