Manipulation Room victim no. 38403
Name: Henna Castiel 
Age: 29 years old
Occupation: House-wife 
Family Member: 38-year-old sister, Emerald
Description: a ruptured kidney, a fractured skull, 28 rib fractures and grazes to her face, neck, back, skull, arms, legs and torso caused by a large mallet. 

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It had been over half an hour and Ezra still hadn't walked out of the school building. Every other student had already left but I still hadn't seen him. He can't have already left, his belongings were still in the classroom. I leant my back against the wall I was standing in front of and groaned. My groan echoed around the empty school grounds before diminishing into nothingness. Where was he? Had he seen me waiting for him and decided to take another route? But there weren't any other routes but this one. He had to have walked through these gates...but he hadn't. In this heat I could barely formulate a thought. There was no cooling breeze or cloud to block the high, boiling sun. I curled my fingers around the thin fabric of my top, waving it in and out to create just a little air flow, but it wasn't enough, like an ice cube into boiling water.

Wait. Waiting. Sounds easy, right? Full bladder. Thirsty. Hungry. Hot. Aching muscles. Bored. The only reason I was still stood here was because of my desperation to explain myself. The thought of him hating me was one I didn't want in my head. It stung, knowing that he might hate me now. That he thinks I'm responsible for his sketchbook. I drummed my fingers against the brick wall, considering just leaving. But I couldn't. I had to fix this, I simply had to. I couldn't have Ezra hating me, it made me feel strangely awful. 

It must've been over fourty minutes when I finally saw him. He seemed just as lonely and desolate as he had when he first arrived in the school this morning. There was a slight twinge in my heart, seeing him so utterly despondent. He was staring at the ground, his earphones in his ears, his hands shoved deep into his pockets...completely oblivious to everything around him. It suddenly occurred to me that this confrontation would be a lot harder than I thought it would be. What would I do, what would I say? Slowly, I made my way towards him. 

"Ezra!" I called, just as he was about to walk through the gates. He looked around, suddenly catching my eye, and his face dropped. I saw something that could've been hatred and my heart dropped in my chest. I don't know why, but that spiteful glance was painful to see. He turned away from me and began to run through the gates. He was fast but I was desperate and so I sprinted after him, calling his name. I hate running. This was more than I'd ever do for anyone, it was a shame he didn't know that. In Sports, I'd struggle to do a single lap. I'd hide amongst the bushes on the field and read a book after my second lap, unseen by all. 

I found myself growing more and more desperate with every step, "Ezra, Ezra please listen to me!" I cried, running down the street after him. I saw him running a few metres ahead so I quickened my pace, intent on catching up with him. One moment I was rushing forward, eyes on Ezra who was racing ahead of me. The next, I was flying through the air, my expression was one of shock and horror. My left foot should have extended to take my weight, instead it was caught on a tree root. The world rushed by in a blur and I knew the pain was coming. It went by fast, yet slow, almost suspended. Then impact. I didn't move - anything to delay the part where I took in what I looked like now. Torn and dirty skin, reddened, groaning in pain.

At the very sound of my pain, Ezra froze on the spot. He stopped dead in his tracks and ran back to me, accidentally dropping his bag on the floor in the process. He didn't seem to notice as he breathlessly sprinted towards me. "Lyric! Oh God, are you okay?" His face was one of pure concern as he helped me up off the ground, and that filled me with a lovely warmth which was slowly diminished by the fact that he still hated me. I shrugged, staggering on one foot, "I'm fine. Really, I am." 
He held my arm to keep me steady as I balanced on one foot. "I need to talk to you, Ezra, please." I begged, grabbing his arm and leaning my head against his shoulder to keep me steady. He picked his bag up off the floor and swung it over his shoulder, not taking his eyes off of me and still holding my arm tightly, "Really, Lyric? You're hurt, just-" 

"-please! I already said I'm fine. Just sit there with me...and let me talk." I pointed to a clean patch of grass that was located at the end of the street and gestured for him to help me over there. He paused, his eyes flashing to the patch of grass and then back to me. "Fine...but only because you're injured and that's my fault." 
I beamed at him, "Good, can you help me over there?" 
He nodded, clutching my arm tighter and leading me there. I hopped like a rabbit a quarter of the way before giving in and stopping dead in my tracks. I leant against him to keep myself upright, too exhausted to even comprehend how close we were standing to each other. 

"You okay?" He asked concernedly, wrapping an arm around my back to keep me from falling. I shook my head slowly, "It hurts and I'm exhausted. I think we need a new technique..." 
He looked over to the patch of grass and then back to me. "I have an idea...do you trust me?"
I flashed him a confused look, "Well...we literally met today so-" 
"-Lyric. Yes or no?" 
I nodded slowly and before I could stop him, Ezra swung me up in his strong arms as if I was nothing more than a ragdoll and carried me down the street. I squealed as I was suspended into the air, flashing him a fearful look and he grinned back at me. My head rolled back between my shoulder blades as he walked down the street as if he wasn't carrying me in his arms. His comforting hand held my back, delaying my legs from collapsing under me.

"Are you crazy?" I squealed, fearfully wrapping my right arm around his neck and leaning into his chest. He continued to walk with my weight in his arms, "Maybe." He chuckled, winking at me as he wrapped his arms tighter around my back. He carried me onto the grass as if I weighed less than pure air and crouched to the ground, dropping me gently beside him. I unwrapped my arms from him, completely unwillingly, and laid my injured leg out on the grass. "Thank you." 
He shrugged, lying his legs out beside me and holding his back up on his elbows, "It's okay..."

I folded my arms around myself and watching as the sun radiated perfectly on his sun-kissed skin. I had the chance; he wasn't running away from me, I needed to speak. But when I looked at him, it was as if my voice had been stolen from me. I just wanted to stare at him for a little while longer, without my social-awkwardness ruining the moment. I was looking at the intricate jawline, the lovely cheekbones, the sapphire gems of his eyes. He really was very handsome, just as they had said in class. When he finally looked up and caught my eye I looked away, my cheeks flushing red. I heard him chuckle lightly but pretended not to hear, staring opposite us at the barren roads. I smirked to myself, feeling my cheeks turn red.

"I'm sorry about...you know, what happened in class." I said finally, looking up to catch his expression. His face dropped entirely, as he remembered what had happened. He stiffened, seeming suddenly uncomfortable. Ezra cleared his throat, "Why'd you do it?" His voice was surprisingly gentle and calm. I sat upright and stared at him desperately, "I didn't do it. I promise you, it wasn't me." 
He looked at me and raised an eyebrow, "It wasn't you?" 
I nodded slowly, "When Kierra and I walked in they had already demolished it entirely. I'm sorry...I should've tried and stopped them." I stared at the ground in shame, feeling tears prick at my eyes. 

"You promise me...that it wasn't you?" He asked, his voice shaky and laced with tears. I nodded, not daring to look up at him again, "I promise, it wasn't me." 
He nodded slowly, "Oh, Lyric. I'm so sorry...for everything." 
I shrugged, "I guess it did look kind of like I did it... I'm sorry about your sketchbook." 
He sniffed, rubbing his eyes and sat further backwards on the grass. "It's okay, I can always get a new one." 
"And your artwork?" 
"...I'll live." He croaked. 

I stared at his pained expression, not knowing what to say. Suddenly, I remembered the drawing I had hid earlier. I fished into my pocket and pulled out the sketch of his parents. I unfolded it, admiring the intricate features and lovely shade-work and dropped it on his stretched-out legs. "I managed to save this." 
His gaze dropped to the artwork and I saw in his eyes how grateful he was. His mouth hung open as he stared at the drawing. He sat up straight and held the drawing in both of his hands, mesmerised. "Lyric..." He whispered, breathless from shock. I smiled at him, knowing fully well what he didn't have the voice to say. 

Ezra looked up at me and smiled that same beautiful smile, a single tear trailing down his cheek. He wiped it away with the back of his sleeve and chuckled, "Oh God...now you're making me emotional." 
I laughed with him, and before I could say anything, he leant forward and pulled me closer to him, wrapping his arms around me. His embrace was warm, and his strong arms seemed very protective when wrapped around my frail body. The world around me melted away as I squeezed him back, not wanting the moment to end. I had been hugged before, but never like this. There was something so warm, something that felt so right. I let my body sag, my muscles becoming loose. 

When he let go I found that I didn't want him to. I wanted to feel his arms around me again, but the moment had fizzled out by then. "It's a beautiful drawing." I said. Suddenly, the memories of what my horrid 'friends' had said about it flashed in my mind. Weird...disgusting...strange. It made my heart sting like a thousand wasp stings. How they could be so cruel about something so beautiful? He beamed at me, "Thanks." 
There was another period of comfortable silence before I decided to speak again.

"So...I guess you can't carry me all the way home." I said, glancing at my, probably strained, ankle. He folded his arms and chuckled, "Is that a challenge, Skyler?" 
I raised an eyebrow at him, "What? You're actually going to...?" 
He pretended to flex his muscles causing me to break down into laughter. "Try me." Before I had time to protest, he stood up off the grass and crouched down beside me. "May I?" He asked, grinning at me. I paused before nodding slowly, "Fine...but if you drop me then you have to carry me all the way to the hospital. And that's even further." 
He chuckled again, giving me enough time to admire how truly gorgeous his laugh was. Seeing him happy and laughing made me happy. His joy was truly infectious. "You're on, try not to strangle me this time." He winked. 

Before I could defend myself by saying that I was simply terrified, he had lifted me off of the grass and into his arms. He stood up and shifted my body further towards his chest, getting a better grip on me so that he wouldn't drop me. I shrieked and tightened my grip around the back of his neck, feeling as if I was floating on air. He chuckled again, "Don't worry, I won't drop you." 

And he didn't. He carried me the whole way to my house, with my directions, making jokes and sharing laughter the whole way there. Whenever my face came close to his, I felt his breath against my neck, smelt the sweet scent of him. Like old oak and cinnamon. He stared into my eyes and I stared into his, it was like a whole new world in those bright blue pupils. He'd break eye contact to direct himself before staring back at me again. I was wearing a cropped shirt but he tried to be respectful by shifting his hand to the waist of my jeans instead. Whenever his hand did brush against my bare skin he apologised, but I didn't mind.

 I was simply enjoying the journey, in his arms.