[ by the time alina yelps, it's too late. she can see pieces of her hand's sinew, a flash of white bone. she sees it before the pain even hits her because her whole body tells her to shut down the feeling, too overwhelmed by it. looking at it feels disorienting — it can't be her hand, she'd feel it if it were, but it is her hand. her brain has just disowned it, refusing to process what's happening to it. rejecting the signal.
when she yanks it back, grips her wrist, she staggers back into the wall because the pain starts to crawl up her arm. at first, it's just hot, then the mangled particulars start to settle in. she chokes on her breath.
it's the worst pain she's ever felt. the worst injury she's ever had. heat burns in the back of her neck, and the world tilts off kilter. she can't manage words. ]
(cw: gore & major injury)
when she yanks it back, grips her wrist, she staggers back into the wall because the pain starts to crawl up her arm. at first, it's just hot, then the mangled particulars start to settle in. she chokes on her breath.
it's the worst pain she's ever felt. the worst injury she's ever had. heat burns in the back of her neck, and the world tilts off kilter. she can't manage words. ]