Free INK: Red (INK Trilogy Book 1) by Al K. Line Page B

went to get The Ink?"
    "No, they caught me and forced me; I had no choice. I'd had a bad time a few years back, met what turned out to be one of the Bishops. He spotted me, or maybe had been keeping tabs on me, I don't know. All I do know is that when I was actually happy they took it all away from me and killed Kathy. For that they have to pay."
    And they will, they'll pay alright. I would have just run, left with Kathy, but not now.
    It was warm in the tunnel, the huge vaulted ceiling, still just rough concrete shuttering, ensured it stayed a pretty constant temperature. Even the slight breeze was warm. Edsel would be glad to get his clothes off and let the gel work its magic.
    "Okay, turn the other way if you like. I have to strip off. I'll tell you when to look, so you can do my back. Sorry, be warned, it's gonna be gross."
    This is gonna freak him out big time... me too. Ugh, here goes nothing.
    Aiden turned away and began rearranging the items from his backpack he'd got from the pharmacy. He hummed to himself while he did it, probably to drown out the moans and gasps of Edsel as he stripped off.
    Edsel took his boots off first, then began to peel a sock away. The first pair came off fine, then it was time for the ones that actually made contact with his damaged flesh. He felt like all he did was put clothes on then take them off lately — each time more painful than the last. The sock was sticky with blood and some kind of secretion, and as he peeled it down he could see scabs and raw flesh. Then the sock stuck. He pulled, wincing and gritting his teeth, trying not to cry out as it finally came free.
    This is never going to heal, not running about like this. God, look at it. Those bastards.
    He steeled himself and went to work on the other foot. This one was worse. As the sock came off over his toes he felt a serious rip, the skin between his large toe and the next dangled from the end of the inside-out sock, the newly exposed flesh pink and raw. If it carried on like this he was going to be a mess of blotches of dark red Ink and lighter pink where The Ink hadn't had time to penetrate deep enough.
    Doesn't matter, my body's ruined anyway. Right, c'mon let's get this over with.
    Trying not to look but knowing he had to, Edsel pulled the trousers off as carefully as he could. At least they were loose and didn't catch. Then the makeshift underwear.
    Well, don't think I'll be impressing the ladies with that! Ugh, this is me now, what I'm going to look like forever. What is wrong with those people?
    Finally, he just had to pull the sweater off. Even lifting his arms sent spikes of pain shooting up his body, making the veins in his neck pound like his head was going to explode. He grabbed the sweater and pulled it over his head as fast as he could, just to get it over with as quickly as possible. Edsel felt himself almost white-out, he became dizzy and began to wobble, but focused and just let the wooziness pass. All it was replaced with was pain — the one constant now.
    After what felt like a lifetime of undressing, it was time to soothe his skin as much as he could. Edsel began to slather himself with the aloe vera.
    Oh boy, that is so good. Aah.
    It was delicate work, but the coolness was heaven-sent. He knew it wasn't good to allow the skin to become saturated, but he didn't care. The thicker the gel the fresher his skin felt. All over his legs and the rest of him that he could see, he looked like a burn victim, which is what he was he supposed. Flesh had bubbled and cracked, tried to heal then split again from exertion, sweat and chafing. Drier areas of his body such as his belly and lower thighs were the worst — however much he put on it soaked right in and the skin was itching like mad again in seconds. Rubbing the gel in was like running his hands over rough bark — he didn't even want to think what it would be like once the stubble began to grow back all over his shaved body.
    Will the hairs push through the