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Marina

Me: I already told you no.

Tim: Please, Marina. I swear I won't get spotted.

Me: No. I'm not letting you go get yourself killed. If they catch you, they'll skin you alive like the rest of them.

Tim: I won't get caught.

I massage the bridge of my nose. He's annoying me when I've got more important things to do.

Me: Tim, you're not good enough to do this. I will not let you commit suicide.

Tim: But we have to do something, and I'm the only one willing to.

Me: No, you're not. We will do something, but not until it's the right time.

Tim: When is that?

Me: When I say it is! Leave me, please.

He makes a tsk noise, and it takes a lot to keep me from jumping out of my seat. I lower my head into my hands and rest against them. How did Mom and Dad do all this?

Aj: Hey, forgive her. She's got a lot on her mind.

Aj was coming and stopped to talk to Tim in the hall. Must have more shit to pile onto my shoulders.

Tim: We all do.

Aj: Not compared to her. She'll figure it out. You just gotta trust her.

Tim: We haven't done anything in weeks.

Aj: There's nothing to do. She's not going to rush it and act like an idiot simply because we're doing nothing.

Tim: What if they attack first? Then what?

Aj: Marina has it handled.

Tim: Whatever, man. If they come, I'm outta here.

Aj: I'll remember that.

There's a knock on the door a few seconds later. It was open; he was just knocking to get my attention. I run my hands through my hair, lock them around the back of my neck, and lookup.

Aj: You're going to go bald from all this stress.

Me: I doubt it.

Aj: Ask for some help.

Me: I don't need it.

Aj: Right. I totally believe you.

I chuckle, but it isn't born of happiness.

Me: What do you need?

Aj: I hate to tell you this.

Me: What?

I know before he even says it. The look on his face is sad and maybe a little lost.

Aj: Clem is about done.

He bites his lip to keep himself from tearing up.

Aj: Maybe a few hours if she's lucky.

Me: Cause I don't already have enough going on.

Aj: She wants to see you. You're all she's talked about since she got this way.

Me: Get someone to guard the house—no one in unless they're supposed to be there. Everyone knows who that includes.

Aj: Already done.

-

I can hear her coughing as soon as I enter the house. I walk past my room, not stopping to put anything up or change into more comfortable clothes. I'm going to need my knife for this.

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