The Nine's

³

When Amaury puts his hand in mine, I immediately remember that I have no idea where I'm going in these hallways.

Every time they've tortured me it seemed like the made a point of me being barely conscious enough to even remember my name.

But yet every time they pushed me to that point, I could only see my sisters face as we would eat breakfast, as I would read to the youngest sister in the bed we slept in together, just to wake up with her cold feet in my back.

Even now as Amaury guides us out, I see their faces, I feel an overwhelming sense of hope, my heart feels heavy, just at the slightest chance that I'll see them again.

Amaury guides us in and out of hallways and finally we reach an elevator.

As soon as he pressed that button to go up, I choke back a sob. The idea that I'll be able to see my sisters after almost two years of these people taking me away from the only home I've had. From them taking the last bit of humanity I've kept hidden away after I turned.

Amaury looks at me, my hand still in his as we wait for the elevator, and gives it a squeeze.

"This is the closest I've been to my sisters in two years.." I say quietly in a silent cry.

"I swear on all I can give you I will get you to them."

"You owe me nothing, why would you risk your life for me?"

"You saved mine." He says looking me in the eyes.

I hear the door slide open as part of the compound crumbles behind us.

I hesitate before I step on, realizing I forgot to put my mark on the wall in my cell.

Amaury pulls me forward into the elevator, and we see Dr. Stevens run around the corner.

Pointing a handgun straight at us and he pulls the trigger.

It hits me in the arm, but I barely notice, I only hear my youngest sisters laugh in my head, I only hear Cate and I playing the beginning of Clair de  Lune on the old piano in our cabin.

And then I step outside.

Everything comes back in a rush, the euphoria of finally leaving washes off.

I'm outside.

And I've been fucking shot.

What the-

I hear thunder.

I smell the rain.

"Clementine are you doing that?" I hear Amaury say behind me as I fall into the grass on the ground.

"Yes."

It starts to sprinkle, and then drizzle, and then lightly start to pour, and then the rain starts thundering down on top of us.

"Clementine you're half naked, let's get to shelter." He says as he tries to pull me up.

"Please...five more minutes." I hold my arms out and tilt my head back.

The lightening cracks all around us as I feel a part of me that's been missing forever finally be restored, I've been reconnected back to the Mother.

I feel strong, I feel-

Cerys is close by.

I feel Amaury stand me up and we start walking, he's partially caring me actually.

We walk for what feels like forever, until we stumble across a small cottage in the woods.

"We're in Scotland aren't we?"

"How'd you know?" Amaury asks me as he finally gets the door open.

"My bond with the Mother was healed almost instantly. Our coven originated here."

He lifts me up and sets me inside on the couch.

"I didn't know that."

"You're not with the compound anymore." I say with a laugh.

And then I suck air through my teeth bc any movement hurts my arm like a bitch.

If only I was with Cerys, she could heal me with the snap of her fingers, but now I'm with a boy who only knows that band-aid equals trauma surgeon.

As I'm trying to hold my hand over the bullet wound I notice there's no exit wound.

Which means my sweet dumbass is gonna have to take it out, but every time he looks at it he goes green.

Amaury rushes back in with an arm full of stuff, which he throws down as he kneels beside me.

"Okay I found some rubbing alcohol, band-aids, and a bandage."

"Amaury, find some tweezers or gloves." I squeeze out.

"What why?"

"Either you or I are about to take this bullet out. Bring a t shirt from one of the bedrooms."

He just looks at me, he's obviously nauseous, but I'm about to pass out from the pain and blood loss."

He runs back in with only a t-shirt in his hands, looking helpless.

"Are you okay to do this?" I ask him, already knowing the answer.

He tries to shake his head yes, but again, I know it's not even partly true.

"Okay change of plans, I'll do it."

He just rushes to my side and tries to look at the wound.

"Clementine I can do it really."

"No, you can't. It's written all over your face."

He just keeps staring at the wound and swallows.

"Okay Amaury stick the shirt in my mouth, and when I nod at you, pour the alcohol on the wound."

"Clem I-"

"Please just do this Amaury please." I'm starting to cry.

He finally breaks his gaze away from the hole in my arm.

"I'm going to need you to hold me down while I do this."

He just nods and sticks the shirt in my mouth as I take my hand away ready to stick my fingers in to get the bullet out.

I nod at him and he pours the alcohol on it.

I'm immediately crying. I bite down on the shirt as hard as I can trying not to pass out.

And then I stick my hand in.

I can see black flooding my vision.

I dig around for just a second and feel the small metal object.

I rip it out just as my world goes completely black.