Burned Ones

Chapter 13

Cameron.
16 years old.

My eyes locked with Annabeth's.

Go. Run, I tried to communicate to her.

She took a few steps backward but she wasn't fast enough.

I leaned over, placing one hand on my knee and tried to catch my breath. Fire burned inside of me. I wanted to peel my own skin off. Vik and Scully wrapped their arms around me, pulling me upright and making the pain multiply.

"Your turn, Annabeth," my dad said. "Cameron's is on his chest so no one touches it. If anyone shoots him and damages that scar," my dad pointed the hot iron at me and I wanted to flinch but didn't want to move, "He's dead and you won't be too far behind him so it's your job to watch out for him."

My heart burned both at his words and from the physical pain. I could feel my heart beating on my skin. I wanted to clutch my chest to pause the pain but knew that would only make it worse.

My dad continued, talking to Annabeth. "We're putting yours on your back. If you get hit, it's because you weren't watching each other's backs."

She shook her head.

My dad sighed. "Do not prolong this, Bethie."

"Please don't call me that," she whispered.

"Do not say please," Scully cut in. "If you want something, you say it. You take it. Do not ask."

"Don't call me that," she corrected quickly before adding, "I don't want to do this."

Scully moved away from me and got in Annabeth's face. "You are a Casey by blood. This will send a message so no one messes with you. This is for your own good."

It wasn't for her own good or my own good. I clenched my jaw together to hold in the pain searing through me as I tried to stay upright and off of the ground.

Annabeth was pushed forward. She held her wrist out tentatively, because a lot of Caseys had the tattoo on their arm but Scully shook his head. "No. We said your back."

And then Annabeth was forced to the floor.

"Out," Scully said, looking at Vik and Lucky. As soon as the door shut behind them, Scully pulled her tank top until the middle of her back was exposed.

Annabeth looked at me and I wanted to help, I wanted to stop them from doing this because my chest hurt so much and I didn't want her to feel like this. If I was supposed to protect her like my family said, I should've done something to protect her from this but I couldn't move without holding in a scream.

"An—" was all I managed to get out to warn her or call her over to me, I wasn't sure, before my dad surprised us both by pushing the metal to her skin.

Annabeth flinched hard away from the pain and let out a loud scream similar to the one that was tearing at the inside of my throat.

"What did you do?" Scully yelled over her.

I wasn't sure if he was talking to Annabeth or my dad.

"We'll have to do it again," Scully said, ripping the iron rod out of my dad's hands. "Hold her tight. Annabeth, don't move."

There was a knock at the door and I wasn't sure which I should focus on - the person behind the door or Annabeth's crying. The knock was louder.

My dad looked at me and nodded his head toward the direction of the door. Every muscle in my body felt tense as I walked and opened the door the slightest of cracks. Vik's head was there.