Tʜᴇ ልςαdεmψ

The Place of Loneliness

Liam couldn't comprehend it. Surely May wasn't dead. The beautiful, pure, kind young girl had to still be alive. Out of impulse, he started screaming her name like the end of the world was nearing. He couldn't live with himself knowing that he left the girl behind and she didn't survive the horrid event.

"MAY!! MAY NURRIE VOLKOV!!", he emptily screamed as he sprinted to the rubble that was once an aesthetically pleasing school.

He heard nothing back.

"MAY!"

Still no response.

Liam began to lose hope.

"MAY VOLKOV!"

He finally heard a soft whimper under the smoking rubble. It had to be her. He recognized her voice anywhere. Of course, it was only a whimper. But the whimper had to be hers. He despised hearing her in pain, but at least her life was still salvageable. And that was all he could hope for in the moment of anxiety and nerves.

He followed where he heard the weak whimper from, carefully listening for another. He barely dared to breath in hopes that perhaps May would be breathing heavier than he, and it would lead him to her at a more accurate pinpoint.

Liam finally dug into the rubble where he thought the best place to start was. Nothing else mattered to him. There was still hope for May's life to move on. For her to be able to move on to great things. He wouldn't let her slip between his fingers

"Liam!", Jules cried out as she clumsily ran over to where he was digging. "We have to go! They detected another bomb!"

"Not without May!", Liam sounded out. His pronunciation of those three words almost matched Nathan's precisness. Liam wanted to get his point across.

"Liam, we have to. Right now! It could go off before you even get to argue with me much further! We must—" she was cut off by the explosion of the second bomb in the east wing of The Academy. They were only several yards away from the second explosion.

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Liam woke up in a hospital bed. He went to sit up, but it was complete agony to move, so he decided against it. His thoughts were immediately flooded by the hope of May's survival.

He looked at his body, covered in only a thin, papery hospital gown. He had heart rate monitors, oxygen tubes up his soft nose, and third degree burns covering his arms, legs, and possibly a part of his torso. He could feel it on his torso, but couldn't see it under the pale blue gown.

Suddenly, an 8-year-old girl walked in the room. She had chocolatey-brown eyes, orange-red hair that resembled the early sunset, and soft freckles spotted all over her pale skin. He knew her from somewhere, but couldn't put his finger on it.

"Liam!", the girl yelled enthusiastically as she ran to his side and gently wrapped her arms around his scrawny neck.

Liam suddenly remembered as soon as he heard her say his name. It was his little step-sister, Annie Dalton. He hadn't seen her or any pictures of her since she was fragile 4-year-old. He finally understood what enthusiasm his grandparents felt when he had only grown an inch or so. Little Annie got tall. And mature.

"Hello, Annie!", Liam said with equal enthusiasm. It was phenomenal to see her. Its exactly what he needed.

"Did mom come?", he asked. He was sure that his overprotective mother would never let the small 8-year-old come to a hospital by herself.

Annie scoffed. "Have you met the lady? I can't do anything alone, goofball. They only allowed one visitor in the room at a time."

Liam was almost relieved to hear Annie call him "goofball" in her soft voice. It was the nickname she gave him the second they met. Goofball.

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After hours of conversation with Annie, his mother, his step-dad, and then receiving the news that the bombings were revenge to the school from the Baker family, Liam felt exhausted. But he couldn't sleep until he received news on May's health. And preferably, Jules as well.

A doctor finally came into the room to answer these questions. Liam didn't hesitate.

"Is May Volkov here? Is she okay? What about Jules Ramos?", he quickly asked.

The doctor simply replied with, "They are both my patients. The only information that I can give you is that they're alive, they are in the same condition as you, Miss Volkov is just a bit more severe in injuries."

A twang of guilt pang through Liam's body. He had realized that it was his fault when May got attacked by the lizards. It was his fault that she got punished. It was his fault that Nathan died. And it was his fault that she is now injured so badly. He had inflicted so much pain on her with all of his poor actions. Maybe it would be best for May to not be around him. He never thought of that. He only thought of himself. He deemed himself selfish for all of those actions that he never took into deep consideration until now.

"Thank you, sir.", he croaked out.

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Weeks had passed, and Liam was finally free to go home. He had to talk to May. He entered her hospital room. They locked eyes with each other. Dark brown met light brown. They stayed like that for what could've been days. Liam couldn't tell.

"I see you survived.", May finally said, breaking the silence. "I heard you yelling for me. I couldn't yell back.", she said blandly, bluntly. Liam knew that she still believed he murdered Nathan. He knew that was why she was being so dull. But Liam himself didn't even know if he committed murder or if it was an accident. All he knew was that he felt miserable every second of every day.

"May, please listen to me this time.", Liam addressed firmly. "I didn't purposefully commit murder. Nathan tripped on my shoelace and fell into the moat. It was a freak accident. If you don't believe me, then you can ask Jules, she saw it.", he finished.

May only stared at him for a few minutes before Jules walked in. She must've been visiting May before leaving, as well.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I can let you guys chat alone—" May cut her off.

"Did he do it? Murder Nathan?"

"Of course not."

May sighed.

"I'm done with you, Liam. For now, I just— need a break from you until we meet again. I'm too drained right now to keep a healthy friendship healthy at the moment."

Liam stood with his lip beginning to quiver. He started to back away.

"Liam—", Jules started.

"Jules, are you with May or me?", Liam asked.

Jules paused.

"If it can't be both then neither."

She left briefly, with her swiftness covering how upset she truly was.

Liam backed out of May's hospital room.

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Liam got home to his old room. He looked at the bare walls, the empty bookshelves, the stripped bed. Everything that was once there was destroyed in the explosions. Along with his friendships.

He laid on his naked bed, staring at the white ceiling. It was less amusing to stare at than the angel painted ceilings at The Academy. But still a ceiling. Liam felt empty, alone.

His own home has become his Place of Loneliness.

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Hello loves! I tried to make this chapter nice, long, and action-packed for you! Requests are still open! Happy reading~!

•- averslxo

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