The Lost Ones

11 - Lela

It was nearing midnight, and we had been trudging through the desert for about an hour. You could barely see where you were going, and people were tripping over rocks, left, right and centre. This wasn't a good idea seeing as most people were carrying loaded guns.

"Jeez, Lela, couldn't you have picked a slightly better time to attack the hospital? I mean, half the kids are falling asleep." Will nudged me playfully.

It was true, though. I could see Josephine and Peri out of the corner of my eye, who had to lean on each other for support because they were pretty much sleepwalking their way through the sand and rocks.

"It's the best time to attack; they'll have their guards down at the hospital. At least, a little more so than usual." I say nervously. Gemma led us, all five hundred and something kids, towards the hospital. You could vaguely see it in the distance, glittering white lights beckoning to us.

"Hey, Lela," Josephine was suddenly beside me, holding a syringe. "Hey, Will."

"Hi, Josephine." Will and I said in unison.

"Uh, Seph, why're you holding a needle...?" I asked. Josephine looked apologetic.

"Sorry, Lela, but I need to inject you with this. You're the only one that hasn't taken the medicine already." She stretches out my arm and flicks the needle.

"What's in the medicine?" I ask curiously. If there's one thing I really don't like, it's needles. Especially being injected with stuff I don't know about.

"It's a mixture of Riaja's own invention: caffeine and strengthening medicine. It should give you a bit of a boost. Don't worry," She says at the look on my face. "We give it to the patients back at the house. Since Riaja's looking after them back there, I'm head healer for a while."

"Guys, sorry, I just need to ask Gemma something." Will says, and rushes off to talk to her. I watch him leave, wincing as the needle pierces my skin. Then it's over, and Josephine gently pats the prick on my arm. A tiny bit of blood trickles down and drips on to the sand, staining it an orange colour.

"I think it's a good thing, what you're doing for your friend." Josephine says unexpectedly as we carry on walking.

"You do? Thank you." I say to her. I'm always surprised at how mature Gemma's sister is; it shouldn't be surprising given the current circumstances.

"I'd do the same thing for my sister. It's like you and Adrian: the only family you've ever had are each other. Sure, I have friends here, like Peri, Riaja and Mitchell. And you, now!" She smiles at me, her brown eyes lighting up.

"When did you get to the house? What did you do before then?" I ask her. She hesitates at first, glancing at Gemma. Then she smiles again.

"I was really young. So was Gemma, but she always tried her best. We were both forced to grow up quickly. We lived in and out of towns and cities for a while, begging for money and food. Eventually, we found some other kids like us: Riaja, Will.... Our numbers just kept growing." Josephine sighs sadly. She doesn't have to say what happens next; disease kills off a number of kids. "I guess sometimes we lose the things we love the most."

"Everybody! Prepare for a fight! Guns at the ready, we are about to enter the hospital!" Gemma shouts from the front. I breathe in as we run forward towards the gates.

It seems like years since I was last at the hospital, when if fact it was only about a week ago. Guards yell when they see us; the first gunshots ring out through the air like loud bells. I'm not sure who's shooting: them or us. People duck down but keep running as we smash open glass doors and make our way through corridors. Windows shatter as bullets fly through them. I feel adrenaline rushing through my veins, like I'm unstoppable.

"Lela! Where do you think Adrian is?" Gemma shouts to me. I gesture for them to follow me.

The staff are gaining on us now, sprinting their way towards us. A guard grabs me but Will delivers a swift punch to his face and he tumbles to the ground. I smile at him gratefully then continue running to the next floor. Everyone seems to still be here but there are mixed screams and shouts as fights break out on the steps. People fall to the ground, but I can't make out anyone's faces with so many people around. Gemma pushes me ahead, telling me to carry on as she pushes a guard down the stairs, where he is knocked unconscious.

I see a room at the end of the blank hallway. The door is locked, but I see a crowbar conveniently placed on the floor.

"Stand back in there!" I yell, and use the crowbar to break open the door. Three teenagers stand inside, two girls and a boy. They look terrified.

"Are you L-Lela?" The strawberry-blonde girl asks me. I nod, assuming she knows Adrian.

"Do you know where he is?" I ask her, and she nods at me this time. She leads me to a room, marked Charles Magannor.

I burst open the door; Adrian stands up, shocked. It's like time stopped and everything that happened next went in slow motion. Dr Magannor, the man that haunts my dreams, got a gun and pointed it at me.

"Nice to see you again, Lela. Now give yourself up, or you both die." The gun was raised so that it was aimed at my head now.

Will came in, armed with a grenade.

"Drop the gun or we all die." He said. Magannor slowly put the gun down and raised his hands in surrender.

"Okay, good," Will turns to me and Adrian. "Time to get out of here."