The Zodiac Cycle

3.8 Repetition

"She hasn't moved from that spot." Carson told Amber as they looked into the room where George laid. Clementine sat beside him, her head on her arm, looking at him with a blank expression and holding his hand.

"Would you move if it was me?" I asked him.

"Not a chance." He sighed.

We had found our way back with Mark and Elizabeth about an hour before, and by then, Clementine was already like this, and we were informed of what happened.

"Hey," Carson pulled me into a hug, wrapping his arms gingerly around my shoulders. I buried my face into his chest. "Its going to be okay."

I shook my head against him. "Why does this keep happening?" I pulled back, locking my eyes onto his. "Are we cursed? Did we get stuck in some kind of time loop? Is everything going to repeat again?" I looked back into the room.

"No, of course not." He gripped my shoulders firmly. "Amber," I turned back to him. "Shut the voice in your head up for a moment. Take a second to process, okay?"

Hey! Narashima sounded offended.

I nodded in response, and Carson guided me to a chair to sit down.

Mark had ran off almost as soon as we had arrived, something about Stormy. Nearly immediately, the fire alarms started going off but stopped after a few minutes. We were told there wasn't anything to worry about, but we still worried nonetheless.

This place seemed to run off of organized madness and it really irked me.

"What happened?" I turned to see Ash leaning against the doorframe of the room he had been in, still half dazed.

"Ash!" Nolan ran across the room and nearly tackled the human, who was surprised by the smaller male. "I was so-" he didn't finish as he whacked Ash upside the head "don't do that!"

"Do what?! Damn." Ash put his hands up in surrender, just as confused as me and Carson.

"Whatever the hell you did to get yourself knocked out, idiot." Nolan crossed his arms, huffing.

"Sorry! Last thing I remember is Mark saying we were all going to die."

I felt Carson stiffen a bit beside me, and Nolan's face change to that of concern. "Ash-"

He raised his eyebrows "hmm?"

Nolan turned to look at me, his eyes pleading for help.

I sighed and stood up, motioning Ash over. He came toward me and I stepped out of the way so he could see into George's room. "What-" I could see a flash of panic on his face before he continued. "What happened?"

"Hey," Olive came into the med bay area.

"Hey..." I stepped back over near Carson. I didn't much like Olive. Earlier that night, when she told me what to do, it felt like I had no choice but to listen. I didn't know what it was about her, but it put me on edge.

"Vel wants to speak with you." She put her hands behind her back, straightening herself, ever the soldier.

"Just me?" I asked.

"Anyone that wishes to come. We understand it's been a long night," she looked in at Clementine. "So if you want to be shown your bunks instead, that's also fine."

"Alright, thank you." I nodded, and Carson stood beside me, taking my hand.

"She does request that you come to speak to her tonight, at least." She pointed at me.

Damn, she gives off all the mixed signals. Narashima snarked.

I nodded again, and looked at Carson, who looked worriedly at Ash and Nolan. "I think I should stay here."