Cure

Chapter Seven

We'd driven far enough from the city that we felt safe to stop and break our way into a nearby house to gather ourselves. I'd been alone in a back room far from Emira and Amity needing some time to myself. I needed to let everything sink in so I stared out the window hoping my thoughts and feelings would catch up to me. I felt the lingering, pulsing pain from the injuries I'd received during my chase and the time I'd been turned. I took the pill bottle out of my pocket yet froze to stare at it cautiously.

I needed time to figure this out and I knew these pills would give me exactly that. I hated how it came from the people I hated most in this world. But if I wanted to finish this, I had to keep it to myself and I had to go through with it. Regardless of the cost it took and how much it hurt me to hide it from Amity. I tried to distract myself from these wandering thoughts. Though after a few moments my ears picked up on noise and I overheard Emira and Amity arguing in harsh, hushed whispers. Closing my eyes I tried to tune in better.

"Because I don't want you to hurt her," Amity said through what sounded like gritted teeth and I could hear the frown in her voice.

"We're not going to hurt her. We just need answers. She is a test subject, an experimental soldier made by them. Why are you trying to protect her?" She'd asked in curious frustration and I shifted at her choice of words.

"Because I know her okay! I knew Boscha in the past. We weren't the best of friends but we still knew each other." She'd admitted and I felt my stomach turn uneasily at this new information. What? I'd thought.

"What?" Emira echoed my question. "Were you planning on mentioning that to Luz?" Silence is all we both got as an answer and I felt hurt by that. My vision turned red and I needed to cool off. I took one of the pills from the bottle feeling lightheaded and took it before shoving the bottle back into my pocket as I attempted to calm down. It was a misunderstanding. Amity wouldn't keep something from me without a reason. Just like I had been keeping this from her she should be allowed to keep things to herself as well. My vision returned to normalcy but the rage still lingered deep down.

"I am going to tell her. I just..." She trailed off. "I didn't expect to see anyone from my past again. Especially on these terms. I only planned on finding you and everyone else. I needed time to process it, but I am going to tell her. I just need answers first and since we knew each other I thought, maybe she'd talk to me. I don't know. It's stupid isn't it?" She seemed to hesitate.

"It's not stupid Amity. How about this? I'll watch over her and when she wakes up I'll let you know and we can get our answers from her then." She compromised and I heard Amity let out a swift sigh.

"Okay, sounds good," Amity said and I heard Emira turn away for a moment. "Emira, where's dad?" I heard her steps away from Amity falter and pause. "I tried not to ask because I knew there had to be a reason he wasn't with you, but I need to know Emira." Emira's heart rate picked up and I clenched my hand into a tight fist swallowing hard. Her silence spoke volumes. It said everything she couldn't bring herself to say out loud in words at first.

"I'm sorry Amity. He didn't..." Her voice shook. "I tried to save him but..." Her voice cracked and I heard Amity bring her into a tight hug as Emira began to sob. It was quiet for a moment and I stopped listening as they continued to speak. It wasn't any of my business but it gave me even more of a reason to keep my condition to myself. Amity had been going through enough and the last thing she needed was more bad news to worsen her state.

It had been a few minutes later when my ears picked up on Amity's steps across the house echoing down the hall as she approached the room I was in. I kept my eyes looking out the window trying to seem unknowing of what had occurred. Whatever unfolded between them was obviously private and not meant for my ears. Not yet at least. Not until she was ready.