Infinity

Chapter Eleven

I can feel myself falling apart as Aaliyah stares blankly at the sky, not really staring at all. Sobs wrack my body as I hug her limp one to myself. Andrew is holding me as I cry harder than I've ever cried before. And Andrew stays there as I hug my sister's corpse to my chest, wishing this was all just a bad dream. Even though I know it's not.

After a while, my pitiful crying session is over and tears finally stop coming from my red eyes. I'm shaking, though, and as I try to stand up, Andrew has to steady me. "I'm fine," I whisper, even though I know it's one of the biggest lies I've ever told. In fact, I'm the farthest from fine I've ever been.

Andrew stares at me for a moment, his eyes turning a light grey. I realize how pitiful I must look and turn my face away, a lavender purple (shame) mixing with the grey.

Suddenly, he pulls me toward him, into a tight hug, nearly suffocating me. I give into the hug, though, grateful for his comfort. "You're going to be okay," he says into my hair, and I want believe it. I want to think I'm going to be fine.

"Aaliyah isn't going to be okay, though," I whisper. "I promised I'd protect her. I told her I wouldn't let anything happen to her. And then I left her."

"You didn't," he says, and I know he means that she left me. And, that might be true to him, but to me, I know I'm the one who left her. I left her in that horrible place, fought my way out and left her there to suffer.

Hot tears come back into the eyes and I begin to sob again. This can't be real!

Andrew holds me like that for a long time, until I finally calm down again. Once I've cried myself out, I pull back, still sniffling. "We need to g-go," I stutter.

He rubs my back gently. I look back at my sister. "We have to leave her here," I whisper. "She'll burn at the wall." Once an Infinite dies, our skin dries up, and we basically turn to paper. We'd have to put out at least 10 feet of the wall to get Aaliyah back though.

"I'm so sorry, Infinity," Andrew says. "I couldn't do anything..."

"Not your fault," I say as we begin to walk, only to stop again right away. "It's mine. It's all mine. And, now, all I want to do is go to bed."

"Come on, then," he says, sliding a hand behind my back. His hand is warm and gentle.

We get back to his house about 15 minutes later. All of my stuff that I need to keep has already been brought here, since I have to move in with him. We are saved to each other now. He takes me upstairs and lets me lay down, even though I'm still in the dress our Luminary gave me. I know I should take it off to make sure I don't get it messed up, but I really don't care.

His house is set up the exact same way mine was, yet it seems so different. "Andrew," I say, talking to him so that the emotions from today don't start crashing in on me.

"Yeah?" he asks, sitting down on the bed. He changed into a pair of sweatpants and a light, black short sleeved shirt.

I sigh. "I have to tell you something. It's about what Londyn was talking about today?"

"Yeah," he says. "What what she talking about, anyway?"

I'm about to answer, when a shock, more powerful than the one before, when Lucas showed me the chip, invades my body. It makes me shake with pain, and my blood goes cold as I close my hands into fists. It lasts about 10 seconds, and as soon as it stops, I find myself unable to move. Unable to breath. This is a warning. Don't tell anyone, or you'll die. The words flash into my mind and as soon as they came they are gone. I know it's a message from Londyn. I know I can't tell anyone about the chip.

I know that I have to get this thing out of me.

Andrew is saying my name, panic in his voice. "Infinity, what's wrong? Answer me!"

I gasp, and take in a deep breath. It sounds as though I'm about to cry, even though I'm far from it.

"I'm fine," I gasp again. "I'm...fine." I'm breathing heavily and Andrew knows that I'm not fine.

"Infinity, tell me what's wrong," he says, his voice stern. "What just happened? What were you going to tell me?"

"It's nothing," I say, though I know it's not. He knows it, too, judging by the way he's staring at me. "I really can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"Because I just can't!" I nearly scream. Part of me wants to sob, for some unknown reason, but I don't let myself. "Please, just leave it alone." Another part of me feels like the chip is like a deadly illness: You don't want to tell anyone about it, even if it's non contagious, just because you know they will treat you different.

This chip is a disease, but soon, because of it, everyone I love might die.

Andrew is silent for a moment, then says, "I wish you would tell me, but ultimately, it's your choice. Get some sleep. Our Luminary came to me yesterday and told me that you'll be getting her job. I suppose she's already talked to you about it?"

I nod.

"You'll be taking her position in 3 days time, on her birthday."

I nod and turn onto my side. I don't care that I'm still wearing the beautiful dress that our Luminary gave us. I just want to sleep.

The lamp next to us flicks off, and a second later, warm, strong arms come around me, and I want to tell Andrew to get his arms off of me, but I don't. For a moment, I'm happy and warm. And in the next moment, there is nothing but sleep.