Lauren Cimorelli Sick and Sad

We're the Kind of Crazy People Wish That They Could Be

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Dani's POV
I stare up at the ceiling unable to sleep. After the events of today I can't get to sleep. The events of today keep rushing through my mind. Lauren could have died today and there was nothing that we could do about it. It felt to much like the warehouse all over again, with Lauren being tortured and all we could do is watch. I twist and turn in the blankets. I try to gently pull myself from our group hug but end up nudging Lisa a little to hard. Her eyes blink open and she looks at me.

"Dani, why are you awake?" She whispers. I glance over at Lauren and feel my eyes start to tear up. Lisa sees this and immediately pulls herself from the pile. She does it so gracefully that no one else even notices. She comes over to me and we both lean up against the lower bunk while sitting on the ground.

"What is happening Lise? Lauren is being hurt by people that think she isn't good enough to be one of us. And all this time we've been nothing but jerks to her and proved to her what those people are trying to say. She's my big sister, my sugar, and I don't know what to do."

"I don't know either Dani. Those people are going to come back. And they always seem to come back when we're mad at Lauren in some way. They time it all perfectly, like they are just waiting till we are at odds with one another and then they attack. That's the thing that all her stories have in common. They all happen after we had argued or we weren't there. That way Lo didn't feel like she could come to us and the whole thing stayed a secret."

"Would it still be a secret if Lauren hadn't gotten sick? The only reason we know about it is because she was to out of it to realize that she was talking to us." I say.

"True, but she didn't have to tell us the rest of the stories after that. She could have said it was a one time thing and we wouldn't have been the wiser. I think that she wanted to tell us deep down, but she was to scared to take the first step." I nod. I see Lisa look at Lauren.

"What is it Lise?"

"This is going to sound crazy, but do you remember how Lo disappeared at the warehouse?" I shudder. Of course I remember. I was so scared that I was never going to see her again. Lisa continues talking. "Yesterday, Lauren was leaning against one of the cave walls and just disappeared. I looked everywhere for a place that she could have fallen into but there was nothing. The only way she could have gotten in was through the hole in the roof. I think... I think she fazed through the wall."

"How is that even possible?"

"That woman said that there might be some negative affects from the mirrors. I think that it did something to Lauren." I stare with widened eyes. Oh no.

"Could it happen again?" Lisa just twiddles with her fingers nervously. That was answer enough. We sit quietly together until the sun filters through the window and lights up the room. The others twist and turn trying to avoid it but only succeed in waking each other up. Me and Lisa giggle quietly. The rest of the girls get up and start organizing the blankets. Lauren stays on the floor for a few seconds longer and then tries to pick herself up off the floor. She is able to sit up a bit but then collapses onto her back groaning. I'm by her side in an instant.

"Lo! Are you okay?"

"Fine. Just really sore. Can you help me up?" Her voice is hoarse from coughing up water last night and I can see bags under her eyes. She's obviously still exhausted.

"Sugar, I think it's better if you just get some more sleep. You'll probably feel better if you get more rest." Lauren doesn't listen and tries to get up again. I groan. She can be so stubborn sometimes. She continues struggling, and before she can fall I grab her wrists and pull her into an upright position. She grits her teeth as she straightens up.