Arabella

Chapter 15

      Shortly Arabella guided the people into the forest, only seeing a mountain ahead. Their hearts raced after seeing a few more runners, Lurkers. It was such a scary moment. Their feet moved swiftly as they strode through the forest. Arabella continued looking left and right trying to figure out where else to go and trying to protect those behind her, holding her gun up first, but what she remembered was to keep going north. Footsteps behind them, the clicking and unhuman screams. It made sense that there would be Runners somewhere deep in these woods. The blotchy cold skin of the runners, who once used to be people were running after us.
     Not only was it the Runners, but a hovercraft had spotted us, and we'd decided to run quick. "Aghh!!" a familiar voice screamed in pain. Arabella looked back seeing Luke in pain from the bullets that flied everywhere. More and more died. He fell to the floor holding his leg, and Arabella looked back eyes widening. He had succumbed the soreness of the bullet.
     She yelled for him, "LUKE!!!" Stopping her tracks she ran back shooting any runners from trying to eat his flesh. A second went by, and she already found herself picking him up as he was coughing trying to stay awake as her heart sank slowly. They stopped just halfway, and she held him as he was on the floor looking up at her smiling weakly.
     "It'll heal, I promise," he murmured to her. Melissa looked at him, her eyes completely turned, the brown color in her eyes red. She looked at the men, motioned them to pick him up. They took his body as he tried staying awake. They were almost there, the small steep up one mountain was enough. Their legs felt the excruciating pain from the hike, finally making it to the summit. Then they saw it-- The palace. Arabella's eyes watered as she smiled from finally making it. Cameron and his friends cheered on, holding Arabella tightly in an embrace. Luke was still looking up at the sky, some of them walking forward with Melissa to keep moving.
     Soon enough, they climbed rock by rock heading for the Kingdom. Arabella couldn't help but stare at the ground. It all went by quickly, and she examined the beautiful kingdom. There it stood on the other side, but it wasn't snowy mountains. Rocky, some vines and beautiful waterfalls lied ahead. It indeed was a gorgeous place, and Arabella caught up with the rest of them after finally making their arrival. Oh, how beautiful the palace is.
     It was almost a dream, and Chris put his arm right around Arabella's shoulders for comfort and trying to make her forget about Luke's accident, "You know.. I've been hearing that this place has really good food."
     She scoffed lightly. "I bet so.." The two walked together again while climbing the rocks, "it's been a while since we've talked."
"Yeah," Chris shook his head slightly and let go of her, "It feels good talking to you again."
Her heart sank at the thought of Luke. The tips of her fingers grew cold as they passed the slight mist from the waterfalls beside them. Cameron, Melissa, Max and Dee were ahead of them. Dalton barely fought the nerve to fall on the ground and go to sleep. Fatigue washed over just about everyone except Arabella. It was barely the afternoon. No one knew how long it'd possibly take. As soon as Arabella approached all adults and her friends, she stared at the guard pointing a sword towards Melissa.
They felt the hard concrete ground. The sun shone quite rightly against Arabella.
"We will speak to the queen about this—" The guard came to a pause as he heard footsteps smacking against the floor.
A familiar, young voice had interrupted, "I don't mean to intervene, but as far as I'm concerned, these people were summoned to the Palace. And we already spoke to the queen of this. And Arabella of course."
A look of surprise swept across her face. It was a tall young man who had pushed through the crowd. Late teenage years with short brown hair, a masculine build, and beautiful green eyes. As he made his way through the crowd, Arabella shifted left and right trying to get a good view of him.
     Finally, he made his way out of the crowd and stared at her with a sly smile, "It's good to see you again."
     "Alex," she put up a small fake smile that seemed more noticeable. It was the guy who tried flirting with her while entering through the gates to the Heavens.
Alex chuckled as he walked up to her, "You look good human form. I like the new... Change."
     "Gee thanks," she blushed in embarrassment and awkwardly stared at Chris for help. Shaking her head she rolled her eyes and continued speaking.
     "Come," Alex motioned Arabella's group towards him. They followed with trust and moved along. The others were left in rooms, and the doctors of the Palace had taken Luke away to a separate room.
     Her heart sank knowing that he must be in deep pain. The last to be left alone was Alex and Arabella together walking through the hallways of the dorms. The clean tile floor was beautiful.
     "I told you that I'd see you again," he smirked hoping that he started a conversation, "The heavens have been doing better. We're barely recovering."
     Arabella examined the intricate details. Without making eye contact she sighed, "I forgot how good it felt to be up there."
     "You belong down here and so do all of your friends," Alex trailed off and stopped his tracks. Slowly he turned around, "I do too. I belong down here."
     She nodded her head and looked at the big room, assuming it would be hers as Alex had presented the double doors on the top floor.
     "Hopefully it isn't too much," he chuckled and followed Arabella inside, "I'll see you at supper. In the meantime, it looks like a shower would do you justice."
     Sarcastically and annoyed, Arabella rolled her eyes and waved at him looking at the clothes set inside. There seemed to only be dresses, very few pants. Choosing the best one Arabella picked out the white lace dress and figured out what was where.
     Most of Arabella's evening consisted of a good scrub in a hot bath. She noticed how much dirt had piled onto her skin as she scraped off the muck, blood. For a month, Arabella had been stuck in the open making it to the safe haven. It was almost surreal to her. The monsters chasing after them. Moving on day by day, and watching people die and not looking back at the past because it will hurt more. During her shower she let the steaming water trickle down her freshly bare skin. Head resting on the wall, eyes closed. The only thing that hasn't left her mind was Luke. He mattered most to her and wanted to know if he were to be alive.

Luke, please be okay.

     It almost sounded impossible to reach him, but these teenagers were supernatural. Arabella then got out, and wrapped herself up in a towel. The mirror of the bathroom was foggy. Never ever had she seen such a bathroom this big before. Dressing up, a knock on the door happened, nearly scaring Arabella.
     "Miss Arabella," a man's voice called out, "Dinner will be serving in just a few minutes."
     She brushed her hair, and slipped on the dress that she preferred. Once the doors opened, Arabella finally felt the cool and fresh wind that hit against her skin as she walked out, trying her best to find the dining room.
     It ended up being outside, and she only recognized her father there, sitting with a woman who looked oddly familiar. The two of them held hands.
     "Just in time," Chris chuckled and patted Arabella's back, "Let's go eat some good food." They walked together, but then he mentioned, "I forgot to tell you that you look really cute."
     Her heart warmed up and eased a bit, "Thanks."
     "Arabella," a woman's faint voice had summoned her name, "is that you?"
     She sat across from Arabella. A lady at her mid forties. She had brown hair, and seemed fit. Arabella only stared at the oddly familiar lady. Then the voice hit her, "Mom?"
     "I heard you have a baby," she chuckled.
     Arabella's eyes widened, "N-no not like that. She was a gift from this lady named Amber."
     "Take care of her," she smiled as they all are. Arabella devoured her food after all those times she'd starve after all the boys would run out of food.
     The supply here is amazing, and the food they provided is something not everyone is able to get.
     "How did you make it here without dying," one of the Knights had questioned Arabella. She shrugged and smiled.
     "I've been wondering the same thing," she chuckled. The night was restless and all she could possibly think about was Luke.
     The clock hit nine and Arabella sat on her king sized bed, playing with baby Isabella, the most precious gift. She giggled and grasped onto Arabella's index finger. She smelt good and her skin soft. Suddenly the door came open and it ended up being Max.
     "I hate to interrupt sis," he murmured, "But you should go check on Luke. I'll watch Isabella."
     A faint smile was painted across her face and she ran out, finding the room Luke was in with excitement. She swiftly moved from hallway to hallway exploring each section of the place.
     That was when she almost passed an open door, Luke laying down on his back. Her heart sank, but she ran towards the room excited and turned the lights on.
     "Luke-" she busted through the doors with relief.
     His skin was warm, the tips of his fingers cold and he had band aids all over his arms. Luke's eyes went wide open at the sound of Arabella's voice, "Bella—" Before he could say anymore, she planted a kiss on his lips that lasted forever.
     Their hearts pounded quick together. She slowly released. Luke was cleaned up, and his skin looked clean. They made eye contact. Luke had enough time to show the spark in his eyes that easily convinced himself that Arabella would be the one for him, and his eyes fired with a burning love that was reciprocated to hers. "I love you."