Broken World

Chapter 25

       I awake, and I feel something warm against my back. I roll over and see that Calvin has basically wrapped himself around me. At first I'm confused, but then I figure I must've gotten cold in the night, and he was a gentleman and wanted to keep me warm. I slip out of his grip and check my watch. It's only seven am. I lay back down and fall back asleep.

       I awake when I hear someone running down the halls. Calvin jerks up next to me, and when he sees that I know he's been sleeping next to me he blushes.

       "You were shivering. I wanted you to be warm," he stutters.

       "Uh-huh, sure," I say jokingly with a smile. I brush my hair out and walk out to find the person running. They almost run flat into me.

       "Delilah, they need you in the infirmary," he pants. It's the same boy that comes and gets me every time. His blue eyes are shining, and his shaggy, dirty blonde hair is sticking up in weird angles. He looks to be around fifteen. He is like five foot six as well.

       "Before I go, what's your name?" I ask.

       "My name's Dylan," he pants.

       "Nice to finally know your name after you've chased me down so many times," I say with a smile. He nods with a smile of his own and runs off. I head to the infirmary, and Calvin decides to follow me. When I get there all the medics and patients look at me.

       "Dylan said you needed me. What's going on?" I ask.

       "Can we speak in the hall?" one of the medics asks me.

       "Um, sure," I say. They follow me into the hall.

       "Kellin's gash wasn't from his knife as you thought," the medic says once we get in the hall.

       "Then what was it from?" I ask feeling panic begin to well inside me.

       "We believe one of the azoms bit him. I'm sorry, but I don't know if he'll make it," the medic says pursing his lips.

       "Wh-wh-what?" I stutter my heart stopping.

       "We'll give it all we have to save him, but there's no promises. He's been throwing up a lot since yesterday, and he can barely move," the medic says.

       "O-okay, th-thanks," I stutter before going downstairs. I go outside and see a mob. May as well kill them since they may have killed the one I love. I launch at them and make a careless mistake of turning my back to one of them. I feel a sharp pain as nails rip open my back. I cry out in agony and whirl on the thing. I kill them all before going inside. I try to hide the wound, but someone sees it and calls out to me. I look at them and nod a sorrowful nod. I head to the infirmary and show them my wound. They look horrified and clean the wound. They put a bandage on it, and I wince as they wrap it a bit too tight. They exchange fearful looks, but I just nod at them gratefully before walking out of the room. I refuse to sit in there. As I walk through the building with my shirt transformed into a crop top by a medic people stare at the bandage. Calvin and Brandon run up to me when they see the bandage.

       "What happened?" Calvin asks, and the worry is clear in his voice.

       "I got scratched because I made a careless mistake. I'll be fine though," I say with a weak smile.

       "But what if you change?" Brandon asks.

       "Then I change, and someone takes over here. Not much I can do about it," I say. The boys look at me like I'm crazy, and then Red, Warren, and Alex walk over.

       "What happened?" Alex asks.

       "I got scratched," I say with a sigh. I start walking and head toward Jim's office. The boys trail after me, and Zoe runs up as I walk.

       "What-" I cut her off.

       "You'll find out in a minute," I grumble.

       "Hey, Delilah. What's up?" Jim asks. Then he turns around and says, "Whoa, what happened?"

       "Can I make an announcement over the intercom thingy?" I ask.

       "Yeah, sure. Here's the microphone," he says gesturing to it. I click the button.

       "Okay, all my friends and kids I've picked up,I've been scratched. The next person to ask me what happened I will punch. You have been warned," with that I let off the button, turn, and stride from the room. The building seems to have went into stunned silence as I walk past people. I go to my room, lay down, and go to sleep.