Just Your Average 14 Year Old - Book 4 - New Battles

Chapter 4: Auxilium

-James' View (P.O.V)-

The day Alex, Nolen, Ryan and Skyler left was boring... Not much happened... I took watch most of the day. Jacob and Arlington went hunting and Katie sat out with me while she made traps for smallish animals to eat. But honestly I was bored. Alex and Ryan are normally the people I hang out with the most, especially Alex. We normally do look out shifts together as well.

Around sunset Jacob and Arlington came back with a turkey. I made a fire and we had a turkey dinner that night.

After a while after dinner it got dark. We started hearing noises in the woods, we thought it was Alex and the others coming back.

"I think their back" Katie said.

"Why?" Arlington asked.

"Hear that" Katie said "It's people walking... I think" She continued.

"You think?" Jake asked.

"Yeah I guess..." She commented.

All the sudden a gun shot went off. I grabbed my gun and the others did too. I ran to one side, behind a tree from where the shot came from. Jake fired towards the shot.

"Don't waste you bullets" I heard Katie say to him.

We saw someone run out of the forest, shooting near Jake. I ducked behind the tree incase a bullet came my way. Jake fired again, and then once more. Suddenly a shot went in his direction and he yelled in pain. I looked to where they were and sure enough Jake had been shot on the arm. Katie took his gun and shot one last time at the people shooting. I went to make a run to help but someone grabbed me from behind. I yelled in protested and kicked, fighting against there pull.

"James!" I heard Katie yell. 

But before anyone could do anything... They were being pulled away too. We were pulled away from the cabins... And then... I saw her...

Alex came running out of the woods to the cabins "James?" I heard her call.

I prayed that these people didn't hear her. As we were pulled I saw her looking frantically... Then Nolen, Ryan and Skyler got there... I couldn't let these people find them... Find Alex... I have to protect them..Her....

I started yelling and kicking more then before as a distraction, just hoping it would work. Before I knew it Alex and the others were out of sight. I sighed in relief... But we were still going somewhere, with people who we don't know... Nor want to know. Suddenly all my thoughts went black... I had suddenly been knocked out.

I woke up, everything was blurry and white. I moved my head back and forth trying to open my eyes. Once they opened I felt the brightness of the lights dim a bit as I finally adjusted. I blinked quickly trying to see where I was. I sat up quickly, I was in a bright room... In a hospital bed in fact. I looked around me and there were no IVs or anything hooked up... I was just in a hospital bed.

At first I thought I was dreaming... Sometimes my nightmares start like this.

I sat up looking around, a normal room with two waiting room chairs on the right side of the bed. I blinked a few times... Was this it? Is the apocalypse over? Did I just wake up from it all? Was I in a coma or something and I just dreamt everything in the apocalypse. But then, I realized that I was still in the apocalypse. The door opened and Katie walked in.

"Hey" Katie smiled.

"Where are we?" I asked confused.

"It's... Well... A safe zone for lack of better words. A hospital that they turned into a safe zone building... They take people in" She explained.

"Then why did the shoot at us" I asked.

"Apparently  they said they were shooting at a moaner and then Jake took the first shot" She said unconvinced.  

I nodded "Is Jake okay? I saw him get shot" I explained.

"Yeah...It was right on the edge but it went though a bit of mussel...  It was on his arm, they are treating it now" She continued. "But it's safe... The people are nice... They have power and warm food and running water... It's not surviving, its living, James!" She continued.

I sighed. I needed to find Alex and the others and bring them here... There all still out there! I got out of bed quickly, getting to my feet. I was still in my normal clothes but my shoes were sitting on the floor under the bed. I put them on and stood.

"We need to go find Alex, Nolen, Skyler and Ryan" I said walking to the door.

"Wait!" She stopped me "They need to talk to you first... Jake, Arlington and I have already had our talks... But they still need to talk to you... Kind of like a... Information presentation..." She said.

Suddenly a woman walked through the door "Ah, your awake" She said with a warm smile.
"James, right?" She asked.

I nodded simply.

She smiled "Well then, Katie if you would leave us I would like to inform James" She gestured to the door and Katie left with a smile and not another word.

"Now then James, I'm Rebeca. Welcome to Auxilium. A safe place for all who will except our safety. You and your friends are welcome here, you are friends James" She explained to me "Here we have warm meals and fresh food. Power and electricity... Running water and warm comfortable beds to sleep in. This building is huge... Seven floors and three main sections... Section one is the main building... We have the hospital, food court, armory and other things like that... The other two wings are rooms for people... One wing for the ones we trust... the other for the, others. You will be in the safer wing along with your friends... If you prove to us you need to be moved we will come to that later" She explained in a soft soothing tone.

 I nodded, this place was amazing. Safe... This was a place we could stay... Now the only thing is I need to get Alex and the others here.

"What about my other friends?" I asked.

"We can try to find them if you'd like" Rebeca replied.

"Yes, yes you need to find them! Please!" I exclaimed.

"Alright then... Tell me who they are, what they look like and where they are" She nodded.

After I told her about Alex, Nolen, Ryan and Skyler she agreed to try to find them. She then took me out of the hospital room and lead me to the 'safer' wing. She lead me to the fifth floor and to my room I would potentially share with Nolen when he arrived... Room 523... Nolen and I would share that room, Arlington and Jake are sharing room 525, next door to ours. Alex will share a room with Skyler in room 524, right across the four foot hallway...

When I walked into my room it was nice, like a hotel room. Two beds and a small bathroom with a  bath/shower. A small closet and a dresser for each of us. Being able to turn on a light switch and having it turn on was certainly nice for sure though...