Desolation

Chapter Thirteen

((here's a pic of tessa for you guys to see what she looks like!))

My blood runs cold when I hear Tristan's words.

Jessica is dead.

I suddenly feel nauseated and stumble backwards, stepping away from her dead body.

"No," I whisper under my breath.

Anger boils up inside of me. They did this to her. They are the reason that she is dead.

Then, that anger turns into fear when I realize that this could very well happen to Ian. Or Tristan. The thought of losing them is terrifying.

I take one last look at Jessica's body. She looks strangely peaceful, as if none of the violent convulsions had occurred just moments ago. I close my eyes, unable to look anymore. Ian pulls me close to him, turning me away from her body.

I bury my head into his chest, and that's when the tears start. They are hot, angry tears that burn my eyes. They got what they wanted. Ian rubs his hand on my back, encircling his other arm around me. 

"It's okay," he whispers.

"No, it's not okay that someone is dead. This is what Hal and the others wanted; for some horrible reason they want us to die on this island," I say, my voice trembling with rage.

It takes me a moment to process what I just said. 

I have said too much.

"Wait, what did you just say?" Ian asks, looking at me with a confused expression on his face.

Oh no. I shouldn't of said that.

"Umm...nothing," I say, backing away from Ian slowly.

"No, you just mentioned something about someone named Hal and the others. What is going on?" he asks, his gaze piercing.

I begin to sweat nervously.

I turn around, looking at Tristan who has stood up. He looks at me, his eyebrows raised.

"Tessa, what are you not telling us?" Tristan asks with a concerned look.

My stomach sinks. I have been caught in my lie.

"You didn't go to get water in the middle of the night last night. Something else happened," Ian says, his voice suddenly distant and cold.

I look back at Ian, who is staring at me. He does not look happy at all.

"Tessa, what happened last night?" Tristan says.

"They took me," I blurt out, my heart racing.

"Who took you?" Tristan asks, crossing his arms across his chest.

Tears begin to stream down my face. I am an absolute mess right now.

"The people who are holding us captive here," I say, my voice shaking.

Ian has not broke his impassive glare.

"What happened? Where did they take you?" Tristan asks.

"They drugged me and I...well I woke up this morning in a cage, somewhere in the jungle. Then later, these two men came and got me, and they took me to their underground headquarters, " I say, tears filling my eyes.

"Underground headquarters?" Tristan asks, confused.

"Yeah...they have this hatch that leads to their place under the ground," I say.

"Who are they? And what happened down there?"

I close my eyes, shuddering. I do not want to recount what happened.