Lost (#Wattys2016)

Chapter 5

I woke up the next morning to the sunlight shining through the hole underneath the doors. I sat up, yawned, and stretched. Looking around, I saw that the others were still asleep except for Connor. I felt like no one would even know what I did now until they woke up and I didn't care what Connor said or knew. I felt safe around him.

I pulled my legs up to my chest, resting my arms on top of my knees. Memories of what was happening to my mum came rushing through my mum and all those memories I had of her and with her... I cried into my arms, sobs racked my body.

"Shh... It's alright... You're okay..." Connor whispered into my ears. "T-They w-were t-torturing my m-mum..." I sobbed into his shoulders. "I-I think they d-drugged her. P-poisoned h-her." I cried, sniffling, trying to stop the tears but failing badly.

After a few minutes, I stopped crying. I decided I won't cry. Not ever again. For my mum. For the kids. I need to be brave. I need to show the kids that there is nothing to be afraid of. I wiped the tears off of my face and took a little water from my water bottle and wiped my face clean. I just hoped that my eyes weren't puffy and red so the kids won't know that I've been crying.

I wiped my face dry with the shirt I was wearing when I realised something. My dad. Even though I couldn't see his face clearly enough, I know that he was my dad. I had a very vague idea of what he looked like and hopefully, I'll be able to recognise him when the time comes for me to help my mum. At least to get her out of that hellhole.

The kids started waking up one by one. The last to wake up was Jace and everybody made fun of him and called him a pig. Too lazy to get up. We opened up some cans and ate our food. But this time, everyone was silent. The only sounds heard were of some of us chewing the food in our mouth, the spoon clanging against the cans or our teeth as we ate and some of us sniffling.

I cleaned my spoon after a few bites, not having any appetite to eat more. I stood up and was about to leave to check if anyone was outside when Jace pulled me aside and hid behind a wall seperating the room. "What happened last night?" He asked in a shushed whisper so that the others couldn't hear. "Why were those guards after us?" He asked again.

I sighed, knowing that I would have to tell one of them sooner or later what was happening. Why those guards wanted me. Who my mum is. Who my dad is. Why they are after me. I don't even know why they're after me! I just know that they want me for something. Considering that they're scientists, I don't think that the reason they want me is because my dad wants to see me again and reconcile with me.

"My mum is a scientist. Genetic scientist. She gave birth to me and my parents divorced. All I know about my father right now is that he is a very famous scientist. And that he's looking for me. I don't know the reason and what for, but I do know that it's not something. Definitely not to reconcile with me." I muttered the last part. That son of a bitch... I thought to myself. I looked up at Jace and he was staring at me in shock. With that are-you-serious-or-are-you-just-messing-with-me-face. I smiled.

"I'm not lying to you. You can ask Connor if you want. He knows me best and our mums are like the bestest friends." I told him.

"Wait. Your parents are both scientist. Wow. Wow! Then you must be really smart!" I was dumbfounded. I just told him that my dad is looking for me and that basically all our lives are in danger and that I might most likely get killed after getting caught and he's stuck up on me being smart because my parents are scientists?! What the hell is wrong with boys these days! I just slowly nodded my head. "I have an A average." I told him. "Why are you so smart! That is just so not fair!" He whined a little. I am so lost in this conversation right now. What were we even talking about?! How in the world did we get to talking about me being smart?!

"Hey Jace, Clare." Connor said, walking up behind me. "Hey back to you. And I am so done with talking to boys!" I said, throwing my hands up in the air. "Why? What's wrong?" Connor asked, confused. "I told him why we were running away and all the dangers and stuff and he's stuck at the part of me being smart and that both my parents are scientists and how that is so not fair to him and completely ignoring the whole part about people getting killed. Me in particular!" Connor was lost somewhere in my rant. He gave me this face that was telling me, 'I heard the first two sentences but now I'm lost can someone explain to me what's going on?' I sighed and walked away. Boys... I thought, shaking my head.

The kids were done eating and cleaning up. "We should move." I told everyone. "If we stay here, they might come back. Everyone pack up your things and get ready to move." I instructed the kids, going over to get my bag and start packing up.

About an hour later, everyone was packed and ready to go. I opened the door a little, its creaking sound soft yet not unheard by the others I pressed myself close to the creek in which I had opened and looked around, checking for danger. After a few looks, I saw nobody walked past or even at the corner of my eye.

I slowly, yet cautiously, opened the door and started walking around, looking around frantically, expecting soldiers to jump out nowhere and start attacking us. The image of my mother flashed before me. Her being beaten up, injected with drugs and poisons. The pain she's going through this moment. Just for me.

I let out a long sigh, trying my best not to cry. Yet, my eyes betrayed me. I felt a tear roll down my cheek and I quickly raised my hand to wipe it off. If the kids saw me, they would be scared. They wouldn't know what to do. I must stay strong. For my mum. And for all the friends I have made in this group.

I started jogging slowly when something reminded me of why I was out here. Find the diary Clary. Find it. I could hear my mum say in my head. If the soldiers find me, what would they do to the kids? No. I have to leave the behind. I have to do this myself. I started jogging down the streets, looking at all the different buildings in which we can stay in. I continued running, looking around until I came to a newly completed condo. There were still construction fences around it but the front gate was wide open. Probably due to the rush that day when everyone was trying to get into the camp.

'Water tank that collects rain supplies water to the taps.' I read from the gigantic poster stuck onto the fence. Rain water. Supplies the water to the tap. That's it! If this place is more or less completed, the rain from the past few days before the crisis happened should still be there! And that means that we'll have water to shower in! I walked in and to the nearest flat. We climbed up to the eighth floor and into one of the houses. This house was one of the showrooms! It was quite obvious considering all the brochures stuck to the wall. I walked straight into the kitchen and turned on the tap. As soon I turned it on, water gushed out and I quickly slammed it shut, not wanting to waste any of it. A wide smile was plastered to my face as I quickly ran to the nearest toilet. I pressed the button on top of the toilet and I watched as the water came out and flushed down into the drain, the loud sound a contrast to everything and I let out a scream in excitement. "What happened!" Jace shouted as he ran to the toilet door. "The water here works!" I shouted at them. I went to the tap and turned it on for a second, letting the water run before quickly turning it off. "Oh my god!" The older kids shouted. 

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A/N: Finally! I updated 2 books in a day at almost the exact same time!! The other book is a fanfic in my other account. It is a Divergent fanfic so if any of you divergent fans out there want to read, go look for Blehcoodle . That is my other account.