The Soldier

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  I have a suite for us for two days. The suites are nice if you can cope with the problems outside. There are three bedrooms, each including a bathroom and TV, and one kitchen. I'm pretty sure we don't need to use anything in there besides the refrigerator.

Star stares at me, as if any second I might hurt her. "If don't feel quite safe, you can leave anytime you feel." I reassure her and she sits on chair at the kitchen counter.

Jacob kisses my cheek as she watches.

We all start to eat, and my eyes close at the taste of the tea. The North doesn't have tea. The tea is a sweet, brownish liquid that feels like clouds. If this is good, I wonder what other good things the South has.

When we're all done, Star huddles in the corner of the room. "Why are you being so nice to me?" Star asks.

"The North is wrong, that's why." I answer.

She gasps as if she's surprised.

I feel puzzled now. Doesn't everyone in the South hate the North? Jacob shakes his head at me. I want to say more, but I get that I shouldn't.

June, shut your big mouth. Something tells me.

Star walks into the room I gave her and slams it shut, and I wince. I don't know why she's so grumpy all of the sudden. And I stare at her door until I feel Jacob tap my arm.

"What?' I say.

"This isn't really the South, June. Did you forget that." he says. Not a question. A statement.

I messed up. I know I'm not perfect. I knew one day I was going to mess up, and now the time is now. No mistakes can be afforded now. Not here. Not while we're still in the Northern Colonies.

I cock my head and stare at him with puzzlement. There's nothing else to do.

"There are some places here that obey the North, and this is one of them." Jacob whispers.

"I know." I whisper pathetically, like I'm some little girl. But before I can finish my apology, he walks off into his room and slams the door shut like Star.

It doesn't take me long to know that he's covering up for my mistake.

I throw our empty soup bowls in the trash, and head to my own room.

My room disgusts me. Outside, there are people on the streets looking for a place to sleep, but they can't because they can't afford it. Despite the sickening feeling in my gut, I find myself falling on its warm sheets. I've almost forgotten how good a bed feels. My eyes close and I go to sleep.

When I awake, Jacob is looming over me. His hands feel against my forehead and I suddenly feel sick.

"You're running a fever." he whispers.

I groan and lie my head on his shoulder, feeling like I'm dizzy. Jacob runs his hand over my forehead again, and runs his hands through my hair. "I don't feel so good." I mumble. As if in reply, my stomach makes a tearing sound. That makes me feel worse. Jacob runs his hands along my stomach, but it doesn't make me feel any better. I place the palm of my hand on the back of his and it makes me sigh.

"June... your body's really warm." he says with worry on his face.

"Is that normal?" I ask.

"No, not at all." Jacob holds me closer and I feel like I'll vomit.

"Where's Star?" I say.

"She left?"

I'm about to say where, but I told her she could leave whenever she wanted, anyway. My body spasms and I cry out in pain. Jacob's eyes fill with slight panic as I actually do start to vomit. The vomit keeps coming as I run to the bathroom and retch out everything.

When I look in the corner of my eye, I see nothing. That's when I lose it. I scream. "I'M BLIND! I'M BLIND!"

"Jacob!" I wail and I hear him run in as I vomit again.

"You're vomiting blood, June." he panics.

That makes it worse. My body spasms again and I trash around. Jacob calls my name to calm me, but I keep crying. I've stopped vomiting, and my body has stopped spamming.

Just when I think I'm going to die, my vision is back, and my body is back to being okay. Like it never happened in the first place. Jacob presses my head to his chest as if it'll be the last time he'll see me. My breath goes into his as we both breathe hard. We don't kiss, we don't talk. All we do is hold each other tight.

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