Crusade ~ World from Ashes {Complete}

9

I spent the rest of the day in that room. At some point I had picked myself up off the floor and fell upon the bed. I didn't sleep though, and anyone who came in to see me got the cold shoulder. I didn't know where Ryker went, but at that moment I didn't care. Trying to rid myself of the awful feelings that boiled up in my stomach was my priority. I felt like I could be sick.

Weak. Pathetically weak. Why do I bother?

The thoughts whirled around in my head. I was an idiot. I was weak. I wasn't anything that could match up to the others. They were so much stronger. Why was I even with them anyway? My life wasn't valuable. I had nothing to offer. I was nothing but a troublesome burden. So, why me? Maybe they just pitied me. I ground my teeth at the thought. Like some stray cat, lost in the rain. A simple, impulsive drive that was regretted afterward.

I didn't realize that my body had simply shut down at one point, falling into a deep sleep that I woke up from later into the night. Rolling to my back, I glanced around the dark room. As I moved something crumpled under me. Sitting up I turned in the darkness, my fingers brushing across the sheets to feel what I had rolled over on. The paper came into my hands a second later. Odd... Slipping over to the edge of the bed, I pulled the string to turn on the side lamp.

Unfolding the paper, I noted immediately that it wasn't Ryker's handwriting. I would have recognized his heavy scrawl on the paper. The words written on the paper had me confused and suspicious. At the same time though, I was curious about the whole message. It was a list, a directions list. At the bottom was a message.

If you want to help him. Do this for him.

My eyes narrowed at the paper, eyebrows drawn down in thought as I eyed the paper. I didn't know exactly what it was I was supposed to do or who I was helping. However, I had a fairly good idea I knew who the message was referring to, which made it even more suspicious. Even so, I stood up and folded the paper. Tucking it in my pants, I moved to the door of the room. It was dark in the hallway. A light toward the front of the huge house helped me get to the front door. I did what I could to keep silent as I walked to the huge double doors.

As I reached out for the door handle, I paused. Glancing around, I made sure no one was around. The door made no sound as I pulled it open and stepped out into the darkness. Cool air washed over me. Closing the door securely, I walked out into the driveway and headed in the direction that the note had said to go. Taking it out of my pocket, I frowned as I realized the directions were made quite well and in fact done for someone walking rather than driving. It felt odd to know that whoever wrote it knew I would walk. Or maybe they were just taking a leap of faith. I could have easily ignored the note all together.

Still. That last line though pulled at me. What did they want me to do? To help Ryker, I was supposed to do something for him. Was he hurt? Did something happen to him? My gaze grew wide as the thoughts passed through my mind. What if he was hurt?! I quickened my pace. Following the note exactly, I found myself quite a ways from the house that we were all staying in. In front of me was a large building, a warehouse of sorts it seemed.

On the side of the concrete, next to the door, was a large red symbol. A pair of wings was painted on the wall. I eyed the blood red painting with scrutiny before I tucked away the note and walked up to the door. As I entered, I was greeted by a pitch black void. I paused at the doorway and waited until my vision adjusted to the darkness. Inside there were a ton of plastic wrapped pallets full of random things. An abandoned desk sat before me and to my right a hall that led deeper into the warehouse.

There was a light from down there and soft sounds echoing out into the main entrance. I edged my way there, being careful of where I stepped as the floor was littered with trash and old debris. Edging closer to the end of the hall, I slowly started dropping down to a crouch, stepping very carefully and trying to be as quiet as possible. Once I reached the doorway, I leaned forward just a bit to see into the room beyond. My heart nearly stopped at what I saw.