Toy Soldier {ManxManxMan}

CHAPTER 7

When I first woke up I almost screamed. Maybe because I'd been having a horrible nightmare and thought I was still in that place, tied to Bay Donovan Blu's bed just waiting for the inevitable, but through my blurry vision, I saw the green stars on my ceiling and somehow managed to calm down, lifting a hand and rubbing my eyes before sinking further under the covers of my bed, hugging one of the pillows as I played around with Ronnie's knife.

For a long time, I didn't move, until someone knocked on my door, prompting a heavy sigh to leave my lips. I had to force myself to stand up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as I shuffled over to the door, unlocking it, and cracking it open to see Maggie standing out in the hall. She smiled when she saw me and opened her mouth like she wanted to say something, but I shut the door before she could and relocked it so she couldn't get in.

"Dakota?!" she punched the door a few times, "Are you kidding me right now? Don't be a child! It's almost eleven!"

I didn't reply, just shuffled back over to bed, and crawled under the covers, hiding my head under a pillow and going back to sleep. Maggie must have stood there for a while, because when I finally woke up, dressed myself, and left the room, she was standing across the hall leaning against the wall, arms folded.

"Don't you have better things to do than harass me?" I asked, and she gaped at me before scoffing.

"You're still such a pain," she bit, "I just want to talk to you!"

"Not in the mood," I grumbled, turning and making my way down the hall towards the infirmary so Arthur could rebandage everything, "I'm kind of busy right now, go nag your friends."

"Dakota I swear, you're going to talk to me! I need to know what happened!"

"Bomb fell, house blew up, everyone died, screw off."

"Damn it, Dakota, I already know that part!" Maggie was right behind me, the few people we passed in the hall glared at her in distrust, but I tried to pacify them with a weak smile as she continued to bug me, "Were you in the house? Were you outside? How did you get through it?"

"I started walking and didn't stop," I answered, turning to her when I reached the infirmary, "Just leave me alone."

Maggie just stared at me with disbelieving wide eyes, "Like hell! You're my brother! I thought you were dead!"

"If only," I grumbled and stepped into the infirmary.

Arthur smiled brightly when he saw me, but frowned a little when he saw Maggie, "Morning Dakota," he greeted me, giving my sister a polite smile, "Who's this? One of Carina's group?"

"Yea," I said, plopping down onto one of the cots, "Just ignore her, she's a bother."

She made a frustrated noise, making Arthur jump in surprise, "Dakota I will tie you down and skin you!"

"I literally dare you to try."

"Excuse me," Arthur cleared his throat, staring at Maggie with an amusing look on his face, "I'd appreciate it if you didn't threaten him. You may have helped him back, but you have no right to talk to him like that."

I snorted against my hand as Maggie's face turned red, "I-I'm his sister!" she shrilled, and Arthur blinked in surprise.

"What?"

"My name is Maggie Bailey, I'm his older sister!" she turned to glare at me, "I thought he was dead!"

"Is that true?" Arthur asked me, and I stared at him before shrugging.

"How's Demi?"

Arthur huffed and picked up his salve and a few rolls of bandages, "He's resting," he said, "For a while there I was worried he wouldn't wake up, it was like his mind just shut down against the electricity they used on him, but he should wake up soon. He just needs rest, and he'll be incredibly sore when he gains consciousness. He's alive though."