The Savior of Souls ✔

Part Seven

I heard Shane in the background trying to wake everyone up, I ignored him and tried to go back to sleep. A few minutes seemed to pass before he shone the lamp Anthony was allowed to borrow last night in my face.

"Ow," I said, sitting up. "What was that for?" I rubbed my eyes and blinked the lingering spots of light from my vision. Shane did the same process with Tyler, whose reaction was much similar to my own. Shane tossed our bags to us and started heading out the door, soon followed by the rest of us.

We said a quick goodbye to the lady in the lobby, Shane thanked her for the lamp, and we were off to start an early day.

"Why are we so early?" Anthony asked, he seemed tired too, but hadn't argued about being awake.

"Abby and I discussed the best rout, but unfortunately the fastest way is on the surface, we can manage getting to the next tunnel in time but we can't take as many breaks, it's too risky," Shane explained.

"We're traveling with the risk of the sun?" Tyler asked, mirroring my own worry.

"If we're quick enough there will be no risk," Abby said as we sped up. Shane tossed the keys and lamp on the receptionist's desk and we were off to the rest of our journey. Anthony couldn't take the long stairs without exhausting himself, so Shane agreed to carry him on his back until we reached the surface.

When we got there, Anthony took a deep breath of the fresh air, enjoying the clean smell more than what was probably an old musty smell from down the tunnels. He touched the grass and looked around in the light of the moon, which was more light than he'd had in awhile. We let him have a moment, but after it had become too long Shane was quick to end it.

It was a long day of walking, and after a while we had to search for a place that would still be open for Anthony without going too much out of our way. We rushed his meal and Shane offered to carry him again so we could keep moving. To our luck, nobody questioned a group of young adults carrying around an almost unconscious fourteen year old.

I began to get more and more worried as time passed, both Tyler and Shane trying to comfort me through the bonds. It was weird to hear both of them in my head at once, and I had to figure out how to control who I was talking to. There were times when I had no clue who'd heard what, but it hadn't mattered much to me because I didn't say anything bad to either of them.

When I felt the sun had started to rise I looked frantically for something similar to the entrance of the last system. I began to sweat and the panic that rose in Shane wasn't reassuring. We all began to run, I found myself falling behind even when Shane dropped Anthony to his side to uncover the entrance.

They all got in and when the sun was finally up I started to feel a burning sensation. I think I screamed, but I couldn't hear myself. I dropped to the ground, unable to fight the automatic impulse to try and relieve the pain, even if getting to the tunnel would be better.

I tried to make myself stand, trying to let logic win over impulse, but it wasn't easy. Anthony emerged from the tunnel, squinting at the light slightly before rushing to my side. When he got me into safety I collapsed to the ground, hugging the cold cement stairs.

I was in too much pain to focus on anything, so the emotions in my head weren't distinct. Shane looked at me, saying something to the others before rushing down the stairs, followed by Abby.

I took a few shaky breaths, wincing whenever Tyler or Anthony tried to assist me. They talked to me, but I couldn't bring myself to reply. When we got to the bottom of the staircase we were met by Shane, Abby, and a guy I didn't recognise.

"Are you sure the clinic is close enough to walk?" Abby asked as Shane pulled me over his shoulder. I tried not to push away because of the pain it caused me because I knew it was for the best. Shane apologized to me through the bond, which had started to regain some clarity. Tyler yelled at him, as if Shane couldn't feel my pain too.

"It'll take longer to get an ambulance here, it's not too far," the unfamiliar man replied.

"Then lead the way! We're new to the area and she needs help," Shane shouted at him. I looked over at the guy and saw him start to jog in the opposite direction. I knew I couldn't talk to him through the bond, and I found myself too weak to say anything aloud, so I would remember to thank them for their help later.

Shane was panicked because of those slight cases of death he'd witnessed, and Tyler was freaking out because he was worried. Eventually Anthony had been too slow, even slower than Shane who'd had to carry me, so Abby offered to stay behind with him.

"Could the ride be a bit smoother?" I asked, it was meant to be a joke, but from the way he slowed I knew he hadn't interpreted it that way. The pain I felt was less sharp, but it was still enough to make me wince every time we hit the ground again.

Three waves of exhaustion, one from Shane, Tyler, and my own, hit me at once. Not wanting to worry Shane and Tyler further, I tried to keep my eyes open. Before I knew it I was rushed to a room and treated for my burns.

When I awoke the next morning there was a quiet buzz of conversation. Tyler had been holding my hand, and Shane gave our hands an envious glare. I knew that I'd have to make sure he understood we were only friends eventually, but a part of me hadn't wanted to do it now.

I couldn't help but notice how resilient us vampires were, because I now felt as if nothing had happened. All the pain and agony from last night was nowhere to be seen, but all the tension between us all had remained, being the only reminder of last nights events.

"Can we leave yet?" was the first thing that could escape my lips.

"The nurse said they'd have to check up with you before you left," Shane informed me.

"But, they did say the odds were in our favor. We should be able to leave soon," Tyler assured me.

"Thanks, for helping me out. Especially you, Anthony. If it weren't for you I'd have been stuck in the sun." I silently thanked Shane through the bond, for carrying me to the clinic. He gave me a small nod, nobody else in the room had seemed to notice.

"It wasn't an issue," Anthony had begun. "I was the only one capable of going into the sun to get you."

I nodded, not feeling the strength yet to try and break Anthony's modesty. I fell into another light nap while the rest of them chattered softly around me. I was comforted by the fact that they were here, people who cared for me. Even if all of them weren't technically my family, I had officially started calling them my family in my head. Abby would be like an aunt, Anthony was, of course, my brother. I didn't know where I'd place the other two, but they'd still be family, nonetheless.

Later, a nurse came in and made everyone leave me. She did some little tests to be sure I would be able to make it out in the wild. When I was cleared we left immediately, Shane and Abby had already chosen the next rout. This time, and hopefully not anytime soon, we weren't going to the surface.