Running

Chapter Fifteen: What Fun

Iris's POV:

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Sweat, hands, blood, slick, slippery, screaming, "stop!", Aunt Gillian, oh, God, please, die, please.....

I wake up. My head aches, my chest constricts, and my heart beats much too fast for my liking.

I see Mr. McAllen through my haze of sleepiness. He whispers, "Sleep, child." I do.

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I wake up again, but this time it isn't dark. It's bright, sunny, and I hate it.

I feel as if I'm hungover. Ugh. I drank one night, and it did not turn out well for me or the people within five feet of me.

Lots of broken bones that night.

Now, Dr. McAllen pops into my room, his radiant smile shining down on me.

"Hello, dear," he says. Something scratches at the back of my head, but I ignore it. It's probably nothing.

"Your friend," his eyes tighten at the word. For what reason, I don't know. He continues, "is outside waiting. You ready to get all this machinery off?"

"Am I ever!" I shout in glee, my cheeks rosy with happiness. Time to get out of this death trap!

He looks so wistful. For a second, a flash of warmth and bright joy echoes through my mind. Oh, God. What's the matter with me?

"Okay," I shake my head, ridding myself of the weird inner thoughts. "Can you help me?"

"Yes," he smiles, reaching for my pale, shaky arms, "of course."

After he's helped me out of bed, taken all the machinery off, and walked me over to the door, I collapse.

My legs are skinnier, paler, and are shivering. They shake as if it is below zero.

"I," I swallow bile that rises up in my throat, "I feel sick."

"You're just nervous," he insists. "Just talk to that Forrest fellow. He'll make you feel better."

"Yeah," I shake away the sickening thoughts. "Okay. Is he out there?"

"Yes. I saw him a few moments ago."

We walk over to a smiling Will while I whisper hoarsely, "Hi." His smile vanishes.

"What's the matter?" he says, cautiously reaching out to tuck me under his arm. "Are you sick?"

"No," I reply. "I just feel odd."

"Odd how?"

"Like," I think for a moment, "my heart is beating really fast. And this spot on my neck really itches and burns."

"Where?" he blanches. Why?

I gesture towards a spot on the right side of the nape of my neck. "Right here."

He turns white, red, purple, blue, until he looks like he's going to burst. "Who....has anyone.....said anything to you? About.....mates?"

"Will," I say, shocked. "What are you----"

"Has anyone?"

"Well," I sigh, playing with my fingers. "Aaron said something about us being mates, and some nonsense about wolves. But I'm pretty sure he's mental."

Dr. McAllen and Will both say, with matching red faces, "I'll kill him!"

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Unknown's POV:

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She's coming soon. Soon. The word is music to my ears, a high melody in the sweetest tune.

Time for more fun and games. More blood. Goody!

Terra's here. She whispers, "Iris is on her way." I love my Terra. But lately she hasn't been looking at me the same. I don't like it.

"Terra, honey," I say sweetly. Crickety-crack, Iris's bones did that! Cackle, I cackle in my mind.

"Yes, Mother?"

"I love you." Hearts warm, people coo, but my Terra remains cold.

"You, too."

She leaves. Has Iris been talking to her? Spreading nasty lies, ugly words to make my daughter hate me?

I'll give her a treat tonight. Ooh, what fun.

A knife, my knuckles, a belt or two.

What fun, oh, goody, what fun.

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