Running With the Wave

Chapter 14

Era:

Hunter had acted really wierd when I'd said I liked Sebastion. He had gotten all stiff and been quick to point out something wrong with his brother. I drag the brush through my short, matted hair and frown at my reflexion in the mirror. What's so wrong with me thinking his brother is nice? Hunter acted like I love his little brother! That would be wierd! I sigh and place the brush back down on the wood counter. Besides, it's Hunter I love, not Sebastion. I strip down and take the shorts and and tank top that Hunter gave me to sleep in and put them on. I shuffle towards Hunter's room, passing Sebastion on the way.

"Hey, dude!" Sebastion calls out.

"Good night, Sebastion!" I smile warily at him.

I'm still having troubke adapting to this completely new world, never mind the new words like 'dude' and 'man' and a bunch of other words that sound a bit more slang. Of course, that doesn't mean I miss cell fifteen, though I do miss the people in it... Like Keara and Moa. I feel so bad, that i'm enjoying myself while they're still watching people get the Prick... And Keara, oh god Keara... I never told them about my plan to escape, I knew they would try to stop me, say that maybe the last time with the Prick would work. But I know that it wouldn't work. I'm barren, I have to accept it, no matter the dangers of accepting it. They probably thought I was Disposed... An image of Keara sitting on the window sill, giving up on life when she thought I was gone pops into my head and I shudder. No, Moa will keep her living. She has Moa too now, not just me. Keara will be okay. She has to be. I slide into the cot that Hunter set up for me and twist around until I'm comfortable enough. The cot's lumpy, butI've definitely slept on worse. I close my eyes and try to sleep but too many thoughts run through my head. I miss my window ledge... I toss and turn for a bit then I just sit on the edge of the bed, giving up on sleep for the moment. I'm hot and want to take my shirt off but I remember Hunter's warning about privacy and decide against it. It's not like i have no sense of privacy and am perfectly comfortable in front of people with no clothes on, but privacy was never a part of my old life and I didn't think it would be a part of Hunter's. I guess I was wrong. A fresh wave of embarrassment washes over me just thinking about it and I quickly push it out of my mind. I fall back against the pillow, the cot creaking beneath my weight. I close my eyes and try to forget about everything but I can hear the whimpers coming from the direction of the head Keeper's office. Probably Hunter getting beaten by his dad because of me.

"Oh, Hunter." I whisper, staring up at the cieling, "I'm so, so sorry."

I shut my eyes tight and pull my pillow over my head and fall asleep to Hunter's horrible whimpers of pain.

My eyes flutter open and I rub the sleep out of them, feeling a moment of panic. Why hasn't the chime rung? Why is there a blanket on me? Only people in the Ward get these kind of blankets! Did the last Prick work on me? Am I dead? Was I Disposed? Panicking, I fling everything off me and jump to my feet. I look around the room I'm in, confused until I see Hunter sleeping on his bed. Then everything comes back to me. A tidal wave of pain, guilt, lies and love crash over my head and I literally stagger back, nearly overthrown by them. I glance down at my throbbing shoulder. The bleeding has mostly stopped, but it's probably still a good idea to change the bandage. I peer out into the hallway, making sure that no one is there then quietly creep into the bathroom and rummage through the medecine cabinet until i find the bandages. I untie the one that I have on now and throw it out then unroll a good sized piece of a new one and cut it out with my teeth when I can't find the scissors. I rinse it in some antiseptic, gritting my teeth against the pain as I press it to the healing wound in my shoulder.

"Guns should have never been invented." I mutter to myself as I tie it tight around my arm.

I scamper quickly back to my room and find Hunter awake but still in bed, his eyes squeezed shut. I gently peel back the covers and bite my lip at the sight of his cuts and bruises. Everywhere on his body that I can see was touched except for his face, as far as I can tell. Some are just shallow cuts or yellow and crimson bruises, but the majority of the bruises are open and oozing puss and blood. I turn away, bile rising from my throat at the sight of him, but I have to help him.