Seizing Sang Sorenson (A Ghost Bird Story)

Chapter 21

Sang Pov

Dexter and I talked a little more about what happened at the hospital, and what Dr. Roberts did to Corey.

After a quick rinse in the shower to really remove the blood from my cuts and hair, Dexter helped me wrap myself with bandages and clean up the smaller cuts.

"They started helping Corey as soon as we left, right?" I asked, a spike of fear going through me.

"They'd be stupid if they didn't. You said that you told Sean that it was urgent that you remove the chip."

"But they were too focused on how I looked to be concerned with Corey," I huffed, crossing my arms.

"Trust that Ryzix and Magnus would have started to remove it, even if Sean wasn't willing to help," he said, rubbing a towel through my hair softly.

"You're right..." I sighed. "I'm just being paranoid. Too much has happened today and I haven't had enough sleep."

Dexter guided me towards my bedroom and helped me lay down and get comfortable in bed. "Just relax, Sang. Everything will be fine and nothing's going to change overnight. We'll handle the boys and send them home if we need to."

He started to leave, but I reached out and gripped his hand tightly. "Don't let them go home. Not without removing their chips first, if they really insist. They aren't safe out there."

He stopped for a moment, as if to weigh the options before he gave me a reassuring smile. "Alright, I won't send them away."

Relief flooded my system and I could already my eyes drooping closed after such a trying day. Soon enough, my body gave in to the tiredness and I was out for most of the night.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~

I could tell that I dreamt of the night I met Luke on the bus by the clothes he was wearing, but this time we were in a field and we weren't alone. Everyone was there, including Mr. Blackbourne and they were looking over my shoulder with emotions that I couldn't decipher. I heard the click of the safety on a gun turn off and I turned around.

Although this was my dream, I wasn't in control of what was happening. I wasn't the one with the hold the gun this time; Dexter was. Magnus and Ryzix were standing beside him, their arms crossed as they studied their opponents. Dexter was pointing it at Luke and everyone, laughing slightly as they scrambled for something to defend themselves with. I'd been on Dexter's side of the gun more times than none, and had felt that same rush of power and joy at seeing someone so powerless. But this was Luke.

Luke was looking at me now, a strange look on his face, almost like cruel acceptance.

I shook my head at him. This wasn't supposed to happen... Not like this.

Not now.

I glanced back at Dexter, who now held out a hand to me. "Come on, Sang."

I shook my head more firmly. "No. This isn't happening."

"Isn't this what you wanted, Sang? Revenge after they hurt you so much?" Ryzix asked.

"You wanted them to hurt just as much as you did," Magnus said.

Suddenly, I wasn't standing between the two groups. Instead, I was holding the gun with Dexter's arms around me, his hands overlapping mine on the gun. It was as if time stopped and the boys in front of me froze.

"They didn't care about you then, so why do you care about them now?" Dexter whispered.

"I don't know..." I whispered in a daze, looking at every face covered in fear. "They're familiar."