Legend of the Flaming phantom

Chapter 22: Hope

I didn't wait too long before Addison came back from the medical room. She had some bandages covering the worst of her visible wounds, including an eye patch over her eye that had swollen shut. She still had trouble walking, so Tasia had to help her walk to her bed, where I sat. Tasia helped her sit down beside me, then left the room. After Tasia left the room, Addison looked at me and smiled.

"It looks like Tasia patched you up," I said.

"Yeah, she did a really good job, and she worked quick," Addison replied. "Her eyes saw everything that needed treatment."

"I don't think about it that often, but we were very lucky to find this group."

Addison said nothing, but she stared at me, and her smile grew wider.

"What?" I asked.

"That's the first time I've seen you show gratitude since we escaped the village," Addison replied. "I'm glad that you're warming up to them."

"Well, we owe our lives to these people. Without them, we would probably be in an Overmasters prison, getting brainwashed by now."

"So, don't hate Ashley?"

"Maybe I did, but not anymore. She's the reason that you're here right now. If I had gone by myself, I would have been captured, and the situation would be much worse."

"Well, I'm glad to see that your opinion about her has changed."

"Trust me, so am I. When we first got here, I didn't understand anything about her, but now I get her motives."

"That's good. Did anything happen while I was getting treated?"

"It's funny that you said that, because I was about to bring that up. They found a note outside of the trapdoor. The note said for Ashley and I to go to a bar in the south-west corner of the city at four in the afternoon tomorrow. Apparently someone has crucial information for us."

"Are you going?"

"Ashley wants to leave at three to let Tasia scan the area."

"She trusts the note?"

"She says that the person who wrote the note must know that we have a sight category on our side and that we can use her to make sure that it isn't a trap."

"Well, if she trusts it, then there's at least a chance that they're telling the truth. What do you think the information is?"

"I don't have a clue. I just hope that Ashley is right."

"I do too. Anyway, could you help me walk to the lounge? I wanted to catch up with everyone."

"Of course."

I helped Addison to her feet, then put an arm around her. I helped her walk to the lounge, where everyone greeted her. The rest of the day went by like a blur. At around seven, we ate dinner and at nine, we all went to bed. I had trouble falling asleep that night, thinking about what would happen the next day. When I finally did fall asleep, it was already one in the morning.

When I woke up the next day, it was ten in the morning. I got out of bed and saw that Addison's bed was empty. I exited my room and walked to the lounge, where everyone was waiting.

"You're finally awake," Ashley said.

"I had a hard time falling asleep last night," I replied.

"I figured you would. That's why I let you sleep. Anyway, now that you're up, take these."

Ashley picked up a bag on a sofa and threw it to me. I caught the bag and looked inside. The bag was filled with clothes.

"You've been in your pajamas ever since we were raided by Squad Zero," Ashley said. "So, I sent April out to get you some real clothes. We got some for Addison too."