Codes

Chapter 8- Cold and Comfort

I look around. I'm in a room with all white walls and a bed in the center with all white sheets. Everything was white. I see a window to the right and one to my left I walk over to the one to the right. Through it I can see another room almost identical to mine except this one had a TV and a few bookshelves . I see a  girl lying on the bed. It was Lilith. I tap on the window to get her attention. She looks at me and her eyes widen in surprise . She makes her way over to me.

"Great" She says through the window. "You're awake"

"What?"  I ask "Where are we." 

"I'm so sorry Cora" She said. "I'm so sorry this had to happen to you."  

I turn to look out of the other window. There I can see Nathan pacing in his room, his caramel eyes seemed to be focused.

"Were are we?" I ask again.

Just as she was about to answer the door to her room swung open causing a loud bang.  Nathan must have heard it too because he quickly ran to his window. He could see into the room. He started to scream to Lilith. She looked back her eyes were full of sorrow. 

"I'm so sorry," She says. "Tell Nate I love him." Then two men in white jackets dragged her away.

"NOOOOO" I hear Nathan yell. Then I hear a high pitched scream. Then Two men in the same white jackets burst into my room. I scream. But my resistance wasn't enough to stop them from dragging me out of the door. I see Lilith's body laying limp on the floor I scream again. Was she dead? 

My eyes Jolt open and I sit up straight and examine my  surroundings. I was in the fort Jackson built. Still wearing his hoodie. Just then Jackson bolted into my room in the fort. 

"Are you ok, Cora?" He asked concerned. 

I hadn't noticed the tears streaming down my face "Y-yes" I sniffled "I j-just had a b-bad dream" I curled up in a ball and hugged my knees to my chest

"Jeez Cora I thought those men had come back." He said. "Are you sure you're ok?" he comes an sits beside me

I nod.

"Ok good" He said pulling me into his arms I start to cry. The dream had seemed so real. "Shhh it was just a dream. It's over now"

He was comforting and I instantly sank into him, he smelled almost exactly like his hoodie, like a midnight breeze and a calming spring morning at the same time mixed with the plesant smell of new books. His smell combined with his warmth was enough to make me tired again.  He looked at me and for a second the way his eyes sparkled made him look almost like an angel instead of a human.

"What?" He said noticing I was staring at him.

"Nothing" I said. Snuggling into him, he seemed surprised at first but then wrapped his arms around me and held me tighter

We stay like this for a while but then he gets up to leave. I immediately feel cool air swirl around me and the alerting lack of his presence caught me off guard.

"Wait." I blurt out before I could stop myself.

"What?" he asks. "What's wrong?" 

I needed and excuse for him to stay and fast before he leaves.

"Ummm..." I hesitate.

"If you want me to stay you could just ask me" He says smiling.

I nod "Please?" I ask not wanting to be left alone. I felt like a little kid being left at daycare without her mom.

He sits back down beside me and I sink into him again, his soft embrace was comforting I shut my eyes and fell asleep again.

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I'm awake but I don't open my eyes I feel something pressed up against my back and something strong wrapped around my waist. I open one eye. Then the other. I see light coming through the twiggy wall of the fort. It was morning I try to move but the thing draped around my waist held me tight. What the fu-?  I thought but then I remember. 

Jackson! 

All of the events of last night roll through my head at top speed. 

"Uggghhh Jackson..." I whine. "Let me go~" 

"Huh?" I hear him grunt. "Oh, sorry." He said. letting me go.

Good thing it was Saturday  and we didn't have school because we would have been late. 

"C'mon, sleeping beauty we gotta go find the others." I say gently kicking Jackson in the foot.

"If I'm sleeping beauty" He said "Then you have to kiss me to wake me up." 

I roll my eyes "No way would I ever like you enough to do that!"

"Really?" He said "It didn't seem that way last night" he said covering his eyes with his arm and smiling.

He had a point and I hated it. "Just get up" I say and walk out. 

He laughs and a few seconds later he joins me outside the fort.

"I texted Evan and he said they were at Alexander drive." He said.

"Ok let's go" I said

We walk in silence and after what seemed like hours we get to Alexander Drive. Evan, Lilith and Nathan are there waiting.

"Hey" Evan greeted us.

"Sup" Jackson responded.

"What now?" Lilith asked.

"First you two need to eplain what's happening, and why those guys were after you last night." I said.

"It's a long story." Nathan said. Crossing his arms and leaning against a lamp post. 

"We have time" I say. "We have to walk all the way back to our house."

"Fine." Nahtan said. "But i'm only explaining once." 

"I'm sure we can keep up" Evan said.

We set off on our way home with the guidance of Evan's newly downloaded GPS app while Nathan Lilith launch into their exedingly long origin story.