The Changed (Completed)

Chapter Ten: Ava and Wesley

Someone was touching my leg. There was a fire behind my eyelids, pain so severe, I screamed in my unconsciousness.

My mother was stroking my hair. I could feel her fingers as the burning and aching ended. I felt hot all over. When would the fever end?

"I think she's awake."

I blinked, expecting to see my mother. A much younger and rounder face stared down at me. My head was in the lap of a girl I did not recognize.

My head slammed into the girl's as I jolted upward.

"Ouch!" she cried, clutching her forehead, "Watch it!"

The setting revealed itself whilst my head pulsed. I was in the living room of what appeared to be a cabin. The floor was wood and the walls were paneled. A dark green couch sat against one of the walls with a painting of a lake above it.

The painting looked familiar. Somewhere, I'd seen the artwork before.

"Who are you?" I asked the girl. She was short and thin with an elegant nose and wideset eyes. Brown hair hit just below her shoulders. She was wearing the clothes from the facility, the same clothes I was wearing.

"Avanali," she offered her hand to help me up from the floor, "Ava to friends, but what are you?"

I furrowed my brow, avoiding her hand, "How did I get here?"

"What are you?" she repeated, her hand still outstretched, "Friend...or foe?"

I took her hand, wanting to avoid any trouble though I did believe myself capable of taking her if she posed a threat.

"I'm not sure where we are," the girl replied at last, "We just ran until we felt we were far away enough to buy ourselves some time. We wouldn't have found this place if we hadn't seen you fall over that edge."

"We?" I asked, I'd thought she was alone.

She moved toward the kitchen, grabbing a water bottle from one of the cabinets, "I think these are vacation rentals of some kind. The water is turned off but I found some water bottles that had been left. Not sure how old they are–not that water expires."

I drank the water gratefully. I hadn't realized how thirsty I'd become.

"Did you carry me here? I passed out after...." My thoughts drifted to Taylor. I wondered if she was alive. A shiver ran down my spine.

"I didn't carry you," Ava said.

"I did," someone said. I recognized the voice immediately.

I shook my head, turning around as 064 entered from outside.

"You've got to be kidding me," I groaned.

He smirked, "You could show a bit of gratitude, you'd be dead or caught if it weren't for me."

"You said you wouldn't help me."

Ava raised a hand, "I wanted to help you."

I turned in confusion, "So you two know each other? Who are you? His girlfriend?"

"Why? Jealous?" 064 taunted.

Ava giggled, "Um no, Wesley is my brother."

I could see the resemblance. The light eyes and brown hair, but also the Romanesque noses and chiseled features. They were obviously siblings.

I blushed, "Oh, sorry."

Ava slapped my arm, playfully, "Don't apologize, it's okay."

"Ava, you and I need to leave soon," Wesley said, grabbing a water bottle, "We need to cover more ground tonight, get further away from that prison."

Ava frowned, "Not just you and I, Margo too."

"No," he said.

I was only partially listening as they continued debating the topic. I was focused on the painting of the lake hanging above the sofa. I was being driven mad trying to remember where I'd seen it before. Until I remembered the summer after the divorce.

"We're in Stone Mountain," I said.

"What?" Wesley and Ava asked.

"It's near Atlanta, how have you never heard of it?" I asked.

"We're from Texas, not Georgia," Ava said.

"Oh, well, it's like a large campground. I came here with my dad as a kid to visit my aunt. We all went camping together."

"Does your aunt live here?" Ava asked.

I shrugged, "She did a year ago, but most people have been evacuated from the city since the virus."

"Is her house far from here?" Wesley seemed suddenly intrigued.

"Not too far. I mean, it's a long walk."

"Could you get us there?" Wesley asked. The look on his face was indecisive. As if he didn't know if he wanted to need my help or not.

I wasn't confident that I remembered how to get there, but I didn't want to be left alone, "Yeah, I can get us there." 

Hey everyone! I'm sorry this chapter is shorter. I write chapters on a Google Doc before I post them. So I'm trying to make the chapters shorter on Wattpad so I stay ahead of my doc. Please go back and vote for all of the chapters and comment lots! We are at #160 and I want to get to #150. Share this story for a shoutout in the next chapter. XOXO ~N.K