REVENGE (2nd book of FEAR)

- chapter sixteen -

"N-no!"

Liz felt her eyes flutter open, her brow furrowed in confusion. She rolled over in her bed for what seemed like the fifth time. A soft smile found its way to her lips once she felt a warmth coming from the right side of the bed.

"Please don't!"

Liz sat up this time, blinking multiple times as she struggled to see through the darkness. Locus was laying flat on his back and had his arms clenched across his chest like he was being crushed. The girl placed a gentle hand to his cheek.

"Stop!"

Liz grew concerned and decided to lay down next to him and caress his face. She kissed his cheek, his eyelids, his jaw, his ears. Suddenly, the mercenary sat up in a flash and gasped for breath.

"It's alright," the girl was immediately by his side, bringing his hand to her face and looking into his fearful eyes, "You're awake now." Locus gulped and continued to heave for air. "She's hurt," the man whispered as he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Who is?" Liz cocked an eyebrow, keeping her voice soft and careful. She continued to stroke his face, telling him to take deep breaths. Locus shook his head, wrenching away from her and getting out of the bed.

"We need to leave," his voice was now stern like metal. "What?" Liz felt her jaw open, "Aren't we supposed to go tomorrow morning?" When Locus didn't respond and started to gather his things in a pile, the girl snapped, "What is the matter with you?"

"It's Bella."

***

"Locus, we're almost there. Just slow down," Johnny called after the fuming mercenary, who ignored all of their calls and cries. He had marched through the desert for three days straight, and the two other soldiers had to practically pull him down in order to get some rest.

The terrain of the landscape had begun to seem familiar to Locus, which gave him all the more reason to rush home. Johnny and Liz had tried multiple times to convince him that his dream was just stress-induced, but he refused to listen.

The refugee camp was in view now, and Locus mustered the strength to excel into a sprint. He felt the blood rush to his face and his head began to spin from the intense heat of the desert. "Bella!" The mercenary screamed as he neared the camp.

"Bella!" He repeated, now cupping his hands over his mouth. "Bella!" He exclaimed, his voice cutting short from the hoarseness of yelling with a bone-dry throat. He had reached the camp by now, slowing his sprint to a jog as he approached the entrance.

Suddenly, the mercenary felt his feet stop and his legs lock up. The cracked sand hit his chest like a hammer. He heard a crack and a thump, and he groaned. Locus slowly got to his knees, gasping for air as he scanned the camp around him.

What he saw made him want to faint.

The refugees around them were all kneeling to the ground, their skin tinted a sickening yellow. Some coughed into handkerchiefs, sending blood spreading through the clean white cloth. Their skin seemed shriveled and cracked.

A few blankets and sheets laid strewn across multiple lumps on the sand, and it took Locus a few moments to realize that those lumps were dead bodies. A horrid smell circulated through the camp. The mercenary was thankful for his armor and helmet.

He heard footsteps pounding behind him, and they stopped just as he did. "Oh my God," Liz gasped, covering her open mouth with a hand. Johnny blinked, muttering multiple curses under his breath. After a few seconds, he sprung into a sudden violent coughing fit. 

"We need to find Bella," Locus wheezed, "Now."