Marked

Chapter 12-edit

The walk wasn't very long. The market was filled with people, but it was small in comparison to the ones in Rayton. Shops were everywhere, mainly selling fruits and vegetables. There were a few selling clothes and other items, but other than that, it was mostly food. I have never been to a market before while outside the sectors, in fact, our whole village never went. We survived on our own. Everything about this was new to me. I didn't like it. There were too many people.

I searched the faces, looking for Alec. He wasn't anywhere near the entrance, so I would have to walk further. Near the entrance, however, were showers. That would be best for right now. I really needed a shower. Walking closer, people didn't notice me much. They were probably used to having people come in looking and smelling bad, it's something that comes with living here. They were very welcoming. The only looks I got were at my leg with a look of pity.

The people who maintained the showers gave me soap and shampoo, then directed me towards a room so that I could have some privacy while washing. They didn't have running water, so there was a large bath filled with water from a nearby well. Where they got the soap and shampoo from? I don't know. They didn't have it when I was living here. Must be a thing the markets have. Surprisingly, they were kind enough to give me a bath for free, seeing how much I needed it. Finally being able to wash, even without running water, would be refreshing.

~~~

It felt nice to finally be clean. The clothes in the bag were mostly my size, and I was able to find something like what I normally wear. Dark skinny jeans, a black short sleeve shirt, and a plaid shirt that I got from one of the booths. But I had lost time. I needed to find Alec soon, so that we could go to Naomi's. Maybe we could catch up to Casey and Vincent. That's not likely. I shouldn't get my hopes up.

I saw a food booth and decided to stop there. I hadn't had a decent meal in a while, and I needed one. The smell of all the food at the booth and around it was delightful, and it didn't help solve my hunger. Luckily, there was a little money in the side pocket of the backpack, so I could pay for the food.

The market place still had a lot of people, and I still couldn't find Alec. What could he possibly need here other than what I've already seen? I made my way to the middle of the market, where there were a few benches to sit on. Alec wasn't here either. I figured that if he was here, he would be sitting down eating. Maybe he was actually getting supplies. I moved on, finally reaching the end of the market and finding Alec by a store that sold medical supplies. There weren't many people here, only Alec and a few others, which was weird. You would think most people would also need medical supplies. Guess not.

"You won't believe how long it took me to find you," I remarked while walking up behind him. He practically jumped 10 feet in the air. He still doesn't know what happened at the safe house.

"Dawn, what are you doing? You should be getting some rest. Your wound won't heal if you continue to do this," he was still worried about me. How sweet.

"I'm fine. And besides...something bad happened at the house. So-"

"What happened? Is everyone okay?" he interrupted me with a million questions about what had happened.

"Maybe it you stopped interrupting me you would know," I stated matter-of-factly, he could be annoying sometimes. "Some officers found the safe house. All the wounded were taken to the hospital, the marked and others were arrested."

"How did you escape?"

"Covered my mark. They took me to the ambulance, then I made a run for it and hid behind the house while they weren't looking."

"You made a run with a leg like that," he gestured to my wounded leg, "then you managed to find a shower, walk all the way here, and find me." He shook his head in disbelief, then turned back to the medical booth. "I don't believe you sometimes." I could hear the smile in his voice.

"Wait, you grabbed the note right? And your phone?" He turned back to me, a worried look on his face.

"Yes, they're right..." I looked in the side pocket of my bag, which was where I would've put them both. If I had them. I looked through the rest of the bag, but still no note or phone.

"We need to get out of here, now." He grabbed my hand and led me back toward where we came from. "Where are we going? We could just leave back there."

"I forgot something. It's important." I let him lead me through the crowd. We weren't running, more like speed walking. I was going as fast a I could, and Alec wasn't so that I could stay by his side. There seemed to be more people as we walked back to the front. There were more people to dodge. We almost knocked down a poor child because we didn't see her.

Suddenly, a scream pierced through the air. We froze. People were running away from the source of the scream, and through all the heads I saw an officer. He was holding back a woman who was reaching for her child. The father was nowhere to be seen, and she had a mark on her arm.

The scene was all too familiar. Images flashed through my mind of my parents. My eyes filled with tears. I couldn't look away. I couldn't stop it. There was nothing we could do to help. Not with both of us marked. I couldn't help but think it was my fault. I had left the note. They probably found it and knew where to find me. The reason they are here is because of me.

Alec must have seen the emotions play out on my face, because he pulled me away from the scene and towards the car we borrowed. He must've decided that whatever he was going back to get wasn't as important as getting me to safety. After all, it was me they were looking for. It was all my fault. I would never be able to forgive myself. If only I had just grabbed the note. None of this would be happening. We couldn't stop the officers. So many other people's lives would be ruined. It would all be my fault.

Everything had been ruined. I ruin lives of everyone around me. The people unlucky enough to be at the market and marked. The poor little girl who would have to live without her mom. Casey and Vincent. Who knows what they were doing. They could've been caught by the officers for all I know. If they weren't, they'd be taken by Naomi, and they are too far up ahead for us to catch up too anyway. Naomi might keep them alive, but they think I'm dead. She'll kill them as soon as she hears that. There was probably another way to get out of the gates without splitting up. I was probably too panicked to see it. Everything was my fault.

Alec might be able to catch up to them if he leaves me behind. He could save them from any potential threats like officers or Naomi. I would be able to catch up a few days after. I'm just slowing him down right now. I'm not needed. I can't complete the mission, well, Naomi won't let me. Casey and Vincent are more important right now. They were dragged into this by the mark. They don't deserve this life.

The problem would be convincing Alec to go. He would put want to leave without me. He would refuse to. I'll just have to try. I won't let my friends die because I gave up. They need my help, and I am physically unable to help them. Alec would have to for me.