The Dreamer

Chapter 19

We found a small hotel to stay at for the time being. When we step inside, Mia throws herself onto the bed and sighs. "How long do we need to stay here?" I sit down on the edge of the bed and shrug. "Until we find what we need to find."

"And what exactly are we trying to find?" I lay down on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. "We don't know yet. That's what we're trying to figure out." I feel the bed dip next to me and when I look, I see Zeke looking at me with a soft smile. "We should rest for now though. It's getting late," Zeke says. I stand up, but I only see two beds. Mia is already comfortable in one which leaves us with this one. "Guess we're sharing again," Zeke whispers.

"Or I could share a bed with Mia," I suggest. "Don't even think about it," she groans, pulling the covers closer to herself. "Or not." I blush but I pull the covers back and get in. "Wish we had a change of clothes."

"I'm sure we can find some tomorrow." I nod with a soft sigh. That's when I realize something. "You've been human all day." He looks at me and nods, pulling me closer. "Yep, guess that means I can hold you all night."

"Says who?"

"Says me." And he pulls me to his chest, making me laugh. "Fine, only because you'd get your way either way." He chuckles and kisses the top of my head. I snuggle closer, feeling warm and comfortable. Well, almost comfortable. I'm still surprised I'm even alive from wearing this damn thing holding my waist in an unhealthy way. "Stupid corset. How do women wear this stupid thing?" I pull away and sit up. "Why don't you go and take it off in the closet?"

"Cause I don't know how," I mumble in embarrassment. He laughs and I fall back against the bed, sighing in frustration. I suddenly feel the stupid thing around my waist loosen and I take a deep much-needed breath. Zeke used his power to help me and I know he didn't want to make me uncomfortable. Then he pulls me closer again and I thank him. "Good night love." I smile, pressing my head against his chest. "Good night."

********

"What's for breakfast?" Mia asks as I set a plate down on the small table in the room. “Biscuits and gravy with water from the hotel." We all sat down and quickly ate before we all leave the room.

As soon as we walk out though, we see two men standing in the middle of the sandy road facing each other at a distance. We're standing on the porch of the building behind one of them. "What's going on?" I stare at them in confusion when I suddenly remember what they're doing. My eyes widen and I see that if the guy opposite of us missed his target, he might hit one of us.

"Get down!" Zeke shoves Mia and I both down and I hear two shots ring out. They crackled like lightning. Mia and I are shielded from getting hit but I hear two thuds. One in the distance and one near us. I immediately look and see Zeke sitting against the wooden wall. He's clutching his side and I can see blood oozing out between his fingers. "Zeke!" I quickly got up and ran to him, panicking. "Why did you do that?!"

"To save you. Why else?" He tries to smile, but he fails miserably. "It's just a graze Eira. I'll be fine." I feel angry at him for taking one for the team, but I feel despairing and afraid that I might lose him. I try to use my powers to heal him, but it doesn't work. "Why isn't it working?!"

"You're panicking. It won't work if you're panicked like this." I shake my head. "You said you wouldn't leave me." My voice cracks and tears are already streaming down my face. I can hear Mia calling for help behind me, but all of my attention was on him. He reaches up to my cheeks and gently wipes a tear away. "And I won't. I lived with worse injuries than this love. I don't plan on going now. Especially when I have plans and something to live for." A sob threatens to escape from my lips when I see the color slowly draining from his face. He's bleeding out too quickly.

I quickly rip off a big chunk of my dress and press it against his wound. "The doctor isn't in town, we'll have to travel. Someone knows how to keep him alive until then."

"Just hurry." Within minutes, a cart shows up and we get Zeke onto the cart. They fill it with blankets, food, and water that'll last us a few days. "How long will it take us?"

"A day at least." The kind stranger hands me a weird looking green substance. "Give this to him every hour or so. It'll keep him alive until we arrive." I look at the jar in confusion. "What is it?"

"An old family recipe." The woman gave me a toothy smile before she closes the flaps of the cart to protect us from the sun. I sit right next to Zeke, laying his head on my lap. I help him to drink a little of the unknown green substance and Zeke lays down to rest.

Mia stayed up front with the woman so there's more room in the back for Zeke to be comfortable. He just stayed asleep for most of the ride and I was worried that he might die in his sleep. I didn't sleep throughout the whole ride. I wanted to keep an eye on his health.

The next day, we suddenly stop. "I think we made it," I whisper. Excited and nervous, I gently help Zeke out, but what awaited us wasn't what I was expecting. I look around to see guns pointed at us. My heart drops and I turn to Zeke. We're surrounded by Native Americans armed with weapons. They start speaking in a language I don't understand, but the woman responds to them smoothly in the same language. "What's going on?"

"We've entered their land." Great. I can hear Zeke's shallow breaths next to me and I look at the Native Americans with begging eyes. The woman speaks to them again. She points to Zeke and I and they look at us, seeing that Zeke isn't doing so well. They then speak to each other. "What now?"

"They might let us through. Wait, no. Someone suggested that they take us to their village to try and heal him or he might be dead by the time we get to our town." My face pales at the thought of him dying. "They might be right," I hear her mumble. "What?!"

"Nothing dear." Then she spoke to them again. They passed words back and forth and I become desperate. "Will you please just help us?! He's dying!" I feel frantic but determined to get help. The tears slip down my cheeks as I beg them for their help. "I can't lose him." They all look at me, turn towards each other, then back to me. "We will help," one says. He looks like he might be the leader of the group of warriors. Wait, he can speak English?!

"Come." They hop up onto their horses and I help Zeke back into the cart. He groans and opens his eyes to look at me. "Shush, we're getting help. Just wait a little while longer."

"Eira," he softly says. I take his hand and try to smile despite the tears streaming down my face like salty waterfalls. "In case I don't make it..."

I cut him off. "Of course you're going to make it. Don't say such things." I brush his hair away from his face. "Eira. In case I don't make it, I just want you to know that I love you." I bit my lip to keep the sobs from escaping. He's as pale as a cloud and it's killing me to see him like this. He shivers and I pull a blanket over him. "I love you too, but you're going to make it otherwise I'll go straight to heaven and drag your butt back here and you know I can. Remember Alma?" He laughs, but it was barely audible. "Yes, I remember and I believe you. Though you won't have to drag me back. I'd probably mistake you for an angel though. Hell, I already do."

"You're just flirting," I joke and he laughs. "Just rest. We're almost there." He closes his eyes again and I softly run my fingers through his hair. Time passes by quicker than I thought. When we stop, the flaps open, letting sunlight in. "Is that him?" an older looking man says.

"Yes." Two younger men step inside and pick Zeke up, carrying him out. I scurry close behind him and follow them into a hut. "It's a gunshot wound." I nod, my eyes never leaving Zeke. "Can you help him?" I look up and see someone else who looks older. As he moves around, the charms hanging around his neck move. "I will see what I can do, but you must leave."

"Can't I stay?" He shakes his head. "I'm afraid not." I look at Zeke and my heart cracks. He's deathly pale and his lips are turning blue. "Okay," I whisper. "Let me just say something first." He nods and I walk up next Zeke. I bend down next to his ear and whispered, "I love you, so live. Fight. Do whatever you need to do." I softly kiss his forehead and smile. Afterward, I walk back out and anxiously wait.