Black Dove (Watty Awards 2012)

Chapter Twelve

            They finally return. I spring up, eager and desperate to know what happened to Zoe. A look of defeat crosses Darran’s face.

            “She…she didn’t die, did she?” I say, so quietly Gaby and Darran have to stretch forward to hear.

            “I don’t know.” Only now do I notice Gaby seems out of breath, and Darran is clutching his side like he has a running cramp.

            “What happened?”

            “We got her to the hospital, but the guards recognized me. I don’t know if they recognized Zoe or not…she’s in the hospital, I don’t know what is happening now. It took us all that time to get back, we had to ditch the car and run on foot through the alley ways to lose them.”

            My heart sinks a little, but hope is still there. Zoe might be alright. And right now, that’s all I’m clinging to. “So we don’t know?”

            “We don’t know.”

            I just sit on the couch, a peculiar feeling in my chest. I don’t like this feeling of not knowing where my friend is. And it’s not like I can go check, if they recognized Darran and Gaby then they would certainly recognize me. I kick the coffee table angrily, and Gaby makes a face at me. “That’s an antique!”

            “Sorry.” I say shortly. I feel like I want to punch something again, but my hand stings like someone ran over it with a brick wall, so I think that’s probably not a good idea. I think of Zoe: in the army, confiding in me, saving me. I made a promise I couldn’t keep; that I would watch out for her. I failed. That hurts me more than anything, because no matter what happens to Zoe, it was my duty to protect her.

            Essie was talking now to Darran, “We need to go. If they could find you that easily, then we can’t stay for long without being discovered. All thanks to Avalynne.”

            I stand up and whirl around, “Essie, I’m sorry about Alyssa, but this isn’t my fault. It’s Trident’s!”

            “Shut up Avalynne, we all know that if you weren’t here my mom would be alive and we wouldn’t be in this mess! All because you passed out in front of our base, my mom’s dead and my father, Perth, is missing!” Essie says nastily. I feel blood rise in my head, like I was boiling.

            Kane jumps into the conversation, “Essie, not now, just wait…”

            “Stop arguing!” Gaby yelled.

            “Who do you think you are to be so pouty and obnoxious. You’ve lost someone: welcome to my world!” I scream.

            Essie strides forward until she’s inches from my face, “You only care about yourself! I’m sick of your little pity parties…I’m sick of you! We should have left you in Trident’s base! I hate you!”

            “The feeling is mutual, I assure you!”

            Kane jumps between us as Essie knees me in the gut. I fall and grab her leg so that we are both rolling on the floor, screaming, obscenities flying every which way. Gaby is yelling at us to stop, Kane tries to pull us away but Darran is telling him to do something else. All I’m doing is clawing at every part of Essie I can reach, and trying to spit whoever’s hair had gotten in my  mouth. Who does she think she is? I’m sorry! Okay? But she isn’t the only person in the universe.

            Strong hands yank me off, and I’m being limply held by Gaby, a look of anger on her face. “If you keep fighting I’m kicking you out of my house. You’re acting like children, squabbling over a shiny toy!”