The Bryne Runaways (Updated)

Chapter 25

The next day. Thursday. One more day till the games.

I currently sit down on the bed in Dr. Meredith's office where she examines my ears. I had to be in here due to me skipping my checks yesterday. Uncle Ben isn't with me today he's out with his squad already hunting. I thought I was going solo but not for long, the guy Harry is here. He's in the room with both of us. It didn't make things weird at all since he's here because being with Dr. Meredith alone is weirder than ever. I don't have that same relationship with her like last time. We would actually make conversations but things have changed. I know it's affecting her badly. I was so close to her. Not anymore.

"Ready?" She says with the needle in her hands prepared. I look over next to me and I'm missing Uncle Ben. He's the one I would hold onto when it's blood giveaway. I look over Harry with a look and he knew what I meant, so he sat down next to me with a hand on my back and mine fisting his pants. The needle enters and I feel the withdrawal of my blood taken out of my body. I feel it in me for a couple seconds when it's out and release my grip on Harry.

"And we are finished!" She says excited as she places a bandage on where the needle entered.

"You are done" She sets my blood on a microscope to be checked. I roll down my sleeve and put on my backpack ready to leave.

"Norman due to you not being able to play tomorrow, how about you help me with medic stuff over at the games. Your Uncle Ben tells how good you are at it" Dr. Meredith asks and I say yes to helping her out and then I leave with her content that she is sampling my blood for no apparent reason. I'm forgetting to finally tell the truth to Bones and the others that I'm not allowed to play.

Once I walk I begin to hear footsteps getting closer to me and I turn around to see Harry running over to me. "Hey, ya' forgot your hoodie" He hands it to me and I retrieve it.

"Thanks Harry" I say and he flashes me a grin then I begin to leave again to my station going on with the day.

I walk out my station where all the other campers run out of here like if it were their last day. What probably got them excited is hitting the training center to practice for the big day tomorrow. The games. I can't imagine how packed it is in the training center. I wonder what is the prize that makes the people go crazy. I remember when Uncle Ben won that thing and he just got his axe. But things have changed and now it's much more intense than ever. Things aren't the same in there they say.

What I'm looking forward to is just to see the field again where it all begins. The field is the arena where it is in our camp but no one can go past that area. It's being guarded by the guardians. The main field where it's surrounded with the forest filled with weapons to use to protect yourself. The cool thing about it is you play in the night where the light shines that make the field look cool. You can't deny the fun in there sometimes but some people take it too far.

I walk down on the wooden planks when I get interrupted.

"Your station takes longer than I thought" Says Jacob leaning on a tree with his arms crossed. Is he talking to me? I think he is since he's looking at me. I walk over to him. What is he doing here? I thought he was still mad?

"How long have you been waiting?" I ask him.

"20 to 30 minutes" He says.

"So what's going on?"

"They want to see you before the games occur, it's what we do" He says and I nod. Okay cool. Right afterwards we begin to walk our way over. It's awfully quiet the halfway there, like I didn't want to say anything due to what happened to Dean but he needs to get over that before Bones steals his spot on the friendship chart.

"Look we got to clear the air here. I know I was dramatic about the whole Dean situation. It's just I'm very protective on the ones I care about. I'm sorry for the way I acted it wasn't necessary. I've been acting like a complete dick towards you and I know I shouldn't be taking the anger out on you. You didn't do it. I know I was a bigger dick when I found I made you cry the lights out of you."

"Wait who told you I was crying?" I cut him off.

"You're Uncle told me"

"What did he say?" I ask curiously.

"That if I had anything to do with your depression, I denied and he didn't believe me so he wanted me to be his training partner to fight" I then felt so bad and embarrassed. Why would he do that?

"And?" I say curiously.

"I fought with him and I got this slash on my arm now" I hope he's kidding.

"So do you accept my apology?"

"I kinda have to now" I say and pulls me over and goes to messing up my hair that was fine how it was.

We enter their cabin where everyone is currently sitting down in the main room. I see the smiles of Dean and Margaret and then Bones smirking but the feeling in this atmosphere isn't the same as it used to be.

"Take a seat kid" Bones tells me and I do.

"Tomorrow's the games...... The brutal game. It's either we fight back or be taken down" I hear Dean's tone of voice and it isn't the same either. I notice when he tries hiding his trembling hands but he isn't so good at it.

"Some of us might come out seriously injured, but it's worth it right? For the grand prize?" He continues and I just nod at what he says. We all have to play well except for me. I'm not allowed to. Being in the field changes the way you think, act and feel. You can be so close to death in there because everyone in there are rough and crave violence.

"We can all meet up at the same pond near the waterfall. We'll meet each other there and if the enemy finds us then we you go. Don't wait. Just run it. When the buzzer goes off don't go into the middle of it. The real fight begins there" Bones mentions and that's when things got quiet again until Jacob speaks up.

"Um-Margaret want to go again?" Jacob asks Margaret and she accepts. What is she gonna do again? I question to myself.

"Well, I want to say congrats to us. This is our seventh grand games that we play that we aren't hurt or dead yet. It's now gonna be much interesting that we have a new member with us. Norman" Margaret says and then points at me where I pull a smile to them all.

"Our little Norman. You've been such a dear to us. You've brought us closer than ever. You are now part of this family. We will be there no matter what you need. We'll always have each others backs. We are grateful than ever to have you all in my life. I'm hoping to have more adventures with you" Margret says with such a sad smile that I've never seen on her along with the tears forming in her beautiful eyes.

She then comes over to me and hugs me tightly and then Dean joins in, right afterwards is Jacob and by force Bones did it too. It's this great group hug with the friends I've grown to love. In this embrace I am able to feel their love also the end.

"Together" Margaret lets out and we all repeat it afterwards.