Crazies

Chapter Twenty-Nine

~Chapter 29~
(Edited)

*~*Sang Sorenson's POV *~*

Walking the familiar path to the house finally allows me to fully release the stress of the day. I pull the bandana off, untie my hair from its tight bun, and sigh as my long blonde hair flows down my back.

My fingers slip through the strands to smooth the ache across my scalp when I feel the extra two inches that have grown since Meanie cut it last.

It's getting too long, but my gut clenched with the thought of anyone else touching it other than my Gabriel.

As I begin to gather all my hair to one side, I notice Jess taking a settled step closer to me as we walk together. Glancing to my other side, I find Wil just as close as Jess.

They're hovering.

"I'm okay," I try telling them again.

"Say that after you've slept eight hours," Wil remarks back, folding his arms across his chest in a very North like action.

"You've been pushing yourself too much lately," Jess adds softly as she takes another step closer to me. My shoulders sag in defeat because she's right. Every time I close my eyes I'm bombarded with horrific images. It's gotten so bad recently that the only way for me to fall asleep is if I push myself past the point of exhaustion so I just pass out at the end of the day.

Even then, I still wake up from nightmares within a hand full of hours.

The image of Owen's transformed face assaults my thoughts, causing me to stumble but I right myself before the others take notice.

Just a few more minutes then I can break down, I console myself as we reach the front of the house.

The Jeep and SUV are parked right in front of the steps, both of their lights now on to give the line of people busy bringing the new supplies inside a means to see with.

The five new addition to our group stands out the most as they shoulder the heavier boxes and crates. Even Corey, with his injured arm in the sling, is carrying some of the more bulky items so Micah and the other younger ones didn't have to.

"Is that Axel Toma and his friends?" I cringe as I look back over to Wil, seeing him slow to a stop. Jess and Cowboy quickly move their worried attention over to him as we stop with him.

"Yeah," I force out around the lump growing in my throat. Tears prickle the edge of my vision when I hear him have to clear his own throat to ask his next question.

"Do they know?" He asks in a shaky voice. Jess takes hold of his clenching hand while Cowboy lays his on Wil's tense shoulder. My heart thumps heavily in my chest and I have to drop my gaze to the ground to keep the tears from spilling out.

"Axel knows," I confess in a whisper, "but he asked me to wait to tell the others." The silence throws me back a few months ago, back to the morning after all our lives were altered forever.

When I woke up in North's bed, still wearing my sweet and blood-stained clothes, I was almost paralyzed with my fear and sorrow. The only thing that got me out of bed was the knowledge that I had to tell Wil what happened.

It was my responsibility to confess that his sister was dead because of me.

Wil became as silent as he is now, and didn't speak to anyone for close to a week. It took the combined efforts of Jess, Cowboy, and Jay to bring him back.

And here you go destroying all that hard work, that little negative voice inside my head whispers.

"Don't." I lift my head to see Wil moving away from Jess and Cowboy to take a glaring position right in front of me. "I know what you're thinking," he tells me as he crosses his arms over his chest again, "do I need to remind you of your promise to me?"