Losing Eight Lives

30 | Truths

I inhaled a sharp breath as I woke up from a sleep I didn't remember falling into. I sat upright on the bottom bunk that Jace sat on, and leaned my head against the wall. I hugged my knees and looked around the room.

Becka hadn't moved from her spot by the window. Her eyes were closed and her chest rose and fell evenly. Carter seemed quiet so I figured we was asleep as well.

The room was dark, and the sky was black through the window. Night had fallen faster than I thought.

Jace sat back on the edge of the bed that I was on. His head leaned against the bedpost and he faced the other way.

My heart ached as I looked at him. Why was he mad? What did they tell him? He wouldn't believe anything they tell him . . . would he?

I inhaled a deep breath and bit my lip. My eyes welled up and I realized I couldn't stand him being mad at me.

"Jace," I said softly.

His head turned in my direction, and he took a moment to look at me. Then he turned his head back to where he was originally looking, and breathed an audible breath.

"Jace please," I tried again. But he didn't even look back this time. Tears started rolling down my cheeks. "Can you at least tell me why your mad at me?"

"How could you leave me here?" he asked me. The pain in his tone made my heart shatter.

"I . . ."

He turned and looked at me again, but the shadow didn't allow me to see his face. "You left me here to worry. You left me here alone. To wonder when you would be back. To wonder if you would be back."

It was at that moment when I realized that I scared him. That he didn't know if he was ever going to see me again.

I wanted to hug him but he was too far away. "Jace, I'm so sorry." Tears still slipped down my face and started dripping on my clothing. "I am so sorry."

He turned away and looked at the ground. "I know you are."

For a minute or two we both just sat there in silence. But finally I built up the courage to crawl to the edge of the bed next to him. I grabbed his hand and leaned my head on his shoulder.

"I promise I didn't leave you intentionally. The helicopter crashed," I whispered.

"Don't leave me ever again," he said firmly, almost desperately. "Please."

I nodded, and he wrapped an arm around my waist. I imagined that if someone had done that to me, I didn't know if I would forgive them.

I closed my eyes and inhaled a large breath. My mind suddenly forgot all about the moment we just had and I remembered Cam's plan.

"Jace," I said, "We're going to get out of here."

He looked at me with hope, and for the first time since I've reunited with him, he smiled.

But his smile quickly faded. "Who's 'we' exactly?"

I looked at him, wondering where this was going. "You, me, Becka, and Carter." And Cam and Sean and Addison.

"Carter can't come."

I must have given him a strangest look. "Why?"

He looked at me as if it was obvious. "Why should he?" I could tell it was more than that.

I shrugged. "Because he's in this too."

Jace pursed his lips, unwrapped his arm around my waist and leaned forward so his elbows rested on his knees. "You really want him to come?"

I thought about that for a second. Why was I bringing him with us? "I wouldn't be able to live with myself, knowing he was still here." I realized.

Jace nodded, and looked at me. "Alright," he agreed, "But you can change your mind at any time."

I didn't know why, but I laughed lightly and buried my head in his shoulder. "Thanks."

-=-=-=-

My gaze shifted from the snowy landscape out the large window to Becka eating her lunch. Jace and I just played with ours.

"You're not hungry?" Becka looked at me suspiciously.

"I'm still full from breakfast," I lied.

"Jace?"

"I never eat lunch," he responded. I could tell by the way his eyes darted away from her that he was lying too.

We sat in our room with paper plates on our laps--each covered in vegetables and a ham sandwich. Carter was called to leave the room before breakfast and still hadn't returned. Although I wondered where he was, I still was glad he was gone. He added tension in the air somehow, simply by just sitting there.

I tried to snack on a cherry tomato, but the watery inside exploding in my mouth reminded me too much of blood, and I stopped.

The door was suddenly opened and Carter entered the room, alone.

I tried to lean to the side to see if he was escorted by big men in black, but he was really alone. He actually walked back to the room by himself.

"Who escorted you back here?" Jace asked.

"I did," Carter answered glumly.

We all exchanged a look.

"I'm only here to inform you that Cam was found in the city and he's now here with us." he sounded tired.

My heart skipped a beat and I had to hide the concern in my voice. "What about Sean?" I was going to stop there, but I realized that I'm not supposed to know that Addison is dead. "And Addison?"

"Both of them are dead. Addison tried to escape and died in the process. Sean's disease got the best of him." Carter said so casually, I couldn't tell if he was lying or not.

My heart started to hurt as I thought of Sean being dead . . . I couldn't tell if it was the truth. He was supposed to come with Cam. But they also thought Addison was dead.

Realization suddenly struck me like a slap in the face. I put my paper plate on the ground and stood up, studying Carter.

"Carter," I started, "What have you been doing all morning?"

Color drained from his face and he tried to hide it by looking tired again. "That's none of your business. I don't have permission to share that information."

My eyes narrowed on him. "You . . . don't have permission?"

He gives me a fast nod. "Yes, now I have to go back. They still need me-" his eyes widened as he realized his mistake. "I mean, they're still using me." Carter quickly walked out of the room and closed the door behind him. I heard the lock slide into place and I faced Jace and Becka.

My mouth was open in disbelief, and I stood there dumbfounded. "He . . . he's working for them." I looked at the floor, my hands in tight fists. "That traitor," I snapped. I took deep, even breaths in attempt to calm down.

Jace studied me with eyes that said I was right. "Still want him to come?"

I shook my head, "He's not coming with us." I sat back down, now calmed.

Jace scooted closer to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulder, "Good, we can run away together."

I grinned and leaned my head on his shoulder. "Okay,"

"And I'll be there too," Becka added in, "Just being that friend that makes everything awkward."

I couldn't help but laugh. Even in the worst times, Becka lightened the mood.

-=-=-=-

OH MY GOSH GUYS

LOSING EIGHT LIVES JUST HIT 1k READS!!!!!

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- Lauren