Forgotten

Chapter Eleven: Beautifuly Infected

I could tell that the Epile had worn off because I had a pounding headache and I didn't have the feeling that I was in a nightmare anymore. Everything was quiet. It was peaceful; too peaceful.

I pried my eyes open in a dimly lit room. I looked around, it looked like a ordinary bedroom with stained carpet and plain, white walls. On the wall beside the closed door was a mirror. I was lying in a bed with scratchy, blue sheets and a flat pillow underneath my head.

I felt no pain in my hand or anywhere else. I reached up and touched my face where Demetria had scratched me but it was as smooth as it was before.

Someone was shouting in the street below, but the only window in the room was right next to me and it was completely boarded up. I threw the sheets off of me and got out of bed; the carpet felt rough under my feet.

I walked towards the door but stopped once I reached the mirror. I hadn't realized that I haven't even looked at myself in a mirror since...since I can't even remember. I didn't even recognize myself. My features were sharper, my cheeks had lost any of their babyish roundness and my entire countenance made me look older. My green eyes were cold and sharp, but also heavy like I had been to the pits of hell and experienced so much sadness and so much pain yet I lived to tell about it. Yet, at the same time, they seemed blank and void of all emotion.

I had neglected to cut my hair and it now looked like a tangled, curly, black mess that came down to just above my shoulders. My eyes were still completely uncovered by hair, but just barely. I wasn't wearing a shirt, so I could see how much more defined my muscles are now than they were a year ago. I was definitely stronger than that little boy, afraid of his father.

I didn't have any incisions on my chest or even scars. I looked at my hands, all of my fingernails were still there. Was Demetria just a dream? Perhaps she was just a result of the Epile.

There was a dresser pressed up against the wall. I looked through it, it was mostly empty except for militia clothes, like what the soldiers back in EDAHOW wore. Seeing as how the only thing I was wearing looked like old pajama pants, I changed into them. I could move swiftly and efficiently in these and the boots would keep my feet well protected. In the way of comfort and style, they were somewhat lacking, but if I could fight in them and they kept me somewhat protected that was really all that mattered.

I heard what sounded like thumping of feet running up the stairs, and not a second later the door to my room burst open.

"Terrance!" It was Stephen, he was out of breath from running and looked frightened beyond belief.

"What happened?" I asked.

"You need to come right away," Stephen ran out of the room and I rushed out after him.

We were in the house that Jess had showed me my first day here where Felipe, Brandon, Stephen, and I were supposed to live with the aliens. I'm assuming the room I was in was mine. We rushed down a flight of stairs into the living room area, then straight through the front door without saying a word. I heard invisible crickets singing in the starlit sky as we race down the front porch.

I followed Stephen halfway across town, down an alley or two, and finally towards a large house like the one we were just in. A multitude of people were gathered outside on the grass. They all circled around something and whispered frantically to their neighbors.

"Everybody, please stand back," I heard Callie shout. The blasted alien was standing on the porch leading into the house and looked just as she always had-annoyed.

A few people backed up slightly, but I pushed through the center of the crowd (earning myself a few snarls and rude looks) to see what all the fuss was about. In the center I saw Commander Dace and Brandon kneeling over a small figure on the ground. I rushed over to them.