Filtered

Part 7: Rose

I drifted in and out of an uneasy sleep, my dreams filled with Cranks and O'Donnely.

   And it was always the same dream.

   In the dream, I'd be running away from Cranks in a labyrinth, never able to lose them, always barely dodging them. Then, when I would finally find my way out, I would be greeted by O'Donnely, who was pointing a gun at me.

   "Disgusting filth," he'd always sneer, before pulling the trigger.

   I'd wake up, gasping for air and sweating like crazy, every time. Right now, I was sitting up in my cot, shivering from the cold wind that blew into the tent and examining the wound on my arm for the billionth time. It still looked pretty nasty, but at least the swelling had gone down.

   I poked at it a little more, then sighed and let my arm drop, leaning back.

   There was no way I was going to sleep right now though, not after what just happened. There had been a loud explosion, and I had been left in here to wonder what had happened for atleast 20 minutes. Of course, I had tried to go see what it was, but the guard refused to let me out.

   Eventually, Layla came and explained to me what happened. Something caused an explosion in a city nearby, and a building collapsed. She said she saw a couple bodies, and that Thomas and a few others went to go check it out. And now we were left to sit here and wait.

   I didn't know what they would find, but I had a bad feeling. I just hoped they were back soon.

   As if reading my thoughts, I heard a shout from outside, someone announcing that they were back. Not caring about the guard, I jumped off my cot and darted through the tent flaps.

   I pushed past the guard, who shouted, "Hey!" and darted to where Thomas and the others were arriving. Thomas was carrying somebody, and some other guy was carrying someone else.

   But it was the person Thomas was carrying that caught my attention. Curly brown hair. Lithe body. But the bottom half of the left side of her body was burned and bleeding. Her face was gaunt and her eyes were closed.

   She looked tiny in Thomas' arms. The whole world tilted on its axis and I nearly fell over, my stomach roiling.

   It was my best friend, whom I had assumed to be dead.

   Clara Bell.

~ <*> ~

"Clara," I gasped, stumbling forward. "Clara."

   Thomas stopped, looking at me in alarm. "What-" he stammered. "What are you doing up?"

   I didn't acknowledge his words and reached up to touch my best friend, tears now streaming down my face. "Clara," I sobbed, my pleas becoming desperate. "Clara."

   "Hang on, you know her?" Thomas asked, then shook his head. "You know, never mind. I need to get her to the medical tent."

   He hurried away and I wanted to follow after him, but my feet now felt glued to the ground. Clara was alive. But for how much longer? The thought made my head spin. Just then, Layla came running up to me.

   "Rose," she gasped. "What is it? What did they find?"

   I opened my mouth, but no words came out. Layla grabbed my shoulders, lightly shaking me. "Rose," she said again. "What did they find?"

   I looked at her and managed to utter one word, "Clara."

   Layla's eyes widened and her hands dropped from my arms as she stepped back. "Is.. is she okay?" she finally managed to ask. I slowly shook my head, my lip quivering.