Lies #3: Craniotomy

Chapter 4

Everything was a bloody mess. There were bodies everywhere, strewn across the floor and leaning against walls. There was a pile of multi-colored hair next to the entrance, and Logan kicked it out of the way. In a chair a few feet away was a nurse whose eyes had been scooped out from their sockets and laid in their open hands. As Logan and Jay slowly made their way down the aisle, he peaked into different rooms. One had a patient in it whose nose had been ripped off, and written on their forehead was the word 'Voldemort'. How could one man alone have done this much damage? It was truly puzzling; yes, he had a mace, but a mob of people should've been able to take him out of commission. Unless he's had specialized training... Of course, there was no way to know for certain, but that didn't stop his wonderings.

Jay was silent the entire time. She had a hand on her mouth, her eyes wide. Every time she saw a body, she shivered. Logan wondered about what her feelings were. Most people would feel horrified upon seeing this, right? Beings of their own race mutilated? He'd never been told what people feel when others were murdered, only that it was a very bad thing. I need to keep Jay calm, but... I don't know how. This had all gone downhill extremely quickly. Jay doesn't like me because I haven't shown any sign of remorse for these people. I don't know how I could change her opinion of me. Maybe he could try doing something he'd seen other people do. He put a hand on her shoulder. "It'll be alright. We'll get through this." The words sounded so foreign and strange coming from him, but it was necessary. I can't risk letting her have a heart attack- everyone else would hate me for it.

Surprisingly, she started sobbing. It began quietly, but soon tears were streaming down her cheeks and dripping onto her hands. Jay tried wiping at her eyes, but they kept coming. Logan tried desperately to remember something- anything- that people did to comfort others. After a few moments, he wrapped his arms around her in a gentle hug. She softened and hugged him back, crying into his shirt. "We're gonna die, aren't we? Just like all these people."

Unsure of how to respond, Logan was unresponsive for a heartbeat. If he said yes, it would increase her stress. If he said no, it would probably end up being a lie. Instead, he murmured, "I don't know. But there's no point in giving up when there is still a chance we can survive, and while there are others we can save. The people on the second and third floors are unaware of the situation down here; we need to warn them." Although he would rather hide in the Cardiology ward where their chances of survival were much higher, Logan figured Jay would like him more for wanting to save others. And what he needed right now was for her to like him and, more importantly, to trust him.

After a minute or so, Logan pulled away from her, unable to continue hugging. It had been the first hug he had given... ever. His parents had hugged him many, many times over the years of his youth, but he himself had never hugged them. It felt weird. Hugging was a sign of affection, and he'd never felt that way towards anyone, let alone Jay. She was quite stubborn and uncooperative when he needed her to be. In a situation like this, they needed to work together, not argue. But all she seemed to want to do was question his behavior. Of course, that wasn't anything new; that's how everyone reacted to his startling cold and uncaring demeanor. But they didn't have time for all that. Yes, Logan wasn't at all disturbed by this horror fest, but that was a lot better than becoming so wracked with grief that he couldn't continue on. In fact, his nonchalant manner was quite useful. He would be able to assess different situations calmly and make rational decisions. She can do the fighting, I can do the planning. "I think I have Dr. Wilson's phone number, I'll try calling her." Logan pulled out his phone and pressed the home button, only to find that it wouldn't turn on. I must have forgotten to charge it last night... again. When Jay gave him an unimpressed look, he slipped it back into his pocket and shrugged. "Not everyone is as good at remembering things as others."