Glancing around the room, I sigh heavily. "Well, shit."
It's time for a mass update because, fellas... I just finished writing. I will update and finish this book, start posting the fifth, and mass update that as soon as the last four chapters are finished editing. I love ya'll :)
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When we step from the room, I stay to the side, afraid to inform three hundred people of their deaths. My stomach turns, a queasy feeling that I can't exactly place, though I fault it to my anxiety as hundreds stare up at us with urgent questions.
It swells up, however, to the point of no return, and I turn back into the office, quickly finding myself kneeling over a trashcan. Jasper runs after me, holding back my hair with one hand while rubbing his other across my back gently.
"You okay?" He murmurs, and I manage a nod, wiping my chin on a nearby cloth. I blink tiredly.
"I just got really overwhelmed by all those people I think, I'm sorry," I whisper, turning around and burying my face in his shirt. Jasper takes me into his long, spindly arms, rocking side to side ever so gently.
"Don't apologise, gorgeous," he coos to me, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. He kisses my forehead, then mumbles into my hair, "You ready to face the music?"
With a sigh, I reply, "As ready as I'll ever be." He takes my hand, helping me to my feet. Jasper leads me back into the main room, wherein all of the Arkadians had been packed. They swim in the crowd, like sardines ready to be caught and canned. This won't end well.
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"Just hang in there. We're sending a team to get you today," Abby reassures Raven through the radio, glancing over at me. I'd volunteered myself to join in on this rescue expedition. I may not recall a lot anymore, but this one I can guess at pretty easily, and we need to be on that rocket to the ring.
"You're sure about this?" Raven crackles back, guilt edging the young girl's tone. Abby again looks to me, eyes scoring me up and down. I writhe under her stare. Why is she staring at me like that? The fuck?
"Yes. We need you. Not just for the hundreds of things we know you can fix, but for the thousands of things we haven't even thought of yet."
There's a short pause, and then Raven beeps back solemnly, "Thank you, Abby." It's unusual to hear her voice so down. She'd just been complimented, but she lacks any sort of the cockiness she would usually express after Abby's words.
"I'm just glad you're alright," the doctor smiles sadly, now dropping her eyes to the cement floor. She brushes her hair from her aged face, swallowing as the radio beeps again.
"You will be, too. My brain is healing. The seizures have stopped. When I get there, we use the same procedure on you. You'll be cured."
A slow, silent second as Marcus sits up, eyes almost deadly. "Cured?"
"And with that, I will be taking my leave. See you guys later," I quickly dismiss myself, rushing out of the door before they can even argue with me, as I really don't wanna get involved if they're gonna start arguing. I lean on the cold metal bars circling up the walkway, the place that would, soon become what would be known as the pit. The deathbed to many a people, later eaten by their own family and friends.
