Would you believe it's been almost a year since I posted this? Well it almost has. Hehehe. Anyways I guess it would be good to finally give chapter dos. Especially with all the movie hype!*wink*
"Who's hurt?" Jamie asked me as he sat down for breakfast. I furrowed my eyebrows unaware of what he was referring to. "I saw a bunch of people crowded around the entrance to the hospital. I was too hungry to stay and find out." I grinned at his last statement. I suppose Jamie's stomach trumps his curiosity any day.
"Jared found a soul wandering around last night." I left out the part about her screaming about suicide. A part of me still wanted to protect him from those things. "He brought her in and Doc extracted the soul." I continued as Jamie scarfed down the last bits of grits we have left. This reminds me, we have to go on a raid soon. Suddenly my chest feels empty as I remember the last time we went on a raid. It's not like we were almost caught or anything. It's just the arguing was awful. I guess I can't blame Jared for not entirely trusting Nate, or Nate finding Jared to bossy. But when two strong leaders clash exactly seven minutes after midnight in a small motel surrounded by souls I can't help but feel frightened.
Jeb, unfortunately, found this clash to be healthy for Jared. He said, "the boy needs t' learn how to compromise. Ain't gonna do us any good if he doesn't have an open mind." So he suggested (more like decreed) we always go on raids with our newfound friends. I can't really complain because I enjoy raiding with Burns. He's so much easier to talk with than timid Sunny. He makes me feel like I don't have to lose my soul qualities though I'm helping and living with humans.
Ian's voice roused me from my thoughts of Burns. "Are you okay? You seem tired."
"Oh, no, all of the excitement is keeping me awake," I answer. He smiles at me and sits down. He's wearing a clean plaid shirt with jeans that seem like they've never been stained with the purple dust that finds its way everywhere. Hm, "Your clothes seem very clean. Too clean. What are you up to?"
"Oh, so you just assume I'm up to something just because I look nice?" He counters with fake hurt in his voice.
I smile menacingly, "I never said you look nice."
"But you were thinking it," He says quickly I try to retort but he's too fast. "You think I'm a sex god." I couldn't help but laugh because in that exact moment Jamie, looking a little pale, stood up so abruptly it knocked Ian's grits onto his lap. Ian stared at his jeans with his mouth open.
"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Ian O'Shea how dare you waste food when we're almost out?" I laugh, but I stop once I realize almost everyone in the Cafeteria has left. Ian notices too. "Did they all go to see the new girl?" I didn't seem likely that everyone would be so interested. Maybe word got around that she speaks a different language.
"I don't know. Let's go see." He said whilst wiping off the food from his jeans.
"Okay, let me just get a ponytail from our room, then-"
"No I'll get it, "he said a bit too nonchalantly. Suspicious, I think.
"Then I guess I'll see you at the hospital." I narrow my eyes at him, and he smiles rather largely.
On the way to the infirmary I wonder what Ian's up to. But I truly have no idea. I mean what would he try to be hiding from me? Nothing comes to mind. Wait, what if it's his birthday? Humans seem to be emotionally attached to the day they entered the world. Whereas souls live forever and really no thought about it. I don't even know or can begin to fathom what day I was born on. Oh great ,something else I can't relate to Ian on. My chest hurts again.
As I approach the hospital I notice people crowded around the door. "Please, please people can we calm down there's-"
"Calm down? How can I be calm when I know someone who showed seekers right to us is still here?" Someone says. I think it may be Brandt.
"She doesn't even speak our language!"
"Now this is ridiculous people!" I hear Jeb's voice of reasoning shout. "There's is no reason to be afraid of her. She's human isn't that enough?" I hear a no and Jeb sighs. "Hm. If you don't get back to chores I'll be sure to kick all of y'all out. Is that clear enough?" A groan ripples in the crowd, and it disperses. I see Ian on the other side. He smiles shaking the ponytail in his hand.
We both walk into the infirmary where Mel is sitting on a cot. Doc is talking to the girl in what I think is really broken German but he doesn't seem to be getting anywhere. And Jeb is muttering about how everyone gets all riled up over nothing.
"Where's Jared?" Ian asks Melanie.
"Asleep." She says a bit tired herself, but there's something else that's bothering her. I just know it. I give her a reassuring smile she smiles back weakly.
I hear Doc sigh, and then say, "Well I'm almost certain she must be Russian, or from a surrounding country."
"How can you tell?" I ask curiously.
He smiles, "I'm a Cold War kid. Years of paranoia makes me certain." Everyone laughs but me.
"What's a Cold War-"
Jeb interrupts me, "don't worry about kid. Okay, so what we need to do is go on a raid." I suppress a groan. "Do you know if there are still translating books out there?" He asks me.
"I know there are travel shops that should have them. I know souls try to preserve as much as a culture as they can." I reason.
"Great, get ready we're goin' on a raid." Jeb says excited. I am not so excited, though.
