Chapter 4 - Returned
Wanda-
"Sunny?" I called, sprinting around the caves (well trying to sprint anyways). Everyone was at breakfast right now, and Jared will be breaking out the news that we'd be going on another raid, even if we'd only just got back 2 weeks ago.
"Sunny?" I heard Mel's voice from somewhere upstairs. "Are you here? Please come out! You're scaring us to death!"
"Mel? I really don't think she's here." I called, running up the steps toward the east corridor towards her.
"She just doesn't seem the type to just leave her home at the time of need." Mel said, her face contort with worry.
"Mel," I whispered, "I don't think Sunny ran off to escape."
Mel stared at me. "What makes you think that?"
"Because she's a soul," I said, "I think she just did what we did, last year, when Jamie… hurt himself."
Melanie stared at the wall now. "She and Lily were pretty close…"
I sighed. "Do you think Lily will be okay? I mean, I'm no doctor, but she's lost a lot of blood!" I whispered.
Mel picked at a piece of clay on the wall. "I don't know hon, I just don't know. I hope the boys finish breakfast soon. The faster we got out there, the faster we can get what Lily needs!"
Melanie's voice shook. "We'll save Lily, and we'll find Sunny. Have faith," I grabbed her hand, and we walked back towards the main cave.
Light shone on our eyes, making us blink. A black haired kid ran towards us.
"Aww, Mel! Wanda! Can I come, please, please, please!" Jamie pleaded, trying out his puppy-dog face.
"Jamie. No." Mel said, ruffling his hair. He then turned towards me.
"Hey, no! Unfair Jamie, totally unfair!" I said, smiling at him. "That face isn't going to work today, I'm afraid." I, too ruffled his hair and walked over to the boys. Ian looked up at me from his eggs.
"Honestly Mel, you have gotta eat something!" I heard Jared plead to her. She shook her head.
Ian looked up at me. "Eat." he said. I, too, shook my head.
"Not until we get out there." My eyes flickered to Kyle. His head was in his hands, and he too, wasn't eating. He wasn't even moving.
I turned to Ian. "We need to get out there now." I narrowed my eyes at him.
He looked at his brother, and then turned to Jared. "Mate, time to go."
Jared looked at Kyle, then looked towards the east corridor.
"People, let's go!" his voice boomed.
Andy, Aaron and Brandt stood up, nodding. "Bye, be careful!" I heard Paige whisper to Andy.
The whole caves went quiet. "Bye, good luck!"
"Come back soon!"
"Be careful!"
"Watch yourselves!"
"Look after each other!"
The voices called out to us as we left the main cave in silence.
Ian wrapped his arm around me and stared silently at his brother. Kyle had never been so quiet in his life. He just stared and kept walking.
We all followed Jared and Melanie out to where we had loaded the truck with what we needed on out raids.
The sunlight was shining on us as we climbed into the dark truck. Jared took the wheel, and I had to sit at the front, monitoring his speed. Ian had to lift me onto my seat. I could've reached, but he didn't even let me try.
Ian turned to kiss me lightly before closing my door with a slam.
I heard him climb into his seat as well. There was light chatter at the back of the truck. "Let's get going." I said to Jared.
And he gunned the engine.
___________________________________________________________________________
Sunny-
The light glow of the room reflected of the human in front of me. The silver reflected off the walls. He was tall, fair-freckly skinned, and had bright flaming hair. His navy-silver eyes stared me down. I was speechless.
Someone was working on the weathery thing tied around my ankles. I looked down. A really pretty brunette was untying the ropes tied around my ankles and wrists. She was pale and had long, straight hair.
My eyes continued to scan the room. Hushed conversations were starting up again. There must be around, what, fifteen people in this room?
Room, I wasn't underground! Actually I was. The room I was standing in had wooden walls though. This was a cellar. But the weird thing about the cellar was that it had corridors, heading down, heading up, heading in all sorts of places! I looked around, the cellar was wider and taller than the main cave back home!
Home, I thought. Would I ever see that place again?
"She's tired, take her to the empty room by the 6th corridor and let her rest," the soul named Burns told a man behind me.
I turned around slowly. There were five people standing behind me, all looking at me with different emotions.
The man I recognized from the highway was the one Burns was talking to. He was looking at me with concentration in his eyes, like his mind was elsewhere. There was also another woman, she had wavy blonde hair and tanned skin, she was short, but taller than me and she stayed very close to the other male. A partnership maybe?
There were also three more men there. One was extremely tall, Burns' height and he had blonde hair and hard-set brown eyes. The other one was slightly shorter with curly brown hair and gentle green eyes. The last guy stole my attention completely.
He was pale, taller than me about two head's and had pitch black hair and emerald green eyes. He had stunningly perfect features. Chiseled jaw and nose, and he stood tall. He was also standing the closest to me. The guy from the van, I realized.
He extended out his hand and grabbed mine, turning to look at the man down the back, whom I assumed is the leader. His hands heated mine up. I blushed against my will. Kyle, think of Kyle..
"Yep, take her there. I'll sort out things here." he said, looking at the man holding my hand.
"I'll come along too!" the pretty brunette next to me said excitedly to him.
The crowd murmured again in the background. She ignored them.
"Please dad?" she pleaded the man at the back, the assumed leader.. I gasped. I'd never known.
The man next to me tightened his grip. Her dad narrowed his eyes onto me.
"Blake, make sure she stays in line okay?" he said to the man.
"Yes sir, Burns you coming?" Blake turned and asked the soul.
"I'll come later… I've got things… to discuss with Nate." he replied.
Blake looked back and forth between the leader, whom I later found out was Nate, and Burns.
"Okay then, come on now." The brunette smiled at me, ushering me along. We weaved our way through the crowd, ignoring the angry glares and muttering.
"Seriously," said Blake, "Your going to give you dad a heart attack Rachel!"
The woman named Rachel was looking at me. "She doesn't look like a Seeker, and she's definitely not a threat… I don't think…" she trailed off. She had just seen my face clearly.
"Omigod, Blake!" she screeched. We all froze in our tracks. The crowd behind us stopped talking and turned to look.
"What?!" he asked, worried.
"What did you do to her?" Rachel was giving him the look of utmost disgust.
She reached out to touch my face, but I inched away. Did I really look that bad?
Blake swung me around quickly, but not roughly. I stared into his green eyes. He was looking at me with guilt. "I'm so, so sorry…" he said, running his fingers along the cuts. Rachel leaned forward and shoved him out of the way.
I had this wierd vision of Kyle smashing in his perfect nose. Funny, it came out of nowhere.
"The quicker she rests, the quicker she'll heal! I swear if he hurts you again, you can tell me…" Rachel was a very talkative woman. I giggled. But it was different. I was scared, and was on the verge of hysterics, so it came out like a slight hiccup.
She hushed me along the corridor, which was made of lots of wood and clay to a room. It had a wooden door and when she pushed it aside, I could see one double mattress and a small shelf. The holes in the walls gave the room a glow of natural light.
On that little shelf was a lantern, which I soon found out to be solar powered. And on that mattress was two small pillows and a very thin sheet of fabric. It reminded me of the mattress I had shared with Kyle just a couple of hours ago.
My eyes swelled over. You'd think that of all the times I'd cried today that I was out of tears. Oh how very wrong I was. I broke out into sobs. Very loud ones too. I was crying and talking at the same time.
"Oh Kyle, where am I? Come and get me K-Kyle!" I was saying wordlessly through tears.
The two humans just stood there as I crumpled to the floor and cried myself out to this body's one true love.
Kyle, Kyle, Kyle, Kyle…. I must of layed there for hours. I didn't even notice when Blake and Rachel left. I just curled up on the floor, next to the mattress and cried my little heart out.
When I finally realized that crying wasn't going to get me out of this place I just stared at the ceiling. The floor was cold, and my face was finally starting to heal. It was no longer bleeding, at least.
I thought about everyone I had lost.
Mum, dad, grandma, Kyle, Ian, Wanda, Lily… Jeb, Melanie, basically everyone I every really cared about. They were all gone.
How did I even get here? Oh, right, I was foolish and thought I could go out on my own and just hope for nothing to go wrong, I was self-bashing. And I knew that. It's not going to be good for my mental state.
What mental state?
I froze. That. Wasn't. Me.
I'm here too you know.
Holy crap.
Jodi? I thought out to her (or maybe it was just my mind?).
Who else? Honestly…. she was tsking me in my mind.
I could suddenly feel her. She was flipping through my memories at lightning speed.
I was in shock. Where the hell did you come from?
Holy! Kyle? Where is he?She was NOT too happy about all my thoughts about Kyle.
He is mine! Keep your mind off him!
Where the HELL have you been? I've been searching for you ever since they put me back in here! Do you know how hard it's been? Having people looking at you like you've stolen someone else's mind?? I screamed my thought at her.
She was silent. I-I don't really know...
I was being rude. And anger didn't suit me well.
Jodes, I'm so sorry.
Nothing.
JODI!!!!
My mind was my own. Where the hell was she? Oh. My. God. I'm losing my mind.
No your not! I'm right here! And, apology accepted, I guess.
I sat up quickly. Jodi? Where have you been?
I don't know, I mean I've been here, just… not here, do you know what I mean?
No, I don't. And what do you mean you've been here? We've been trying to call you out since, well, forever!
Honestly I have no idea where I was, it's just like… pop! I'm here!
Well, I'm sorry about Kyle. You know it's your body that's dragging me to him… And he never really gave up on you, you know?
She didn't reply, she was too busy flipping through my thoughts.
Wow, Ian found his love? She's a soul?
She seemed surprised enough. I took that Ian wasn't much of a dater back in the days.
Yeah, she's really nice too. Hey Jodi? Tell me one thing- how did you come back?
Well, I saw Kyle, like in your vision right? And you needed him just so bad. Your emotions were going haywire, and that unlocked the- HOLY CRAP!
What??
My face, your face, OUR face! Ouch, the road? Jeez Loiuse!
Uhh, yeah. Blake did it. Wait, so your telling me that you were there, the whole time?
Yeah, I couldn't get out.
But what about the time when they took me out? Couldn't you have broken free?
That is weird, maybe I wasn't there… But how come I'm here now?
She seemed completely honest about her answer. Plus, if she was lying, I'd find out.
Your guess is as good as mine.
Whose this Blake? Smashing my face… Omigod. He likes us!
What?? That's stupid.
No honestly!She flung at me all the visions of him, him touching us, him carrying us…
No, he like's you. Face it Jodi, you're not ugly.
Pfft, me? Whatever…
She flung more memories at me.
No, he can't like me! I'm a worm!
Well, he'd better not like me. Kyle would chuck a fit if he found out... Kyle… I need to see him. We have to get out of here!
Agreed. And Blake? Yeah, let's drop the subject.
… You like him!
She seemed outraged. She flung a countless number of memories at me.
Her and Kyle at the movies, at the beach... kissing in all sorts of various places.
No, I do NOT!
No reply. But I could still feel her presence.
Hey Jodi?
Mmm?
Are you here to stay?
I think so.
You better be. Kyle would murder me if he found out I lost you. Again.
Yeah, that's my Kyle. And don't change the subject of Blake. I know human men.
I hmpf-ed her. We just sat there in silence for a long while… contemplating our situation.
___________________________________________________________________________
I didn't realize I had dosed off until bright morning lights was shining onto my face. I blinked. It was morning. But I got here in the afternoon… I slept through the whole night!
I pushed myself up into a sitting position.
Are we on the mattress?
Jodi? Jodi! You're still here! Oh, wait we are.
The mattress was lumpy too, not like my old one, back at the caves.
Of course I'm here, you brought me back remember?
We've been moved.
I turned around on the mattress when I noticed that on the shelf next to it was a tray. And on that tray were bread and some cold eggs, with a cup of water.
My stomach rumbled. I didn't realize how hungry I was until I tasted the food. Then I wolfed it down. The water tasted kind of stagnant but I downed it all.
Maybe they have rivers, just like at the caves!
Hmm, maybe, or maybe this place has indoor plumbing?
The thought of a hot shower cheered me up just that tad little bit.
I looked around. The room was unchanged except for me and the food. I hopped off the bed, and tiptoed to the door. I twisted t the faux-home made doorknob, but it wouldn't budge. I shoved against it, but still nothing. I slid down in defeat and sat at the door. Waiting for someone. Anyone.
Jodi was still flipping through my memories, catching up on what's she's missed.
Lily? Is she okay?
No idea, I hope the boys have found something by now though.
Footsteps down the hall broke off our conversation.
"I heard something. Maybe it's woken up?" I didn't know that male voice.
"It's a she. Honestly… men." replied an all-too familiar voice. Rachel. The doorknob twisted and shoved against me.
I jumped out of the way, away from the door and it swung open.
"Hey you! Finally woken up? Come on, let's go see Burns…" Rachel chirped happily. The man with her I recognized. It was the taller guy, with blonde hair. He analyzed me with the same hard expression as yesterday.
"That's Tom, you'll get used to him." Rachel laughed, though giving him a hard look. I looked down, that was when I'd noticed that they were holding hands. I looked at her, my eyebrow raised.
"Oh…" she said, noticing. "We met each other in college, when it all happened."
"Oh, sorry." I said timidly.
"It's okay!" she laughed, grabbing my hand with her free one and dragging both me and Tom after her.
Wow. She's… energetic.
Ha. That's an understatement.
She dragged us both down the hall and back into the cellar, where people were enjoying their breakfast. That was until I came in. The chatter stopped short, but Rachel ignored all of them, and before anyone could say anything, she dragged us through another hallway, made of wood and clay. We got dragged to the last room. She knocked on the door smartly.
"I've got the urgh… what's your name?" she asked me.
"Sunny.." I replied. I noticed Tom analyzing me again. I looked away.
"I've got the soul named Sunny!"
The door opened suddenly.
Burns, Nate, the other guy from the van, and, my stomach jumped a little bit, Blake, were all there.
Hey!
Kyle's face popped up in my mind, sad and depressed. It made my heart ache of guilt.
Sorry.
"Sunny huh?" he looked at me, smiling slightly.
Jodi growled at him through my mind.
Burns stood up from the seat he was in and walked over taking my free hand.
"Oh, right…" Rachel dropped my hand and dragged Tom after her, closing the door when they left.
I turned to face the men. Nate was still staring at my face with concentration, the other guy was smiling at me and Blake was staring at where Burn's hand was holding mine.
"So, Sunny. Tell us, what were you doing on that motorway by yourself that night?" Nate asked me, gesturing towards a spare stool beside him.
I walked over and sat down, letting go of Burn's hand. "My car broke down." I said, short and simple.
"And you were driving in the middle of the night? By yourself?" the shorter man with curly hair asked.
"I'm sorry, but who are you?" I couldn't help it is suspicion leaked into my voice, I used to live with other rebel humans too.
I saw Nate's eyebrow rise. He was now looking at the other man.
"I'm Evan, nice to meet you." He stood up and reached for my hand.
I took it, slightly unsure.
"Tell me Sunny, but what exactly were you doing on that motorway, by yourself, at night?" Nate asked, his eyes locking onto mine.
"My friend was hurt; I needed to get to the nearest Healing Facility to get her some things." Still s`1hort and simple. I'm not relishing over the fact that I had a human family.
"Knowing what I do know, about your species, you guys don't tend to travel alone, especially not at night." Nate continued.
"Well, I'm different, and it was an emergency." I replied, keeping eye contact.
I could see the other men stiffen slightly. But not Burns.
"Tell me Sunny, what's your full name?" Burn's asked, breaking the silence.
"Sunlight Passing through the Ice, and you… Burns?" I replied, my voice shaking slightly. I did not like the way they were interrogating me.
"Burns Living Flowers," he replied, cocking his head onto the side.
"Oh, Fire World. I see…" my voice trailed off.
"It's a strange world. I know. But know that we found you, you can be one of us, unless you object?" Burns asked me, staring deeply into my eyes.
I looked quickly at the others. Nate, Evan and Blake were all looking at me intently.
"Uhh, I've got to get back to my friend." I said quickly.
"Well, considering that we've just let you into our home, I don't think we can let you leave." Nate said, looking at me.
"Then why did you just ask if I'd object?" I asked, my voice low and, to my surprise, menacing. Lily needed me. Jodi was a doctor, and I know that the human body doesn't hold that much blood.
Blake raised his eyebrows at Evan.
"I'm so sorry," I said, my face heating up. "But I can't stay when someone is dying!"
Common courtesy, always have a good reason for leaving a party early. My reason was better than good. It was urgent.
"So you can retie me up and drop me off at the closest clinic, and I won't even have to know where we are, but I really need to go." I pleaded with them.
They're not going to let you go.
I knew she was right.
"We can't let you go Sunny. You know that right? If we drop you off at the next town, then you'd know we live somewhere near here! I'm sorry." Blake said -his eyes truly sorry.
I looked down at the ground, blinking back more tears. I'm so sorry Lily, I've failed you.
We've failed her. I'm a part of this too.
I wiped them away quickly.
You've just got to have faith in the fact that Kyle is out there looking for us. And that the boys would know exactly what to do with Lily, they'll find save her.
Jodi was, in so many ways stronger than me. And I was glad she's back. I needed her.
We need each other.
Nate stared at me, slightly confused now. I could tell exactly what he's thinking.
'Seeker's aren't that great liars. Maybe she does have a hurt friend… We'll we can't let her go now.'
I looked away.
"We're so sorry Sunny." Evan said, his voice quiet.
I didn't reply.
"Well enough of this chit chat, we've got chores to do that aren't going to got done themselves!" Nate's voice breaking the silence. I sighed, as the men headed for the door, taking me with them.
I was near the back of the group when Blake stopped and waited for me.
"Are you okay? You seem a little shaken up." he asked softly as we joined up with Rachel and Tom.
"Yeah, I should, be okay." I kept my eyes onto the ground.
"Who's Kyle?" he asked suddenly.
Jodi, was now listening very intently on our conversation.
"You mentioned him, back at your room."
"Uhh, he's this body's boyfriend…" I said truthfully, looking in the other direction from his face.
Don't tell him about the others though!
Don't worry, I won't tell them about the others.
"So, are you and the soul inside his head, like, mates?" Blake asked, quietly.
I looked up towards him, he was looking in the other direction.
"Uhh, yeah. And he's going to be worried about me." I said, quickly diverting my eyes to the floor.
That's right! Ha! We're taken, back off!
Jodi felt just a little bit too victorious.
"Oh, okay then. Umm, I'm really sorry about taking you away from him, and uh your friend." he said, looking at me, green eyes attentive.
I just looked at him silently.
"Hey! Sunny!" Rachel called from the front of the group, running back towards us.
"You're going to be joining us for chore's today, it's going to be so fun! We get to……," she kept going.
I saw Nate's eyes flicker back towards his daughter and me with worry from the front.
"--and then we can go and pick flower's, but of course dad might not let us, it's enough that he even let's us outside! Oh and I think Burns' likes you!" she giggled, looking at me.
I felt Blake's eyes bore into the back of my head, but I wasn't concentrating.
"We get to go outside?" I asked her, shocked.
"Yeah! We grow our food outside! Can't exactly grow anything inside here dufus!"
Outside, huh?
Jodi's mind was moving at full speed... I could read her plans.
Wow. This is going to be easy.
I felt so hopeful my chest swelled.
Umm, or not.
Burns had just walked back towards us with Tom. Rachel smiled at me enthusiastically. From beside me I heard Blake sigh.
What did I tell you?
You said Blake liked me! Not Burns!
Urghh, it's like a sick love square!
I ignored her.
Our group entered the cellar, it was empty, except for a couple of people. They were eating their eggs and bread slowly, eyeing us as we walked past.
Burns looked down at me. "What happened to your face Sunny?"
From the corner of my eye I saw Blake look down at me. "Accident that happened." I replied, looking him in the eye.
"Well, I was hoping maybe you'd like to work on the potatoes with me today?" Burns asked me hopefully.
Rachel giggled. I turned to look at her. "Well, I was going to ask you to join us for carrots, but looks like you can work with Burns."
I stared at her. She just kept on giggling.
"Well, actually-" Blake's voice broke the silence. I turned to look at his dazzling eyes, "I was hoping you'd work with me and Nate, on the cabbages, but you know, you can work with Burns."
I just stared at him.
This. Cannot. Be. Happening.
I looked around at the three faces, all waiting for an answer.
"Uhh, well.." I stammered.
Oh, help me Jodi!
She too, seemed uncertain.
Umm, go with Rachel! She's your closest friend here.
I was going to say something when Blake broke in. "You know what? Go with Burns, I think Nate needs me." He was kind of cold. He just walked off.
Rachel smiled at me. "Yeah, go with Burns, we'll catch you for lunch!" she and Tom walked off towards where her dad and Blake were.
I looked around. Burns was looking at me expectantly.
We need to get rid of these people! Argh! She was so frustrated.
I sighed. This is going to be hard.
I would like to thank my reviewers,
Without them, there wouldn't be a fourth Chapter!
Thank you; ivamp3, siramad21, , TopKat90 & LissaLang (:
Hehe, two stories, published in one day.
So anyways, I realised it was kinda confusing so I bolded Jodi's thought's and italic-ed Sunny's (:
Oh, and I changed Jodi's thoughts about Blake and added a little bit more, just to fix it up a little bit.
It's sort of rushed, sorry guys. Anywho, hoped you enjoyed it! :)
Reviews, please!
Kate xx
