7. Wandering

Ian's POV

I walk along the road as far as I can, back and forth. I don't dare to walk back to the caves. What if the seekers are secretly watching me? Of course they are. Why else would they put me on the streets like this?

I decide to check into a motel. If the owner finds out I'm human, I know that I'm not going to be captured again. I mean, they just released me, so why would they want me back? However, the owner doesn't suspect a thing. He gladly gives me the key and wishes me good night. Before I go to my motel room, I grab some water and a few burgers. I'm hungry as hell. Haven't had a burger in like two weeks. All I've eaten is soup that taste like pickles. Freaking disgusting.

After I've eaten I go to sleep. I have nightmares all the time now. The same thing every night. I get chased and tortured in all of them. Tortured 'till someone chops my leg or arm off and I wake up, all sweaty and shaking.
I look at the time. It's almost four in the morning. I'm not taking the chance of falling asleep again. I'm only going to dream about the same thing anyway.

I walk over to the couch and turn on the TV. All of the channels shows the same boring shit where everyone loves each other and there is no such thing as an unhappy ending. But it calms me down.

I really wish Wanda was here. I miss her. I wish I could just go back to the caves. But I know I can't. The seekers will follow me and then they will take everybody away from me. If I have to, I'm going to spend as much time as the seekers allow me to in this town before they don't want to wait anymore and then kill me. I'd do anything to keep my family safe.

Two hours later, the sun has already risen. I turn the off the TV and go to the bathroom to take a shower.

I deliver the key in the lobby and go out for a walk.

I'm not going very far. I walk along the highway for about half an hour before I turn around and walk back. The sun is burning my skin, and I give a not to myself that I have to get some sun screen.

Wanda's POV

"There he is! That's him!" I cheer and point out the window. Kyle breathes a sigh of relief. We've been driving around all day and all night looking for him, and out of all places, we find him walking along the highway at 6 a.m. I wonder where he is going. Has Ian convinced the soul not to walk back to the caves in case he leads the seekers there? Or did the soul turn around when he realized that Ian was manipulating him to go to the caves and find me, like Melanie did with me?

Jared takes a breath. "Alright. Kyle and I will go get him. Jamie, you take the wheel-"

"No!" Both Melanie and I shout in protest, but then Jared smiles joke-fully.

"I'm only messing with you. Jamie, you'll just sit there and observe, all right? And Melanie, you take the wheel," he says and opens his door. Kyle follows him.

"Be careful with him," I say. "Ian is still in there, you know". Jared nods one time, but Kyle looks more like he wants to avenge the soul.

Ian's POV

While walking along the road, I can't help but look around me and see if anyone is watching. But I can't see anyone. They're either very good at hiding, or they are just not watching me. I'm so paranoid.

Then all of a sudden someone grabs my shoulder and lays a hand over my mouth to stop a scream that's building up in my throat. I try to wriggle away, but the seeker has a tight grip. I hear a car stop right beside me, and before I can catch my breath I get thrown in. My first though is that the seekers though I was on my way to find the caves, but gave up on me when they saw that I turned around.

What are they going to do to me now? Is Seeker Thomas going to get what he want's and torture me till I tell him everything I know? Or are they going to kill me? I hope for the last one.

"Be careful I said!" Wanda. Wanda! I smile with relief when I recognize her voice. They came for me.

Then someone knocks me out.