Chapter 9: Alpine Fields
"Mommy!" He ran through the hotel which they just moved into. His bare feet were noiseless on the carpet as he ran. Daddy tiredly opened his eyes a small gap and closed it again. He know Daddy's been out all night doing 'work' and Mommy gave him strict orders not to disturb him but there he was, screaming his lungs out for her, "Mommy!" He ran to the table near the bed and saw Mommy.
She was seated at the table, on it many separate gadgets that he didn't recognize, although he'd already learnt to recognise guns, ammunition and how to make thermite bullets. Daddy spent months teaching him to memorize the stuff.
He ran to Mommy and crashed into her thigh intentionally hard to get her attention. Sometimes, Mommy could be very quiet and still for hours. He shook her thigh, hard.
"Yes?" She looked down at him with soft brown eyes, the look she reserved for him.
"What are you doing?" He asked, tiptoeing so he could see the things on the table. Unexpectedly, he felt Mommy's gentle but strong hands under his arm and bringing him on her lap. He sat down, leaning on her warm body.
"Making some things." She pointed at the rolls of sliver plastic roll. They all had a small speck of string poking out from the tip of each roll.
"What is it?" He asked curiously, peering pass her hand and seeing her press the two silver plastic together to form another roll.
"Pipe bombs. Some thing to help us get away from the bad guys."
"You mean cyborgs." He shot Mommy a matter-of-factly tone. He saw her grimace.
"Yeah, I meant cyborgs." She mumbled, keeping up the spare materials and keeping them in the box by her side, pulling out two guns. She carried him off her lap, to his disappointment and gestured for him to sit on the chair next to her. He pulled out the chair and half climbed on it, "Clean this." Mommy said in her monotonous voice, or how daddy described it.
He shot Mommy the look Daddy shot her when she was monotone in her movements and tone.
Mommy reached out and cupped his cheek with a smile, "Don't learn from your Daddy. You look just like him so it's too scarily realistic when you do that." Mommy chuckled. He felt himself grin upon seeing Mommy's cute chuckle. People always say he's very cute but he thinks Mommy's ten times cuter and much more prettier than he was.
"I can clean the gun faster than you!" He claimed all of a sudden.
"Oh yeah?" Mommy challenged in the playful tone of hers.
"Yes!" He grinned, "I'll race you!" He instantly started dismantling his gun. Mommy did too and they were at the same pace.
In the end, he won but he knew; she'd let him. She'll always let him win, so he'll always win.
Zander, 5 years old.
He bent over, resting his elbow on his knees as he played with the pistol. On his right shoulder, Lauren rested her head on it, her hands resting limply on her lap. She stirred but remained asleep.
Zander looked into the darkness, spotting the house's outline barely in the darkness. He closed his eyes, mind twirling through the happenings of the day.
(Earlier in the day)
"Lauren, we don't live in a barn, we close the door and we wipe our feet!"
Zander turned around in the room he was checking and walked out, confirming the fact that he'd heard footsteps before the voice. He held his gun tightly as he see the three of them stiffened in front of him and the sight of the gun.
"What do you want?" The man walked up in front. Zander set his jaws, not knowing whether to speak before Lauren stepped forward past his father and his objection.
"Hi," She smiled. Zander looked at her. She looked young, about the same age as him, straight short hair. Her smile was warming but he learnt to resist that a long time ago. He raised his pistol at the girl, straight in the chest when she attempted to get closer.
"I'm sorry." He spoke. Keeping his gun on her, he moved back a little, "Stay away." He ordered, voice filled with uncertainty. Zander looked around and decided it'll be best to call, "They're alive!" He shouted. It wasn't long before Cameron marched in through the door. She had been doing a perimeter sweep, as usual.
"Lauren, go to your room," The man grabbed his daughter's shoulder upon the appearance of a young teen, a little older than the boy, carrying a shotgun. Zander watched as Lauren retreated back as her father asked. They made eye contact as she left. When she shut the door, Zander turned to look at the man who stood protectively in front of his wife, "what do you want?" He asked, voice thick with fear.
"Are you the Fields? I'm here to help are you the Fields?" Cameron pressed them for an answer. They didn't reply.
"Anne call 911."
"No," Zander cocked his gun.
"I need to get you out of here now someone's coming. I'm not here to rob you." Cameron told them well-temperedly.
"Then put down the gun." The man said, challenging her.
"You don't understand you're in danger. Listen to me, you have to come with me. A man is coming to kill you. He's found your house in the city and he's coming here." Cameron said patiently, "Your house sitter's dead by the way." She added, hoping it would work to good measure but instead, a look of shock crossed both their faces.
"Don't move!" The girl snapped. Cameron turned, spotting the youngest Fields, Lauren holding a gun at them. Zander shot her an exasperated look before glancing at the gun.
"Lauren, that your name?" Zander asked in his monotonous tone which he used perfectly in a great imitation of Cameron, "Just to tell you. That gun won't work." He said, amused. Noting her obvious hesitation and nervous glances to the small silver gadget in her hand, "Ever used one before?"
Lauren looked at her father who came over, taking the gun from her.
"Put the gun down." He ordered, seemingly ignoring Zander's warning about the gun. Cameron placed her gun down on the table, gesturing to him to do the same. Zander reluctantly placed his on the table by Cameron's. "Who are you? What are you doing here? Tell me the truth." He said.
"The truth?" Zander scoffed, turning to glance at his mother.
"In the near future a computer system called Skynet takes over the world. It sends humanoids machines back in time to eliminate anyone who's a threat. I found a list, your name is on it." Cameron recited, spotting the look of fear cross Anne and Lauren's face but the man seemed undeterred and in fact doubtful, "A machine is coming to kill you and like I said, it's found your house. It's coming here."
"Call the police," He turned to his family, "Tell them there's a crazy woman in the house with a gun."
Cameron rolled her eyes, spotting Zander clenched his fists.
"Excuse me." The man jumped, turning around to see John behind him.
"Who are you?" The man demanded, stepping away from John.
"You might want to consider before pointing that at my wife." John growled.
"No, you listen to me. Stand over here with them." The man ordered. John glared at him, taking two steps forward before snatching the gun out of his hand. A look of exasperation crossed Anne's face.
"Hey! We're going. Now!" Cameron snapped and picked up her gun, passing Zander his. They headed for the door. Just as they were about to exit, they heard two sharp barks and Zander cocked his gun, turning around, spotting a dog.
"What about Charles Barkley?" Lauren asked, her tone betraying her wish to keep it.
"No." Cameron replied instantly before marching out to the car.
"I'll drive." John muttered, jumping into the driver seat. Cameron sat in the passenger seat and watched as Zander opened the door for the family. She didn't miss the look Lauren shot him as she jumped into the backmost seat with him. They sped off out of the woods quickly.
"Why would you keep a gun in the house?" Anne asked, exasperated.
"For situation like this," Her husband replied, tone forceful and tight, "Or bears."
"I already told you this won't work in a situation like this, or bears." Zander added, earning an annoyed look from the both of them.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Anne demanded.
"Please shut up." John growled and the family quietened down. None of them, except Cameron, heard the two kids in the back starting a conversation.
"Hey, can I know your name?" Lauren asked softly.
"Zander." Zander mumbled, looking out of the window.
"I'm Lauren," Lauren attempted to keep it going with this boy, who doesn't seem to be interested.
"Lauren Anne Fields. I know that already." Zander said uninterested. She went quiet and Zander glanced at her, instantly feeling guilty for snapping at her, "Hey." Zander turned to her, adjusted himself.
She looked up eagerly.
"Look, I just shouldn't have snapped at you. I'm sorry," Zander said awkwardly, "It's just…I never spoke a girl before. Apart from my mother." He forced a smile.
"Never?" Lauren raised an eyebrow.
Zander gave a short laugh, "Yeah, never."
"Girls never want to talk to you? I mean you're really…charming…" Lauren's cheek turned red from complimenting a boy she'd took a liking for first time in her life.
"Thanks but, my parent's home-schooled me all my life so I never got to meet other people." Zander looked away from her. His eyes wandered to the front, spotting his parent's interlocked hands and then to his mother, who had her hand on her belly, looking out of the window distractedly. He can't help but smile. For two reasons, the first was that at least both of them told him they'll stop Skynet and they're trying. The second, was that his mother's pregnant and he'll get a sibling.
Meanwhile, at the front, John reached out gently to hold her hand, squeezing it gently, "You alright?" he asked her softly.
"I'm fine, John." Cameron shot him an appreciative look before placing a hand on her belly.
"You better be." He smiled at her.
Cameron looked ahead, "John!" He looked in front, steering the car away from another vehicle but it seemed to deliberately want to get to them. John threw his body over Cameron's as the vehicle crashed into Cameron's side.
"Mom!" Cameron heard Zander's worried cry from the back.
"I'm fine. Go! Back to the cabin!" Cameron shouted. She glared as the man who crashed into their car intentionally stood at her door. She shoved it open, hard; throwing the man off his feet and onto the ground, "Go! Get out of here!" She spun around to shout to John. He nodded briefly, guiding the Fields and Zander back to the cabin but stayed to help Cameron.
John emptied his rifle into the terminator's back to get its attention while Cameron pulled out her gun. She grabbed its shoulder and push it to the floor. She punched its face with so much force that the skin at its cheek split open to reveal coltan. John hurriedly reloaded his rifle, seeing Cameron wavered on the spot, trying to clear the untimely dizziness she was experiencing.
John cried out in frustration as the clip seems to have some objections in going into the slot. He threw it on the floor as the terminator stood up, advancing to Cameron who was swaying on the spot. He pulled out his necklace, muttering into it and soon, as Cameron had set it, two golden copper metal teeth emerged at the bottom of it.
John prayed under his breath as he jumped forward, pressing it against the terminator's back. It twitched before collapsing into a heap on the floor. As much as John wanted to help Cameron first, he knew he couldn't. John knelt down, pulling his knife and swiftly cut a semicircle, using the blade to open the port cover. It opened with a hiss and John pulled the exposed chip out. He let out a relieved breath before dropping the chip on the floor.
He dashed to Cameron, holding onto her. He could feel her leaning on him, "Cam. Are you alright?" John asked, voice thick with worry.
"Yeah. I'm sorry." She forced a smile as her vision cleared, "Bad timing."
"Nope. You're alright and that's good." John smiled.
'You got the chip?" Cameron asked.
"Yup, thanks to you."
"I didn't-"
John silenced her, raising up his necklace which already had the copper teeth retracted in, "You saved our lives, again." He grinned.
"So, what would John Connor propose we do right now?" Cameron asked playfully.
"I propose we go back to the cabin and check the chip if it has accomplices." John said earning a satisfied nod from Cameron. She moved and picked up the terminator easily.
*
"Down down!" David Fields said to the dog as they entered. Zander shut the door behind him, "What the hell was that?"
"That thing from the future we mentioned?" Zander said, glancing out of the window.
"We need to get him to a hospital. We need to call the police." Anne said, looking at her husband's bleeding leg.
Zander marched to the shelf, taking down a canoeing paddle from the side, breaking it in half and knelt down by David's leg, "No. You call the police, Police come, that thing kills them. I need tape." He watched as Lauren ran off to get it.
"Then we need to get out of here. Your car's outside, we can just take your car-" Anne said matter-of-factly.
"The road's block, it's out there." Zander interrupted, "We won't be going that way." He shot her a fake smile. Lauren returned and passed him the tape, "Is there another road out of here?"
"No," David replied, throwing his hands up in defeat, "Shaffer's got a road but it's a mile through the woods and I don't think he's there." He said as Zander taped David's leg to the paddle. Anne placed her hand over her mouth in disgust and ran off.
Zander secured the tape and looked at David Fields, "Can you stand?" He asked. David looked doubtful for a moment before trying to with the help of Lauren.
"Barely." He said, dropping back down on the couch. Zander went to the door and peeped out the window for any signs of his parents. He is starting to get worried. If they aren't turning up any time soon, he's going to look for them.
"I need to know which one of you that thing is after." Zander spun around.
"What do you mean which one?!" David scoffed.
"That thing wants one of you dead, I need to know why. Anyone of you deal with computers? The military? Anything like that?" Zander asked hastily.
"I'm a banker! She's a housewife!" David said exasperated, pointing at Lauren, "And she's nothing!"
"Hey!" Lauren scowled.
"You know what I mean." David rolled his eyes, "Why don't we all just head for Shaffer's place? It's just a mile through the woods and we can take his road out of here!"
"No. My parents are out there, I'm not leaving them." Zander snapped.
"David! We're a mess, we can't run a mile through the woods!" Anne added.
"Well, I don't see any other options do I?"
"Shut up!" Zander shouted, looking out of the window and spotting his parent's carrying the body of the terminator between them. He let out a heave of relief before opening the door to them. He ran to help them to bring the terminator inside, "Got the chip?" He asked as they dragged it inside.
"Yeah, got the chip." John nodded, shutting the door.
"So are we safe?" Anne asked. The fields moved closer to the immobile body of the machine, twitching away as if it would jump up.
"We have to make sure it hasn't had any help." John said, pulling out his bag and the laptop, plugging the chip into the laptop.
In the few years they lived, Cameron had improved his laptop and made it possible for John to work terminator's chip on his laptop without having a power booster. He switched it on and viewed the memories while the rest watch.
"Mom, you alright?" Zander asked her in a low tone as the Fields looked curiously past John's back at the laptop screen.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Cameron replied with a smile. She took his hand and squeezed it reassuringly like how she used to when he was little and got scared.
"Cameron…" John shut the laptop abruptly, turning around, "We got metal, T-888 on our ass, now."
"So you're right? It did contact another one as a back-up?" Cameron scoffed.
"Yeah, kind of like an accomplice." John pulled out the chip from his laptop, "Yup, their getting smarter."
Zander frowned at the news, visibly disturbed, "Maybe we should too." He said, walking towards the shed at the back of the house.
"Where're you going?" Cameron called out after him.
"I have a plan. Finally." He forced a smile, walking out through the back to the shed. Cameron sighed, turning to look at the Fields then at her husband.
~:~:~
Zander pushed open the flimsy door of the shed, getting his gun ready in case of an ambush. He turned to look behind the door but there wasn't anyone, or anything, there. He walked to the table, deciding to leave the door open as it still works as a cover if anyone ambushed him.
He touched the wood of the table, concluding this is cheap wood. He chuckled to himself for examining the table. He reached for the coiled wires he saw at the top shelf. Zander froze the moment he heard footsteps by the door. He took a huge stride, to stand behind the door, getting his firearm ready.
He relaxed visibly when he saw Lauren standing at the door. She looked at him with an amused and odd look before deciding to clear up some things, "I just wanted to see if I could help."
Zander stowed away his gun, "We'll need some flashlights." He said, turning around to pull out a dusty bag from the bottom of the table. Lauren walked past him silently to the drawer of the table. She glanced at him before looking in the drawers.
"What'd you gonna do?" She asked casually, bending down at her knees to get the flashlights. He dumped the coiled wire into the bag.
"We're going to set a trap." Zander replied as she pulled out two flashlights, "Erm…do you have any hole saw bits? Like a metal cylinder with teeth?" He asked, trying to get his message across, he'd seen John use it before.
"Like making holes for birdhouses?" Lauren passed him the flashlights.
Zander frowned, eyebrows furrowing together, "I don't know. I don't make birdhouses."
Lauren chuckled, "Me and my Dad have made a million." She spun around to find it, "We're still waiting for our first bird family to move in." She pulled out a box, "that sounds so lame right?"
Zander glanced at her with a forced smile, "Why would that sound lame?"
Lauren passed him the box, "Because you're running around with guns fighting robots-"
"Cybernetic organisms. Their outside is very real." Zander interrupted, taking the box.
Lauren grinned, "You're fighting cyborgs and we're building birdhouses."
Zander couldn't help but smile, "I'd trade for birdhouses anytime." He placed an axe into the bag. He zipped it up and lifted it off the table with one hand and made to leave the shed when Lauren stopped him.
"Hey. What's it like?" Lauren asked, almost hastily, "I mean, doing what you do. It must be exciting…" Her voice trailed off as she reached for an oil lamp.
"It wasn't always like this." Zander placed the bag on the floor, "They didn't tell me when I was a kid."
"Your parents?"
"Yeah, they kept it from me." Zander mumbled, averting her gaze.
"They're trying to protect you." Lauren smiled.
"I know that." He nodded, "Don't they always."
"Your mother…" Lauren paused, trying to find the right words, "She seem so…"
"young?"
"Yeah, and your dad too."
"I heard that before." Zander grinned, "People say my Mom look sixteen." He laughed.
"Don't you wonder why?" Lauren frowned, "don't you want to know why? As a kid, the adults just go around and not tell you anything. Don't you get curious? Don't you wonder what's going on around you?"
"I know what's going on around me." Zander turned around to pick up the bag, "I know because they'd always tell me." He forced a smile, leaving the shed, "Come on, let's go." He called to her, glancing behind his back as Lauren followed him out of the shed, switching off the lights behind her.
Zander opened the door to the house and entered, finding Cameron already removing the picture frames from the wall, John helping her remove any furnitures by the wall. He threw the bag on the floor, pulling out the axe, smashing it into the wall.
"Is it necessary to destroy the entire house completely?" David asked.
"Just listen to them David!" Anne scowled, helping to keep the photos. Cameron turned and fetched a flashlight.
"I'll go check the electric." Cameron walked to the kitchen at the back where their main power supply was at. John shot her a look that says 'be careful' before she left his line of sight.
Cameron shone the torch around in the dark, finally finding the power box. She opened it and fidget with the main power lever.
"Hey."
She turned around so fast that she almost dropped her flashlight, pulling her gun out. Lauren stifled a scream, stepping back as the muzzle of Cameron's gun rested in an aim on her chest. Cameron glared at her before furrowing her brows, keeping her gun, "sorry."
"Zander did that." Lauren scoffed.
Cameron smiled, nodding, "I know he will." She picked up the torch, shining it on the power supply, "Do you guys have an extra generator or something?"
"Not as I know." Lauren shrugged.
"Great." Cameron sighed, she pulled out a plug, sparks flew and settled after a while. She went on to handle it when she turned around to face Lauren. "Why'd you come in here? You stand there like you're going to tell me a secret but you don't." Cameron shook her head as her eyes soften, "My son does that."
"You really do this for the kid?" Lauren asked, stowing her hands into her jeans pocket.
"He's why I do this." Cameron forced a smile, remembering how he pleaded and convinced them that it was time to fight and that he was ready…
Cameron looked closely at Lauren as she seemingly hesitated. Cameron flicked off the flashlight, "Is that it?" She took two steps closer to the girl.
Lauren sighed in defeat, "It's my Mom. There's something she's not telling you"
Cameron subconsciously began frowning in fear and anger.
(0)
"Anne." Cameron stepped into the kitchen, shining the flashlights at the couple on the couch. John and Zander turned around in unison, "You're pregnant?" All of them turned to Cameron and then at Anne. David sat up all of a sudden.
"You're pregnant?!" He demanded to her, grabbing at her shoulder, "Anne, what is she talking about?!"
"I told you about the future. Your wife's been holding out." Cameron shone the light in her face.
"What? It's just a baby!" Anne scowled at her, "Look lady, you don't know anything about babies!"
"I know they grow up. In the future I told you about." Cameron shot back, "And don't call me lady." She could almost feel John grinning from the line she picked up from Sarah years back.
Lauren walked into the living room, "Here." She passed Cameron a namecard.
"Why didn't you tell me before?" Cameron snapped.
"What should I? And what does it has to do with robots?!" Anne began to raise her voice.
"Cyborgs." Lauren interrupted.
Anne shot her daughter a fierce glare before turning back to Cameron, "Why do you need to know?" She demanded.
"Because I'm not here just to be nice and help your nice family. I'm trying to stop the end of the world from happening and save my family so I need to know what Skynet's doing and why they want you dead." Cameron snapped. John marched over, touching the small of her back gently.
"No, no Cam don't start this now." He mumbled so softly into her ear quickly so that only she could hear before he took the flashlight from her.
"Both of you listen up," John shone the light into Anne's and David's face, "Whatever is going on here. There's a good chance a machine would try to kill someone who would be of use in the future."
"What are you saying?" Anne sat up in her seat.
"I'm saying, your baby might be involved with Skynet in the future." John flicked the flashlight off, moving to help Zander set up the tool, "You get a break, I'll get this up ready." He patted Zander on his back. He nodded and moved. Instantly, Cameron picked up tape from the bag. She pulled onto the wire and tied it onto the door handle.
"What will that do?" Lauren asked.
"There's a chip in their head. The shock will trigger a reboot. If one of them touches this door handle, we have two minutes to get the chip out." Cameron explained.
"Does that work?"
"I've tried it on-" Cameron paused, catching saying 'myself' just in time.
"We've tried it before on some of the them. And no, it doesn't always work." John finished for her.
He zipped up the bag and went to connect the wires back up.
Cameron went to the room, noticing Anne's disappearance. John took his rifle, moving to the back. Lauren glanced her father before going off in search for Zander.
(0)
"Hey." She pushed open the door of the shed. As she thought, the boy sat at the bench, facing the door, playing with his gun, "What're you doing?"
Zander placed his gun in his holster, "What am I told to do?"
"To rest but you don't seem to be resting." Lauren gestured to his gun and took a seat beside him.
"No, I'm not." Zander chuckled, "I don't always do what I'm told to."
"Your mom, she's…" Lauren paused, "A little worked up over…"
Zander offered her his disarming crooked smile subconsciously, "She's worried."
"For you."
"For me for dad for everybody." Zander looked out through the open door.
"She's tough." Lauren commented.
"She always is…." Zander smiled. They sat side by side for a while. Lauren looked at him thoughtfully before leaning to her side and placing her head down on his shoulder. Zander tensed, unaccustomed to the contact with someone else other than his parents. He turned a little to glance at her before relaxing.
(Present)
Zander straightened up a little in his seat, "Hey Lauren…wake up." He shook her gently. Lauren stirred before opening her eyes, "I hear some thing."
She stopped rubbing her eyes and listened intently, "I don't."
"I do. Come on." He stood up and left the shed, with Lauren behind him, trying to keep up in her sleep. He pushed open the backdoor, "Mom what's going on?" He entered the house, holding the door for Lauren. He glanced into the living room and saw Cameron cocking her shotgun in the dark, "Mom." He called to her, walking in front of her.
She ignored him, loading the shotgun.
"Mom, talk to me. What is this?" He snatched the gun from her.
"It's coming." For once in his life, fear crossed Cameron's eyes for a moment before reverting back to her normal blank ones.
"So you're just going to march out there and get your ass kicked?!" Zander grabbed her arm as she walked past him.
"I'll be fine." Cameron pulled away, walking out through the back door and rounded the house. Zander glanced at the Fields, who looked a little shocked, before turning to chase after his mother.
"Mom! Does Dad know?!" He grabbed at her arm again, this time missing as Cameron avoided it.
"Zan, I don't want to-"
"Then I'm coming too!" Zander snapped, pulling out his pistol and moving ahead of her.
"Zander you know I wouldn't-"
"Let's just go already." He growled, pulling back the safety of his gun.
(0)
They treaded their way into the forest.
"Mom, where the hell is Dad?" Zander whispered.
"In the room, knocked out. He should be awake by now."
"He'll come after us."
"He wouldn't." Cameron walked ahead, "I hope not…" She mumbled to herself.
The trekking reminded Zander of the time the three of them went at the forest. He missed the forest; it was the only place he felt most comfortable in apart from Cameron's arms. He was just a small kid then but he remembered how fun it was. Back then, it was just the three of them having fun together…Zander know that could never happen-
"ZANDER!" His mother's warning brought him back to reality and he dropped to the ground, hearing two gunshots ringing out in the dark. He heard Cameron fire two shots before he jumped up, straining his eyes in the dark. He spotted a dark outline of the terminator and shot at it, using a tree for cover. He saw it abandon it's empty gun and run at his mother.
Cameron shot at it twice before taking it head on, pushing it back against its own force.
"Move!" She turned to her son. He ducked away from the terminator's sight, constantly assisting with multiple shots at the terminator's head from his hidden position. Cameron punched it on its chip port, hoping to set it offline.
Zander heard her winced in pain a couple of times and he winced subconsciously too. He glanced out, ready to take another shot when he heard Cameron cry out.
He looked passed his cover, spotting the terminator picking up Cameron's gun, with his foot pinning her down and pointing the shotgun straight at her eye. Zander could see her eyes screw shut. He cried out in fury, running past the trees and straight into the terminator's stone hard body. To his surprise, the terminator shifted from Cameron and a gun shot rang out.
Both Zander and the terminator fell to the leaves covered floor. He scrambled to his feet above the machine and punched it in the face. Its face snapped in whichever direction Zander's punched it in. Then the machine flashed its red ocular sensors at him before he threw a punch into its head. It went offline and became limp.
Panting and finally coming back to the forest, he felt his knuckles burn, crimson red liquid flowing down his arm. He turned around and cried out, scrambling to Cameron's side. She was still and her eyes are closed. Zander panicked. He knelt down and slipped his arm under her neck, breathing heavily.
Cameron stirred and turned her head but she didn't wake. On the other side of her cheek, through the blood Zander could make out the gleaming chrome coltan glaring out at him. His breath hitched in his throat and he scrambled away.
To be continued….
Next chapter: Zander: "how'd you do it? How'd you love her like you do?" John: "You don't choose who you love. She loves you. You do know that. She can and she does love you." Ryan: "I don't want to go to school to meet those people alright? I don't like how they act." Sarah: "Well how do they act?" Ryan: "Like everything is normal!"
