The Melatonin hadn't helped. It had been an hour and Madilyn had fallen asleep for about half of it. This reason she hadn't gotten anymore sleep was because Lourdes had come in and shaken her awake.
"Hey." Madilyn said groggily opening her eyes. "What's going on?"
"We're moving out." The older girl stated as she started to grab items and stuff them in her bag. "Start to pack up."
Madilyn nodded and pulled herself out of bed. "Ok." She said, grabbing her bag and opening it. "Did Tom and the rest of his group come back yet?"
Lourdes shook her head. "Nope." She said, slinging her bag over her shoulder. Madilyn just nodded in silence. "When you're done come down to the infirmary, okay? We may need some help packing and gathering things."
"Okay." She responded while shoving a pair of socks into her bag.
Madilyn had finished packing her bag, stowed it in the medical bus, and then reported back to the infirmary as instructed.
She had just finished putting the last bit of equipment on the bus and was walking behind Jamil back into the infirmary.
"Your bus is topped off and ready to roll for Charleston." He was saying.
"You didn't need to come up her to tell me that." Lourdes said smiling.
Madilyn smiled as she passed by the two. Ah, young love how... lovely! She walked over to the nightstands by the beds to make sure nothing was left behind.
"They're coming back!" Came the sharp and angry voice of Matt Mason by the window. Madilyn turned away from what she was doing to look at the boy. He was speaking to Jamil. "Their bringing Ben back and we're not leaving until they do."
"Damn, straight." Captain Weaver was now limping through the doorway. "Jamil, what are you doin' when we still can't get the GTO working right?"
"I'm on it, sir." Jamil responded quickly walking away from Lourdes at the command of his angry sounding boss.
"You better be because we're moving out as soon as Tom's back."
"Captain Weaver what are you doing out of bed?" It was Anne coming into the scene from the back.
"My Job." The older man proudly responded.
"You've got no business walking around after what you've just been through."
"Noted!" He said and quickly changed the subject. "Now, is the med unit gonna be ready to move out?"
"Lourdes just sent the last stretcher down?" Anne asked turning her head to the girl. Lourdes nodded. "Madilyn, there isn't anything we left behind?" Madilyn shook her head closing the last drawer.
"Good." The captain said.
"There is still a lot of medical supplies down in the basement we could use. No telling when we could come across a cache like this again." Anne explained.
"Take Lourdes and Madilyn liberate what you can and be back in twenty minutes."
"Alright." Anne mumbled and gestured for Madilyn to follow before walking down the hall.
She was walking right behind Lourdes when someone called out a soft "Hey!" She turned her head to see Matt trying to catch up.
"What are you doing?" She asked him as he fell into her stride beside her.
"Captain said I'm your security."
She looked at him for a moment. Was this really what the world had come to? Nine year olds holding guns and becoming soldiers? "Ok. Just stick close."
They only had been given twenty minutes. That basically translated to grab what you can and run like hell. This was exactly what they were doing. That is until something exploded.
Just as the group of people rounded the corner into the next room the ground shook, the room got hot, and several things fell from the ceiling and shelves.
Madilyn screamed as she dropped what she was carrying and fell to the ground. She felt her head hit the floor, and the world went black.
"Madilyn are you okay?" Someone was shaking her. It was Anne. She squinted her eyes open and opened her mouth to speak.
The only thing she got was a mouthful if dust which caused her to cough. "Yeah." Cough. "I'm fine." Cough.
"Let's get out of here." Lourdes said softly.
"There's a stairwell." Anne was pointing in the direction they had been heading in earlier. "That way."
They all got up still coughing due to the dust. Lourdes pulled out her flashlight and turned it on. This produced a faint light so they at least weren't tripping over their own feet. When they got to the stairwell Anne made all the kids go first. Madilyn was last after Lourdes.
When they got to the top it was like reaching heaven. She could feel the fresh air taking over in her lungs. She coughed one more time, trying to get the dust out.
"Move back!" It was a strangled voice that spoke, like it was choking. What the heck?
"Move back!" The voice yelled again. It sounded familiar, but Madilyn just couldn't figure out who it was.
It turns out she didn't have to, Lourdes recognized it instantly. "Jamil?" She called out running in front of everyone. "Jamil!? Oh no."
Oh no, indeed. As Madilyn caught up to Lourdes she saw Jamil. His clothes were torn and he had blood everywhere.
"Jamil can you hear me?"
Anne came running over as well. "Jamil? Jamil do you know where you are?" He was twitching now and making some sort of choking noise. The sight was disturbing to say the least. "Alright we're going to have move you to take a better look."
Both Anne and Lourdes grabbed him and laid him down on the floor.
"No!" He screamed pointing to Matt, who had migrated over to the door. The boy had his hand on the handle ready to open it. After Jamil's outburst he removed his hand from the knob and backed away.
Madilyn did the exact opposite. She walked over to the door and put her ear against the cold metal. There was some sort of scratching coming from the other side. It was as if someone was running their fingers down the metal. "What the-?" She muttered.
"What is it?" Anne asked.
"There's something on the other side." Madilyn said.
Anne suddenly stood up. "I'm going to go get a stretcher from downstairs. I know I saw some in the basement. All of you stay here and away from that door."
Madilyn wanted to help Jamil but she couldn't look at him. "What do you think's on the other side?" Matt asked coming to stand next to her.
Madilyn shrugged, and hoped the action didn't look too forced. "Probably just...bugs." She said trying to convince herself as well as Matt.
She could here Lourdes trying to comfort Jamil behind her. 'God.' Madilyn silently prayed. 'Help Jamil though this. Please. She needs him.'
Matt interrupted her silent prayer. "There are more scratching noises coming from the ceiling." He commented in a pre-occupied voice.
"This will help us get him upstairs." Anne was back and carrying a stretcher. She and Lourdes lifted him on and started to strap him in.
"Go, go!" Jamil was saying in a strangled voice.
"No, I'm not leaving you!"
"This is weird." Matt had walked back over to the door.
"What?"
"These holes weren't here before." He put his eye right up to one.
"Matt, no." Madilyn said pulling the boy away from the door. Who knew what could crawl out and eat his eye?
Out of nowhere there was a horrible wrenching sound and Lourdes screamed. The group turned to look at Jamil. "Holy-" Madilyn exclaimed before covering her mouth to stop herself from finishing the phrase. Something was wrenching Jamil's mouth open. It looked like little silver pincers. The creature crawled out, followed by several more like it. They looked like spiders, only much, much bigger.
"He's full of them!" Anne yelled. "They used him as a Trojan horse! Matt, Madilyn go!" She shoved both of them forward.
You didn't to tell her twice. Madilyn grabbed Matt's wrist and they both sprinted down the hall. Lourdes and Anne caught up halfway and the group rushed into the nearest room. They shut the door behind them and stood there trying to catch their breath.
"Those things can eat through metal?"
"We still can't get out." Anne said pulling out her flashlight and surveying the room they had just entered.
"There's nothing we can do." Lourdes said. She sounded so defeated. "They're going to eat us from the inside out, just like Jamil."
"That's not true! We're getting out of here and I don't want to hear anything different!" Anne yelled. "I told you look!" The woman ran over to the wall and sat down on the floor.
Madilyn looked to see what she was talking about. There was an air vent near the bottom of the wall. For a moment Madilyn thought they were saved. Until Lourdes made a valid point. "We can't fit through there."
"We can't, but Matt can."
Needless to say Matt didn't look too happy, but none the less he went over to the vent when Anne beckoned for him. Judging by the boy's size he was a perfect fit.
"I'm not sure I want to go alone." He said the fear quite clear in his voice.
"Matt." Madilyn spoke up. "There's nobody here that can fit through that vent but-what?" Anne was looking at her quite...intensely? More like she was scrutinizing her. Oh no.
Madilyn had always been small and short for her age. She was by description: the girl everyone thought threw up her food after lunch because there was no way anyone could look like that at the age of fifteen. She didn't throw up her food for your information; she just chose to eat a little more...healthy than everyone else. Therefore making here smaller frame possible. Not to mention her mom was still a stick at the age of forty-three. Her small figure was hereditary.
"Madilyn I think maybe you could fit. It would be a tight squeeze but...it could work."
She opened her mouth to say 'No! There could be hundreds of those things in there!' But in looking at Matt's face and realizing that if there were hundreds of those things in there he would have to come face to face with them either way. Better with someone than alone. Right?
She sighed. "Okay fine. If I fit I'll go." Matt looked a little relieved that he wasn't going to be crawling through the air vent alone.
"Ok Matt, you first." Anne said looking at the younger boy. "When you get to the other side tell someone that we're in the blood lab."
Matt nodded. "Okay." He turned to go into the vent but came back holding out his gun to Lourdes. "Here, you need this more than me." Lourdes didn't say anything but took the rifle silently.
Matt climbed back into the entrance of the air vent. He seemed like he barely fit. Madelyn wasn't sure she would even able to get her shoulders through.
"Can't believe I'm doing this." She mumbled as she placed her elbows and head into the vent. Despite her previous doubts she was able to get her shoulders and rest of her body into the vent. It was a tight squeeze-really tight-but she fit nonetheless.
"Remember." Anne was saying behind her. "Blood lab."
The air ducts were small and not very high. Madilyn had to crawl on her stomach and inch herself forward with her elbows so as not to hit her head. She felt like a Marine in training or something.
Matt, however was a little more comfortable. They boy could be propped up on his hands and knees no problem.
"Madilyn?"
"What?" She snapped. She was not in the mood or physical position to have a conversation at the moment.
"Do you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"That scratching sound." Both kids paused for a moment straining their ears for a noise. "That!" Matt exclaimed. "It's coming from down there." He turned and pointed down a connecting vent.
Madilyn got closer to where he was gesturing. There it was. A faint scratching noise. It seemed to be getting louder, and closer. Oh crap. "Matt go!"
"What?"
"Go as fast as you can!" Madilyn ordered and pushed his feet for good measure. "Go!"
"I'm going! I'm going!" He took off at an alarming rate and Madilyn did her best to keep up.
It felt like forever (but was most likely only two minutes) when the scratching noises faded away and the air duct was silent again.
"I think we lost them." She said between heavy breaths. Crawling was definitely a workout. "Keep going." Matt nodded and started to crawl again.
"I think I see an opening." Matt said. The boy crawled over to the vent opening and tried to take off the door. "It won't budge." Shoot. They would have to wait for who knows how long?! Stuck in this stupid vent for- there was a sound of a voice on the other side. Then a gun being getting ready to shoot.
Matt whimpered, and Madilyn called out "Hey!"
"Matt!" It was Tom. Two hands came over to the vent and tore off the covering.
"They're after us!" He yelled as someone pulled him out. "The crawlies are after us!"
"Who's us?"
"Madilyn." He explained. Pointing to the vent. She saw Pope-when did he get back?- put his head in the vent to take a look.
"You fit in there?" He said looking confused.
Madilyn crawled forward a bit. "Unfortunately, yes." She growled. The vent had gotten even smaller, if that was possible. "Now can you please get me out of here?!"
Someone offered her a hand, but it wasn't Pope. The jerk. When she had been dragged out of the small space she found herself face to face with-whom else?-Ben Mason.
Well, well, well. She thought. Look who decided to come back. The thing she voiced was much different. It came out as a very quiet and breathless 'Oh. Hi.'
"Where's Anne and Lourdes?" Tom
"In the blood lab."
"Okay. Ben get those two upstairs, Pope you're with me."
Tom motioned at them to run and the three people did so.
When they reached the top Madilyn slammed the door behind them. "Now what?"
"You two go to the cafeteria with the rest of the civilians. I'm going back down."
"No. I'm coming with you." She said. Lourdes was probably freaking out. She needed someone.
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Who's gonna stop me?" She folded her arms across her chest and leaned against the door.
"I am. Now move." He shoved her out of the way. "The both of you cafeteria now." He turned around to head down the stairwell. Madilyn grumbled some not so nice words before turning in the direction of the cafeteria.
"What did you say Ben was?" Matt asked.
"Nothing I should repeat in front of you."
The cafeteria was buzzing. People were chatting about nothing and everything. The main topic of conversation was 'Why the hell are we even here?'
"The Captain's leg is acting up again."
"The aliens caught on to us. They're trying to find a new place for us to go."
"No. I heard they got a fishead. Trying to get some information out of it."
These were some of the theories flying around. Personally Madilyn was vying for the first one. It sounded the least dangerous. The sound of someone coming and sitting next to her brought her out of her current position of her head on her knees staring at the floor.
Madilyn turned to see Lourdes. She wasn't making eye contact. "Anne needs our help on the bus. A few people got hurt."
"Ok. Lourdes-"
"I'm fine." She said coldly and got hot to leave. This was going to be tough.
On several occasions Madilyn had attempted to talk to Lourdes. She eventually came to the conclusion that she was a person to bottle things up, not say a word, and suffer in silence. Those types of people are fragile. They can only keep it to themselves for a while until they explode. Then, and only then (after they've let out their anger) are they safe to talk to.
Lourdes couldn't hold it in for long. It took her only a few hours until she exploded. She had finally gotten up from the bench in the back of the bus to help. She was silent, but it was an improvement. It was Anne who had approached her.
"Glad to see you back on your feet. I was worried about you."
"These people need help no matter how I feel." Her tone was sour and hateful.
"That's true. You can't help them if you don't take care of yourself."
"And just how am I supposed to do that?" She spat. "Have a good cry? Come up with some platitudes about how loosing Jamil will make me a stronger person?"
"I don't know? Maybe talking about it?"
"Talking won't change a damn thing." This girl wasn't Lourdes. Madilyn didn't know who it was, but it wasn't Lourdes. She never cursed. Ever. "It doesn't matter if you have a good attitude or a bad one, or if your a honest person or immoral. No matter what you do or who you are, sooner or later something terrible will happen to you. Like it happened to Jamil, to Uncle Scott, to your husband and son, to my family, and it'll happen to you and me. All we have to do is wait." She walked down the aisle and shoved past Madilyn off the Medical bus.
Anne sighed and caught Madilyn's eye. "She'll come 'round." She tried to reassure her.
"I guess." She grumbled in a worried tone not looking up from the gloves she was stacking on the shelf.
"Oh. Before I forget. Ben told me to give this to you. Said it was important." She handed Madilyn a yellow sticky note folded in half.
"Thanks." Madilyn said taking it from her. Anne just nodded and went back to cheking IV's.
Madilyn wondered where Ben had found a sticky note and writing utensil more than what the note actaully said. She unfolded it and taped it to the counter in front of her. It read.
I leave at 8:30 down the road opposite the 2nd Mass. I won't wait. Come or don't come.
Jeez. He ment buissness. Come or don't come. Tray harsh. Madilyn checked the clock on the shelf it was 8:35. Dang it! Maybe if she ran really fast...
She saw Tom coming away from the road hidden by the forest.
"Mr. Mason!" She called out hoping to catch his eye. She did.
"Madilyn. What are you doing?"
She stopped running about a two feet away from him. "Is he...?
"Gone?" Madilyn nodded. "He left about five minutes ago." Dang. The boy wasn't kidding when he said 8:30.
A look of disappointment came upon her face. "Oh." She said between heavy breaths (the result of her running).
"You look like you have a pretty nice pace there." Tom told her.
"Thanks?" She wasn't really seeing how this was relevant.
"About good enough that you could maybe catch up with him." Her head snapped up. "Go." He said gesturing behind him. "I'll stall Weaver as much as possible."
She smiled at him not really sure what to say. The words came out as a breathless "Thank you."
Tom smirked. "You're welcome." He knew about everything. He had too. Why else would he do this for her?
She gave him one last glance and a fleeting smile before taking off down the path. Madilyn ran as fast as she could. Soon enough she saw Ben walking down the path. She stopped to catch her breath and called out "Hey you!"
He whipped around. She could of sworn she saw a hint of a smile on his face when he saw it was her. He stopped where he was as well. "Hey."
Madilyn stood there for a second, taking in his appearance. He looked all set to go, backpack and all. "I know that you totally just got this talk from your dad," She folded her arms and glanced around her. "But why?"
"Why?" He repeated putting the bag down. He didn't have to ask why what. He knew.
"Yeah. Why?"
"I'm a threat to the 2nd Mass."
"Ben-"He wasn't going to be interrupted.
"Madilyn they're just going to come for me again. I have to go." She folded her arms more tightly. It was as if she was trying to suppress the slew of words what where threating to spill out of her mouth. "There are other unharnessed kids out there. Just like me. I need to find them and tell them about the rebellion. Convince them that its their best shot. The planet's best shot."
She didn't say anything for a moment. Madilyn just stood there not looking at him. Bringing her gaze down to the ground she mumbled. "What about me?"
"Hmm?"
"What about Matt? What about Hal? What about your dad? They're gonna miss you." I'll miss you! She added silently.
"I know." He said. He sounded like he was sad to be leaving. Like it was one of the hardest things he had to do.
Silence settled around them until she shattered it with a hesitant "Just-just be careful. Don't do something stupid and get yourself killed."
Ben smirked. Typical Madilyn. "I promise I'll be smart and careful."
Madilyn still had her arms folded. On her face was an expression of extreme seriousness, almost anger. "Good." They stared at each other for a minute. Both knowing this was goodbye. After everything he was just...leaving.
"So bye then." He said picking up his pack again.
Madilyn unfolded her arms and placed them on her hips. "Yeah." She said quietly. "Bye." She gave him an awkward wave and turned around. Her steps felt heavy, like they were weighed down with guilt. He deserves more than a lame 'bye' and a wave! Her mind screamed at her. Madilyn clenched the sides of her jacket and sighed angrily as she turned around again. "Shoot." She muttered. "Ben!" She yelled out. "Ben, wait!"
He turned around again. "What now Madilyn? I'm leaving weather-"
Ben never got to finish his sentence.
Now let me tell you something. Madilyn had never been spontaneous. She liked everything by schedule, and things to be done at the appropriate time and space. But as she stood there looking at Ben Mason, this boy that made her nervous, mad, and happy all at the same time she couldn't help but do what she did. Madilyn had run over to him as fast as possible, got on her tiptoes, pulled him down to her height by his jacket collar, and kissed him. Right then on there. Full on the mouth. She didn't know what the heck she was doing at the moment only the fact that she was kissing Ben Mason good, long, and hard.
It was a moment's hesitation before he responded by kissing her back. He dropped the pack again and it stayed there, long forgotten.
There were so many unspoken words she tried to fit in the kiss. So many emotions she didn't even know she had. How he made her so freaking frustrated, and happy, and nervous, and safe, and smart, and livid, and so many other things. She savored every moment of it, not knowing when and if she would be able to kiss him again.
It felt like forever before they broke apart. Still on her tiptoes Madilyn put both her hands on either side of his head. She spoke with barely any volume. In fact if they hadn't of still been forehead to forehead he probably wouldn't of heard her words. "Listen," She said slowly to make sure the message got across clearly. "You're going to leave, help those kids just like you, and then you're coming back." The way she spoke was commanding. He blinked in response. "Ben you have to come back." She said a pleading tone overtaking her voice now. "You have to."
He nodded. "I'll come back." She took her hands away from his head and hugged him. "I promise." He whispered in her ear.
When they pulled away. She just stood there not really sure what to do. It was the faint sound of Captain Weaver's voice that brought her back to reality. "Let's move out!" He was calling.
"I should probably go." She said pointing behind her.
"Yeah. Before they leave you behind or something."
She laughed a little. "Yeah."
"Bye."
Madilyn couldn't help herself. She reached up and kissed him again. "Bye." She whispered before walking away. She tried not to look behind her as she jogged back to the 2nd Mass, but again couldn't help herself. Her eyes were met with what she expected: nothing. Ben Mason was gone, and Madilyn felt oddly alone as she turned back around and jogged towards the group of people she hoped hadn't left her behind.
A/N: I know, I know, I know. You don't have to say it. I'm a freaking loser. Like the biggest one that has ever graced plaent earth. Yeah. I took like freaking forever... but I warned you it would take long. Yeah.
So this episode was pretty fun to play with. I tried it a few ways with different endings and middles and this combanation is the one I really liked. So did you like it? I hope! Plus I'm not watching tonight because of the OLYMPICS! But do you blame me, I mean it only comes around every four years! Falling Skies comes on every Sunday at 9:00 p.m! Give me a break!
So yeah. Tell me what you liked and what you didn't! Also I've decided to do a bonus chapter before I post next. It'll go deeper into the whole Lourdes dynamic. I found it really interesting how she reacted and Madilyn being a Psychologist I wanted to show how she wants to help. Plus how it would effect their freindship.
That's all for now! I love you all & until next time! :)