Ruthie
All we could do was wait. Rachel had called a gathering between her and the Runners. Lovey and Paige stayed behind with Aramina and me. Sonya and Harriet stayed with the mysterious boy, taking care of him until he woke up.
I was currently preparing lunch for everyone, Paige was rocking Aramina, and Lovey was scribbling something on some sort of yellow notepad. I figured she was writing a poem.
"What do you have to do to be a Runner?" Paige burst out and broke the silence.
"I'm sorry?" I replied as I put down the knife I was using to cut some vegetables.
"I'm thinking about becoming a Runner," she repeated. Lovey and I just exchanged glances and shrugged.
"Paige," Lovey said as she put her pencil and notepad aside, "let me tell you something. To become a Runner, you have to be chosen. It's not something that you can just jump into."
Paige looked taken back, furrowing her eyebrows together in disappointment.
"Sorry," Lovey recoiled. "I didn't mean it in a mean way, but you do have to be chosen to become a Runner."
"It's cool," Paige forgave her. "Well, have either of you two been a Runner."
"No," replied Lovey.
"I was pregnant when I came out of the Box," I said. "And I still can't be a Runner because I have a little baby to raise."
"Well, who do I talk to?" Paige asked. "To become a Runner, I mean."
"Either Beth or Ruby," said Lovey.
Paige just nodded her head to signify that she got the message.
I glanced outside my small window. The rest of the girls began coming out of the cabin and going back to work. Rachel started coming towards us, and before we knew it she was knocking on my door.
"Come in," I called to her.
"How are you ladies?" Rachel said with a smile after she opened the door. "Sorry for keeping you so long. The Gathering went longer than intended, but we did come to conclusion about a few things."
"Like what?" Lovey asked as she stood up.
"First, we're going to keep watching the boy until he gets better or wakes up, at least," Rachel said as if she was reading from a list then her expression grew dark. "Second, we need everyone on their guard. One of our Runners was just stung this afternoon."
My heart seemed to stop for a split second when she gave the news. Someone getting stung in the afternoon wasn't normal. Was it?
"Lovey, we need in the cabin, now," Rachel instructed, and Lovey obeyed. "Paige, do you think you can squeeze in with Ruthie? It's just until we can settle Arly down."
"Arly was stung?" I asked with wide eyes.
Rachel nodded. "You, Paige, and Aramina will bunk together for tonight."
"Alright," I replied as Paige gave my baby back to me.
Rachel left closing the door behind her.
Later that afternoon, as I was cleaning up around my hut a scream broke out into the air. I picked up Aramina, who was taking a nap, and stepped out of the door. I noticed that everyone was trying to find out what was going on.
"Help!" someone screamed. "Guys, help! She's out of her mind!"
It was Paige. She was running towards us with a big scratch going across her left cheek. Chasing her was a girl with dark skin and hair going everywhere. Arly.
The sick girl was dark circles under her eyes, dark green patches on her skin and her eyes looked bloodshot. Veins seemed to pulse from her flesh and her teeth were bared as if she were an animal chasing its prey.
"Tackle her, somebody!" Beth ordered. Two girls got a hold of Arly, and she was pinned down but still squirming.
"How did she escape from the cabin?" I asked no one in particular as Paige hid behind me.
"She climbed out of the window," Sonya explained. "I went to go check on the boy, and Harriet was watching her."
"Then when I was turned around," Harriet spoke up, rubbing the back of her head, "she knocked me out."
Rachel bent down next to Arly, but the moment Arly laid bloodshot eyes on her she grabbed Rachel's neck as if trying to choke her. She was trying to choke her.
"I saw you!" Arly screamed at her as Rachel kept gasping for air. "You did this! It's your fault!"
Just then Lovey took a wooden club and hit Arly in the head with it. The sick girl let go of Rachel, who finally got the air she begged for. Arly fell over on the ground but not dead.
"What just happened?" someone asked.
The rest of us stood in silence and Arly was carried back into the cabin. Heads turned towards Paige and Rachel. Why did Arly attack Paige then almost murder Rachel? Whatever it was, how was Paige involved?
I looked down at my child who's brown eyes were scanning everything. Realizing what was happening, I knew that I had to not only look out for myself and the others but alsso my little daughter. And wherever her daddy was I needed him to be safe, too.
Thanks for reading! I'll be getting the chapter up soon. Thank you NewtnTMR for your amazing reviews. Review, comment, and/or favorite. :)
