A World We All Live In
Chapter 25: Funeral of Hearts
Jak laid me down on one of the bunks in the Hideout. Both Samos' and Torn weren't far behind him when he came through the doors. Torn went to get something from the cabinet while Samos and Samos argued over what the Underground should do. Jak sat beside me on the bed and stroked my hair while I relaxed feeling slightly better.
So maybe… just maybe those pills Johnathon gave me weren't poisonous.
The older Samos walked over to the bunk I was lying on and placed his hand on my forehead. His body began to glow green as if a light bulb had been lit inside him. The old man made weird signs with his other hand and I began to feel all tingly inside.
The feeling went away and Samos returned to normal. He stepped back and looked me right in the eye then smiled softly.
That medicine that General Black gave you," he paused taking a deep breath "is probably what is going to save you."
"He did what?!" Jak asked shocked, rounding on the old Samos.
"He saved her life is what he did" Samos said then he walked away and continued his argument with his younger self.
"Torn?" I croaked looking over at the brunette. He turned to me then walked over and sat at the end of the bed.
"Yeah, squirt?" he asked, still looking slightly ashamed.
"How exactly did the KG make you spill about everybody?" I questioned, trying to stay awake until someone told me it was safe to close my eyes and sleep.
"They…," the Tattoo Wonder paused then sighed "The baron threatened to kill Ashelin for spying. His own daughter!"
"You did the right thing" I said using most of my strength to put my hand on his shoulder.
Suddenly, the Hideout door slammed open and Jessica ran towards Torn in a fit of tears. She through herself at him and he hugged her, though it was obvious he didn't know what was wrong.
After she calmed a bit Jessica spoke, "They killed them Torn! They killed mom and dad. And Frankie too!"
She fell back into wordless sobs as Torn rubbed her back. This was so unlike Torn. Guess he could be a softy.
"Don't worry Jess, we won't let them go and kill someone without getting their ass kick" he whispered to the shaking girl.
I sat up but then laid back when pain shot through my back and side. Groaning, I began to shake again. Torn got up and walked away with Jessica while the two Samos' ran over to my bedside.
The older one put his hand on my head again and did his odd glowing thing. He stepped back and sighed.
"What's wrong with her?" Jak questioned, turning around to look at his mentor.
"Those open wounds all over her body have gotten infected. Has she gone in the sewers lately?" he questioned sitting on one of the bunks.
"Yeah not that long ago" Jak said, grabbing my hand that was resting on my stomach.
It was getting so hard to stay awake. My eye lids felt heavy and they kept crossing as I tried to stay awake. But it was so hard… My eyes closed and I jerked my head back up but my eye lids slid shut anyways and stayed shut.
I awoke later to find Austin and Heavenly looking down at me intently. Heavenly threw her arms around my neck when my eyes were fully opened. Austin hugged my too and we all just stayed in a group hug for awhile. I felt Daxter jump up onto the bed and walk across my stomach.
"When Daxter came and got us then told us what happened," Heavenly paused taking a deep breath "we were so worried about you."
"Well I was worried about ya'll" I croaked, my voice dry "I didn't know if you two had been captured or not."
"Well Old Greeny says you'll make a full recovery because of those pills Johnathon gave you," Daxter spoke up sitting down on my stomach and watching me closely "Don't EVER do that again, Sugar! You nearly gave Jak a heart attack when you had a seizure in your sleep."
"I had a seizure in my sleep?" I mumbled relaxing back into the pillows. Sitting up, I didn't feel as much pain. I went to stand up but Heavenly stopped me.
"Jenny no, you have to stay here," she paused looking at the ground "Everyone else is at Frankie, Tommie, and Gina's funeral…"
I pushed my friend away, looking for my missing jacket, "Well I'm going!"
Heavenly looked like she was about to argue but Austin stopped her, "Heaven don't, she's mean when she's stubborn."
I rolled my eyes finding my effects under the bed. After pulling everything on, I used what little strength I had to get outside and to the zoomer. Heavenly and Austin didn't follow me out but Dax did.
"Come on Jenny, Jak's gonna kill me if you leave!" he whined jumping on the one-person zoomer in front of me.
"Don't worry, I won't let him" I promised, swinging my leg over the zoomer. Daxter got in front of me and settled in my lap. I started up the zoomer and headed for…
"Dax where is the funeral?"
"At Haven Forest" he said and then I sped off towards Haven Forest.
It didn't take longer to get there. But on my way, I noticed that there were yellow armored guards walking the streets of Haven. I'd have to ask Torn about it.
I jumped off the zoomer and Daxter jumped on my shoulder as I walked up the ramp and through the air lock. We jumped through the warp gate and I was lucky enough to not get so hurt coming out on the other side. Dax jumped onto the platform that would take us to Haven Forest and I stepped on behind him.
We rode the little platform all the way to the forest then stepped off and searched for the group of people sure to be here. Dax and I heard a fire roaring from where the Great Tree was. I began to run towards the noise then found everyone standing around a fire as Frankie's dead body was put on a pill of sticks along side another two burning piles of sticks and Tommie and Gina's body.
I picked out Jessica in the crowd. She was crying her eyes out and was standing near Torn of had just lit the fire under Frankie's stick pile. I looked away as the body caught on fire, I just couldn't watch. Why did this have to happen?
There weren't many people and when one person turned and looked at me and Dax so did the rest. Jak came out from the small crowd and walked towards me.
"Jenny! What are you doing here?" he was angry I knew.
"I had to come" I held my side as I walked towards Jessica. She looked at me, somewhat shocked. I pulled her into a hug and held her as tightly as I could. She began to sob onto my shoulder as I held her and tears of my own began to slid down my cheeks.
I hadn't known these people for more than a few days but… Many people come in and out of our lives. But only the true friends leave footprints on our hearts. Those three defiantly left footprints on my heart. Why did they have to leave so soon after I met them?
We both began to shake. As our sobs grew louder the flames grew hotter and taller. Everyone was watching us. Jessica, the girl that just lost her family and me, the strange girl from another world that didn't make much since and had a scary quirk.
Jak stood behind me, I could hear his breathing. Torn was behind Jessica facing the flames but looking at us.
No matter how hard I tried I couldn't stop crying. Just so many deaths on the same day.
Jess and I didn't separate till the crowd had cleared out and left to go home. Only Jak, Dax, Torn, Jess, and I were left. The black haired girl pulled back, her hair tossing over her shoulder. Her eyes were red and puffy and her cheeks tear stained.
She gave me one last quick hug before leaving with Torn. As I watched them leave, I couldn't help but think they looked like uncle and niece. I sighed then sat down on the ground and watched the fires burn. Jak sat beside me and Dax jumped into my lap. I let another tear slid down my cheek before speaking.
"How many more people have to die before this war is over?" There was no answer until this civil war was over. A breeze blew over the area and I shivered. Jak wrapped his arm around my shoulder. Daxter pulled my jacket close around his body as he settled against my stomach.
I closed my eyes and listened closely to everything. The leaves rustling, the fire crackling, the night bugs starting to come out. I just sat there and listened. Everything was so calm and so dark. I didn't open my eyes for really long time.
Jak stood up and held out his hand to pull me up. I held Daxter in his spot on my stomach then zipped it up a bit so he would stay in there but still be able to poke his head out. The little orange rodent kept just his head sticking out of the jacket as I turned to Jak.
"Come on lets get you back to the Hideout"
I followed Jak out of Haven Forest and back into the city. I took a deep breath of the fresh air before heading back through the air lock. Jak gripped my hand and squeezed it gently. We found a zoomer, knowing it wasn't safe to walk around the city now.
Daxter curled up in my jacket after I settled behind Jak. The little guy zipped up my jacket all the way as Jak switched hover zones and shot towards the Hideout. I hugged myself as close as possible to Jak's back, trying to avoid the cold wind. It was cold here, like fall in back in Seattle or mid-winter in Texas. But for some reason it felt colder than normal.
Jak parked infront of the hideout then picked me up and carried me inside. I was to tired to get up and walk inside. Jessica was asleep on one of the bunks. Her face was even more raw and red and tearstained than before, she must have cried herself to sleep.
Jak laid me on my bunk then rested beside me, wrapping his arm around me. Jak lay on his back looking up at the ceiling and I lay on my stomach resting my head on Jak's chest while Daxter settled on my back.
My eye lids grew heavy and I dozed off to sleep. It was deep but restless.
Me: HI!!! Well here's chapter 25. And were on the down hill slide now, not much longer to go until this story is completed and I can start the next story in my series. And I'd like to thank everybody that has read this story for the 1,000 hits!!! I didn't know this story would be that popular! Well till next time!!!