Travis leaned heavily on the granite counter in the hotel room bathroom, staring at the reflection in the mirror. He didn't even recognize the stranger standing before him. He stood hunched, bare-chested, with darkening circles surrounding his chocolate brown eyes. The recent wound curling across his torso was red and puffy, with tiny purple veins beginning to branch away from the claw marks. Travis already dreaded the moment when Connor discovers his most recent developments. His little brother was already acting obsessive enough over his health.
"The taxi should be here in about 5 minutes, Travis," Alissa's voice was quiet from the opposite side of the door. "Might want to hurry a bit."
With a sigh Travis splashed water on his wearied face and toweled it off, not allowing his eyes to close too far for the fear of not opening them again. Never in his life had he been this exhausted. Not even the sleepless nights following his dad's sudden disappearance.
He hadn't returned to the hotel room at all following Jonnie's discovery, opting instead to be tortured by his own thoughts until the sun rose over the looming New York skyscrapers. He managed to slip back downstairs mere minutes before the others woke up.
Travis slowly shrugged his shirt over his thinning, bony frame, pain rippling across his injured torso with even the slightest movement. Had Jonnie told Connor? Travis didn't even want to think about it. That's what he gets for letting his guard down. Not that he didn't feel anything for Jonnie- he certainly did. He couldn't even remember the last time he felt anything for a girl. If circumstances were different… well, a lot would be different. But it was selfish to allow himself pleasure when so much was at stake, especially when he didn't know what the future held.
Bandit trailed at his heels as the five teens piled into the elevator. They descended to the lobby in silence, though not intentionally. What do you say in a situation like this?
"So this is it, I guess." Brookie's eyes were sad as she surveyed her new friends standing in front of the taxi. Travis's eyes found Jonnie's, but she wouldn't meet his gaze.
"We'll get in touch as soon as we can," Connor assured, wrapping the blonde in a tight hug. "I can't thank you two enough for everything."
"We're just glad we could help." Jonnie assured. "Stay safe. Keep yourselves out of trouble." The group laughed, knowing the slim possibility of that happening. Jonnie's voice slipped to a whisper as she slipped her arms around the younger Stoll. "Keep an eye on your brother. Please. He needs help." Connor's eyes knit together in confusion, but he nodded nonetheless.
Jonnie uncomfortably made her way towards Travis as Alissa and Brookie said their goodbyes. An unmistakable sense of sadness flooded her heart as her eyes met his. She buried her face in his neck deeply, being careful to avoid his sensitive injuries. "Don't do anything stupid. Just, keep hanging on…please. If not for me, then for your brother. He needs you."
Travis was hesitant, but finally she felt his chin shift against her head in a nod. "I'll try," he mumbled, pressing a gentle kiss to her temple. He mustered up everything in him to offer a reassuring smile as they separated. It was the closest Jonnie had seen him to an authentic grin in a while. She smiled in return.
"Stay safe," Brookie called as their friend's piled into the cab. "We'll miss you all!"
"We'll miss you too! Thank you again for everything!" Alissa replied.
"Hey, kid," The taxicab driver stopped Travis as he tried to enter the vehicle. "No dogs allowed. Company policy. Sorry bud."
Travis's shoulders deflated a little, looking down sadly at Bandit's smiling, panting face. Regretfully, he made his way back to the sisters. "Will you…?"
Jonnie's voice became choked with emotion. "Of course." She accepted Bandit's leash from his weakened hand.
"We'll take good care of him. He'll be happy to see you when you come to visit," Brookie assured, tears shining in her eyes. Travis nodded, slowly bending to give one last head pat to the little dog while ignoring the pain in his torso. A few strides later and he was back in the taxi, staring numbly out the window as the vehicle carried them towards a future more uncertain than ever before.
"Here we are," The cab driver grunted, slamming the taxi into park.
"But," Connor started, glancing around. "We're in the middle of nowhere."
"This is the address you gave me kid. I was paid to go this far, I ain't going any farther. Now get out, the meter's running."
"Let's go, guys," Travis muttered. He didn't allow himself to see Connor's panicked look as he gingerly slung his bag up on his shoulder. The truth was, though, he had absolutely no idea what to do. Was this some kind of sick joke? Did his mother really send them all the way across the country for nothing? Travis ignored the despair growing in the pit of his stomach as the taxi sped out of sight. He was tired. So tired. The pain in his stomach had subsided to a dull ache, as long as he didn't shift too much.
"Travis, what do we do, there's nothing here!" The utter despair in his little brother's voice cut straight to his heart. They had come so far.
"Stay calm. Let's just look around a little. Maybe we're missing something." Alissa said.
"What is there to miss? There's nothing HERE!" Connor was close to hysterics now. His own mother lied to them. Had she really wanted to get rid of them that badly?
"Connor, calm down! We just need to-" Her blood froze in her veins as a dreadfully familiar growl filled the air. The threesome slowly turned towards the noise, spotting the huge black chimaera standing on the peak of the hilly street. Upon sighting the teens the beast began to bound towards them, closing the distance at an alarming pace.
"Run, my son. Follow the clearing through the woods. There isn't time to waste." Was he hallucinating now? The voice came from nowhere, but he followed its advice nonetheless.
"Get to the woods! Hurry!" The alarm in Travis's voice was more urgent than ever before. They took off in a dead sprint, with Travis putting every last bit of energy he could muster into getting his brother and Alissa to safety.
They found the clearing and continued running as fast as possible, but the chimaera was quickly gaining. As the trees thickened, the pain in Travis's torso became too much to bear. He stopped abruptly, pulling the small knife from his pocket. If this is what it came to- distracting the beast long enough for his brother to get to safety- then so be it. If he was already going to die from the clearly-infected wound the beast originally inflicted, he might as well allow it to finish the job if it ensured his brother and Alissa's lives.
"Travis don't!" Alissa shrieked, realizing his decision.
"Don't you dare stop! I'll be right behind you!" he lied, but he no longer heard either of them. His heartbeat was pounding in his ears as the chimaera bounded to within feet of his position.
"Oh no you don't!" A male voice much deeper than his brother's sounded from directly behind him. Suddenly a strong arm wrapped around his injured torso, sending him into utter agony. Travis screamed, feeling what little healing had occurred since the injury's occurrence rip open once more, and felt himself losing consciousness. The sound of metal slicing the air and a fuzzy image of a girl pulling Connor and Alissa under two strong pillars was the last thing he recalled before everything went black.