We crossed the border that afternoon and checked in with the security people. At about 8 p.m. we neared the little town of Aczul, we spent the night there at a little motel that Philipé assured us could accommodate our needs, if we could stand sleeping on straw. Me being a heavy sleeper could. Lucia woke up and complained up a headache, neck ache, backache, etc. Brie got to sleep in one of those fold up cots, that, with our luck, broke in the middle of the night, she crawled into bed with Timoteo, and they assured us that they'd slept on opposite sides of the bed the whole night, I believed them, I'm not so sure about the others…
"What do we do next?" I asked when we'd eaten breakfast, or not eaten breakfast, Brie was allergic to everything that had been put in front of us, It all contained either coconut, or artichoke, and then it seemed like it was all either drenched in honey, or salt. I didn't get an answer for at that moment Lucy rushed to the bathroom, we could hear her retching up her breakfast, last night's dinner, and probably, yesterday's lunch too.
"I guess it's just you, Conchito, Philipé, and me," Carlos, said.
"What about…" I looked over at Brie; she was developing a bad rash on her neck and was sweating badly. "You tried the dessert didn't you?" she nodded, that thing had been bursting with coconut. And it looked like Timoteo was gonna stay back and take care of them both, and even though I knew Mat wasn't going to do anything of the sort (he can't even take care of a plant) he was staying behind with the girls too. (Probably just to get away from Philipé).
(Ali's POV)
I was certain that there was no one in the room with me, cuz I had heard no breathing or movement for the last half an hour, or so, I didn't have a watch. I still couldn't see. I got out of the bed I'd been placed on, and stumbled, I hadn't used my legs in awhile and they felt as though they were still asleep, and gosh was I hungry. I felt around, until I found something that might be a dresser, resting all my weight on it I found it was sturdy. Now to think about some things.
Why can't I see?
The first thought that came to my head was that I'd gone blind, maybe because of the flash of light, but I pretty much ruled that out, cuz It felt like I was seeing just seeing black, like I had a patch over my eye, but I remembered they'd painted around my eyes, and eye patches would have prevented them from doing that. Just as a hunch, I held my eyelid open with one hand and touched my pupil with the other hand, I was right they'd put something in my eye I thought as I pulled out whatever it was, like you'd pull out a contact. Perfect vision in one eye; let's try the other. It came out too. Now I'll be able to think better that I've got sight again.
(Maria's POV)
Next step find a map, after going to like ten different tourist vender people we finally found a map of the area. Now we had to go mark where we had to go.
Philipé pulled out his handy-dandy laptop, and we found where we are and where we needed to go. It seemed to take forever while the boys argued about locations, I just sat back and watched for two reasons, 1) my sense of direction is horrible, 2) I learned a long time ago (upside of having brothers) that It's useless to argue with guys, especially when it comes to directions.
When they finally decided it was lunchtime, we went to go get authentic Mexican tacos. After picking off some of the peppers they were actually quite good.
Then we struck out in the eastward direction. Not before long we were in a jungle, or rainforest or whatever. We came to a large, clear, pond, Conchito had begun to pant.
"Guy's I think I'm gonna head back I'm really tired I don't know how much more of this I can take. I'm gonna take a rest here really fast though," He said.
"We all stopped there, the guys all took a drink, but I just splashed it on my face, one of my rules is never drink water out of a pond no matter how clear the water looks."
We continued on leaving Conchito to head back.
After about what seemed like a millennium, we found a mountain! In the middle of the jungle! With snow on top! Weird! Really Weird!
(Ali's POV)
No time to think I hear steps in the corridor! I put in both 'contacts' putting one a little off my pupil so I might be able to see. My vision is blurred, but I can tell the person who's come is male, and wearing black.
"So you're up." He said, it was halfway between, a question and a statement.
"As up as I can be without sight," I retorted.
"Even in you're situation, you still have lip," he sneered.
I would've reached out and smacked him, but that would've given away the fact that I had even, limited vision. I was trying not to blink otherwise the contact would just move back into it's place over my pupil, again making the world black. The next move he made though did surprise me enough though so that I lost vision again, due to movement of the "contact".
He caught me up in a long, passionate kiss, though the feeling wasn't returned.
"Recognize me?" he asked. I knew that voice and those lips. Of course, who else…
"Miguel?" but something told me there was something more to it… "Travis," I seethed.
"And score for the lady in the long, white robe," he said sarcastically.
"So you really did hate me all along, didn't you, well, why come back, are you mad cuz I'm part of the reason that you got sent to boot camp,"
"You ARE the reason, NOT just part, but no that's not why I've brought you here, you see, you are about to play an important role in a…ceremony…that will assist me in rising above everyone," he barked, but quickly added, " that wronged me,"
Whoa something really is fishy here
"But now," he said, "you are coming with me, the ceremony will be at dawn, there's a lot to do till then," he whisked out the door with me in a tow.
(Lucia's POV)
I rushed to the bathroom for like the twentieth time that day. None of the remedies were working; I always vomited up anything they got me to take. Timoteo said things were getting serious, if I didn't start keeping things down he'd have to bring the local doctor in.
Brie was lying on her bed, as Mateo pressed a cold washcloth to her forehead. That was about the best he could do for either of us. When Timoteo wasn't tending, he'd come by with that cold, wet washcloth, and it helped dull pain.
(Brie's POV)
Things were getting serious with Lu; sure I wasn't all that great off but I was showing signs of getting better, something which Lu was not doing. Ali had a little sister who had been in that kind of condition before, and they had had to rush her to the hospital, and hook her up to a bunch of stuff to make sure she was getting fluids.
I didn't want Luce to get that bad. Sure Tim knew what he was doing but it wasn't working. Next time Tim came over to check on me I told him what he needed to do.
"Tim," I said weakly, I was angry that I was still so weak; he might not listen to me. "Timoteo," I said a bit louder. He looked up. "Tim I need you to listen to me and not be offended ok?" he nodded. "The remedies you're using on Lu won't work," he opened his mouth to protest, I held up a hand, "I've seen her condition once before, and if it gets too bad she'll need professional help. Or…she might die." His face turned ashen. "She might be poisoned…or it just might be a bad case of the flu," I paused to let it sink in. "Here's what you need to do…wait what did you just give her?" I asked.
"A sip of water was all she'd take," He answered.
"Good," I told him, "now she can't have anything for another two hours, and she can only have something then if she doesn't throw up, if she doesn't throw up you can give her another sip of water. If she does throw up you have to wait two hours from when she threw up to give her a sip of water. After the second sip, wait another hour, if she doesn't throw up and give her a little more water. Again if she does throw up start the whole process again. Continue with the hour intervals, and if she keeps down the water till later tonight you can probably give her some solid food, but SOMETHING SOFT like applesauce, or dough or something like that. OK?" I stared him in the eye, if he really cared for me, or at least for Lu's and my welfare, he'd listen to me.
He nodded. And began to tend to me glancing at his watch. I slumped back into my pillows, that, lecture, had taken a lot out of me, and I was ready for a catnap.
(Ali's POV)
I was still being dragged across the ground. When we did stop I nearly pitched forward had Miguel/Travis's strong arms not grabbed me by the shoulders preventing my fall.
"First stop" he said, "Hold out your hands,"
I did thinking Whatever and saying "So when do I get my vision back?"
"It'll be a while till then." I heard a sound you often heard in old pirate movies, a blade drawn from its sheath, then though I didn't recognize the sound. I did recognize though when my hands were cut. The pain was sharp. I felt blood seeping out of the wound. He let a few droplets of my blood drop before bandaging up my hands. Then after a bit of chanting in some strange language, I was again whisked off.
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