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Raid
Mel stood there with her hands on her hips and I couldn't help but smile. Jared and Ian stood on the other side with grim looks on their faces. They knew that there was no way they were going to win this argument.
"I'm telling you guys. I will be way easier if it's just Wanda and I on this round." Mel stated yet again for the hundredth time.
"No. Absolutely not," Jared snapped back.
"I agree." Ian added in.
"Well look at that they agreed for once." Mel rolled her eyes.
"Mel does have a point guys. She's a lot easier to hide if something happened." I added into the growing conversation. I could feel the tension in the air as Jared and Ian looked at Mel and me.
"And that's exactly why you're not going alone. If something were to happen, you wouldn't have us there to protect you." Ian countered.
"We're going whether you like it or not Ian, and Jared you know that I am more than capable of taking care of myself." Mel said.
"And look at where it got you last time Melanie." Jared spit out. Mel's mouth fell open and she looked over at me. I wasn't quite sure what to make of what just happened.
"Wanda…" Jared stepped towards me.
"No, it's true." I held up my hand to keep him from me. I stepped back and looked at Ian. I smiled at him and looked at the ground. It always seemed to come back this. The points were someone would say something about being an outsider, and then they would look at me with pity in their eyes.
"I'm sorry…" Jared sighed.
"No really, you have a point." I stepped back farther. "You should really listen to him Mel."
"Wanda, wait." I heard Ian come after me.
"Don't say anything. Please, just don't." I let him follow me into our room. The tears fell from eyes even though I was trying my hardest to make them stop. I stepped into the room and the darkness welcomed me with open arms.
The tears came harder when I felt Ian wrap his around me from behind. There was so way to hide it. My body shook as the tears came harder. Ian didn't say anything as he led me to the bed. We lay next to each other, his arms around me and my head buried into his chest.
I must have fallen asleep at some point. When I woke up I was alone in bed. It was still late due to the fact that I could see the stars through our little crack in the ceiling. I got up and pulled on a sweatshirt. I was cold even thought it must have been about 75 degree. My body could not stop shaking.
I ventured out into the hallway. It was empty. I couldn't make sense of it. It was so quiet. And I was alone. I went from room to room, there was no one...
"Ian! Mel!" I yelled as loud as I could. "Jamie! Jared!"
No answer.
I ran to the entrance and out into the night. There was still no sign of anyone…
And then out of the corner of my eye I saw it. The seeker, she was back and laughing. But it didn't make any sense. We saved her, removed her from Lacey body. But here she was staring back at me with joy on her face.
"So how does it feel Wanderer? To know that in the end it didn't matter anyway, to know that they would win and we would all be destroyed." She shook her head but the smile stayed in place.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"It's simple. This is death… stuck here where there is nothing. All alone with nothing but memories…"
And then she was gone.
I stood there alone and just watched the place that she had once been. But there was nothing…
"Wanda!"
I sat up and looked around. Mel stood over me. My heart rate slowed as I realized it was all just a dream.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"We're leaving that's what's going on. We have a raid to do." She smiled down at me. She always got excited about raids. She described it as 'the rush of going in right under their noses'. That's Mel for you.
"Oh, okay." I crawled out of bed and pulled on a clean shirt.
"You know he didn't mean it right." Mel said from behind me. This time her voice was gentle, softer.
"I know." I murmured.
"He loves you, you know, in your own way. We all do."
"I know."
When we left Ian hugged me tighter than usual. I didn't know what to make of it. Was it for the argument earlier? Or did they really believe that we could do this on our own. But then again if Ian didn't think we could do it then I would definitely not be leaving right now. That's for sure. So I took the hug as a sign of apology and accepted it.
It was a slow two days. I had the same dream both nights we were gone. I don't think Mel had noticed that I was having them, which was for the best. That would mean I wouldn't have to explain myself to Ian when we got back.
So far we had managed to get a majority of what was needed. The only thing that was left was the perishable food. That was out last stop on or way back to the caves, back to our family.
"Well last stop." Mel sighed from the back seat of the near full van. I could tell from the sound of her voice she was just as ready to go home as I was. I pulled into the grocery store and climbed out of the door. The sun seemed extra hot today as it bore down on my now sun burnt skin.
As I walked in the store, the cool air that greeted me at the door was comforting. But it was quiet, to quiet. I looked around and there was no one in sight. There wasn't even someone at the counter to help customers. It was like the place had been deserted. I didn't like the feeling so I turned around without grabbing anything and headed back to the van. I was half way across the parking lot when I was suddenly grabbed from behind.
"What are you doing here still?!" the man yelled at me.
I stared at him in shock. Not only was the man a host, but he was yelling and physically grabbing me.
"Let go of me!" I panicked.
"It's not safe for us anymore." He stammered. "The bodies are rejecting us. There is no cure. We have to go while we still can!" he dragged me farther away.
"Mel!" I yelled as loud as I could.
Then there was this horrible bang. The force from the shot made me fall over. The man fell on top of me and didn't move. It felt like time had frozen. I lay there, forgetting to breath. I could feel the warmth of his blood pouring onto my body. The smell of the iron filled my nostrils.
"Wanda!" I heard Mel yell from somewhere close to me. I felt the body being lifted off me.
"Wanda, talk to me." Mel leaned over me and demanded.
"I… I…" I stammered but the words just wouldn't come out.
"Jeez, are you hurt?" She ran her hands all over my body checking my limbs for any holes.
"No." I managed to say.
"Come on we have to get out of here." Mel picked me up off the ground with no problem. I couldn't seem to get my legs to work. Mel put me in the passenger seat and then jumped into driver seat. She sped out of town all the while glancing over in my direction. The ride back to the cave seemed to be faster than usual. When Mel stopped the van I opened the door and fell to my knees on the ground. The smell was more than I could bear. I felt hands on my shoulders. My ears began to ring.
"Help Me!" I heard Mel yell from beside me, my weight all leaning against her. I could barely keep my head off the ground.
I heard voices as they came out of the cave.
"What the hell happened?!" Ian yelled as he ran to my side. I felt Mel stand up to give him room. "Wanda? Are you okay? Where are you hurt?" I felt his hands checking my body.
"It's not her blood." Mel said.
"Who's is it then!" Jared yelled.
"I don't know who in the hell he was!" Mel yelled back.
"You just gave them an excuse to come hunt us down Mel. You completely blew it." Kyle said.
"Screw you Kyle. I did what I thought I had to do. I did what I hope the rest of you would have done!"
"Let's bring this inside people." Jeb broke in.
I felt Ian lift me into his arms. I kept my eyes closed and concentrated on breathing out of my mouth. I could here the gasps of the others as we made our way deeper into the caves.
"What on Earth happened?!" I heard the shock and horror in doc's voice as we must have entered his office. Ian laid me gently on the table.
"I think she might be in shock." Mel informed him. At this point I think she might have been right. My mind seemed to be in a fog, and I couldn't find my way out.
"Wanda, can you open your eyes for me?" Doc asked.
I shook my head no.
"Why not?"
"I can't. If I do I'm going to be sick." I answered. "Can someone get me a new shirt?"
"Already got it." I heard Jamie come running into the room. I felt Ian's hand on my shoulder and he helped me sit up. I felt him pull off my blood soaked shirt over my head.
"It's just Ian and I." I heard me say from beside me. "We're going to wash you up first."
Ian's gentle strokes with the wet washcloth were comforting. His hands are familiar. I felt the cleansing water as it washed away the evidence of the horrid event.
"I'll give you guys some time." I opened my eyes and watched Mel walk out of the room.
"Are you okay?" Ian gently pulled my chin upwards. He looked into my eyes and I could see the pain and the worry.
"I think so." I sighed. The emotional overload finally took it toll on my body and I felt drained. I leaned over and rested my head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around me as if to protect me from the world.
"You look exhausted."
"I am." I mumbled, already half asleep in his arms.
"I'll bring you to bed." I heard him chuckle before picking me up and heading back into the corridor. I heard the faint mummers of people around me, but my mind was already reseeding into itself.
My body relaxed when I felt the familiar comfort of our bed beneath me.
"I need you to stand up for just a minute."
I did as I was told. Ian helped me change into pajamas. Then tucking me into the warmth of the soft blanket, he crawled in beside me, once again pulling me into his arms.
"I was so scared." Ian whispered. "When I saw you on the ground covered in blood. It was like my heart just stopped."
"I'm sorry." I sleepily mumbled into his side.
"I love you."
"I love you to."
In the next chapter the group faces a huge choice that may cost someone their life... Please Review!! Thanks again! ~mcena99