CHAPTER 248
"Seth, you're alright. I'm right here." Dianna had taken his hand. "Are you feeling ok? Do you need anything?"
Seth turned his head. The movement was laborious. He looked at his mom. He appeared calm. Seth examined the expression on his mother's face. She did not look so calm as he. She looked like she was bracing for him to freak out about the fact that they were still on the island.
Seth glanced over. Kyra was next to his mom. She looked like she was expecting him to panic as well.
Seth opened his mouth in a way that made it seem like it had been partially glued shut. "I'm thirsty," he whispered.
"Hold on." Kyra jumped up and went to the water cooler. In a moment she was back with one of those flimsy, little, cone shaped, paper cups. She held it to Seth's lips, and he drank.
The first few sips dribbled down his chin.
"Oops," Kyra said.
"Easy, Seth. Take your time," Dianna rubbed the water off his face.
Seth made a motion with his hand and leaned away. He coughed a little. "I'll try again in a minute."
Dianna gave him a moment and then said, "Seth, we're still on Site-B."
"I know." He turned to her. "I wasn't unconscious, just paralyzed. I've been awake for everything." Seth shifted his eyes to Kyra. "Thanks for not letting me get eaten."
Kyra smiled and gave his knee a pat. "No problem."
Dianna sighed, "then you already know the plan."
Seth looked back at her. "Yes. We'll never make it."
Kyra said, "Seth, don't talk like that."
"It's true."
Dianna raised her voice some, but tried to keep it within a whisper. "We have to try."
Seth's tone was cold. "That's fine, but we're not going to make it."
Ms. Murdock's voice came through the dark, "the boy gets it."
Dianna hissed, "don't you even start, Joan."
Seth spoke over her, "they're not like other animals. They're smart. They probably feel like prisoners."
Joan's voice came through the dark again, "It's an uprising."
"That's enough," Dianna said.
Seth didn't stop. "They killed Dallas and Shelly because we went into their nest and killed their babies. We killed their young. Now they're going to kill yours." Seth looked at his mom. "And then they'll kill the rest of you."
Kyra took his arm. "Seth, stop."
"It's only a matter of time."
Kyra said, "you don't know that."
Seth brushed her hand away and took the paper cup from her. He drank it with less trouble this time, but water was still pouring down his face. Finishing it he tossed the cup on the couch and made a clumsy effort to get to his feet. Stumbling between Dianna and Kyra he made his way to the window.
Just traversing across the room was enough to fatigue Seth, and he rested his palms against the glass in front of him.
Daniel was at his left. He didn't look at Seth. He didn't budge. They both stood side by side and stared out the window through the dark of the night.
Dianna watched her son with grave concern, but she could feel a set of eyes watching her. Shifting her head to the door where Dr. Conners was she saw him looking at her with a comparable expression of worry. Even through the night vision goggles on his face she could see it.
Dianna looked back at Seth. The nagging feeling in her mind was that he was actually right.