The Fifth Element

Chapter 7

We had been running for at least an hour. Jem had two backpacks slung over one shoulder and carried Lex, who had dozed off, on his back. I took Nathan's offer and rode piggyback. Peri was hiking way ahead of us with another backpack on her shoulders.

"Hurry up, slowpokes! We still haven't found shelter," she egged us on.

"I feel like a hobo..." I mumbled, tugging on my beanie and shivering under my thin hoodie.

Nathan snorted and squeezed my ankle playfully. "You've always dressed like one anyway."

I glared at the back of his head in response.

Suddenly, Nathan stopped in his tracks. "It's getting pretty dark, guys..." he pointed out. "I doubt we're going to find a safe place anytime soon."

He had a point. We'd left a little while after the lights went out and had found ourselves in the woods. I doubt Peri even knew where we were.

"I'm hungry...." Lex moaned in her sleep. I stifled a laugh, but my stomach began to growl.

Peri looked indignant. "So you think we should just sleep here?" she challenged.

"Why not?" Nathan shrugged (if you can shrug while carrying someone on your back). "There's plenty of foliage. We should be fine."

Peri rolled her eyes but dropped her sack on the ground and began fishing out our makeshift supplies. I slid off of Nathan's back and helped Jem wake Lex up.

"Lex," I cooed, touching her cheek. She began gnawing at my hand.

"Eep!" I shrieked, jumping away from her as she woke up.

"You taste like ham." She giggled as I pouted and slinked over to where Nathan was sitting.

He pulled out a pack of Saltines and we took turns eating out of the bag. "This would taste so much better with cheese..." I said thoughtfully as I scrunched my nose and munched on a cracker.

"Sorry, mouse, we're fresh out," he replied with a smirk. I chuckled and began to yawn.

"We should take shifts," said Lex. "Cause, you know..."

"Nightmorphs," Peri finished and nodded knowingly. "I vote Nathan to go first. All in favor?" Lex and I raised our hands and Jem slowly put up his own.

"I just carried you for half an hour!" Nathan protested, giving me a look. I shrugged my shoulders innocently.

Lex fell asleep instantly, curled up in a ball and using a backpack as a pillow. Jem leaned against a tree and made himself partially invisible for safety's sake. Peri was the last to doze off, wrapped in her coat on the ground. I was pretty worn out but I stayed alert next to Nathan.

"Hey, Nate?" I asked.

"Nate?" he questioned.

"New nickname?" I offered.

He chuckled. Nathan had a deep, rolling laugh. "Alright. I'm down with it. What did you wanna ask?"

"The nightmorphs..." I began.

"Are out of control..." he cut me off. "We've never had a situation this serious with them before." That...pretty much answered my question...

I frowned and noticed a scar on his wrist. "What's that?" I inquired bluntly. He pulled the sleeve of his jacket down over the wound.

"I was attacked when I was really young. My...parents...didn't make it." He answered in fragments.

I gently pulled his sleeve up and laid his arm in my lap. I ran my finger down the scar and he shivered. I held onto his arm for a moment then let my hand make its way into his. He squeezed back. Feeling groggy, I nodded off.

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NATHAN'S POV:

I held Sky's hand in mine. It was so small. So slender. So cold. I wanted to know her story. I wanted to know if she wanted to know mine. It was so easy for me to flirt and get the girl. It never meant anything before. I didn't want any of those girls to know the real me, the me that existed under the surface. The orphan who struggled on his own as a child. The child scarred by a monstrous enemy. I wanted to live my made up life and have them see my charismatic smile. But me? Nah. Sky's blonde head fell against my shoulder. I gently placed it in my lap and stroked her soft hair. I think we both liked each other a lot. But it felt weird to say it out loud. I wasn't the type of guy to say 'I love you' when I actually meant it.

I watched the sun set slowly. It was a lovely moment. I could see all of these crazy colors meld together in the sky like some kind of paint soup. I dug into my backpack and took out Sky's iPod, flipping through songs until I came to a song by My Chemical Romance. Man, I hadn't listened to them since middle school...

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I woke up to hear Nathan singing quietly:

"Well if you wanted honesty, that's all you had to say.

I never want to let you down or have you go, it's better off this way.

For all the dirty looks, the photographs your boyfriend took,

Remember when you broke your foot from jumping out the second floor?

I'm not okay

I'm not okay

I'm not okay

You wear me out

What will it take to show you that it's not the life it seems?

(I'm not okay)

I told you time and time again you sing the words but don't know what it means

(I'm not okay)

To be a joking look, another line without a hook

I held you close as we both shook..."

I stared up at him as he paused, my earbuds in his ears. His mouth was slighlty agape and he looked back at me as if he'd been caught doing something he shouldn't have been doing. I smiled and let out a small laugh, which was overcome by a loud howl that came from somewhere very, VERY close by.

And by close, I don't mean I heard it from Narnia...

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Waddup guys! Finally updated! I know I took forever but I got the stupid flu and had to take driver'd ed, and do all this collegy stuff. Ugh. Growing up is gross. Tortillas with butter are surprisingly good. 0_0 Anywho! Thank goodness for MLK day and no school otherwise I would've never updated. The story should catch up soon so stay tuned folks! In the mean time, go enjoy an episode of "How I MetYour Mother"! ^_^

"She dumb! She duummmbb!"

Later, alligators!