Danger

Chapter Five

Emma found herself on a brown sofa in a dark living room. Sitting up, she looked around the house, which she didn't recognize. No, she shouldn't be sleeping or caring about being used. It made her stop and hang her head. Greyson used her to keep her by his side in case someone, like Scarlett, got injured.

Tears slid down her cheeks, the cloth sliding onto the sweatpants she wore. Why wasn't she at the infirmary? Standing on the sofa, she found the energy drained from her, causing her to fall on the carpet. Maybe she was held hostage because she must prioritize the Uden Academy students over those suffering from this illness.

She felt herself being picked up, and she spotted Mark through her glossy eyes. "Take me to the infirmary," she said, oblivious to how weak her voice sounded.

"You need to relax," Mark said, but Emma shook her head various times.

"No," she whispered as Mark sat her back on the sofa, handing her a small bowl of black beans.

"You fainted," Mark said.

How humiliating could she be? She fainted because of Cindy's story and the overwhelming number of patients.

"Hanna told me you need to take a day off," Mark implied.

Emma didn't have the time to take a day off. Mark held the bowl of beans in front of her, and she took a small amount.

"I'm weak," she whispered to herself. Why did she let herself even think she could grow past her insecurities?

She can barely hold herself together around sick people, even after being used. It was just like the many who have been used by the trio.

"How's the infirmary doing?" Emma asked as she wiped some of her tears away, sitting at the edge of the sofa.

"Hanna said two people have died since you passed out."

Emma's heartbeat raced because people were dying when she wasn't there to help them. If she stayed here, more people were going to die, which meant they would be angry at her.

"Jason burned his wrist and will swing by to see you," Mark stated, while Emma chewed a bean slowly.

Jason didn't seem like the type of person who'd get burned by this snow, but everything has been unexpected. One girl from her class ended up dying of the illness on the second day that it started.

Hearing the door bust open, Esme came zooming to her in the living room. "Hanna said you fainted or something. She doesn't want you coming into the infirmary until you feel better," she rambled.

"I'll go when I'm done eating," Emma whispered.

"Oh! Jason burned his wrist," Esme remarked.

He came wobbly over, taking off his coat quickly. Holding out his wrist, Emma closed her eyes. She felt the burn, and it made a sick feeling turn in her stomach.

"This is a cool house," Esme awed, snooping around.

"I only come to sleep and eat," Mark implied.

She took her hand away and spotted some blood on it. "Don't throw up!" Esme's voice made her jump.

"I wasn't going to," she mumbled, rubbing her raw eyes.

"Thanks," Jason breathed, sitting on the carpeted floor.

Emma felt her head tilt upward as she spotted Bryce Cross. The same Bryce had burned a hole in the counter of their science class, which the teacher didn't notice until after class. The burning part wasn't the funny part, but when he decorated a pencil person.