Growing Wildflowers | WLW

Boneset

Jamie's expression contorts in pain. I'm there within seconds but seeing her like that makes it feel like an eternity has passed by the time I clamp both hands on the man's shoulders. I promised myself I'd never use my ability the way Leah does but I'm not thinking about that right now.

He rips away from Jamie, arching his back to let out a loud scream.

I'm not sure what my ability did to him. What I'm doing to him. The only thing I'm thinking about is how badly I want to hurt him for hurting Jamie. For scaring Jamie.

Everything is gray. The floor. The sky. It's just me and the man in the bullet proof vest. I'm standing above him as his knees wobble and then give out. He's on the ground, clenching his chest, and... That scream. I close my eyes tight, try to shake us both out of the vision and it must work because slowly, his screams fade and everyone else starts to pop back into view.

Jamie with her hand clamped around the bite mark on her neck, blood trickling out from under her palm. John, Aurora, and Sophie watching me with concerned eyes. They must've used the distraction to get the upper hand on the other newborns because it's only us now. Us and the guy I tortured. Mrs. Vanderbilt is nursing a swollen ankle on the other side of the road. Oakley's trying to help her to her feet.

The man's breathing wavers, coming in fast. He'd hyperventilate if he were human. "What... What did you do to me?" His voice shakes.

My fingers are trembling. I shove them into my pockets. I hurt you like Leah hurt me. I don't say anything.

He dares a glance at me. His cheeks are tear stained, his eyes bloodshot.

"I stopped you from killing my girlfriend," I answer.

Sophie's still breathing hard from her fight with the newborns as she claps a hand on my shoulder and nods her chin toward Jamie.

I nod. No one speaks as I take long strides toward Jamie, grabbing her on my way toward the van. I pull her to the other side of the van, so she doesn't have to watch them kill the man on the floor. Although I don't know if it would be worse than watching what I just did to him.

I stop walking when we're closer to the edge of the forest, where the tall yellow grass turns into trees for miles. I cup a hand over hers, still covering her neck and pull it away to show the imprint of the man's teeth.

She doesn't say anything, but her lip is quivering.

I wipe the droplets of blood from the wound. "Jamie, are—"

She burrows into my chest and sobs quietly.

"Shh. You're okay," I tell her. I've never felt so helpless. I hold her tight, rest my cheek against her head. Like if I can cradle every part of her, I can pull the broken pieces back together.

"I was so scared." Her voice is hoarse.

My chest swells with emotion. "I know." I don't know what else to say to her. So, instead, I hold her until the sobs become less frequent. When it seems like the worst of her fear has passed, I hold her at arm's length to look at her. Really look at her so she knows I'm serious. "I won't be mad if you change your mind."

She's shaking her head, wiping the leftover tears from her cheeks with short teal-painted nails.

"Listen to me, Jamie." I pull her close. "You can go with your mom somewhere safe. This isn't your fight."

She rests her head against my chest again and swallows hard. "We're a team, Gwen."

We stay like that until Jamie pulls away again and smiles at me. "Do I look like okay?"