Lazaretto (Camren)

S E V E N T E E N

"In my beginning is my end." –T.S. Eliot

AUSTIN

I woke up the next morning with Camila asleep in my arms. I took a deep breath and slowly let it out, satisfied with how the night had turned out. I knew I shouldn't have made Lauren tell Camila about herself the way that I did, but I was tired of her being in the dark. Everyone knew but her, and I only thought it was fair. Sure I might have been a little drunk, but that was the only way I would have had the courage to bring it up.

When I asked Camila what her number was, I was genuinely shocked. Learning the new information only fueled the fire, and I wanted to kill Lauren for not telling her sooner. When she ran off, Lauren glared over at me.

"What were you thinking, Austin?" she yelled, stepping closer to me.

"Don't give me that. You needed to tell her. It's only fair!"

"I was going to tell her when I was ready, not when you're half drunk!" She stepped even closer and swatted the cup out of my hands. I clenched my fists and lunged after her, preparing for a fight.

"Guys! Guys! That's enough!" Dinah said, breaking us apart. "You all put her in this mess, now you have to find her. Soon." Right, Camila. I backed away and picked up my jacket off the back of the chair and slipped it over my shoulders.

"This isn't over," I threatened.

"Why fight? You've already won," she returned. I looked at her for a couple seconds more before taking off to the woods. I had an idea of where she might have gone.

Since I had been drinking a little, my stamina wasn't as strong. I found myself getting winded a couple of times and had to rest against a tree. Eventually, I made it to the waterfall only to be there alone. Camila was nowhere in sight. I checked another time before heading back to the warehouse where I sulked to the bathroom to take a shower. I couldn't help but think that I had lost her forever. What if she had been captured? Or worse, killed? I placed a hand on the tiled wall and let the hot water flow down my neck and back, trying to rid the memory of the day I found out about my parents and brother's deaths.

It was the eve of my nineteenth birthday. My father had dropped my brother off at school that morning while I made my way to work. After the work day was done, I rode my bike to the warehouse where I was greeted by my second family. My younger brother Wesley was only thirteen. My father said he wasn't allowed to come to the warehouse until he was at least eighteen. That was when I started.

Once I arrived, I parked my motorcycle inside the ill lit garage and made my way outside to the knife throwing station. I picked up a handful of the sharp blades and began to skillfully throw them at the plastic dummy. I threw some over-handed, some from the side, and even some left handed. I hit the target every time. It wasn't always about getting a kill shot. If I could manage to hit someone in the stomach or in the arm, it would still do some damage and subdue the person long enough. I was starting to work up a sweat when I felt a stern hand on my throwing arm, bring it to a halt.

"Austin." I put the knives down on the table beside me and looked up to find Derek staring at me intently.

"Yeah?"

"Can you come with me for a minute, please?"

I looked at him more closely, and I could tell he was trying his best to keep it together. Derek and I had become really close over the past year, and I began to get worried when I saw tears emerging in his eyes.

"Derek? What's wrong?"

The grip he had on my shoulder became much stronger, and it was starting to hurt a little. He hung his head and began to weep, covering his face with his free hand while grasping onto me for dear life.

"It's your family..." he said through the tears. My pulse quickened, and I was starting to feel light headed.

"What about them?" A breath hitched in my throat, and I began to prepare myself for the worst.

"They...they were in a car accident. They were all dead upon arrival. I just got the call from the hospital." He picked his head up to look at me. My mouth dropped open. I wanted to scream, but nothing came out. Tears streamed down my face unhindered.

"No..." I said, shaking my head. I took his hand off of my shoulder and stood there, dumbfounded. "This can't be happening. I just saw them this morning...they were there, they were fine." Derek tried to console me, but I pushed his hand away again. My father, my mother, and my brother were dead.

I was alone without a family. I didn't think twice and took off running to anywhere but there. I knew that day that I would never be the same again.

The cold water brought me back to my senses and sobered me up. I turned off the shower and dried myself off before getting dressed. I lied down in bed and prayed that Camila would return home soon safe and sound.

I was starting to drift off when I heard three quiet knocks on my door. I rolled over and sat up in bed, ridding my eyes of sleep. I turned on the light and lazily walked over to the door, sliding it open. And there she was. She looked tired and cold, and I wanted nothing more than to keep her warm. Since I first saw Camila at the warehouse, I couldn't get enough of her. She had this energy, this charisma about her that demanded to be noticed. I couldn't keep my eyes off of her. Undoubtedly she was beautiful, but she was so much more than that. It was her spirit that kept me coming back for more.

While we were lying in bed together, all I wanted to do was protect her; to keep her safe. When she kissed me it was like I had been shocked by a thousand lightning bolts. My skin hummed, and I never wanted it to go away. I couldn't lose her like I had lost everyone else in my life. She was different. She was mine.