Injected ((RLLY FUCKIN OLD))

Chapter Fourteen (Ky)

This is the last place that I want to be in right now.

I hate everything about it.

The awkward feeling that Ramona gives me.

A reminiscence of the past that I have never encountered.

Even just the smell that brings an aching to my head.

I want to run away from it. Grab Jacob's hand and allow him to show me to another nice hotel where I actually feel safe. I'd rather be with Jacob right now than his mother, even though both of them make me feel uneasy.

Actually, I know that I've only known Jacob for just over a full day, but I'm already starting to get used to him. I mean, he's cool. He's been through a lot. He tries to make me as comfortable as he can in this situation- I mean, it's a pretty devastating situation. The Injected are afraid of him, so technically I have to rely on a complete stranger to protect me. Whenever I try to talk to him, you know, to get to know him better, his final sentence is something depressing. So that's what his life was like? Just sad. He never had any friends?

Any relationships?

Was his life literally him just running from his horrible family to a place where he should study the Injected? Nothing in between? Nothing interesting during his time while studying the Injected?

No moment of freedom?

Suddenly, a knock on the door startles me.

Is Ramona seriously stalking me to the bathroom now? I've barely even made it to the toilet.

"Um... Ky? You okay?" To my surprise, it's Jacob. He sounds... Worried?

"Yeah... I'm fine... Just going to the bathroom right now. Do you mind?"

"I could hear you talking through the door," his response sounds somewhat unconvinced.

Instantly, my cheeks flush.

What did I say?

More importantly, what did he hear?

Should I ask?

I sigh. He already knows that I'm not using the bathroom. He's smart.

I open the door. Jacob is leaning against the hallway, a couple of yards away. "To be honest, I don't want to be here either. But I can't just walk away from her like nothing's going to happen. My father left her, my brother left her, and I've left her once before. I understand that we're only staying here for a night, but I owe her a visit. I wouldn't have left if I had a choice. Wouldn't. I didn't know that it would be a relief to get her weight off my shoulders. Not until I realized that it had been a year since I saw her last. Then everything started to grow back on me. I stressed too much.  Every day, I would think about what would happen if my mother found me.  How much trouble I'd get in.  What would happen if the government found our files for the Injected.  If the information got released.  The Injected would obviously know.  Then our plans would get screwed up and then there will be no chance of curing the Injected.  I really thought that I needed to visit her.  I kind of figured she'd be like this after a while."

And there it went again.  Jacob's fifth depressing entry for the day.  I wonder how long he's going to unintentionally mention these until I hear something nice about his life. 

But that's not important right now.  There's one sentence that Jacob said that lingers on my mind, 'our plans would get screwed up and then there will be no chance of curing the Injected..."

Instantly, the question blurts out of my mouth, "curing the Injected?  Are you guys trying to find a cure?"

Jacob nods, solemnly, "they're trying.  Right now, nothing is working.  I've asked them if I could pitch in, you know, because I'm h-"