Don't Leave Me Again (Sequel to Finally Found You)

Part 29

          The next morning, we have to stop to take a break and so Weaver can give orders to the scouts and all that. Ben wakes me up and tells me that he wants to take me somewhere.

          We start walking in the woods but not too far away from the 2nd Mass. The whole way there, Ben holds my hand and we just walk in silence until I break it.

          “Okay so what’s up? Why did you want to take me here?” I ask. Ben stops and I face him.

          “I have to go now.” He says. I nod and look down at my feet. I can feel myself about to cry so I cover my face with my hands. Ben hugs me and I wrap my arms around him. I try not to cry too much so I don’t go back to camp looking like a puffy eyed lobster.

          “I’m really going to miss you Kali.” Ben says. I let him go and put my hands on his forearms while his hands are on my waist. I look up at him and he lays his hand on my cheek, wiping away the tears in my eyes.

          “You don’t know how much I’m gonna miss you Ben.” I say.

          “I promise you I’ll be back. I don’t know when but we will see each other again. Hopefully soon. I love you Kali.” Ben says. He lifts my chin up and kisses me smoothly.

          “I love you too.” I say. I kiss him one more time and pull him into another hug.

          “God you don’t know how much I want to stop you right now.” I say laughing nervously through tears.

          “I know but—“Ben starts to say but I cut him off.

          “You have to go. I know, I just wish you didn’t.” I say. I hug him tightly one last time and let him go. He grabs my hand and as I begin to walk away, he slowly lets it go. I run off back to camp and find Allie at her bike getting ready to leave.

          “Hey Kali what’s wrong?” She asks me. I walk up to her and I begin to cry again so she hugs me.

          “He’s gone Allie.” Is all I say. We stand there for a minute and hear Weaver yell out that we’re moving out.

          “You gonna be okay until I get back?” Allie asks me. I nod and say goodbye to her to walk back to the med bus. Once I get to the med bus, I walk immediately to the back and sit in the corner with my knees close to my chest and the window by my side. I stare out the window until it’s time to drive off and once we leave, I notice Tom doing the same thing I am. He must’ve said goodbye to Ben as well.

          Throughout the night, I just sit there staring out the window as we make our way to Charleston. All I’m thinking about is Ben. What if we never see him again? What if he dies and we wouldn’t ever know it because he wasn’t here with his family and friends.

          I start to remember our last conversation not too long ago. I know he’s said he loved me before but he’s never actually said the words “I love you” to me before today. As I’m thinking, I feel someone sit beside me. I look over to see Matt looking up at me.

          “What’s wrong Kali?” He asks me. I wrap my arm around him and kiss the top of his head.

          “We might not see Ben for a while Matt.” I tell him.

          “I know.” He says.

          “He told you he was leaving didn’t he?” I ask.

          “Yeah but he told me not to tell anyone.” Matt says he looks at me and you could probably see the sadness written all over my face.

          “Don’t worry we’ll see him again soon Kali he promised us.” Matt says trying to reassure me. I smile and hug him.

          “I know and he never breaks his promises.” I say smiling at him. Matt stands up and walks up to the front of the bus to his dad. I decide to try to get some sleep since I have no one else to talk with. I lie down on the couch and close my eyes, drifting slowly asleep.

          My dream starts off nice, Ben and I walking around spending time together but it suddenly becomes a nightmare when we see Skitters and Mechs and crawlies heading towards us. We try to run but they catch up and grab us. A Skitter holds on to me while they drag Ben directly in front of me a few feet away. The Mechs raise their guns and begin to all fire at Ben. I start screaming for them to stop but they just keep going and going.

          Suddenly, I wake up to someone sitting on my leg. I sit up and see Lourdes sitting there looking off into space.

          “Hey umm, you’re kinda sitting on my leg.” I tell her.

          “Huh? Oh sorry about that.” She says moving. I sit in an upward position and look at her.

          “Are you alright Lourdes?” I ask her.

          “Umm no not exactly.” She says.

          “I’m really sorry about Jamil. I knew how much you two loved each other.” I say.

          “Yeah well now he’s dead and I can’t do anything about it.” Lourdes says.

          “You can keep going for him. We both know that he wouldn’t want you to stop being you just because this happened. You have to be strong for Jamil.” I tell her laying my hand on her forearm. She nods and gives me a small smile.

          “How about you? How are you doing with Ben being gone?” She asks me.

          “I miss him already and it’s only been a few hours. Can you believe that?” I say chuckling.

          “Yeah I actually can. You’ll see him again soon, I’m sure of it.” Lourdes says.

          “Now that’s the Lourdes I know.” I say smiling. Suddenly, the bus stops and we both lurch forward.

          “What the hell was that?” I say. Tom leaves the bus and I follow him out. We go out to the front and see Weaver and Tector standing over something. It’s a girl, a harnessed girl.

          “You hit a kid.” I say. Weaver picks her up and we take her to the med bus. Anne tells him to lay her down on a stretcher and he does so.

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