Out of Darkness

Training

I finish my chapter, but am no longer in the mood to read. I fiddle around with the phone, trying to find a game when a message pops up. I try to close it, but I'm unfamiliar with iPhones, and I accidentally make the video attachment start playing. I don't want to snoop, but I freeze when I see what is happening on the screen. The man from the hospital is there with a naked girl and he's-

I scream and drop the phone like it burns. I can't take my eyes away from the horror on the screen. I feel my stomach clench and I lean over the side of the bed and vomit all over a pair of brown loafers.

Hands are touching me and I swat them away until I smell Irish Spring. All the fight goes out of me and I collapse into Mr. Blackbourne's arms. I hear Dr. Sean tell Victor to clean up and ask for someone to get his bag.

"Sang, Pookie, breathe with Owen." I hadn't realized that I was holding my breath. I gasp and focus on the movement of the chest behind me.

When I can finally find my voice, I whisper,"Did you see it?"

Dr. Sean kneels before me and I can see the answer in his eyes. Unshed tears pool and shimmer in the corners and he nods. "I'm sorry that you had to see that, Pumpkin. We're going to find him, okay? We're going to stop him."

Mr. Blackbourne shifts and turns me so that I can see them all. Kota is really pale and the vein in Nathan's neck looks like it's about to pop.

"W-why did he d-do it? Can you s-save her?" My words are shaking almost as much as I am.

Kota sits down next to me and puts his hand on my knee. "That was my bedroom." He swallows. "And no, we can't save her, sweetheart. She's dead." He chokes on the last word and his eyes look haunted.

I remember that he has a little sister and I crawl into his arms. I grab is face and gently ask, "Your sister?"

A tremor runs through him and he buries his nose in my hair as he gasps, "Thank God, no! They left town with Luke and North's uncle about an hour ago. I'm just-" he squeezes me tight and then pulls slightly away, "he was in my house, Sang. He knows where Doc lives, and he took Mr. Blackbourne's car. I'm feeling a little unbalanced right now."

I take his hand in mine and wonder when I became so comfortable with touching them. I want to help, and I think that maybe he needs a distraction. I certainly do. I reach past Mr. Blackbourne and grab the small pink taser sitting on the nightstand. I hold it out to Kota and ask, "Can you teach me how to use this?" After seeing what that maniac did to that girl, I'm more determined than ever to know how to protect myself and anyone else around me.

He turns it over a couple of times, examining its features. He gives me a little smile and nods. "Where'd you get this? It's a good idea for you to have one, but I don't think any of us have had time to go shopping."

"Speak for yourself," Gabriel hollers as he enters the room with an armload of bags. He points one full hand at me. "You, we've got to get you out of those shitty clothes. Take this," he hands me a small brown bag, "and get changed into it. Then you're going to bathe and let me wash your hair." He narrows his eyes at me. "I mean it, Trouble! Don't fucking touch that hair or so help me!"

I look back and forth between Kota and Gabriel, not sure about who to follow. Kota tips his head toward the bag in my hand and tells me, "Do what he says for right now. Get yourself all cleaned up and then we'll go over how to use the stun-gun. Then I think it would be a good idea for us to teach you some self-defense." He picks me up and carries me into the bathroom. He places me down on the toilet and looks at the mangled shower curtain with a question on his face.

"North startled me and I kind of got tangled in it," I mumble. It's so embarrassing. He just smiles at me and taps the bag before leaving me alone in here. I take a look at what Gabriel brought me and my jaw drops open.