Marionette (A 'The 5th Wave' Fanfiction) [COMPLETED] #wattys2017

36. The Outside; Chapter III.

    I don't remember much. Just the images flashing across my mind, Dr. Pam asking me something, me standing and falling, everything going black.

    I open my eyes to the familiar scent of the hospital wing. I can tell I'm plugged into something. I feel the tube in my arm.

    How long was I out? I think of those American movies where someone collapses and wakes up in days, weeks, months, years! and bolt upright. "What time is it?! What date is it?! What year is it?!" I explode.

    I hear a chuckle and my eyes adjust on the freckly face of the medic, Kistner. The one who escorted me when I was transferring to Squad 53. "Calm down. You were brought in just about fifteen minutes ago," he says.

    I exhale and slam back onto the pillow. So I didn't miss Ben and the squad. Bullocks. Now I have to wait even longer.

    Dr. Pam takes Kistner's seat with a tablet of sorts in her hand. "Good news, Rose. You're good to go," she announces and unplugs me from the machine.

    I rub my eyes. "Did you find anything?" I ask anxiously.

    She nods. "Commander Vosch explained the situation. With your friend?" I nod. "Ah. You see, all doors have damaged corners. It's a pre-caution for cases like these. If someone traps themselves inside, it's easier to get them out. And here you see," -she turns the screen to me, showing me an image of my hand holding Slingshot's suicide note above the tiled floor of the bathroom- "how you remember this scene. And this," -she switches the image to a nearly identical one to the one before- "is the more . . . accurate version. Unaltered by insomnia." She zooms in on the towels on the floor and indeed, another piece of toilet paper is poking out.

    My eyes widen. "The ending of the note?" I ask. Dr. Pam nods. "But I checked there!"

    She gives me a knowing look. "Yes, I trust you. But you really are tired. Your brain can't possibly function properly."

    I sit taller in my bed. I'm still dressed in my uniform. Nothing unusual. "Do you have the note, then?"

    From her back pocket she pulls out yet another piece of toilet paper and I snatch it out of her hand.

    The last note read,

    I know I'm going to die. And it's not fair. I know exactly what's going to happen. So concluding from that, I want Marionette to get my bed and Mononoke my stamp collection.

    I don't want to die. But I don't have a choice. What they're doing to us is wrong. I need you to know this. They're doing something very bad. We're going to meet our end soon. You mustn't

    And the new one continued:

    go outside, Marionette. I don't see any other way to keep you safe. This is my only option. You were always the better half of me, Mary. The better half I can't lose. Keep the guys safe. Kick Mononoke in the ass and tell her to be nicer to the guys. Please.

    With all my love,

-Slingshot

    I hand Dr. Pam the note back, frowning. "Why did he write it on two papers?"

    "He must have run out of ink and decided to continue elsewhere."

    "Why didn't he use his empty paper?"

    "We're guessing he didn't want to draw on his little brother's possession."

    I smile at her despite the haunted feeling passing over me. "When should Squad 53 return?" I ask, doing my best to be polite.

    She looks at her wristwatch. "In about an hour, darling."

    I thank her and walk away from the hospital wing.

    What she said makes sence. It lines well with what I heard. But I know she's not telling the truth. How? Because the note isn't written in ink. It's written in gunpowder. And the gun he 'killed' himself with was fully loaded. What are they keeping from me? And why?