Shifters

Chapter 11

                                                 THEA

Will was dead.

When I woke up the next morning, I found a note propped up against the vase of fake flowers in my room. It said that Will hadn't survived. They'd tried to do an operation, to replace the missing part of his arm and repair the rest of the damage, but it didn't work. He died an hour after reaching the hospital ward.

I cried, of course. Even though I'd only just met him, Will had been my friend. He and Luke made it so I wasn't alone, with only a couple crazy scientists for company. But no one lasts long here.

An hour later, the tears were long gone, but I still sat, curled up in the corner of my room. I didn't want to leave. I didn't want to face the monsters who'd killed Will.

Then, suddenly, the anger hit.

It was their fault. They were the ones forcing us to do this. They had kidnapped us. They were keeping us prisoner. I hated them. Completely.

My thoughts continued on that track for another hour or so, until I couldn't stand my boredom- and hunger- any longer. I grabbed my guide rock from where it was sitting next to the bed.

Dumping it on the ground, I mumbled, "Cafeteria," and followed it down the hall. When I arrived, Luke was already there.

His eyes were red-rimmed and his voice was hoarse when he greeted me. I grabbed a tray and a sandwich and sat down. A few minutes later, I noticed the cookie. The exact same type I'd received when I got here. An apology cookie. My anger flared again and I crumbled the cookie in my fist. Luke realized what I was doing and caught my hand. I looked up at him, tears blurring my vision.

"You cared for him that much?" Luke whispers.

"No. Yes. I don't know," I choke. "I had heard them talking about the kids who'd died, but I never actually thought it would happen. And I never thought it would be W-will." I stumble over his name, and my vision becomes even blurrier. "It was so... so sudden and now everything seems...scarier, I guess. Like dying wasn't real before, and now it's right around the corner. And I don't know why I miss him so much, but I do."

Luke nods slowly. He hands me a napkin, and I dry my eyes, my emotions slowly cooling. The anger is still there, but I can keep it in check now.

A flicker of movement caught my eye and I turned to see a girl walking in. I guessed she had just arrived, because I hadn't seen her before. She glanced at us, but continued to an empty table in the far corner.

"Who's that?" Luke asked.

"No idea. She's probably new," I mumbled.

"Thea."

"What?"

"She's got a tail."

"Stop joking. It's not helping."

"No. I'm not kidding. She's actually got a tail."

I didn't get to reply because at that moment, a boy limped into the cafeteria. For a second, I thought it was Will and my spirits lifted. But it wasn't.

"James!" The girl leapt up.

"Ivy. You okay?" He looked pretty beat up. His hair was sticking up in every direction and his right shoulder was covered by a bloodstained bandage.

The girl, Ivy, nodded. "Yeah. Thanks for helping me..."

I got up and walked over to where the newcomers were standing. Luke followed a second later.

"Um..Hi. I'm Thea. I'm guessing you are being held here too."

The boy nodded, putting his arm around the girl. "Eyup. That's us." The girl slipped out of his hold and stood there, silently watching us.

"I'm James and this is Ivy," the boy continued.

Luke arrived at that moment. "Hey. I'm Luke. Welcome to the Freak Show," he said sarcastically.

I was about to say something else when I spotted Ms. Merriweather coming toward us. I turned abruptly, pulling Luke along with me. I wasn't sure what I'd do if one of Will's killers got too close.

I heard Ms. Merriweather say something, but I couldn't make out the words. Then Ivy, shoulders squared, said, "No. I'm not going with you."

My heart sank. She didn't know what she was getting herself into.

Ms. Merriweather continued, pleading slightly.

"Cooperation? You psychos kidnapped us!"

I could see the anger building inside Ivy. Ms. Merriweather kept talking. Suddenly, Ivy jumped out of her seat, startling Ms. Merriweather.

"Well you can tell Edmont-"

The rest of Ivy's sentence was cut off as a pair of meaty hands clapped down over my ears. The security guard hauled me around and shoved me toward the cafeteria doors. I heard a sickening crunch and a thud behind me. Ivy gasped in pain. The security guard shoved me again and I sped up, worried that if I stayed any longer, I'd join Ivy in trying to fight back and give those idiot scientists what they deserved.

The corridors were strangely quiet. The only sounds were our footsteps. Glancing back, I found that Luke was right behind me, with his own security guard. We made eye contact and he half-smiled, but the smile was grim. We were both worried, for Ivy and ourselves.