The Bride

Chapter 32//: The basics on how to be dangerous

♕✿~♕✿~The basics on how to be dangerous♕✿~♕✿~

Madison's POV

After lunch, I return back to my shared room with Lucas and Damon. However, only a couple minutes pass until a knock sounds at the door. Evelyn comes into the room, asking if we want to go do something.

Lucas and Damon, antsy about having done nothing, jump at the chance and follow Evelyn out. I decline, too tired and only wanting to lay in my bed. The previous days were now catching up to me, and I just needed some rest.

But when I close my eyes, I can't find myself relaxing. I'm too on edge in this place, and there's no way I will be getting sleep right now.

I push myself up from the bed, walking over to pick up the extra clothes that had been dropped off in the room. Evelyn had told us all that we could shower and change whenever we needed to. I felt gross from the events of the past few weeks. A shower sounds equivalent to heaven right now.

Outside the room, there is no one. The halls are empty, and the whole atmosphere is eerily creepy. I shiver involuntarily, running my hands over my arms where goosebumps have formed. If I remembered correctly, there was a public bathroom that was shared by everyone in one hall.

I easily find the bathroom after walking down the hall, and I step in to gratefully find no one using the showers right now. Setting my clothes on the bench just outside of the showers, I strip off the grimy clothes I'm wearing and turn on the water.

As I step under the pounding water, a delightful sigh escapes my lips. The water felt so amazingly good. I scrub at my skin quickly, knowing that there was a time limit to the showers so that water could be saved.

When the showers turn off five minutes later, I step out and grab one of the towels on the racks. I quickly dry off my body and hair, putting on my clothes soon after.

I grab my old clothes, not knowing what to do with them. Frankly, I wanted nothing to do with these clothes I had worn during the worst weeks of my life. I end up throwing them in the trash.

I leave the bathroom, but slow down to a stop. I didn't want to return to the room I share with Damon and Lucas if I was just going to be alone with silence and my thoughts as company. I make a quick decision to go outside to try and find them.

I hurry out of the halls, reaching the entrance of the building where some Scarlet Guards members are standing about, talking. Their conversations cease as I walk past them.

The air is cool and the afternoon sky is slightly cloudy. Around me, activity buzzes; small kids are running around with each other, people are walking around and talking with their friends. The scene looks so normal I'm startled. I didn't think I'd ever get used to seeing this site when I walk into a Scarlet Guard base.

I continue to walk, going past buildings which seem to be the sleeping area for many. I dodge people as they continue to come out of buildings. Movement was constant in this place; there was never a moment where people stated in place for long.

As I walk along a path, I try to calm my worries. I was anxious to get back to the capital and see my family. My chest hurt whenever I thought about them. And then there was Ahren. I needed to get to him quickly. It was a foreign feeling, but I longed to see him again, to feel his lips against mine and to feel his arms around me once more. The need was constantly present, making me feel like I was doing drugs and needed my next dose to continue with life.