The Changed (Completed)

XXI

Margo~

When I opened my eyes I wasn't awake.

I was in my bedroom, but not my old bedroom. This was the room I grew up in, before we left when my dad passed away. The one with the animals on the walls and the oak floors covered by a shag rug. But this room wasn't identical because this one was especially messy. Clutter lined the shelves and floor making it almost impossible to walk. But everything was familiar. I lifted up a small stuffed bear I had been given by my dad. I had left it at the old house but never forgotten it. Another keepsake caught my eye, a dictionary my fifth grade teacher had given me after I won the spelling bee.

"When was the last time you cleaned up in here?"

I snapped my head around. Tristan stared back at me. "Umm where is here?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I've never been here before, I figured you would know."

I rolled my eyes. "We're in my old bedroom but how did we get here?" I lowered my eyes. "How did you get here?"

He sat down on the out of place red chair from my grandmother's cabin. "Well, all of your blood is being removed so I guess you retreated to your subconscious." He smiled. "And you chose me to wait with you."

I shook my head. "What about Wesley? Or Avanali?"

He sighed. "I'm the only one who isn't currently tied up." I gasped as he motioned to the bloody torn area on his shirt. I had forgotten until he pointed it out.

"Can't I heal it?" I whispered. "I'm not going to let you die."

He ran his fingers over the stain. "You can't help. Your abilities are in your blood. Besides, I'm not really here. It's just my subconscious."

I felt a tear slip down my cheek. "But there has to be something. Why aren't you healing?"

"The bullet is still in me." He picks at his shirt. "Ophelia is trying to get it out but she doesn't know what she's doing."

I shake my head. "I can't loose you, Tristan." I whimper. He grabs my hand. It's soft and familiar. "Don't worry about me right now. You aren't safe either. I don't know if you can heal after he's taken your blood from you."

"I have to! I can't- I don't want to... to die." My breathing becomes rapid. I can't die. I'm not ready.

He squeezes my hand gently. "Wesley's not going to let that happen. They're going to save you."

"You don't know that." I felt myself sinking to the floor, my knee landing on a copy of "Among the Hidden", the book Tristan given me to borrow.

He wrapped his arm around me. "I don't know Wesley." He paused. "But I do know he cares about you. He's not going to let anything happen to you." He lifted the book, flipping it over in his hand. "Something tells me I'm not going to get this back."

I laugh softly, wiping the tears from my cheeks. I laid my head on his chest, I could feel his heart beating.

Suddenly he flinches, his hands on his wound. He doubles over cursing pain.

"What's wrong!" I try to help him but he moves my hand, panting. "Something's happening- gah it hurts!" He hisses through clenched teeth.

The blood stain on his shirt begins to grow larger, My breath catches in my throat. "What can I do!" I shout, looking for something to stop the blood. I grab my mother's scarf and try to hold it against the wound but Tristan's whole body flickers like an old television, cutting in and out. His shouts skipping like a broken cd.

Then he is gone. All I have is a bloody scarf. I throw it to the floor. Is he dead? My eyes water. What if it's my fault?

"I'm ready to wake up now!" I shouted. My voice echoes throughout the room. I don't know who I expected to respond. I'm alone here.

A wave of exhaustion falls over me, my legs barely able to move. What's happening to me?

The blood loss, it's making me tired. My body is shutting down. This is bad. This is really bad.

I try to move around, I needed to stay awake. But I'm so tired. Everything becomes numb. My legs give in beneath me as my arm hits the floor. Everything blurs, tilting and swaying, darkening.

Hey guys!!! I know this is another short chapter but I'm at school again so things are kind of chaotic. This is another one of my favorite chapters. If you didn't know, I plan on publishing "The Changed" for real. It's going to be available as an Ebook sometime in the near future so I hope you'll all grab a copy. So if you can think of anything in the story that you think needs to be built upon or changed let me know so I can work on it in the editing process. Thanks for everything! Love you guys. 🖤 XOXO ~N.K