Light Up My Heart *Super 8/Cary Love Story*

15: Cary vs. Charles vs. An Alien

As the bus pulls away from the school, I hold my hurt leg close to me while still holding onto Cary's hand. He doesn't seem to mind. Actually, I think he needs someone's hand to hold as much as I do, and I certainly don't think he wants to hold onto Martin. Or, at least I hope not. 

"What's gonna happen to us?" Charles asks. Cary shakes his head, tightening his grip on my hand. 

"I think we're gonna die," he says, his voice cracking a bit. It's obvious we're all terrified. Charles isn't even up to saying crap about me. 

"Shut up man," Martin wavers. "They wouldn't do that."

"I'm serious, I think they're gonna kill us." I feel a tear run down my cheek, and I furiously wipe it away, not wanting Charles to see. I look up and see him staring right at me.

"What happened to your leg?" he asks. I stare him for a moment, deciding if he is planning on mocking me again or not.

"I was at the explosion," I finally sigh. "I was going to ask to help you guys with your movie, but chickened out. I saw the truck on the tracks and warned you guys. I got too close, and a piece of metal got wedged in my leg." As usual, all the boys are staring at me. But now, instead of cowering away like I always did, I sit up tall with my head up. 

"Wait, so you're the one who hit Cary?" Joe asks. I nod.

"So you...." Charles trails off. 

"...saved our lives," Cary finishes. He has wanted to tell the others this ever since he found out. A realization runs over Charles's face and he runs a hand through his hair.

"Her parents are dead, you know," Cary says. He has a fierce determination to make Charles feel as horrible as possible. According to him, he deserves it for being a douche to me.  

"And her dog ran away like Lucy, and her only family member was taken. She has been beaten up before, she and her Aunt had to work just to keep their house, and yet she still found the courage to get out of bed each day. Even when people like constantly put her down." 

I nudge Cary, telling him to stop, but he shakes his head.

"We're going to die, Chloe, and I want him to know how much he has impacted your life," he practically yells. A guard yells for him to be quiet from the front. I look over at Charles, who looks pretty shaken up.

"They're not gonna kill us, and you wanna know why?" he croaks out, his voice full of tears. "Because we're just-" 

Charles never got to finish his sentence, since something huge slams into the bus. We all yell and scream, trying desperately to hold on to something. 

"Don't let go!" Cary yells at me. I nod as the bus tilts on its side and drifts, the tires popping.

"Was that that thing from the train?" Charles asks the general, but he ignores him. The bus skids to a halt and the lights flicker on and off.

"Why are we stopping?" Martin moans. 

"Holy sh*t!" Cary yells, looking at the giant dent over Joe and Martin's head. The general pulls out a gun, and Cary starts to ramble off the guns long name. 

"He's loading tracking darts...." 

"Do they really think they can track an alien?!" I ask. He shrugs and we all watch as a guard walks toward the front of the bus. Right as he turns around to ask the general something, the alien grabs him and throws him around the us, struggling to pull him out the door. We all begin to scream and try to get as far away from the front door as possible.

"Oh my God oh my God oh my God this isn't real this isn't real this isn't real..." I mutter over and over, trying to convince myself that this is all one big dream. 

But the pain in my leg, Cary's hand still holding mine, everyone's screams.....

They tell me this is all real. I'm living in a nightmare. 

"There's a monster out there!" Charles yells. 

"Thanks a lot, Captain Obvious!" I yell back as Martin pukes. 

"What the hell is that!?" Cary yells, pointing out the window as the whole bus tips over. I tumble over and away from Cary, landing hard against the wall.

"Guys this seat belt is killing me!" Cary yells, still strapped in. I stand up dizzily as the other help him down. I press my hand against the bulletproof glass door as the general walks over, tugging on the door.

"Please, let us out," I beg, tears rolling down my face. In the front of the bus, another man is crushed by the alien. "Let us out! Please!" The general shakes his head and turns around. I beat on the glass weakly, not believing he would leave children to die. 

"Break the glass you pussy!" Cary yells. I turn around and see Joe shatter a window at the top of the bus with his elbow. He pulls himself out, then pulls out Martin. After Charles hoists himself out, kicking Cary in the face in the process, Cary gets pulled out. As he reaches his hand down for me, I look over at the general. The alien is in the bus now, coming straight toward the general and his useless gun. The alien finally gets to him, and I scream as the monster lunges forward and takes off the generals head,

"Chloe, c'mon!" Cary yells desperately. I back away from the door and grab Cary's hand. After he pulls me out, we all slide off the bus and take off running. We all slide into a ditch and watch as the alien climbs out of the bus and off into the trees.

"It killed him, it tore his head off!" I cry. "That is the thing that took Sara....there's no way she's alive!" Cary puts his arm around me, gently rocking me back and forth while I cry. Have you ever see a man's head pulled off by a monster before? Because I'm pretty sure you would act the same as me if you have.

After a few minutes, the boys go back to the bus to get our stuff. I wouldn't dare go back in there after what I saw, so I sit on the ground while hugging my knees close to my body. I watch Joe take his locket out of a dead man's pocket.

"I'm sorry," a voice says softly behind me. I turn my head and see Charles. "I-I didn't know about your parents. I shouldn't have treated you the way I did, especially since you saved my life. I wouldn't be surprised if you hate me, I probably would too. I just want you to know that I am genuinely sorry." I stand up shakily and look in his eyes. He truly is sorry, I can tell. To his surprise, I lean forward and hug him.

"It's okay," I say. "Anyone selfless enough to apologize deserves a second chance." When I let him go, we both weakly smile. How about that? In the midst of almost dying, I make a new friend. I didn't see that one coming.

"Hey guys! I found them!" Cary yells as he climbs out. "I found my firecrackers!" Charles and I both laugh as he slides off the bus and runs over. He freezes, giving us suspicious looks.

"You two are being friendly?"

"We made a truce," I shrug. Charles nods, and Cary shrugs at us both.

"Guys, they're coming back!" Martin says. We look over and see a car driving toward us. No, I recognize that car.....

Donny climbs out the car, playing disco music. 

"You dorks are alive!? I thought....." He looks over at the ruined bus. "What the f*ck?"

"Donny, we need a ride into town," I say.

"Okay, but I am massively stoned right now..."

"Want me to drive?" He shrugs and we all pile into the car. I slide into the drivers seat, my hands clenching the wheel.

Have I ever driven before?

Nope.

But I'm willing to add it to my list of "Things I Have Done Because An Alien Is Ruining My Life."

Sorry I haven't updated in a long time I just started school again and lets just say having biology honors sucks ass