Mimic

Chapter 16

Sean

We've been playing with fire, and now we've gotten burned. It was never going to work for us to fight against the system when we had so few people on our side. It didn't make any sense. Now we need to cut our losses and get out before we get screwed over even more.

Emily's going to argue because she made friends here that she feels like she can't leave behind, but she either needs to get them to come with us or let them go because we need to leave. We can't put ourselves in danger if people refuse to see reason.

I walk across the hospital room to Beau and whisper to him. "Meeting. We need a place though."

He nods, still consoling Emily. "Give me a few."

I nod back.

Liz and I walk to the coffee room to give the others a wee more space in the crowded room.

"Are you alright?" I ask Liz as I pour coffee into a styrofoam cup.

"Yeah... well, no. Not at all. How are we supposed to be alright after...?" She lets her sentence trail off.

"Yeah." I put the coffee pot back on the hotplate. "Coffee?" I ask.

"No. Thank you though."

Silence sets in for a moment, and we let it stay that way for a while to give ourselves time to process.

"Do you think you would be alright if we left UIT?" I ask hesitantly, knowing this could backfire.

She turns to face me and doesn't answer for a moment. "What do you mean leave?"

"We leave and we don't come back," I reply, resting against the counter. "We pack up what we need and get as far from the school as we can."

She pauses again, taking a second to think over what I said. "No, you're right. We're in danger here, and we're putting everyone else here at risk if we don't leave. We've got to get out of here and get off the radar."

"Agreed," I say, nodding solemnly. I take a sip of the coffee. "Emily's never going to go for it."

Liz nods, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall opposite me.

"She's going to want to protect her new lads."

"Give me tomorrow and let me see how things pan out. I'll talk to her."

"Thank you."

We walk back and meet Beau, Emily, and Connor in the common area. The nurses had to clean up the room that Rose was in.

Connor sits in one of the red padded chairs in shock, tears still rolling down his face. Beau stands behind Connor, stone-faced, while Emily has her arm looped through Beau's, leaning into him.

"Sunday," I mouth to Beau, and he nods in response.

Liz can have tomorrow to sort everything out, but Sunday, we need to make a decision.

After a few more minutes, we all decide to call it a night and get some sleep. It's been a rough few days for everyone.

*** *** ***

Emily

Rose sits in her hospital bed. Connor holds her hand like he always does, and I sit across from them. Rose opens her eyes.

"Emily?"

I rush over and take her hand. "Hey, Rose, I'm here."

"Why did you let me die?"