Soul Stitched (book one)

Chapter 39: Crystal

        Was it just me, or was Wilt acting really weird? I decided to forget about it and focus on what was happening: the virus. "Come on," Wilt grumbled, "let's just get this over with. Remind me why we're doing this?" There it was again. She just wasn't herself. "Because we're the only people that are immune, and if anyone else tried to destroy this generator...well...they'd die." Cashmere said. "But...I think Wilt has a point. I mean, we're just kids. Why should it be our responsibility?" Aqua asked. "Oh, so now you're on her side?" Cashmere snapped, pointing at Wilt as if she was an alien. "And what's wrong with agreeing with me? It is possible for someone else to be right!" Wilt yelled. Cashmere gasped. "You don't even know me! Of course I'm not always right! It's just-"
        "Ha! So you admit it!" Wilt interrupted. "Stop! There is nothing wrong with agreeing with you, but-"
        "But what!" Wilt demanded. "But we don't even know you and Crystal, so why are we about to travel around the world with you?" Cashmere exclaimed. There was silence for a moment, until Wilt whispered, "Come on, Crystal. They obviously don't want us along with them."
        "Wilt..." I began. "No. Let's go." she said. "Wait." Cryptic finally spoke up. He grabbed Wilt's wrist as she was walking away, and she stared at it, wide-eyed. At first, her expression seemed to soften, but then anger came back and she grumbled, "Let go of me." She tugged her arm away, but he held it strongly. "Let go!" she screamed.

        Black mist swarmed him and all I could see was his hand letting go of hers. "Wilt!" I shouted. She didn't seem to hear me. Her eyes were full of anger. "Wilt!" I repeated. The anger vanished on her face, and she snapped her fingers. The mist disappeared and she crouched down next to the unconscious Cryptic. Oh dear, not again.

        We all stared at him as knelt next to him. Black ooze dripped down the side of his face. Wilt looked up at us with a horrified look on her face that read: Did I just kill him? "I told you he was a zombie. But noooooo, you didn't believe me." I complained. "Crystal, he's not a zombie."
        "Cryptic is a zombie?" Aqua asked, stepping away from him. Wilt sighed. "No. No he's not a zombie." she said. "But I don't understand why this keeps happening." she continued. "This has happened before?" Cashmere asked. I nodded. "It's a long story. We're not sure why it's been going on. Sometimes it's random. Sometimes he says his head hurts. Sometimes he's completely normal." I explained. "Weird." Aqua said. Wilt shook Cryptic' body in an attempt to wake him up. "Our grandmothers all knew each other." Wilt whispered after about twenty minutes. "What?" Cashmere asked. "You said that we shouldn't be traveling together because we just met and didn't even know each other. But Dr. Shep said that our grandmothers knew each other, which means they were probably friends. And if they could be friends, then we can be too." she said. Cashmere stared at her with wide eyes, but didn't say anything.

        "Well that was a beautiful speech, but don't you think we should get going?" asked a voice. We looked down/ "Cryptic!" Wilt said way too cheerfully. Se must've realized that because she immediately wiped the smile off her face. "Uh, I mean you're alive. That's...temporary." she said. He smirked. "Help me up, will ya?" he asked. She looked at me with a look that said, "Help me!", so I walked over and said, "Oh here, I'll help you up." Cryptic grabbed my wrist and I pulled him up. For a moment we stood with two inches in between us, holding hands and looking into each others eyes. I sucked in a deep breath. Then it faded and he looked away and let go of my hand. My whole body was tingling and I sort of stood there in a daze.

        I didn't like Cryptic or anything, I couldn't. I mean...I had never had a moment like that with a boy before. A cute boy. Okay, forget I just said that. I knew I didn't like him and I knew I never would. I mean, how could I possibly be in love with a zombie? It would just never happen. Anyway, I looked away, too, beginning to feel a little awkward. When I looked over at Wilt, her face was full of emotion. First it was confusion, then disbelief and pain, and then her most popular emotion recently: anger.