Soul Stitched (book one)

Chapter 43: Crystal

        I couldn't believe Aqua had almost gotten shot. It came so close. Too close. Also, what was with Wilt? She was convinced that we could work together, and suddenly she wanted us to give up? Something was going on with her. She had...changed. I was also wondering something else, but I thought it might just be my imagination, so I asked someone.

        "Hey, Aqua." I said, grabbing her wrist to slow her down. "Yeah?" she asked. "Uh, well, I was wondering...is it just me, or is Wilt mad at me about something?" I asked. She pondered it for a moment, then said, "I don't know if she's mad at you, but there's something wrong, I can just feel the tension." I nodded. She walked faster to catch up with the others, but I lagged behind.

        "Is there something wrong?" Cashmere asked as she slowed. I looked away. I no longer felt like talking. My best friend was mad at me for a reason I didn't even know. "Come on. I can tell you're upset about something." she pressed.
        "Fine! I miss my home, I have freaking snow powers, I'm traveling with four strangers to save the world from a virus, we're chasing psychopaths and being chased by psychopaths, and my best friend hates me!" I blurted. We walked in silence as I caught my breath.
        "Wow Crystal, I didn't know."
        "You know what? Forget I said anything." I snapped.
She shook her head. "I know why Wilt is..." she stopped herself.
        "What? Do you know why she's mad?" I asked eagerly. "Well...maybe....no, no forget I said anything." she said, beginning to walk away. I knew she knew something, but for some reason she thought she had to keep it a secret

        We walked for about another hour, and I couldn't get what Cashmere had said out of my mind. What did she know, and why wasn't she telling me?
        "Hey." said a voice. I turned and saw Cryptic walking next to me, his hands stuffed in his pockets as if he were nervous.
        "What do you want, zombie?" I grumbled.
        "Are you ever going to stop calling me that?" he asked.
"It fits your personality." I replied. "It's Cryptic! Cryptic!!!" he shouted, throwing his arms up in the air. "Sheesh." I said, not meeting his eyes.His shoulders hunched over, "Sorry." he whispered. I huffed and walked faster.
        "Wait, I need to talk to you." he said. I slowed, curious if it could be about Wilt. 
        "I'm listening." I said. "Well, when we were back in that town, in the dude's house..."
"You mean the dude that tried to kill us?" I asked. He nodded. "On our way out, I happened to glance over at a small table by the front door...and I saw this." He pulled a flyer out from his pocket and handed it to me.

        Arcshepulan Co. "Making lives better since 1732."

That was written on the cover. "So? Why is it so important?" I asked, handing it back to him.
        "Well, on the inside, it says things all about how it's a major hospital and stuff." he said, as if that would make me understand.
        "And?" I urged him on.
        "And what better place to have an outbreak of the virus?" he explained. My eyes widened. "You mean...?" 
He nodded. "That's where the generator is. Or, at least, I think it is. I mean, it's just a hunch, but it would make a lot of sense. I mean, people come in sick, catch the virus, and die. No one suspects a thing since they were sick in the first place."
        It did make sense. What a better place to unleash a virus than where tons of people come in every day, already sick?
        "Have you told everyone else?" I asked.
        "No, I figured I could tell you, and then you can tell the rest of them." he said.
"Alright." I cleared my throat, then shouted, "Guys! Let's take a break. I'm sure we're all tired, plus we we need to talk."

        I sat next to Cryptic and Cashmere. Suddenly I began to sweat. Gosh, that girl had a seriously warm aura.
        "So, I think I should give you guys an update. Cryptic-"
        "Well, you too." he added in.
I smiled at him. "Okay, partly me, but mostly Cryptic-"
        "Don't underestimate her, she helped a lot." he cut in.
I rolled my eyes in a, "Oh, it was nothing. Just doing my job." kind of way and said, "Naw, it was mostly him really."
        "The point?" Wilt hissed. I wanted to give the evil eye, but I told myself not to push myself deeper onto her bad side. 
       "Cryptic found this flyer, here," I said, holding the flyer in one hand, and putting the other on Cryptic's shoulder, "and figured out that this major hospital would be the perfect spot for the generator." Aqua nodded in agreement.
        "And how do we find this hospital?" Wilt asked.
        "Well, there's an address-"
"Of course there is." she retorted, rolling her eyes. "What do you mean?" I snapped. I couldn't take her attitude any longer. I had to know why she was angry.
        "I mean, that it's too easy! The generator wouldn't just give out it's address!" she shouted.
        "Well it would if it wanted a lot of people to go there and die!" I hollered. "Fine! We'll do whatever' Oh yeah, zombie matches your personality' says, since for some reason, she things she's in charge!" Wilt yelled.
        "I'm not in charge, and I gave Cryptic that name because he was trying to eat your brains!" I screamed. "Or, maybe while I was passed out, you guys made up a stupid story of what happened when I was unconscious and planned to tell me and expected I would be dumb enough to believe it!" she shouted.
        "What are you talking about? I have proof that she hit me with a stick." Cryptic said.
        "Shut up!" Wilt and I yelled at the same time.
"So you're trying to tell me that you don't trust me?" I snapped, tears threatening to spill.
        "Maybe I am." she hissed.
        "I was trying to save your stupid life!" I cried.
I didn't want to hear what she had to say next. I covered my face with my hands, ran in a random direction, and let the tears fall.