Zero

Chapter 35

Chapter 35

My legs are practically numb by the time the house comes into sight, but that doesn't stop my feet from picking up speed, jogging even faster through the street. Everyone else is ambling along slowly, tired from a couple long days. My boots pound loudly up the steps and on the wooden planks of the porch and excitement churns in my gut, but when I reach the door, I hesitate.

The fear of what is on the other side of this door makes me take pause.

What if we didn't make it in time? A voice in the back of my mind nags. Refusing to entertain the worry any longer, I pound my fist on the glass door. It's late in the evening, but still light enough outside that they'll be able to see we aren't strangers. I doubt strangers would be polite enough to knock anyway.

Footsteps and muffled voices sound from inside the house shortly before a curtain is pulled and a familiar face peeks through the window. I shake my head at Squirrel's carelessness but can't help but smile. Not too long ago I thought I'd never see her again.

The door swings open to Atlas standing with a bright smile, but the dark circles under his eyes betray his cheerfulness. Without hesitation, I wrap my arms around him. Surprised, he stiffens before enveloping me in his gangly arms.

"How is he?" I ask pulling away.

Atlas frowns, refusing to make eye contact with me. My heart stops in my chest.

"Atlas!"

"It's not good," he mutters.

I push past him, rushing into the house. When I get to the office a lantern keeps it dimly lit and Braces is propped up on the couch, awake but as Atlas said, not looking good. He's looking at me through drooping lids, but I'm not sure he can tell who I am. His skin is shining from being drenched in sweat despite the fact that the room is on the cool side. I step closer.

"Hey, B." My voice comes out hoarse.

"Z," he says sounding weaker than I ever thought he could. Since the day I woke up, Braces has been my rock, my hero. He's always been strong. Everything about this is wrong. I can tell he's in pain, though he's trying his damndest to hide it from me I can see it in his eyes, in the way he breathes slowly trying to temper the throbbing. "I was worried about you."

I choke on a laugh.

"You were worried about—" I shake my head in disbelief. "Never mind, I got you medicine. You're going to start feeling better really soon, ok?"

I reach into the pocket of my sweater where the vials of antibiotics are and pull one out. The needle is protected by a hard plastic tube that I quickly discard.

"See?" I show him the syringe. "Just a shot."

I bite down on my lip, unsure as I point the needle toward the skin on his arm. I don't know that I'm doing this right. Is there a wrong way to give someone an injection? I don't want to hurt him anymore than he already is. My hands are shaking as the needle gets close to his skin. I stop, wanting to shake out the jitters. I roll my head from side to side and take a deep breath. As I exhale, I push the needle into his skin and inject the antibiotics.

"Hey," he whispers. "That wasn't so bad."

I force a smile, but it's a grimace at best. Braces tries to shift his weight deeper into the couch but doesn't manage to move more than an inch or so. He pats the small strip of couch next to him and I sit, grabbing onto his hand. I sit with him in silence as he falls in and out of consciousness. I doze off a little as well, but honestly I'm too scared to really fall asleep. Hours go by as Braces floats in and out of sleep and I do the same, neither of us really getting any rest. Hunter, I trust has made all the proper introductions between our tagalongs and family. Things must be ok because only Atlas has poked his head in once to check on Braces and I.