The Change (The Alliance #2)

Chapter 28

Archer

I've tried to remember all the things Evelyn's done to me. It's not that hard though, the list goes on and on.

Well, not just Evelyn, but everyone on her side. Abby, Melissa, the mayors, even Tami, all of these people have clutched onto my memories, dragging me back. I've wanted to forget my memories, since the very first time Tami had captured me, I've wanted to forget all of that. But no, Evelyn and everyone else will never leave my mind. They will haunt me, probably for the rest of my life. Yes, defiantly for the rest of my life, because to be honest, my life might not last too long.

Evelyn and them have locked me up in cells, put me through things no human should go through, used me, taunted me, killed my sister, killed me.

Can't I at least return one of these favors?

I'm a ticking bomb. About to explode until nobody else exists in this Alliance, and Evelyn is sitting back, watching this horror film with amusement. She formed me; made me a killer and stepped back, watched me do my duty.

But I guess if she made me a killer, it's her own damn fault that I'll kill her.

"Casper and I will look for bombs before David can find one," Mia says after awhile. To be honest I wasn't listening to her at all. She could have said 'oh hey Archer, you're going to jump off a cliff' and I wouldn't have known. But I nod anyways, trying to snap myself back to the present. But all I can picture is Evelyn. Evelyn dying, to be exact. I picture her own fucking bomb killing her, her own fucking killer causing her death.

And it makes me content.

"You need anything? I would suggest staying around here for the day. Just to make sure." Mia says.

"I'm fine," I lie, trying to force a smile, but I can't seem to form it. Mia nods anyway and stands up, heading back to the buildings, while I stay put. I can feel people's eyes on me, on Mia, like we're the devil itself. They hate me, which means they hate anyone that has to do with me. And Mia is sadly on that list.

But someone walks towards me, and the confusion in my mind grows. Why the hell is she walking this way?

Lydia locks her eyes on mine, like I'm the only living soul in the universe. I sit there, utterly confused at why Lydia wants to talk, let alone see me. She's still the same. Incredibly tall and skinny, her red hair thick and curly and hazel eyes glowing. She walks up and stops, looking down at me.

"May I sit?" She asks, and I nod. "Sure."

She sits down, carefully though, like I'll strike or something. But I don't even look at her. I look forward, out past the fence, wondering if Evelyn is waiting for me now. Waiting for me to give in and fall into her hands once more. Too bad I have a plan this time.

"Can you tell me some details?"

"Sorry, about what?" Sometimes I hate myself for zoning out so much. I can't help it, these past few weeks I haven't been thinking straight.

"You know, about-well, everything."

"Everything. Well, my name is Archer-"

"I mean, about-your absence." She says, and my gut turns into knots.

"I don't really want to-"

"It'll haunt you for the rest of your life if you never share. Trust me, I know."

Oh Lydia, you don't know shit. Is she saying that she knows what I've gone through? Is she really saying that she knows how I'm feeling?