The Elements Trilogy: The Secondaries

Chapter 33: Wood

I couldn't stop vomiting. To make matters worse, I couldn't stop vomiting blood.

Doubled over, sweating so badly my shirt and hair was drenched, I could only muster one thought; I must be dying.

My body shook with another spasm as I coughed up more hot blood. It spattered on the floor, and my knees buckled underneath me. My fingernails scrabbled at the walls, but I wasn't able to make purchase with anything to stop myself.

I saw the blood covered floor rush up to meet me, but then suddenly somebody was underneath, holding me up. Cool hands swept my damp hair off my forehead, and I heard Tony mutter something in Spanish in my ear.

"Tony, make him stop shaking!" I heard someone shout hysterically.

"Der, are you hot or cold?" Tony helped me slide down onto the floor.

"So...hot..." I gasped.

The room was spinning. Worried faces appeared in front of me, and I managed to make them out. David and Tony. "Derek, you're shaking like a leaf." David said. "You're covered in goosebumps. Are you sure you aren't cold?"

"To..hot." I rasped. I could feel my self shaking, but I also felt sweat trickle down my neck. "Where's Eva?" I whispered.

"She went to get Dr. Logan. They'll be back soon." Tony assured me.

Suddenly, I seized up as another coughing fit took hold of me. Tony and David jumped back to avoid the blood, and I started sliding down further onto the floor. "Water." I begged, as Tony helped me sit up. "I want some water."

My throat was burning from all the coughing and vomiting. My head was pounding, my stomach churning. The room still spun like a merry-go-round, and the only thing I wanted was water.

"Skylar will be here soon, Der. She'll get you some." I heard a female voice say.

I frantically looked around for the voice. "Eva? Evalynn?"

"No, Der, it's just Diamond. Evalynn went for Dr. Logan." Tony reminded me.

"Am I dying, Tony?" I asked deliriously.

"No." Tony said firmly.

I reached out and grabbed his arm. "Tony, don't let me die." I begged. "I don't want to die!"

Tony took a firm hold on my shoulders, and I tried to focus on his dark brown eyes, but the room insisted on spinning. "Derek, I promise. I will not let you die. Not from yellow fever. Not this young."

"Oh my God, Derek!" a new voice cried out. Tony helped me sit up more, and I saw Skylar, Harry and Evie making their way down the hallway.

"Sky, he needs water. Can you get him some?"

"Yeah, open his mouth,"

My eyes slid slowly shut as Tony forced my mouth open. I felt cold water slide down my throat, and it ceased the burning sensation the blood has formed.

Then suddenly, everything was quiet, and Evalynn was at my side, holding my hand. "Derek, are you okay?"

"Of course he's not okay! He's got yellow fever!" I heard a familiar voice snap. I knew the voice, although in my feverish state, I could not place it. "Don't touch him, Samantha! It's contagious."

I opened my bleary eyes as Evalynn let go of my hand, only to be stared at by two bright green eyes, on a head with red hair.

Panic overtook every one of my senses. I scrambled to sit up straight, and try to inch away but I was too weak. Evalynn started towards me, but Evie held her back as they shielded their faces from Bryner. Tony came to my aid instead, putting an arm around my shoulders and forcing me to settle.

"Where's Dr. Logan?" My voice was raspy, and my chest hurt with every breath.

"He's supervising the dance." Bryner laid a hand on my forehead, and I winced.

"Why are you here?" I asked sluggishly.

"Because I'm the head of diseases, Derek. If I can create a cure for Alzheimer's and amnesia, I can help you with yellow fever."

"Did it work?" I asked. "The cure?"

Bryner's hand roamed from my forehead to my heart. "Yes, I tested it on myself. I'm remembering things I haven't remember in years." She removed her hand from my chest, and turned to face David, Harry and the girls. "Did you know, I used to be a high school principal?" She said brightly.

She turned to face me again, and I saw a frown on her face. "Don't know why, though. I hate teenagers." She muttered. Then her frown landed on my face. "You look familiar." she said, as she placed her hand back over my heart. "Do I know you from anywhere besides here?"

My fever-addled brain prevented me from thinking straight. "I used to be a student at your school." I rambled out weakly.

Tony's grip painfully tightened on my shoulder, and one of the girls hissed in a breath.

"Tony, stop. You're hurting me," I whined.

"No digas una palabra más, Derek. Estamos en peligro." Tony whispered in my ear. Do not say another word, Derek. We are in danger. But he didn't remove his fingernails from digging into my shoulder.

"Evalynn," I whined. "Make him stop hurting me."

Bryner tore her hand away from my chest. "Evalynn?"

I was greeted by silence. Tony didn't retract his fingernails; in fact, he dug them in deeper.

"Tonyy! Diamond, make him stop it!"

Diamond simply moaned.

"Diamond...E-Evalynn?" Bryner's green eyes searched my face in confusion.

She turned around to face the girls. Then her head whipped around to stare at Tony. She spun back around to look Harry in the eyes. "Wait a second! I know you eight! I was your high school principal!" She said excitedly.

Then her eyes narrowed, and she stood up and whirled around to face Skylar. "You!" she said, her voice filled with fury. "You tried to kill me!"