VOLATILE (I) : peter pan ouat

When Vomit Happened

"You knew him well?" I ask Harry.

The sun is setting. After dinner, I had seen Harry leave Alex and walk deep into the forest. I followed him, until he stopped and just collapsed in the grass.

"No, I didn't." Harry replies. "I knew his name. I knew he took Lily's shift a few times a week. I knew he was the New. He was the same as me, way back when, only he ended up dying. All because of the stupid shadow."

"The shadow?" I ask.

"We don't normally set out and recruit at a bonfire," Harry explains. "Normally that shadow comes and picks you up and takes you here. It was kind of like a dream, when I got here. Until I had to start working."

"At least he got out of this place." I offer.

"I'd imagine that being dead is worse than being here." He answers. "Although I don't know all that much about being dead."

He gets up and walks back to the camp. I follow him in silence. We get to the clearing and Harry walks away. I stand sighing. Thomas walks up to me and grabs my arm. I smile at him, and the corner of his lips perk up slightly, but beneath it he looks scared. He gestures behind him with his head and continues to pull on my arm, almost panicking.

"What's up Thomas?" I ask.

He shakes his head quickly and keeps pulling on my arm. I stumble forward and he takes this opportunity to turn around and start running, me running along behind him. He brings me inside our tent, where Lyle hovers over a boy. I walk over to them, Thomas having finally let go. Max.

Max lies flat on his back, his fingers twitching slightly at his sides. His face is pale white, and his hair sticks to his forehead in a sweaty heap.

"What happened to him?" I ask, dropping beside Lyle, and placing my head on Max's forehead. It's hot.

"I don't know, he just got like that after dinner!" Lyle shouts, his voice filled with panic.

Max rolls on his side and begins vomiting, a caramel coloured bile spreading across the grass. He coughs and rolls onto his back, spit running down his face.

I grab him from his armpit and hoist him up. He hangs tilted to his right and almost falls until Lyle hoists him up next to me. Thomas just stands back, shaking slightly. He runs forward and opens the tent doors. I begin to walk, Lyle dragging behind me with the rest of Max, trying to keep him up as he vomits once again.

"Where are we going?" Lyle asks.

"We've got to find that guy, the medic." I answer. "I forget his name but he's the one who healed me when I stabbed myself last night."

"Who?" Lyle asks. "I don't remember ever meeting a medic. Seems like a practical thing to have here though. Do you remember his name?"

"No, I'm awful with names." I admit. I don't tell him the only reason I remember his is because he never stops talking.

The clearing is full of boys still. They don't take much notice to us; they're too busy talking, eating, and some even fighting each other. We head over to the benches to see if the medic is still there. A boy stands up and runs over. I met him earlier in the clothing tent. I don't remember his name though. Another boy runs over with him. The second boy I don't recognise.

"What's wrong with him?" The boy who I met earlier asks.

"We don't know. He just started vomiting after dinner." Lyle shouts, still panicking.

Max throws up again, the disgusting mixture splatting on the ground.

"This is not going well. Have you guys found Jared yet?" The other boy asks.