Coded.

Chapter Eleven:

It's been around a week I know but everything else needed done. So to make up for it.... Double upload this week :) Thanks guys. Enjoy!
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Chapter Eleven:
    “You’re alive.” He presses his palm against my cheek, his eyebrow furled in frustration. Tears well up into my eyes; happy tears, almost begging me to smile. I feel relieved but frustrated as if I’m begging for mercy from myself. His gaze shifts to the floor behind my head, he tries to hide it. Tears escape me now, I can’t help it.
    “Look at me Liam.” I say exhausted. “It’s okay.” He looks back at me in disgust.
    “You almost died and you’re telling me it’s okay?” He makes his way to Darin.
    “Shit. He’s in pretty bad shape.” He tells me. I struggle to stand but everything aches.
    “They are going over to my friends tonight.” He makes his way up the stairs and coaxes them out of their room. He waltzes out around five minutes later with an overnight bag to share between them.
    “I’ll be back.” He coos and pushes Adaline (carrying Tobin) out the door. I scoff and try to stand yet again but this time he pushes me back down.
    “Don’t” He growls. “You need to rest.”
    “How do you know!” I scoff. He shrugs his shoulders and ventures out the door closing it rather softly.
    “I know more than you think.” He says softly.
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I don’t see him until late, he closes the door behind him softly as if not to disturb me and gives me a disgusted look. Not now, I can’t help but think. My aches and pains reassure me of my life. That today I escaped death, everyone makes it an incredible feat but everyone escapes death almost everyday.
    “We need to talk.” He sighs and I nod.
    “Who the hell was that?” His voice is soft but stern; he wants answers but I’m not certain I feel confident giving him answers.
    “They’re onto you already, and now the fact that your brother randomly dies… They’re going to find us.” He sighs.
    “You would be put on trial and probably…” He pauses, he doesn’t have to finish the sentence I already know.
    “Kill me.” I say calmly.
    “Yes and the fact you brought things back with you from the house.” He pauses yet again.
    “How do you know that?” I ask in curiosity.
    “There are two bags sitting on your bed upstairs Nic, god it isn’t rocket science.” His voice raises, nostrils flaring.
    “You deserve life.” His voice lowers.
    “No, not to the city. If they knew about me I would’ve died as a baby.” I sigh, and let out a small breath.
    “They’re only trying to kill you because you’re special Nic! You’re a special type of person that can cause harm in this society.”
    “That’s why I should be dead!!!” I practically scream.
    “That’s why we’re protecting you!” He yells louder, his eyes widen in realization. We.
    “We?” I ask hesitantly, backing off.
    “Look, you don’t have the code and Nic, you may seem it as being limited… But really having no code makes you limitless! You can do anything.” He sounds very optimistic and seems all over the place. Almost like he has a lot to say.
    “The code creates emotions.” I say annoyingly loud.
    “If that was the case you wouldn’t care about your mother.” He lowers his voice, there are people walking by.
    “You’re brother had been coded and he tried to kill you.” Liam continues.“You have something many others do not, and as soon as others see it they’d want to rid the code.”
    “What’s so special about being uncoded?” I ask mockingly.
    “You have traits that cannot be taken away from you.” He says, grabbing my hand. I sigh and try to understand.
    “So why are these traits so bad?” I ask, tears once again coating my eyes but I rub them away. I know this feeling better than anyone else, tears gathering in my eyes; they are ember. And as soon as the first tear falls it will spark a fire. Tears would scorch my face, burning into my skin. My skin would act as paper and will burn for hours. He senses my discomfort and keeps his distance… Good, feeling someone's touch doesn’t help, i’d rather be alone.
    “What would happen if they found me?” I ask.
    “You’d die.” He says questioningly.
    “Obviously but, what if we got publicity on me before that. I could either be put to death and an outrage would start something; or they’d keep me alive and I’d figure out a way to help this rebellion spark.” I haven’t really thought about it and sure it’d take some time but I could.
    “Killing a public figure would be unheard of... They’d take you hostage, you’d never see the light of day.” He says quietly.
    “Then everything would be normal, you could start fresh.” I say reassuringly, he gives me a cold stare.
    “Nothing. Nothing would be normal.” He says.
    “Even if you didn’t agree at first, they’d beat you and torture you senseless, until you have no other choice but to give in.”
    “But life here wouldn’t change?” I ask reassuringly.
    “It would.” He says, my eyes shoot up to his, i’m tempted to ask why. He catches my gaze and laughs, I guess he figured i’d ask so he responds.
    “Just trust me.” Trust. The very essence of putting my faith in someone else. I’ve been let down to many times because of it. I’ve cried, and created a world of self induced anxiety around that very word. It’s a nasty word, a word that many people should not have the privilege of.
    “I don’t deserve this.” I respond.
    “I know you don’t.” He replies softly.
    “No, I don’t deserve a life like this. Who said my life was more important than Adalines life. That I have the right to hurt my brother…”
    “You were defending yourself.” His voice is groggy and low.
    “Go to sleep.” I say softly. “You look beat.”
    “Gladly.” He smiles. “Nic, stay for me. That’s all I ask.”
    “Fine.” I say coldly, I obviously don’t know what the future holds but if it gives him peace of mind then i’m all for lying. He trods up the steps and shuts the door softly, I was going to rest but I figured it would probably be best I washed up first. Liam has beautiful furniture, it’d be a shame if I messed it up. I quietly walk across the hardwood floor and spot the remnants of the shattered photo frame on the ground. I decide upon not cleaning it up and move along, once I’m inside the shower I calmly take off my clothing, stepping into the warmth of the shower. The water touches my back like a warm hand. For the first couple minutes it’s nice, the warm water rinsing my hair and bits of dirt away, almost washing away the pain that Darin inflicted on us. After a while though I become numb to it. Looking around my eyes flicker to the curtain, then the faucet. Everything becomes more dreamlike, my hands look strangely foreign to me; I sit on the floor of the bath hands covering my face and breathe. It really doesn’t help, with every breath I take the further I get from myself; like if I go any further i’ll lose myself. I turn the shower water off and run the bath water gathering icy cold water in my hands and pouring it on my face. I repeat the process multiple times until my hands are too cold for anymore, turning the water off. I shakily stand up and dry off.
    “This is all a dream; I’m just going to wake up and it’ll all be over.” I say to myself, sliding a fresh set of clothing on. I sigh and make my way back to the couch, turning the television on. Everything floods my mind and it’s clear to me it’ll be there for a while; I minus well get used to it.