The Elements Trilogy: The Secondaries

Chapter 49: Fire

Please make sure you read the changes before continuing on, or you will be confused.

"So now what? Do we run?" David's voice broke through my daze.

"What?" I asked in disbelief. "Give up? Why?"

"Because people keep almost dying! And Diamond actually did die! So did Evalynn for five minutes, and Jamie forever! What if somebody else dies too?!" David shouted. "Evie, I can't survive if you die! We have to stop this! This is hell for me!"

"You think this is easy for me?!" I shot back. "You think this is easy for anyone?! I've done this before, David! All four of us did, just last summer, not even a fucking year ago! Do you realize how many times we almost died last year? With out you?! Damn it, David, we are not giving up! We do not give up! Yes, Jamie is dead again, and yes, Diamond died, and yes, my baby sister was dead for five minutes! Yes, Derek almost died of yellow fever, and Tony was beaten half to death! But you know what, David? We are still here! After all that shit we've been through, we are still here, goddammit! Don't you think there is a reason for that?!"

"I'm not your baby sister, I'm only two minutes younger." Evalynn grumped.

David said nothing, just turned his head toward the ground.

"David," my words turned into sobs, as Skylar stood up and hugged me from behind. "David, if we don't do this, the world will turn to shit. Hell on Earth, is that what you want?"

"I don't want to lose you." David gritted his teeth, and stared up at me.

"Well you will, dammit." I started shaking in Skylar's arms. "I'm going back to fight. I don't know about the rest of the guys, but I know damn well the rest of the girls will."

Skylar nodded behind me in confirmation.

"But if you give up and leave," I blinked at David through my tears, "because you're afraid; because you're a coward. Then I will not hesitate to break up with you for leaving everyone behind when we need you most."

"Damn." I heard Derek whisper behind me.

"So?" I prompted him.

David didn't say a word, he just stared at me.

"David, if you love me at all-"

"If I never fell in love with you, none of this would've happened to me!" He finally roared at me.

Skylar's embrace around me tightened.

Fighting back the tears, I turned and took Skylar's hand. "Come one everyone. Let's go."

***

We traipsed through the woods, no one saying a word. I was still holding tightly onto Skylar's small, warm hand like it was my lifeline after David and Thomas had stayed back.

I couldn't tell whether I was severely pissed off or about to break down into a sobbing mess. I was only aware of one thing as Skylar and I led the others back to the science facility, hand in hand; Bryner had cost me too damn much in too short of time. And I was ready to end her.

***Evalynn's POV

"I could kill that bastard." I quietly seethed to Derek.

"I know, Eva." He said quietly back, putting a hand on my back, drawing me close to him.

"What a pathetic, cowardly, son of a bitch!" I ground my teeth together in frustration.

"Eva." Derek gently grabbed my arm and stopped walking, turning me to look at him. "I get where David is coming from. I mean, I'm terrified."