Where The Wind Blows

12

(JEANINE)

I have woken up but I cannot get up... My limbs hurt and sting badly as I grazed it along the concrete and the destroyed road.

I look around and I see Lawrence's mouth twitching - snarling. She is trying so hard to get up - holding in a scream by gritting her teeth.

"Lawrence?" I question weakly. I want to stare around my surroundings but all I can focus on is my sister.

Her relaxed eyebrows tug together as she tries to get up. "I ain't losing after that...!" she tells herself whilst gritting her teeth.

I manage to get onto my feet, clutching the side of my stomach as pain shoots up it; slanting to the right.
I look around to see Lawrence is also onto her feet but legs shaking tremendously. I put an arm underneath her armpit to escort her but she can't walk.

"Shall I lift you?" I offer but she puts a hand out to say she doesn't need help.

"I can do it... Thanks..." she turns to me and smiles.

"But I am not gonna remove my arm. Understood?"

And the reply from her was an eye-roll and a sigh.

"Good." and we walk away, side-by-side.

*

She got away.

I can't believe it.

I walk down the white corridors in anger, holding my snapped glasses in my clenched fist. My breathing is ridiculously fast, my expression is agitated and all I want to do is throw a chair down the corridor.

I failed him...

I inhale via mouth and exhale heavily, teeth clenched as I stray down the corridor. I can't calm down. She was my treasure and she escaped. Slipped away like a snake slithering away from danger.

A guard walks up to me and he can see I am annoyed. "You okay?"

"Not now, Nick." I tell him.

Nicholas stares down at me with sympathy. "Clearly you need support."

He sits down by the wall and pats next to him.

"No..." I look away, contemplating on how to get Lawrence. How to retrieve her once more but I'll deal with her...

Oh I will.

"Come on... I can help you,"

My brown eyes meets his gentle grey eyes. I sigh and I slip beside him.

"What's wrong?"

I remain silent but then I decide to answer: "Subject Blue Season escaped... And Cillian is gonna be annoyed of me..."

"He knew she'd be difficult to contain. That's why he put her under your hands."

My white clothing drapes from my arms, legs: everywhere. I rest my head on Nick's shoulder and I release my glasses.

"What happened to them?" Nick asks.

"She broke them... Hence why I have a cut across my nose."

Nick leans close and goes back quickly. "You need to get that covered."

"I don't need it covered. I need to show Cillian what she did to me."

He nods but stays seated besides me. He looks to his right to see Liang there, looking confused.

"Tell him. I am not explaining it again." I tell him and so he does reluctantly and Liang listens carefully.

"I am so sorry, Jeanine..." he says after Nick says everything. "I would've been there for you but I was occupied... I feel so bad."

"That's fine." I smile weakly at him.

I get up and walk away from the men, still thinking childishly about how to get Lawrence back into my grasp.

A few minutes pass and I stand by Cillian's office. I open the door and our eyes meet.

"Well?" he questions.

"I lost her." I say, trying not to trip up on my words.

Cillian stands up and he gets ever so close to me. His chest is just centimeters close to my breast, snarling. "How would she react to this?"

"Who's" she"? " I question but he doesn't respond.

My eyes divert from him and I gnaw on my bottom lip with frustration. I need to know who he is referring to... And where" she" is.

"Tell me!"

His hand rests on my shoulder and he whispers in my ear. "Eager... I knew you would be."

My body stiffens as I back up to his white walls and I realise I am sweating with fear. I clench my fists.

"Don't say that," I purse my lips. "Tell me... How can I kill Blue Season-"

"You aren't gonna kill her," he sits down on his chair which he sat on when I entered the room. "You are gonna make her work for us. And how?" he smiles wickedly. "I have just the perfect idea..."

*

Lawrence and I reach to the Healing Faction and she is still gritting her teeth in pain. I try to sooth her but she will not calm down at all. Her clothes are barely anything but I am surprised that my necklace which I gave her is still in one piece.

"Lily and Candace are in here," I push the door open with all my effort and Toboni is already awaiting at the door. She runs to us. "You all okay?!"

"Caught in an explosion..." I then tell her everything.

"No... Have you seen Adam on your travels?"

"Not at all..." I answer as I pass Lawrence over to Toboni. "How's Viola?"

"Fully recovered. She is just sleeping now. Sleeping peacefully as if she hadn't had it for ages."

I look into Toboni's ice blue eyes and all I can see is loyalty and trust with a tinge of bravery in them.

"I'll help you get Lawrence to a bed." and she nods. I take my sister's legs and Toboni has Lawrence's head onto her breast - torso in her arms. I tell her where to go, I also examine the rooms via peering through the windows but all are taken by allies who [I don't know] are either dying or dead. But we find one which is beside a soldier and the wall.

I open it and I place her onto the bed, connect the wires to the equipment and I grab the mask and I put it over her face-

Her hand presses onto the mask and pushes it away. "I am not that injured..."

"You're gonna die."

"You look like Death. You yourself needs some rest..." her cut lips form a smile, hand reaching for my cheekbone, thumb stroking my neck weakly. "If I do die... Remember that I love you..." and she closes her eyes.

But still breathing but I think slowly... Ever so slowly...

She's dying.