Epidemic

*5*

We rounded the last corner into base camp, Billy and Jay packing up equipment quietly, trying not to make too much of a fuss over what happened; but I could tell that they wanted to know if I was alright. He looked at me with worried eyes and I gave him a shaky smile, sitting in the chair that Zak directed me to, accepting the jacket that he draped over my shoulders. My knee bounced on its own and I sat on my hands to keep from messing with anything or picking at my nails. I watched as the guys scurried around the room packing and watched Aaron run in and out of the room carrying x-cameras. I felt nauseous all of a sudden but I couldn't decide if it was because of what happened or because of the sudden, terrible guilt I felt.

I had no reason to feel guilty, which I knew, and everyone else knew, but I just couldn't shake the feeling of wanting to apologize over and over again and to beg them to tell me it was okay, that I was fine. I swallowed the lump in my throat and willed away the tears in my eyes, hoping that no one noticed how upset I was getting. I had burdened them enough with the ghost encounters, I didn't need to burden them with my tears.

"Hey," I jumped, Jay knelt next to me and held out his hand. I noticed that the room was empty of equipment now, and the other boys weren't in the room anymore, most likely outside packing the van.

Jay smiled at me and stood, still holding out his hand, "Come on, let's get you out of here."

I nodded my head and stood with him, grabbing his hand gingerly. He led me outside where the morning sun was shining brightly in between storm clouds. Thunder rolled somewhere in the distance and a sense of calm washed over me; storms always made me feel better.

"Well don't you look terrible."

I stopped in my tracks and wrapped my arms around myself almost as a defense mechanism. The man that had been interviewed, one of the orphans, stood staring at me, looking me up and down while shaking his head. Jay stepped closer to me, the movements of all of the guys stopping almost instantly. Jesus, they were like guard dogs.

The man chuckled, "Easy," He held up his hand to Jay who was giving him a distasteful look and turned to Zak who was walking towards us now, "I told you to watch out for her. Now that thing isn't gonna give up."

Zak's face faltered for a moment before he stepped off to the side with the older gentleman to have a word. Jay grabbed my shoulder softly, leading me over to the van and gingerly guiding me into the front seat. I sat down and buckled myself in, letting out a breath I had evidently been holding. Jay patted my arm then shut my door, retreating to the back of the van to help finish up packing. I looked back at the door we had come out of to see the owner locking it up quickly, scurrying around the corner of the building, probably to go check the rest of the doors. I averted my eyes from the building, looking at it just added to the intense feelings that kept hitting me in waves; terror, nausea, panic, and oddly enough, comfort.

Doors started shutting all over the van and I looked back over my shoulder to see Billy, Jay, and Aaron piled in the back looking just as anxious as me to get out of here. Just a moment later, Zak hopped in the driver's seat of the van and brought it to life glancing at me with a hard look on his face. I flinched away from him even though I know the look wasn't meant for me, it just felt weird seeing him look at me like that.

We rode in silence back to the hotel to retrieve our belongings to leave for the airport and I was basically frozen in my spot. It was hard to breathe and my entire body was shaking now; it felt like I could break at any moment and I was terrified I would in a public place. I shut my eyes tight and take a deep breath in through my nose and out through my mouth, pulling my knees to my chest and hugging them tightly. Tears pricked the backs of my eyes but I fought them away, just like I fought away all of the other feelings.