Land of the Dead

20) The Quiver of Words

Chapter 20 --- Land of the Dead

The Quiver of Words

"IT BURNS!" Lani screamed at the top of her lungs. Tears streaked her pale face and her hair was dry and knotted.

"Calm down, it'll be okay!" Ivy rummaged around the first aid kit. There were only a few bandaids left and an information booklet. She sighed.

"This thing is practically useless."

"Keep the few bandages..." Victoria nodded at the first aid kit. She pressed against Lani, who was struggling to escape her grip. Ivy had rubbed cream around Lani's wound, but it had apparently given a burning sensation.

"Yeah, I was planning on keeping them." Ivy took in her surroundings with her hands on her hips. She realized Jett had disappeared. "Where's Jett gotten to?"

Victoria shrugged and Ivy pulled a few faces. "Jett?" Victoria shouted. When Jett didn't reply, she got suspicious.

"...Jett?!" She called out again. This time Jett called out in a faint voice.

"What?" Jett stumbled into the room, holding a cup filled with water. It had spilt all over his shirt.

"I was trying to get a cup of water for myself, thanks." Jett growled.

"Ahh, don't worry. Just pass the cup of water over here and go into my room. Pick out some of Flynn's clothing, okay? Sorry if it doesn't fit, you might have to wear Slates clothing, although he'll get pretty ticked off..." Ivy sighed again as she took the cup from Jett. Lani screamed and Victoria whispered something to her.

"I have my own clothes, thanks."

Ivy snorted. "I washed them all."

"What? You washed all of them?"

Ivy shrugged. "Maybe."

Jett rolled his eyes and proceeded to stalk out of the room with his hands in his pockets. Ivy kept talking to him, however.

"Oh, and Jett, one last thing. I think you should leave Alice alone for a little bit. She's a pretty independent woman. She'll keep on attempting at running away from you if you keep on doing the stuff you're doing. You're too overprotective of her."

Jett paused for a second, and then fled the room.

"You had to tell him the exact truth." Victoria wiped her nose.

"Of course. He needs to know. He seems pretty oblivious." Ivy sighed.

"I guess so." Victoria left the room and Ivy watched her go.

Jett trudged into Ivy and Flynn's room. He flung open the wardrobe doors and scanned every piece of clothing. Most of his clothes were dull and blank. Jett yanked a black t-shirt with 'Fallen' written in big, bold gold letters from its coat hanger. He suddenly realized that it was Ivy's, and put it back, before pulling out a white tee with a logo printed on it. He rubbed at the creases furiously, but to no avail did they flatten out. He cursed and threw it on the bed.

He tore out a pair of faded jeans and threw them at the bed as well. He grabbed the clothes he had selected and shut the door quietly.

"Well, at least she's not a flesh-eater," Ivy bit her lip, talking to Lily, Zeno listened intently as Lani kept crying. "But Victoria tore a large chunk of her arm out...ouch. We need painkillers, but I haven't got any." She clicked her fingers. "Damn! Hopefully one of the boys will return soon...."

• • •

Slate stared at the car and blinked twice. He had his butcher's knife poised at the man's neck, whose name was revealed to be Max.