Luminescence

Twenty-nine.

"She's the person who changed you, isn't she?" I question referring to Mara, and his head seems to perk up in excitement as her name was mentioned.

A soft smile spreads upon his face, but freezes immediately, pursing his lips as a new thought came into his mind.

"I think I love her," he whispers. "Every time I'm around her I get this strange bubbly feeling and it hasn't gone away once. I'm just not sure how to express it to her. She's given me the world in the past two months and I could never repay her enough for that."

I smile. "That's for you and your own heart to decipher, Hudson," I say softly. "Love can be a dangerous path. But with special care and attention, it will be the damn best thing that has ever happened to you in your life."

Hudson nods, his mind then wandering to all the different ways he could confess it.

"But be careful with her heart Hudson," I whisper to him as his eyes snap back up to mine. "She's more broken than you think."

"Thank you..." he pauses, both of us standing up. "Grandma."

I freeze in my spot, stopping myself from looking absolutely shocked. I hadn't heard him call me that in years, and strangely I found myself getting emotional.

We hug, and for the first time in almost a decade, our family was once more.

And as he walked away, a silent tear of joy fell off my cheek.

MARA

"Stay still, for crying out loud," Hudson mumbles as he slowly unwrapped the bandage off my arm. Earlier he had insisted to check out the wound, after giving me painkillers and healers the day before.

I could move my arm to an extent where there was hardly any pain. The disgusting drink Priscilla had given me the other day really must've helped, because I felt so much better than before.

Two long, boring days had passed in the house since we had arrived. And it was hard finding things to do when we were supposed to stay inside.

Passing time was easy for Priscilla. She could cuddle up with her blankets and read books days until end. But Hudson and I were young adults—restless and energetic. I could literally feel myself getting out of shape with each moment I sat on the couch.

As the bandage came clean off my arm, my eyes widen.

Other than a few blotches of dry blood, the wound was pretty much gone.

He brushes a thumb over the wound—which probably wasn't the most sanitary thing ever, as his hands continue to brush my skin. It was as if he were petting a soft puppy, as his fingers slid up my arm, until his hand entwined with mine.

I gave him a soft smile, leaning into his chest.

"The wound has certainly improved," Hudson mentions as he pulls me closer, placing a small kiss on my forehead. "Maybe your healing abilities allow you to regenerate faster as well."

"Did somebody say their wound was healed?" We both turn our heads as a familiar voice rings in our ears. Priscilla was standing in the doorway to the living room with a curious look on her face.

"Uh, yes?" I say to her.

"Perfect." A devilish smirk rises on her face. "Training begins 12:00 sharp, meet me outside on top of the mountain."

She walks out of the room, and I give Hudson a nasty look. "See, if you kept your loud mouth shut we could've gotten out of training," I punch him playfully in the arm, and lazily get up to change.

"Mara, it can't be that bad," Hudson says following me close behind.

I stop in my position. "Hudson, I don't think you remember how intense your grandmother's training sessions were. Just wait and see for yourself."

2:35pm

"Okay," Hudson says breathlessly out of air. " I owe you one."

As we finally reach the house once more, Hudson and I were literally drenched in sweat. It was early fall, which meant temperatures were cooler in the mountains, but the sun was still blazing hot, making it seem 30 degrees warmer than it actually was.

The first thing that Priscilla made us do? An inclined running course, on a path that was four miles long. Oh yeah, and then all over again, only at the end to do some sit-ups, and Hudson doing push-ups since his arms were in good shape.

To say I was tired was the understatement of the century.

"My lord, you two are becoming softer by the day!" Priscilla scolds as she sees our red faces walk into the kitchen. She is holding two berry smoothies in her hand, as we both chug them down so fast Priscilla didn't have time to say anything in between.

Hudson and I both eye each other with a humored look on our faces. While Priscilla was like a ray of sunshine, she also had a very dark side as well.

Our thoughts were cut off as a loud, obnoxious tapping sound comes from Hudson and I's bedroom.

All three of us pick up suspicions as to what it could be, as I begin walking towards the sound. That was, until Hudson pulled me behind him protectively so he could take the lead.

Turning the corner, we saw an object vibrating on the dresser. But it wasn't just any object.

It was the device Elaine had given me the day I left the Rebel base.

"It's Elaine!" I shout to Priscilla who looks at me with wide eyes.

"It's morse code of some kind," Hudson says gently inspecting the device. "Plague generals are taught every single way of silent communication. This should be a breeze. Someone get a pen and paper, quick."

I rush to the kitchen, and in two seconds I had already received the items. I didn't know morse code, nor how to transcribe it onto paper. But Hudson seemed to do it naturally. But when my eyes inspect the message I swallow down a nervous lump in my throat.

CHAOS IN REBEL BASE. SOS. PLEASE RESPOND.

________

Elaine!! Any predictions on what's going to happen next?

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