The Altered.

Chapter LVI.

It took twice as long to get home from the store as it had taken to get there.

Miles understood that that was his fault, but he didn't apologise. He didn't say anything at all, in fact.

After his ill-timed breakdown behind the apartment block, it had taken a lot of encouragement to get him up and running again. He probably cried the whole way back from there to the library, but he wasn't completely sure considering when he wasn't crying, he was completely numb. It was sometimes hard to tell the difference was he was so oblivious anyway.

When they reached the second floor of the library, Miles had no backpack to dump on the floor, nor did he have much idea of what he was supposed to do.

Drifting absently into the middle of the room and hovering awkwardly, Miles felt a little disoriented in this place he was so familiar with. He was unsure if he was now supposed to unpack, or sit down, or explain what had happened in the store before all of his friends had found him. Miles didn't really want to do any of that, actually, but he couldn't stand here absently forever.

"Oh, Miles," said Lia sadly, and when Miles turned idly to face her she too was halfway to tears. She opened her arms and without question, Miles collapsed into her embrace with lack of another reaction. "I'm so sorry we couldn't get to you sooner."

"It's okay," whispered Miles, closing his eyes. It wasn't okay, but maybe it would be nice to pretend.

"You need to sit down," Lia advised quietly, pulling away from him and giving him a nudge towards the lounge behind him. "I think Aaron is getting the first aid things."

Miles lifted his gaze and surveyed the room, finding that sure enough, Aaron and his sister were working on finding the first aid things they'd collected from the store.

"Would you like anything to eat, Miles?" called Aaron from where he stood, surrounded by the backpacks everybody had dropped.

Miles bluntly said, "No." His throat was raw and he'd nothing else to say.

Aaron made a small noise of mingling surprise and concern before tearing the wrapper from a lollipop and sticking it in his own mouth. While Miles waited for Aaron to cross the room, he closed his eyes and rested his head on the back of the chair, welcoming the darkness behind his eyelids. He could easily have fallen asleep right in that position before the minute was up if Aaron didn't interrupt him, but he was almost glad he was averted from sleep. He wasn't ready to deal with nightmares yet.

Aaron noisily pulled over the short square table that had previously had books on it and used that to seat himself on once he'd put it in place beside Miles' chair. "There is not an inch of your face that isn't swollen," Aaron informed him.

Miles could tell as much already. "I appreciate that comment." He didn't.

Aaron set down the medical equipment he'd gathered into his lap in an unorganised pile. Miles, who was forcing himself to keep his eyes open, tried to see what Aaron had, but the strain he had to put on his eyes to even see at that angle was too painful to bother with. He relaxed back into the chair with a small whimper that he stifled by biting his lip. That became a groan - his bust lip wasn't a suitable place to bite right now.

"I really think a lollipop would have brightened your mood a little," stated Aaron matter-of-factly.

It was an attempt to lighten the mood, but it would take a lot more than that to lift Miles' spirits.

In fact, Miles' mood was positively dead right now. He doubted anybody could lift it any time soon.

He just wanted to cry. More.