Ana
The elevator stopped on the second floor. The door opened and I stepped out into the hallway. I was just turning around to wave goodbye to the others, but I was so shocked for a moment that no sound came out of my mouth. Alex also stepped out of the elevator with me, so only Sarah and Piper, who were also staring in surprise, remained inside.
"Alex?" Sarah spoke up. "What are you doing?"
"I was going to ask the same thing," I said, looking at the boy.
"I'm staying with you until your dad or Lisa and the others are away."
"And then you'll walk over to us alone? Alex, after what happened, it's dangerous to wander alone. You don't have a weapon, and... Ethan knows us. We escaped from him once. We're also his targets," Sarah protested.
"Leon and the others are already patrolling. Besides, we know we have to be careful, and we expect someone might attack. Daniel didn't know this. Ethan isn't stupid, he definitely didn't stay here. We don't have to worry about him now. Everything will be fine." Sarah nodded slowly, smiling, and Piper waved as the elevator doors closed again.
"I wanted to rest," I said as we headed towards the door.
"You can rest. I just don't want to leave you alone."
"Thank you," I whispered to him with a little smile.
As we walked down the hallway, a strange sense of security surrounded me. Alex's presence was somehow reassuring, and it increasingly distracted me from what had happened recently. However, the fact that he didn't want to leave me alone felt a bit strange.
Would he rather be with me than with his sister?
I found myself being glad that Alex stayed with me. If Sarah or Piper wanted to spend some time with me, I wouldn't be as happy. I want to make up with the boy.
I want to talk to him.
I collapsed onto my bed as soon as I entered my room. Alex closed the door and then placed the chair from the desk next to my bed. He also turned on the lamp on the nightstand.
I sat up and took off my shoes so I could fully burrow into the bed. I positioned myself to be able to see the boy's face.
"And you'll just sit there?" I asked.
"If you want to sleep, then yes."
"Let's talk a bit more."
A smile crept onto the boy's lips. His eyes sparkled. He looked so beautiful like this. He should smile more often. Finally, he wasn't hiding his feelings.
His smile made me smile too.
"About what?" he asked.
Anything. I want to truly get to know you.
"Would you tell me more about yourself?" I asked hesitantly. If I had asked him this a few days ago, I would have been sure he wouldn't say anything. But things had changed.
He looked towards the window, staring outside for a moment, lost in thought. Then he looked back at me and started speaking.
"I used to love playing the piano, before. My foster parents allowed me to take piano lessons. Oliver also liked musical instruments. He learned to play the guitar. Since we met, he always proudly showed me what he already knew. We wanted to start a band, of course, only when we were older."
It was so unusual to see the emotions in the boy's eyes. I saw a love for the other boy, something I couldn't have imagined he could feel for anyone besides his sister. The sadness, the grief, the pain caused by the boy's death were visible. But I also saw joy as he remembered their plans, the happy memories. The emotions on his face touched me too.
"I remember how shocked Oliver was when he first saw me smile, as if it were some kind of miracle. Turns out, I was quite a serious-faced guy. I completely changed when I met him, and even more so when I lost him. You know, he was like a... partner to me."
"I wish I had known him!" I said, very softly, but Alex heard it anyway.
"If he were here now, everything would have turned out differently from the beginning. Things would have been different between us too," he whispered.
"What do you mean?" I closed my eyes, asking the next question. "We would have been friends from the beginning?"
The boy didn't speak for a moment. I was about to ask him the previous question again when I finally heard his voice.
"Yes, friends," he said somewhat uncertainly. I felt a hint of doubt in his voice, as if he wanted to say something else but didn't.
Silence settled between us.
"Alex, could you close the window? It's very cold."
"The window isn't open, Ana. Are you cold?"
I nodded.
I heard him start to move. I opened my eyes and saw him walking to the edge of the bed to pull the blanket over me. After he covered me, he placed his hand on my forehead.
Warmth. His touch was gentle, and warm.
"Ana, you're burning up. I'll go get your dad."
His voice was filled with genuine concern.
The boy was about to head towards the door. I quickly reached out, grabbed his hand, but immediately let go and fell back into bed.
"No need! Please, stay here. My dad will surely arrive soon. It's enough to tell him then. Your hand..."
"What about my hand?"
"It's so warm... and I'm cold," I said, reaching out my hands towards him a bit desperately. He sat down on the edge of the bed beside me, then took my hands in his.
"Is this good?" he asked.
"Yes, thank you. Don't let go, please."
"I won't, don't worry," Alex said in a calming voice. "If anything's wrong, just tell me, okay?"
"Tell me more?" I pleaded.
"Of course. Sarah really loves books," he began to tell another story. His fingers gently stroked my palm. "Before going to sleep, she always asked me to read from her books."
"Would you read to me too?"
The question probably surprised him, because he fell silent again for a long time.
"Sure. Now?"
"No, just hold my hand for now. Maybe some other time. Have you ever thought about what you want to be?"
"Not really. But Oliver wanted to be a doctor, and back then I would have followed him anywhere. So maybe I would have ended up in medicine too," he paused, clearly thinking about what to say next.
"I really love cats. Oliver had a British Shorthair named Zeus. Sometimes he thought I was going to see only his cat and not him."
I imagined the boy hugging a cat. The scene made me smile.
"Have you ever been in love?" the question burst out of me.
"What?" he stopped stroking my hand, and his grip on mine tightened a bit.
"Sorry if this--"
"No, no," he interrupted. "I just didn't expect you to ask that question. Ana, during these three years, we had to fight for survival. We didn't have the opportunity to get to know others better. I wasn't thinking about love."
"So, no. But maybe that changes now."
"Yes, maybe," he replied coldly.
I wanted to ask him another question, maybe about Piper, but I forgot everything when Dad appeared at the door. Alex let go of my hand, then stood up and walked over to my dad.
"Greetings, sir. I believe we haven't had the chance to introduce ourselves in person. I'm Alexander Norman."
"William Lewis. What brings you here?" he asked, first looking at me, then back to Alex. Dad observed Alex with interest and perhaps a hint of caution.
"Dad, Alex is one of my friends. He just didn't want me to be alone, so he stayed until you arrived," I explained.
"Your daughter might have a fever," the boy outlined the situation.
Dad also put his hand on my forehead, then, feeling the heat emanating from me, announced that he'd bring a thermometer.
"You were right. She has a fever."
"Can I help with anything?" he asked, watching my dad.
"It's not just any fever, Alexander."
"What do you mean?" the boy asked, uncertain.
"Ana, my dear, open your eyes."
I hadn't noticed that I'd been keeping them closed.
I did as my dad asked.
Alex's eyes widened. Whatever he saw, it didn't surprise my dad.
"This is caused by the Light within her. She used her power in a way she doesn't even know. I've had this happen to me, as has my dad. It only lasts a few days, but it can be dangerous to others. So, thank you for wanting to help, but it would be best for you to go home now."
"But... she won't be harmed, right?"
"I'll be here with her. I know what to do. If the fever had come out on her sooner, it would have hurt her too. Don't worry, it will be over by the day after tomorrow at the latest."
I didn't see Alex leave, nor did I see my dad leave and return with tea in his hand. I barely heard any sounds as my vision was dark, and I was close to falling asleep.
"Ana, drink this tea! It will help you sleep. If you're not conscious, you won't harm anyone."
I was already half-asleep without the tea. But he was right, as soon as I drank the tea, I fell deeply asleep.
In my dream, Ethan appeared this time. The man was in a dimly lit room, I couldn't see any windows, only an exit through a door from the room.
He was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor in front of him. He was wearing only trousers, so I could see his entire upper body, which was covered in wounds. He looked terrible, and despite everything he had done, I pitied him, I felt sorry for him. He grew up without the love of his parents, they did this to him, and afterwards, he just fell into the wrong hands. Dorian further poisoned the boy's personality. He had a bad influence on him. Perhaps if he had lived with Daniel, he would have been a better person too. Then he could be sitting here with us at the Camp, and not helping Dorian.
I approached him, and he slowly looked up, as if he knew I was there. But he couldn't see yet.
The cuts on his face were a terrifying sight. He stared grimly at the door, then his gaze roamed around the room, and when he looked into my eyes, I felt what he felt in his heart. He was lonely, feeling hurt, betrayed, and an unspeakable amount of anger boiled within him.
"Ethan," I whispered his name. I wanted him to hear it, and judging by his reaction, he must have heard it. He looked around the whole room again, searching for my voice.
"This is madness. Ever since I killed Daniel, very strange things have been happening. First, Daniel's spirit, and now I hear the voice of a girl..." He started laughing, and from that laughter, my hair stood on end, I felt like I was about to jump out of my skin.
I appeared before the man, whose eyes slowly widened when he noticed me, then he quickly grabbed something in his hand and threw it towards me. Without looking behind me, I heard the object hit the wall.
"Get out of here!" he shouted at me. "I've had enough of this!"
He didn't finish the sentence, just tilted his head to the side, looking at me more closely.
"You're Daniel's little girlfriend."
"Yes, you're right."
"The Light," he snarled.
I nodded.
"What do you want from me? Why are you here?"
"I don't even know why I'm here. Let's put everything aside for these few minutes. I'm not the Light, and you're not a loyal follower of Dorian--"
"I'm his son!"
"Okay, then you're not his son now. I just want to talk to you, man to man, since I'm here."
"What makes you think I'm willing to talk to you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Because you're curious about what I want to ask. What I want to achieve with this conversation."
The man ran his hand through his hair, then leaned back on the bed, leaning against the wall behind him.
"You can ask a few questions. But I won't reveal any secrets. Ask a question related to Dorian, to the Darkness, or to our fight, and I swear, I'll go back to the Camp right now and kill someone in a way that no one will know about except you."
"Understood. My questions are about you."
"I'm listening."
He really is very lonely if he's willing to talk to me.
"How old are you, Ethan?"
"I expected a more exciting question than this."
"Are you going to answer or not?"
"Twenty-two."
"When did your parents start hurting you, and why?"
A flash of anger appeared in his golden eyes, he furrowed his brow.
"Since I can remember, they hurt me. My father didn't want a child, but my mother wasn't willing to give up on me, so after I was born, he wanted to kill me. Eventually, he didn't, he said that would be showing mercy to me, so he left me alive and swore to make my entire life miserable, to ruin my body so that no one would find me beautiful or attractive, so that no one would ever want to look at me again. My mother didn't care about anything my father did to me. She allowed it. She said: At least you stayed alive."
"I'm sorry you had to live like that. But by supporting what Dorian is doing, you'll just end up being the same as--"
"Shut up!"
"Ethan! Listen to me," I approached him, stopped in front of his bed, and he straightened up, pulled himself up, then looked straight into my eyes. I tried to maintain eye contact with him, but I couldn't, his gaze was too intense. Intimidating.
It was like looking straight into the eyes of the devil.
"I'm listening, Light. You can't look at me. My father's wish has come true."
Summoning all my strength, I looked back at him.
"I can heal you."
He raised his eyebrows again, I could feel that he liked what I was saying.
"My touch heals. It makes the wounds disappear."
"And what good does that do for you, what benefit do you have from healing me? The one who killed the boy you loved just a few hours ago. If Daniel heard that you want to heal me...and you have to touch everywhere where my wounds are..."
"It's not about that at all, I wouldn't do it because I expect something in return. I want to help you, to show you that not everything is lost yet, you can be a different person, you don't have to carry your father's terrible deeds any longer. I want to help everyone, I want to save the world, and you are a part of that, Ethan."
"Your words don't affect me, Ana. I'll never completely get rid of these wounds."
I wanted to reply to him, I wanted to convince him somehow, but the room started to fade away, then I was swallowed by darkness.
Leon
Me: Richard found a woman. She helped this Ethan to escape, but the woman voluntarily revealed herself to Richard. She wants to talk to you.
Dad: I can't go, Ana is feverish. I have to take care of her. This is the fever I've told you about before. Listen to the woman. You're my right hand, Leon. I trust you with the decisions.
Putting the phone in my pocket, I looked up at the scene unfolding before me. Richard stood under the light of a lamp, holding his weapon at his side. Opposite him stood a figure, whose back I could only see. The hood covered their head. They held their hands beside their head. The others surrounded them, holding weapons, ready to attack. Richard's gaze briefly landed on us, then quickly returned to the woman.
My people made room for us. Blake stood next to Richard, and Mark and I stood on either side of the woman.
"Which of you is the leader?" the woman asked.
"The leader of the Camp can't be here right now. I'm his right hand, I'm the leader of the Camp if he's not present. You have to talk to me."
"I'm only willing to speak with the proper leader of the Camp."
"I regret to inform you that you're not in a position to make demands... Either you tell us what you want, or you can go behind bars. Here, you have a choice."
"The man is also the son of the Camp's leader," Richard declared, pointing at me.
The woman straightened up, pulled the hood off her head, and began to speak.
"I am Ella Reed, a loyal follower of Dorian. Or rather, I should say, I was. Ethan Anderson, now known as Ethan Black, is our leader. We call ourselves Shadows. I have no excuse for what I have done so far. I followed his orders, by doing so, we prove our loyalty to Dorian. In return, I could stay alive. But I stood among them with one condition, that I would never harm children. That we would never harm children. They told me this, and we always spared them. We never hurt a child. Until now. He sent me with the order to kill a few people. One of them is still a child. I also honestly admit that I am a coward, I dare not oppose him. I couldn't tell him that I would not do it. He would have killed me on the spot. So I convinced him that I would help him escape, since now you know what he looks like, and I would slip out with you in the morning when you set out to find your dead man. This was our plan. And if I couldn't be found at the agreed place, then that means you guys captured me."
"So Jasper is really dead."
"Yes, Ethan's plan was to kill one of your people, put on his clothes, and sneak into the Camp with you. You saved me in a nearby town. It wasn't you, you would remember me then. So I was here before Ethan. "
"And why should we believe that you are no longer loyal to him? That this is not just a trap that you planned in advance?" Blake asked.
"I know you have no reason to trust me, but I really wouldn't be willing to harm children. I will tell you everything I know. I will share with you where we planned to meet. I will share with you their whereabouts. Not all of them are there, just the little team I was a part of. Throw me in a cell if you want, until you are sure of my truth. But I am willing to tell you everything I know, even if I have to spend the rest of my life in that cell, I will be grateful for it, because I won't go back to them, and as soon as Ethan finds out that I betrayed him, he will hunt me down like a wild animal."
"Today we will take you into custody, but if you really provide us with true information, then I guarantee you will be safe here. In that case, we will also take you under our protection."
Blake
Despite everything, Leon insisted on the night patrol, even though the woman, called Ella, stated that no one else was with her. This will also be evidence of whether we can trust her words. Whether we can trust the woman.
I have no idea what to think about all of this. Until now, we lived in complete peace within the walls, and now they found the Light, and with it came complications. People are attacking us, and one of them lived among us, trained with us several times.
How careless were we not to notice that Jasper didn't return with us? How was Ethan able to blend in with us so well?
This was all too much for me in one day.
Richard offered me a cigarette as we walked between the houses. It was much darker here, the shadows of the houses hiding us.
"I was honestly surprised that on a night like this, you were the first one to rush to my search," he said, then brought the cigarette to his mouth.
"I was worried, Richie," I admitted. Waiting for his response, I also took a drag from my own cigarette, then watched the smoke disappear.
"You rarely admit these feelings. It's often so hard to get anything out of you. How much have you had to drink today? You shouldn't be patrolling with me in this state."
"Richie, I'm your partner. When it comes to you, I can think clearly in any state. You know that well."
"Yes, I know. I can always count on you, Blake, just as you can count on me. I would give my life for you. And you know that. I've known you since childhood, and I've always been grateful to you for standing by me when no one else did, even though for some reason, you hated me so much then."
"I didn't hate you, I just made a wrong judgment about you based on what I heard. I thought you were one of those 'conceited, rich, mommy and daddy's spoiled boy' types. You were the complete opposite," I smiled, then when it finally reached my brain what he had said earlier, I continued. "I mean, it's not worth sacrificing yourself. If I had to choose between the two of us, to decide who could live, I would choose you without hesitation. You're a much better person than I could ever be."
"I disagree with you. In anything else i agree, yes, but not in this. Others may not see what I see, but in my eyes, Blake, you are one of the best people I have ever known. It's a shame that you only show this side of you to me."
"You were the only one who bothered to get to know me. The first day when we had to choose partners in training, so many wanted to fight alongside you. But you chose me."
"It was one of the best decisions of my life," he said, gently punching my shoulder with a grin on his face. "I will never replace my childhood best friend with anyone else. No one can take your place, Blake."
"Please, take care of yourself even when I'm not with you. Take care of yourself as you would protect me! If I were to lose you...if you weren't here anymore, who would see the good in me? Who would remind me that I have a reason to live, that not everything is lost? Only you can do that, Richie, you're the only one who keeps my soul alive."
Alex
As I entered the house, Piper's figure appeared before me. The burning light in the hallway illuminated her tired face. She had already changed, her almost white hair slightly damp.
"You shouldn't have stayed awake," I said.
"As if it's easy to fall asleep when you're worried," she replied.
"I told you there's nothing to fear. Ana's brother must have put all his people on duty. Two of them are just a few houses down. Is Sarah already asleep?" I asked as I followed her into the living room.
"She's taking a bath. She couldn't sleep either. She kept staring out the window to see if you were coming and if anyone would attack."
Happiness and pride overwhelmed me completely.
"Well, of course. Typical me. She is just like me."
She sat down on the couch, then pointed to the tray on the table. There were sandwiches on it.
"So?" she asked, as I took a piece of bread and sat down next to her.
"So what?"
"How's Ana? Did she fall asleep? What took you so long?"
"She has a fever, but her father said it's caused by the Light within her. Supposedly, it'll be gone by tomorrow."
"And what have you been doing until now?"
"We talked. Well, I talked mostly, and she listened."
When I looked at Piper, the girl tried to hide her smile.
"Why are you smiling?" I asked.
"Oh, nothing. I'm just happy. What did you talk to her about?"
"Mostly about myself and Oliver. Her last question was quite surprising."
"What was it?"
"Whether I've ever been in love."
"What did you answer?"
"I haven't been. How could I have been? What about you, though?"
"Not me. But I've had the chance to try a few things."
"With whom?"
Piper smiled again but didn't give an answer.
"That does not matter," She replied mysteriously.
"Yes, it does. It's time for you to tell us something," I nudged her playfully.
"I'll tell you when Sarah is here. The girl didn't ask you if you're in love now?" she asked curiously.
"No, but that might have been her next question. At that moment, her father arrived."
"They always interrupt at the most interesting moments. What would you have answered?" she asked.
I would have told her that I am not. But if I had to be honest, I would have said yes. But I wouldn't have told her the truth.
"I would have said maybe. I'm not even sure myself," I replied.
"But you do know, you just don't want to admit it to yourself. Sarah and I can see it in you. You said you know how to enchant someone. What are you waiting for?"
"She loves someone else."
Disappointment was visible on the girl's face.
She must imagine how disappointed I am.
I'm too late.
I messed up.
If only I hadn't been a coward from the beginning, everything could have turned out differently. I'm sure of it.
"Not all love lasts forever. Remember that, Alex," Piper said.
"What do you mean?"
"A battle awaits us, Alex. Daniel is Dorian's son, and Ana is the Light. Whatever Daniel feels for his father, he's still his father. I'm sure that if Ana kills her father, the boy will change in some way. Or what if Ana doesn't win? Daniel will go back to his father, live with him again, and without Ana. He'll take over the power from his father, and he'll be the new carrier. I wish Ana all the best, and that's why I honestly say that I don't see much good in their future relationship."
After Sarah finished bathing, I also took a shower, then stopped by my sister's room before going to bed. The door was slightly ajar.
Sarah was lying on her bed, holding a book in her hand. She didn't even notice I was there, so absorbed was she in her book.
"What good book are you reading, sis?"
She looked up from her book, greeted me with a radiant smile.
"I found a few books in a box. This one is Edgar Allan Poe's."
"What's the title?"
"The Murders in the Rue Morgue."
"A good read after a night like this. Are you okay, Sarah?"
"Yes, but... Alex, are you okay? You saw him, you saw... Ethan, here. I can't even imagine how terrible it must have been. And you were alone with him, he could have killed you too..."
"I'm surprised he didn't. I'm sure he recognized me. I'm sure he happily watched the fear on my face when I saw him. I'd even bet that if he had enough time, he would have come after us too. We need to be careful, we need to pay close attention to our surroundings from now on."
"I don't think he'll come back. When the time for battle comes, he'll have the opportunity... for what he wants."
"We won't let him. He won't harm us again."
Sarah nodded.
"I talked to Ana. Everything is fine between us. I don't want to be afraid to let someone close to me anymore. I don't want to live like this anymore."
"I'm glad, Alex. And I'm proud of you."
"Don't read too long. Rest up."
I bid farewell to my sister, then went to my own room. It was a very good feeling to finally lie down in bed after such a busy and tiring day, but as tired as I was, as much as I wanted to sleep, sleep wouldn't come to me. I could only see Ethan in my mind every time I closed my eyes.
Leon
We successfully locked Ella in one of the cells in the building designed as a "prison." We also brought her some water. She didn't want to eat, so I didn't bother getting her any food. After she told us everything we needed to know about her team, I sent the others to rest. Blake and Richard insisted on making a few more rounds around the Camp to see if they could find any signs that might indicate Ella's lies.
"Do you really not want anything else?" I asked her. She just shook her head in response.
"Thank you for your generosity," she added, seeing my puzzled expression. "I'm starting to see what a big mistake I made when I joined them."
"You saw this as the only way to survive. I won't blame you. I'm sure you were terrified that you could die at any moment."
"I'm still terrified, honestly. If Ethan finds out what I did tomorrow, his first move will be to execute me."
"Ethan? Not Dorian?"
"Dorian rarely come to us, he only meets with Ethan. Ethan decides what to do. He can do whatever he thinks is right."
"Don't worry, they won't get in here again. And surely, he won't come alone. By the way, one thing still bothers me. If you wanted to help us, why didn't you turn him in to the guard? He wouldn't have gotten out in the first place, and you wouldn't have to fear him either."
"Don't underestimate him just because he's an ordinary person like us. Ethan is very strong, incredibly fast. We wouldn't have stood a chance against him, not even the two of us together. He's smart, cunning, ruthless... a master of stealth."
"But he's not invincible."
"No, definitely not. Aim for his right shoulder. That's where you should wound him. That's all I can tell you about him."
"Thank you, Ella. I hope we succeed."
"Have you ever been certain that your life was coming to an end?" she asked sadly.
"Yes. The final battle begins in a few days, where anyone can die, and many surely will. I'm just as afraid as you are. In this world, we consider ourselves lucky to still be alive. We all wake up prepared for death and leave the Camp every day like that. Somehow, I feel that death is slowly catching up to me, too."
Perhaps much sooner than I thought.
Ana's room was slightly ajar. I expected to find her awake, but I was wrong. Ana was lying in her bed, her long brown hair covering the pillow. She wasn't alone; Dad had fallen asleep sitting next to her bed on a chair. A smile spread across my face. Happiness flooded me at the sight of my family.
I pulled out my phone and took a picture of them. I sent it to Mark, wishing him a good night. Then I grabbed a blanket and covered Dad with it.
I walked back to my own room, and instead of sleeping, I sat down at the table, searching for a blank piece of paper in the drawer. Taking a pen, I began to write.
I didn't ask for Mark's hand in marriage, as I had planned. The events of the day didn't allow for it. The vision had also left me uncertain.
He can't die.
He won't. I'll do everything to keep him alive.
I'll also ask for his hand. Even if we're only married for these few days, that doesn't matter.
The clock already showed two in the morning when I finally decided it was time to go to bed.
A long day awaits us.