Mike walked into the kitchen, closely followed by Lia. The both of them settled down with a sigh on the kitchen chairs and closed their eyes. One could see the fatigue clearly etched on their faces.
Beth, Axel, Aidan and Katherine waited patiently for them to regain their strength. After a few long minutes, Mike opened his eyes suddenly and looked around. “Where is Lauren?”
“Well…” Beth started, then looked around at the others for support. “She’s asleep.”
“Okay.” Mike said, eyeing all of them suspiciously.
“You said you have news?” Axel prompted him. “We also have news but perhaps yours should come first.”
“Okay.” Mike agreed, then sat up. “After we left Lauren and the half-dead boy on the lawn, we ran after the killer, right? We went into the woods and tried to sniff him out for a while. The night was moonless so it was quite harder than we thought. At a point I was ready to give up and turn back but Lia here kept me going.” Lia opened her eyes, a little startled as her name was called, then it drooped back in sleep.
“We kept catching scents at random.” Mike continued. “Scents that I could remember from the laboratory. Like–”
“Asphalt and chemicals.” Beth finished for him. She looked around and saw that everyone was staring at her. “I made the serum with my own hands. I know how it smells.”
“Yes, Asphalt and chemicals.” Mike reiterated, then continued. “So we continued to sniff it out, until we got to the border between Beacontown and Rodstone. Then we saw… it.”
“It? What is it?” Katherine asked eagerly.
Mike sighed, then continued. “A great big black wolf, not unlike the ones we fought in Makovsky’s lab.”
There was prolonged silence after Mike’s last statement. Every person in the room lost in their own thoughts. Then Aidan spoke up:
“So what happened next, when you saw the rabid wolf?” He asked.
“Oh, we went after it. It was quite hard but we finally killed it. Those things are… they’re–”
“Hard to kill, right?” Aidan cut in, folding his hands. “Trust me, I know. I killed one last night too. They don’t die easily. The serum that runs in their blood stream makes them susceptible to most forms of death.”
“What do you mean you killed one today?” Beth asked, frowning. “Where? Where?!”
Aidan inched away from Beth as though he was scared that she would attack him. “In the cabin, after my father’s funeral. Lauren took me there, and one of the rabid wolves attacked us. I told Lauren to run because I saw that the wolf was after her, then I stayed back and fought it till I killed it.”
Beth let out a small gasp, then fell silent. It was obvious that she had seen the cabin as a safe house, now it wasn’t anymore.
Katherine, who was still seated in one corner of the room, spoke up. “Is there not any way we could stop the doctor? Before he… before he destroys everything.”
“He doesn’t have his workers again.” Axel responded. “They all made a run for it when we usurped that laboratory. But that means he is either still at the lab or on the run, somehow planning his comeback and creating more wolves.”
“But first things first, right?” Aidan added. “He would know where we are as long as the chip is in my neck and that bracelet is on Lauren’s wrist. We need to get them out ASAP.”
“But… how?” Beth asked aloud.
“And we haven’t talked about the boy-Lauren’s friend-that was attacked. Don’t you think he knows something about whoever or whatever attacked him? We should ask him. What do you think?”
“I think we all need a nap, what do you think?” Mike suggested. “It’s been a long night. We would be able to think better when we are well rested.
They all murmured their assent and filed out of the kitchen, each towards their respective rooms, each with a myriad of thoughts. Lia and Katherine shared a room with Beth while Aidan and the two older men used sleeping bags in the living room. Lauren slept alone in her room as they all thought she needed the room to herself.
☆
The whole house that night exuded tension and fear. It hung like a layer of mist around the house, keeping its inhabitants wide awake. It especially choked Aidan, who tossed and turned in his sleeping bag. His shirt was soaked through with sweat ans the sleeping bag felt hot and uncomfortable.
He got up after several minutes of agitated turning and walked towards the kitchen. He picked up a glass from the kitchen table and filled it with water from the tap, then took several thirsty gulps.
Instinctively his hand went to his neck where the chip was. He felt a small jump there, quite distinguishable from his normal pulse. It left a sudden ache in his head and an ashy taste in his mouth and he set the glass down on the table, trying not to make any noise.
His head began to pound like a tribal drum and he let out a stifled groan, holding his head tightly. He sat down and closed his eyes, hoping the pain would go away, but instead, images began to flash across his eyelids like a slideshow.
His father’s eyes in his final moments before death.
Lauren staring at him from the other side of her prison bars with hatred in her eyes.
Lauren staring at him in the cabin, fear etched across her face.
Then a voice filtered into his ears: You cannot run from me. I see you!
Aidan pushed the kitchen chair backwards with a loud creak and staggered upstairs, towards Lauren’s room. He opened the door and closed it quietly behind him, looking around. Lauren’s tall frame was huddled among the blankets, softly illuminated by moonlight that poured in through the windows.
He walked over to the bed, looking down at her. He could see every inch of her features, from the feathery dark brown hair to her lashes that cast dark shadows on her cheeks. She was sleeping on her back, her chest rising and falling with every breath she took.
Aidan threw aside her bed covers and climbed in to bed beside her. She murmured in her sleep and turned to the other side, her back to him. He inched closer to her and gently took her in his arms, feeling a renewed peace come upon him as she settled into the cuddle.
You’d feel less alone when you’re with people of your kind