The Serum

S I X T E E N.

Aria's a twit. I swear, if she opens her lip-glossed mouth one more time to complain about how aesthetically wrong the color of the grass is, I'll strangle her.  

"Will you shut up?" I growl at her, for the fifteenth time today. I've only been awake for an hour or so and I'm already regretting the decision to wake up. Aria calmly files her grimy nails, trying to make them look somewhat pristine. 

If she wants pristine, she should've never crossed over the border. She flexes her fingers, blowing the tips.

"Can a girl not say her opinions anymore?"

"Is that what you're calling it?" I scoff at her. "I'd say it's more whining than opinions. Oh, the grass needs to be exactly 5 inches tall for my morning vlog but instead, it's 5.1! The horror!" I mock. 

"Can't you guys argue quieter?" hollers Lucas. 

She gives me a dry look and goes back to filing her nails. Seized by annoyance, I leap up, grab her stupid nail filer, and toss it into the burbling creek. Aria gasps, shooting me a dirty look.

I lean down. "We're in the middle of nowhere, princess. You think Creepers are going to care whether your nails are even or not?"

"Well, just because you don't care about personal hygiene, doesn't mean I don't have to." She sniffs, crossing her arms. 

"You know what, I'm done with this conversation." I toss my arms up, disgusted. "I've been getting the water for five consecutive days. It's your turn." 

With a flounce and a harrumph, she prances off through the brush. Discreetly, I sniff my armpits. I don't smell that bad. That perfume of hers is probably what's been attracting all those Creepers. 

I plop onto the log, my face falling into my hands. We've been here for almost a month and we haven't caught sight of the bunker. Even though we cut through the canyon, it still feels like we'll be out here for months. I don't know how much longer I can put up with Aria's nonsense. 

Oliver steps out from his tent, yawning loudly and smacking his lips. Even after just waking up, he looks immaculate. I don't know how he does it. Mom used to say that whenever I woke up, I looked like I'd just come out of hibernation. 

When did I start using past tense?

The thought sours my mouth. Oliver quirks that smile at me again and sits on the ground next to me, rubbing his face.

"Couldn't sleep?"

"I've always been an early riser," I tell him with a what-can-you-do type of shrug. 

"Where's Aria?" 

I flail a hand towards the direction she went. "I told her to get some water for our canteens. We're running low."

"I heard you guys arguing."

I groan. "She's absolutely insufferable!" 

"Sometimes, Lizzy, you aren't exactly a party either." Oliver replies with a short laugh. I give him an appraising look.

"Thanks. And for your information, I-" The sound of rustling branches cuts through my sentence and the both of us exchange panicked glances. Creepers usually don't hang around in the mornings, when the light is out. I scrabble for my knife, which thankfully, is lying on the ground next to my tree stump. After the bear, I now know not to go anywhere without it. 

I hold it up as the figure vaults over the bushes. Instead of a deranged Creeper, however, it's just Aria. My arm droops and Oliver peers at her curiously.

"That was quick."

She keels over, catching her breath. "I didn't get any water."

"Of course," I mutter under my breath. Honestly, I gave her one tiny thing to do and somehow, she finds a way to screw it up.

"The river is literally five steps away. How could you have missed it?" I demand.

"Shut up, Lizzy," she says easily, and I'm momentarily taken aback. "I found something y'all need to see. All of you." She marches into Lucas's tent and hauls him up, much to his irritation. He squirms in Aria's grip. 

"Are you all trying to get me killed? I need to sleep!" 

"You've had enough sleep, pretty boy," I clip at him. "Now get up." 

He scowls at all three of us and jerks his arm from Aria, dusting himself off. 

"This better be good."

Aria nods vigorously, her blue-gray eyes shining. "I found something. C'mon." She runs back the way we came and a split second later, we all follow.

We pass the stream without a second glance and I furrow my brows. Why would she go past the stream when it's right here?

"Uh, you know the source of water is right here," I point out. She waves a hand dismissively. 

"I know, but I found something cooler!"

"What is it?" Oliver asks her. A giddy smile plays on her lips. 

"You'll see."