The Serum

T W E N T Y - N I N E.

I try to steady my racing nerves. The adults in the room aren't faring well by the looks of it, and they're supposed to be the responsible ones. What a bunch of phooey that is. 

"Alright, this is what we're going to do. Doctors, please take care of the, uh," flustered, he looks at Molly's dead body. "You know what I'm talking about. President Harper, I need you to talk to the parents. They'll need you to. Lucas and I are going to clean up the sheets and room. Lizzy, you need to handle Aria." 

Everyone disperses quickly, grateful to have something to do. Especially the adults. Even the president look shaken as he goes to talk to Molly's mother and father. Lucas scowls as Oliver drags him to the blood-sod mattress. 

I slip out and tiptoe down the quiet halls, listening for Aria's sniffles. She had been sobbing pretty hard when she left. I strain to listen for any sobs and when I do, I increase my pace. I turn the bend and see her, back towards me, hunched over. I come and sit down next to her but she doesn't turn to face me.

"I know what you're going to say," she starts, in a voice heavy with tears. "That it wasn't the right thing to do, and it could've been avoided, and that I shouldn't have shot her." Aria looks up at me with blurred blue-gray eyes. 

"You're right. I was going to say that." With a sigh, she drags her gaze to the white wall in front of her.

"I did the right thing, Lizzy."

I chuckle at her words, aghast. "You just killed a little girl. She was Quinn's age!" She visibly flinches at the word killed, but something hard enters her eyes.

"What would you have me do?"

"Let the guards capture and release her into the Wilds! Then, when they start administering the medications for the Creepers, we can bring her back."

Aria laughs mirthlessly. "The serum wouldn't have helped her. It's the thing that made her change in the first place. She would've been a Creeper forever." 

I quiet, acknowledging her words. 

"You still shouldn't have done it."

"She was going to kill that doctor." 

"You don't know that." 

Aria whips around, furious. "And how do you know that she wasn't going to?"

"That doesn't matter. The thing that matters is you killed without consent."

"Who died and made you queen?"

I temper my anger, trying to manage it so I can talk calmly. It's a hard fight. 

"I'm not-alright, listen. What's done is done. If you just admit it, we can all move on from this." 

Aria looks down her nose at me. "I'm not going to."

"That's going to make it harder for everyone."

"The right way is often the harder one."

Something in my snaps. "Shut up! You know you made a mistake, and that you're wrong, so stop trying to deny it! Honestly, there was still hope for her! And you killed her without a second thought." I shake my head in disgust. "You're even worse than a Creeper."

"So I'm the monster now?"

"Aria, I never said-"

"You don't need to say a thing, Lizzy. You've always been a self-righteous person and have always been biased. Everything under the sun has to revolve around you. I did something that you don't agree with and you pop off at me. Typical."

My anger hisses. "I'm not biased."

"Say whatever you need to say to make yourself sleep at night." 

I bolt to my feet. "You know what? I don't need to explain myself to you. You are still the same prissy prick I met in Washington. Now, however, you're a prick who murdered a girl. If you think the rest of us are wrong, then go. We don't need you, and you don't need us. Run back to your precious daddy; I'm sure he'll protect you."

We stare off at each other for a few minutes before Aria takes a large step back. 

"We never really needed you on the mission, Lizzy. Lucas told me. All of us thought you were just a burden."

The words cut deep, deeper than I would like. I try to keep the hurt off my face but from the small smirk playing on Aria's lips, I must not be doing such a good job. 

The words fly out of my mouth before I comprehend what I say.

"I wish you were the one who fell in the river." 

Aria cringes as though she's been slapped. The apology is stuck in my mouth, withheld by my stupid pride.

"Aria, I-"

"Don't talk to me ever again." 

With that, she turns sharply on her heel and storms off.