The Pearl

Stage 33: Only Human

                  

                  

I fade in and out of consciousness, only seeing glimpses of Lyn and Stina's face before they punch me back into darkness. The next time I awake, I keep my eyes closed, listening in on the two's conversation.

"Lyn, we need to stop," Stina says harshly, as if she'd been over this topic one too many times. "Just because she's a monster shouldn't make us monsters. Have we no morals?"

"Lillia-"

"Lil would've wanted her alive and well," Stina interrupted, "She always saw the best in everyone, and was so very kind-"

"And in the end, that is what caused her death," Lyn spat out, "Her kindness was her weakness; he took advantage of that! We must avenge her."

"I know, I know, but I'm not going to do any more damage than I've already done. Kei's suffering more than Lil right now; at least she had a quick, easy dea-"

"BUT SHE DIED!" Lyn roared, "BECAUSE OF HER! SHE NEEDS TO SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES!"

"No," Stina says softly, "I'm sorry Lyn, but I can't. I'm leaving."

"Stina."

I hear retreating footsteps, whose I assume are Stina's, and Lyn's frustrated groan. Suddenly, I hear a short, shrill scream, followed by rustling by my side. Lyn must be getting up to observe what's going on. That's good; I need to get out of here.

"Stina? You okay?" Lyn says in a vulnerable voice I've never heard before. "Stina?"

I risk opening my eyes, and that was smart of me, because Zach had just covered my mouth with his hand, and I'd probably scream if I didn't know it was him. He jerks his head over to the window, then looks at me with concerned eyes. Somehow, I could hear him asking me if I was okay, although no words were exchanged. Then after looking down my body, he decided for himself that I wasn't okay, and cradled me carefully in his arms. He tried to get us up to the window without moving his arms too much, and he surprisingly succeeded. In the corner of my eye, I see the ground rise up to meet us, and I'm carried across.

"JETTANDA!" Zach bellows as he runs away from the infirmary, uses his powers to propel us over the wall, and runs into the woods. He's clearly out of breath; I can feel his heartbeat wherever he touches me, and it feels more like the rumbles of a train ride than what it actually is. I halfheartedly wonder if that's even safe, having your heart beat that fast.

Zach lays me down, and gazes at my face for a few seconds before standing back up. My head rolls to face my left, and I see Mura look at me with pinched eyebrows and big eyes, her arms full of medications and books she must've stolen from the building. I hadn't noticed her following us, but then again, I'm barely conscious. As soon as he escapes my vision, the earth begins to move, and we're dashing through the woods so fast that the colors of the leaves and dirt are no longer distinguished, but all blend together. I hear Jett, Manda, and Mura shouting behind me, and I see wind and water rush past me.

And I fall asleep again, thankful for the sudden silence.

::::::::::

"She's up! She's up! She's up! Jett! Jett, get Mura! Oh my god, Kei, can you hear me?"

I open my eyes to a very relieved Manda, who's grinning as I've never seen her before.

"Eh, I'm aight," I mumble with a sloppy smile.

"You're far from 'aight'. You look dead."

"I feel dead."

"But you're not dead," Jett says with a grin matching Manda's, "Are you Harry Potter or something? Can I call you 'The Girl Who Lived'?" I laugh, and although it hurts my abdomen, I can't control it. It's only been a few hours since I was last with my friends, but it felt like months. Years, even.

"What happened?" Zach asked, his eyes cold as ice.

"I was just getting out of the window," I explained, "when someone, Stina, pulled me back. I dropped all the supplies. Lyn had been right behind her. They both yelled at me for killing Lillia, and then they punished me-"

"Punishment?" Zach blurted incredulously, "Punishment is like a slap on the wrist or time in prison. This was torture."

"I deserved it," I said earnestly. I wanted to speak louder, to sound stronger than I looked, but my throat was unbelievably dry. "I killed their sister. I didn't have to, but I did. I'm a monster."

"I'll admit, what you did was disgusting," Zach said, "but you didn't deserve this."

"You're no monster. You're definitely no angel, but you're no devil. You're human," Mura says in a low voice. "We all would've done the same."

"Yeah I bet you would," I answered sarcastically, "You wouldn't hurt a fly."

I regret the words as soon as they leave me.

"I hadn't meant that. I'm sorry."

"I know you hadn't." Mura smiles.

"Normally, I'd say that I'd kill them, but now seems like an inappropriate time," Jett says unabashedly. Manda slaps him.

"What was that for?"

"For being inconsiderate."

"Okay, I accept that one."

I smile at their little exchange. "What now?" I ask in a small voice.

"We heal you. Or, at least, I will," Mura says in a chipper tone.

"I'm f-"

"-ucking messed up," Zach says with a grin thrown on his face. I don't remember seeing him smile before. "You're not going to travel with those injuries."

"Yeah, I mean, they've carved something in your arm." Jett says, seriously this time.

I look at my left arm. The word 'monster' mockingly stares back at me. It's very quiet.

"Well then, heal me. I'm not gonna be dead weight," I say with all the strength I can muster.

Then Zach mutters something under his breath, so quietly I don't think he even said it. "You'll never be dead weight to me."