Delphine Dawsey - 5 a.m. onwards
Before and after Johnny left, I was thinking about the same memory that had been dug up by seeing Bell drugged and unaware of what was going on. A memory that had been buried deep down in the darkest corner of my mind.
I walked down the long patch of grass that was littered with weeds, formally known as our "garden". The boys were messing around in the old, tattered green tent at the bottom. As I walked closer to the tent, I heard muffled screams.
"Brad?" I called out, "Brad!"
Ripping open the entrance, I saw all the boys are huddled around a shivering figure who was groaning out in pain.
"We didn't know, Del!" one of them cried.
Pushing past them, I held the sobbing Brad in my arms. His body shook violently and his pupils were dilated.
"You're going to be okay..." I whispered, stroking his hair.
He suddenly screamed, thrashing about. His friends shrunk back in fear.
"The guy said it was safe," another blurted out, "He said it had been tested. A-and it was really popular-"
"You can never, EVER trust a street seller," I snapped, "You don't know what chemicals are in it!"
I picked Brad up and caught a glimpse of the syringe lying on the floor, empty. My feet moved quicker than they ever had before and I ran inside. Mom was sitting on the couch, drugged up to the eyeballs, while I called the ambulance...
I'm surprised we weren't taken away from her. She wasn't a mom. She was just an empty shell that resembled a mom. The only reason we were stuck with her was because the drugs she took were legal. That's why I'm a Cath. So kids don't have to have all the responsibility I did. I was more of a mom to Brad, Elliot and Keeva than her.
I shook my head. The last thing I should be thinking about was that. But as I saw Bell, I saw Brad. Like a flash of a camera, the image of him dissolved into my head. I choked. All that guilt that I had pushed aside hit me. Why did I leave them?
Sitting quietly at the table, I held half a granola bar in my hand and rested my chin on the other. The clock slowly ticked away time, just as sleep as I was.
A warm hand was suddenly placed on my shoulder and I repulsed at the touch.
I turned around, and Kinwe shrunk a little and drew her hand away. The girl always seemed jumpy - at least when I was around. "Um, Del, Boone asked to see you in five to take over watching Wales."
I nodded, breathing out through my nose with gritted teeth. I needed to keep my self control in check for this. And a granola bar wasn't going to cut it. I strode past Kinwe who was putting a kettle to boil and opened the fridge, scanning for anything with protein. I noticed a partially eaten pie in the fridge, grabbed it, and tossed it in the microwave. Kinwe made her coffee and sat at the kitchen table, avoiding eye contact with me and taking the long way around to get to her seat. Jeez, was she scared of me?
I took the pie out as soon as it pinged and took a bite without bothering to sit. I circled the table until I stood next to Kinwe. She edged away a little.
"The others asleep?" I asked, carelessly gesturing to her. She glanced at me, probably disgusted that I was eating and talking at the same time.
"Yeah," she replied. "I couldn't sleep myself after all that drama. Bella woke up and had something," she glanced at the pie in my hand. "to eat."
"Mmm. If she was eating this I hope she could actually swallow it. Chewy as hell."
Kinwe stiffened and sucked in some air, then tightened her lips. She stood up carefully and walked to the sink, chucked her mug in with a clatter. "Gotta get showered." She mumbled, and walked out. I took another bite of the pie that Kinwe had obviously made and shook my head, smiling. Sheesh, she's sensitive, isn't she?
***
Entering the weapons room, I found that it was almost dark, the lights shining faintly. I could still see Wales. His fairly large figure was hunched over the table, tied up to the chair. He didn't look up until I cleared my throat. His eyes were dark and bloodshot, the lower part of his face was bristled.
He looks like a tramp. And God help me - he smells like one too.
I took a seat across from him, glaring at his fatigued face, hoping it would unnerve him. He was about to get Hell.
"You came here to question me?" he muttered.
"No," I answer. "Someone else will see to that. But don't worry - he won't lay it on you easy. He's going to make you pay."
Wales' eyes gradually met mine and all his attention focused on me. Now I've got him.
"And so am I," I continued, glancing down at my nails, "If I am ordered to, I will find the most excruciating way to kill you I can think of. And trust me, it will be nice and slow. No one hurts my friends and gets away with it. You hear me?"
Wales didn't reply. The rest of the time, we sat in silence.
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