Chapter Seven

Methys' POV:

We hold our umbrellas over our heads, trying our best to block out the shiny black pellets from hitting us, but the wind is so strong, I keep getting struck by them, and have to wipe off the disgusting pellets that refuse to "evaporate".

At this rate, I think I may go crazy, if I can even make it through the whirlwind of events today. This is so much to take for just a normal 17-year-old teenager. Plus, stuck in this weird happening, I can't even think straight anymore.

Emeline has told me that they've had the conclusion that the monsters - we call them the infected - have been mutated by the mysterious black pellets, through the thick fluid they found when they smashed one of their skulls right before they found me.

She says she can't believe it - that such a terrible thing has happened to this bright, amazing world filled with sunshine and wonderful memories.

Her positive outlook on life is shocking. That girl doesn't even seem to have gone through any downs in her life. It's just like she's a vitamin that everyone needs in life - something that makes you smile and laugh even though you're hurt and broken inside. She's all smiles and sunshine. And I wish I could be like her, but I have too much regret to hold on to right now. And maybe even forever.

Erin.

Dad.

Mom.

And that boy with the brown hair.

I haven't been able to muster the courage to talk to him, not only because of his name. I've never been like this around a boy before, and I don't think I ever want to again. But the way that that boy is so caring and sweet to his friends...it makes me wish that I was one of them too, so I could receive those pills of sweetness I need right now. In this moment.

But that doesn't mean that someone won't interfere and leave us alone at the state we're in now. And talking about someone, I have to say, she's real determined. And that someone is none other than the famous vitamin - Emeline. Yep, it's her. Always there to lend a helping hand - even when it's unnecessary.

Sure, Emeline's been trying to make us grow closer and be friends; but with Roseline jabbing in sarcastic remarks every other minute, I'm feeling like I don't belong at all in their circle. Considering how friends must all accept each other, I doubt that'll ever happen in a million years.

So, yay life!

Even still, they're the only people I know now, and somehow I feel safe with them, like I have a family, even if I feel like I don't belong and that I'm rejected - or an outcast.

To cut the long story short, basically it's complicated, just like everything else that's going on right now.

We have five umbrellas, but we want to conserve what we had, so he jumps between Emeline and Roseline's umbrellas to hide from the inky masses. It's clever, actually - or maybe I'm just dumb, but somehow I'm a little disappointed that he doesn't come to my umbrella instead.

Then again, I'm not his friend. But also, what am I thinking? Do you really want a random guy you just met to stand beside you, in an umbrella?

Well, of course not! What are you thinking, Methys? You don't mean it at all. Yes, you do not, I assure myself calmly. Somehow, although I said that I still feel my conscience tugging me, saying that I didn't mean what I say. But I just shake it off as another malfunction of my conscience. It happens all the time, doesn't it? Well, at least I guess so.

"You okay, Meth?" Emeline asks for the thousandth time when my palm slips and my umbrella moves back, away from my forehead yet again because of the wind. The way that Emeline calls me Meth reminds me of Erin. Everything lately does. I can't believe not even a day has passed yet, and I miss her so much. I sigh, but dare not open my mouth reminding myself that, if a pellet goes in and I swallow it, what will happen? To be honest, I'll never want to try that, unlike the daredevil Roseline is. I'm sure if Arin dared her to do that, she will obey without a moment's hesitation. At least I think that she isn't the one to back down from a dare. But trust me, my predictions are wrong for like, ahem, 99.999999999% of the time. So yes, it's safe to say I'm not a fortune teller.

I have no idea what to make of my 'friendship' with Emeline. On the bright side, she seems nice enough, at least a million times better than Roseline and him, but we are not close enough to allow me to trust her. When I think of him, I flashback to the time in the house, when he held my hand. He'd looked at me with an intensity, I realized, like he knew me from somewhere. But I don't remember him,

Emeline is really caring and friendly, but like I tell myself, it might just be just for show.

I nod to reply, when I feel a prick of pain in my temple. It is dizzying, and I try to ignore it at first, but it doesn't subside, so I press my hand to the side of my head to massage it.

Once again, bad mistake - probably because the Goddess of Luck hates - or maybe actually despises - me so every unlucky event she can think of always falls on me. Or maybe it's just coincidence. Maybe... Yes! Maybe. And by maybe, I mean it's impossible. Downright impossible.

My umbrella makes a ripping sound, just before it goes skidding across the pavement, and across the steer to the other sidewalk. We all know that we shouldn't take the risk to run over there.

Roseline groans, shaking her head, while Emeline gives me an encouraging smile. I drop my head, face burning. Shame on you, Methys! Shame. On. You! You have disgraced you're entire family, do you know that?

My family...

I close my eyes, admiring all the family time we had together. Me. Mum. Dad. At least before it all went down in flames. It's long gone; ripped to shreds long before this. I had always wished that Mum would return. Then we'll be a family once more. But I waited and waited. Mum never appeared. She just vanished into thin air. I open my eyes while wiping the tear I shed unconsciously. A full blast of wind hits me right on the face, like it was trying to say, "Fool, you can do nothing right. Worthless piece of trash." I ignore it. Just like how I had ignored the pain of losing the kin I loved oh-so-much. So I do what I do best now. Runaway. From all the problems. All the pain. Like the scaredy-cat I am. Like the coward I am.

I run, trying my best to ignore the pain, accepting that this is what I get for being so careless. I run away from those strangers. I run till I reach an alley and I crash to the ground. Tears threaten to spill but I refuse to let them budge. Erin always said that crying makes you weak. I wish she would comfort me now. I feel so empty without her now. She was always there by my side no matter what; yet now all that's beside me are just a space if nothingness. Then, I footsteps nearing me. At a really fast pace.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

I cringe. Don't. Please don't. I just want some time alone. Please, turn around. But once again, my prayers aren't answered. Maybe the whole world is against me. Probably because everything doesn't go my way. The footsteps turn louder and I bury my head in my knees. It's probably just Emeline. But gosh, it would be so embarrassing. I feel a tap on my shoulder. I give that person the cold shoulder.

Okay, maybe not. It was merely just a matter of five seconds. That someone taps my shoulder again. I lift my head, and see him. He stares at me intensely and so weirdly like I'd grown a third eye.

"What?" I ask, annoyed, as I try to hold in the tears by blinking rapidly, but then stop when realization hits me. It will look as if I am flirting with him, and I do not want to embarrass myself further than this extreme.

"N-Nothing. But are you okay?" He asks, his voice laced with concern.

I stand up, brushing my pants uncomfortably. "I'm alright. Nothing's wrong." I reply, not wanting him to know my inner thoughts, maybe because my heart's currently racing. At the speed of light.

"Okay then," he eyes me suspiciously, and continues, "and can you please, please cover your head unless you want to go flying across the street like that umbrella." I bite my lip. He isn't mad? He should be, after everything I did. I wasted his time and resources. Maybe it would be better if I disappear.

"Oh... okay?" I say, seeing that he's waiting for a reply as he places his arm against his brow to block the black rain. Then it hits me and I hope he realises that I do not have an umbrella, so he wants me to do... what?

He steps next to me, and holds an umbrella over my head, possibly taken from either Emeline or Roseline. The thin canvas doesn't provide much warmth against the biting cold, and I keep sneezing though I am blushing furiously. Then, I see people emerging. I stiffen in surprise. But once I realise it's Emeline and Roseline, I visibly relax. You're just too paranoid, I chide myself.

Since Emeline is here then...

"Um, I think I'll be more comfortable with... you know." I try to lift my finger to point at Emeline, but my hands are numb from the cold, to the extent that they're shaking, but I hide them behind my back. However, I still cannot stop thinking about Erin and my broken family. I am so close to tears. But if I cry in front of him, it'll make me look like a weakling, and if I cry, I'll get even colder.

Even from here, I can still hear Roseline talking to Emeline. And it's about me.

Her glare is lethal. "I told you not to trust her. She's so weak. I don't understand why both of you want to keep her. I mean, she's gonna end up as a burden."

"Yeah I know, but Emeline pointed out that if you're going to stick with us, you should get to know us all better." He replies nonchantly.

I do not say anything; my lips are chapped and freezing. At least I think so. Instead I look down, suddenly finding my shoes very interesting.

As if reading my thoughts, he  winces and says, "I know that Rose can be a bit... untactful sometimes, but please forgive her. She's just like that, you know; sarcastic and all." He lets out a nervous chuckle but it still brings a smile to my face.

Seeing that I'm back to normal, he beckons me to continue the journey. "Let's carry on." I comply easily. Besides, there's the only people I can trust now.

After some walking, he  decides to try to start another conversation again. "So... your parents are fine?" He asks, continuing to look straight ahead.

I shake my head. This is not a great conversation starter. All I have to do was think about what happened after that, and... I shiver. I don't want to think about it, or else I may even talk about it...and he'll never look at me in the same way again.

"Are you cold?" Obviously. Still I force myself to shake my head. Liar.

"Oh, okay. Um, my mom is still at home." What? Why would I want to know that? Still I manage to twist my lips into a smile. Was I supposed to say 'lucky you'? Would that help me, or anyone else, for that matter?

"We're going to reach an unlocked house soon, don't worry. I think there should be a fireplace there." I look over at Roseline, who's currently trying to open every door, but always fails, shaking her head, then returns under Emeline's umbrella. Emeline gives her a tight smile, although I know she's freezing like me.

"Can't she just pick the locks?" I mutter under my breath. He raises an eyebrow at me, smirking. "Great idea," he says.

"Rose!" He yells, and I start, whipping my head left and right to check for any signs of danger. I gently nudge him in the side with my elbow, scowling.

"You could have gotten us killed," I hiss. He raises his hands in surrender, but his glowing blue eyes are clearly showing the one word. Amusement. And his grin is back on his face.

"Yeah?" Roseline yells back, and embarrassment hits me, such that I want to hide in the middle of two houses.

Arin laughs, seeing my expression. I poke him this time, making him laugh louder. I start to blush furiously. I'm standing so close to him I can feel the heat radiating from him...and I don't actually want to step away.

"What, Arin?" Roseline asks again.

"Methys here wants to know if-" I jab him harder, giving him the evil eye.

"What?" he whispers, suppressing a laugh. I roll my eyes at him, and shove him lightly.

"Don't use my name." I hiss.

He rolls his eyes. "Whatever." he takes a dramatic deep breath, to make me cringe, I know, then shouts at the top of his voice, "Can you pick locks?"

"Shh!" I use my fist now, but I accidentally use the wrong hand, and hiss as pain blasts through my left arm. I cry out in pain, and then I feel his warm hand taking mine, gently rubbing the pain away. I'm lucky it isn't my right hand, I know, but still, it feels like I'm dying. It is a big mistake to go against Roseline.

And shoot Erin.

The scene of Erin's death plays in my head. How I picked up that gun and-

"Methys?" a hand is waved in front of my eyes, and I blink, moving backwards instinctively, and also knocking into something hard.

"Ow!" He grimaces, softly at least, just as I rub the back of my head, wincing.

"Sorry!" I apply more pressure as I massage my head, making my vision blur around the edges.

He rolls his eyes, and runs a hand down his face. I think I've seen him do that before. It must be a habit, like Emeline playing with her fringe and Roseline scowling and Terris...

I shouldn't talk about them like that, like they're my friends. If I do, I'll start to like them, and depend on them, and slowly, I'll never be able to detach myself from them.

"Please, watch where you're going so you don't destroy my arm that I need horribly badly to defend you people. Now, please get in the house." He holds out his arm, and I notice an open door. My eyes widen, and I smile sheepishly at him, lowering my head slightly.

"Oh." I rush into the house, as fast as I can, anyway, with the temperature of the environment outside, I can barely jog, let alone rush inside. He follows behind me, closing the door gently after checking for any signs of the infected.

Emerine and Roseline are kneeling next to something, and from here, I can spot licks of flame, purple and red and orange at the same time.

I have never been so relieved to see something. I run towards the fire.

My third bad mistake today.

I trip over my frozen feet, and my nose comes in contact with the wooden floor with a sickening crack. Pain explodes in the back of my head. I groan, and a tear escapes my eye.

I hear someone gasp. "Are you okay?"

"Wow, if I knew that you wanted to get into the fire so badly, I could have just tossed you in, you know."

"Roseline!"

"What? She's old enough to know that she shouldn't be running indoors." Roseline snickers at her own joke.

"Please just keep your mouths shut. Everyone." I push myself up onto a sitting position, and rub my bruised nose. I should have at least a thousand bruises on me now. Dad would have been so disappointed in me for not being to take care of my own body. Yet I wanted to save the world. He told me once that everyone's body and life were important, and we should all treat them equally.

The thought of Dad makes me want to cry. I almost smack myself. Stop thinking about crying, Methys! You're stronger than that!

The truth is, I'm not, but I have to fake it. For my sake. In order to survive and stop the black rain. That's what I need to do now.

I can do it. I need to. Erin believed in me. She said I could save the world. But if it includes going through near-death experiences, I rather-

No! You can't do this. You need to be brave. You need to be everything you're not. Once this is over, you can go ahead and do whatever you wish to, but you must accomplish your goal - you must stop the black rain, you must stop the people who started it, you must help those who have been infected. You can't breakdown now.

I think the world would be in jeopardy and chaos by then, but I don't mind. As long as I accomplish my goal, I don't mind anything. I need to get Dad back.

We crowd around the fire as we all try to piece together what we knew about the attack, but slowly, I can feel myself slipping away, my eyelids weighing a thousand pounds, and I am so, so tired...