Chapter Eight

Arin's POV:

Someone's scream pierces the air, making me jolt awake. After Methys had fell asleep, we decided to postpone the discussion because Emerine was struggling to keep her eyes open, and Roseline was slouching-something she didn't do often. Also, I did not want to deal with Roseline's sarcasm anymore, or Emeline's pointless fights with her. I can only imagine what their poor parents had to go through every day of their miserable life. But dealing with Em isn't that bad as dealing with Rose, to be honest.

I look over to my right, my eyes landing on a writhing Methys. She has been really quiet since I suddenly waked her up from her daydream previously.

"Methys?" I shake her gently, making a face at the sheen of sweat that has collected on her skin from her nightmare, and is sticking to my palm.

"Um, Methys?"

I hear her murmur something. Leaning down to hear her more carefully-you never know, maybe she is telling the person in her dream about us, which is terrible because that meant she cannot be trusted, she can tell anyone she met- she whispers my name over and over again.

What? In what way am I related to her? Yes, I may have almost scared her out of her wits just now - which, I have to admit, was kind of fun - but I did not hurt her, not physically.

She sits up suddenly, panting like she has just ran a marathon. I jerk up too. Still disoriented, she grabs my wrist, since I am still touching her, and said that she is so, so sorry.

"Methys, are you okay?" What did she do? Methys swallows, her tears like a faucet left on.

Oh great, more girl drama. I shake her lightly. "Methys."

She blinks, and then she looks down at my hands on her shoulders, and sucks in a sharp breath. I remove my hands, face feeling like it was roasting in the sun.
"Um, I know I shouldn't be asking this, but... um, why did you call my name? In your dreams, I mean."

"What?" She narrows her eyes, and then gasps, scooting away from me. Methys gives me the same look that my friends gave me earlier today, like I have grown a third head.

Is it really only this morning?

My thoughts are brought back to what is happening here, now, by Methys' sobs. She is crying.

When is this drama ever going to end? This is one of the reasons I rather stick with Ter... he's dead.

"I... I was talking about my... friend." she chokes, more tears pouring down her face.

This is awkward.

"O... Okay." I wait for her to say more, because I do not know what to say. I am not prepared for this. None of this. Mom would have taught me...

But, is Mom okay? If she isn't...

Methys starts to bury her head in her knees and not cry, but literally wail. I pat her back, scrunching up my nose at her shirt, now wet throughout with sweat. She should get a new change of clothes. It is sticky, and just... gross.

"I know you feel bad for... uh, leaving her behind, but..."

"I didn't..." she cries even harder, her tears drowning out the words.

I know what she needs now, as much as I hate it. Preparing myself for a lecture from Roseline, or a light smack from Methys, I slide my arms around her, and pull her close. She buries her head in my shoulder, crying really, really hard, and I think my ears are going to burst.

Sometime later, the sniffling gets softer, her shoulders shake only slightly. Her tears have made my shirt all damp, and I sigh inwardly, wondering what has gone into my mind to make me hug this... stranger.

Now, not only do I have to deal with my best friend's death, more girl drama, and now I am soaked with girl's tears. And also, I'm trying to figure out what on earth is happening to the world, why black pellets are destroying human souls, why we are immune to this attack.

I look down, and see that Methys' eyes have closed, and she's breathing deeply. I look back up, and see Roseline staring at us, her eyes wide open. She raises an eyebrow at me that I understand as a 'I need to talk to you' look. I sigh. Here comes the lecture.

I move Methys off my lap carefully, smirking down at her sleeping form. Roseline stalks into the kitchen, anger obvious in the way she moves.

I stand up reluctantly, feeling my muscles protesting against my actions. I canter towards the nearest closet, and when I pull it open, I am met with a cloud of dust, coughing vehemently, swatting my hand in front of my face. I am almost sure if Methys is awake, she will be laughing her head off.

I spot two thick cotton blankets, obviously saved for winter. No one in my neighbourhood, or around here for that matter, would want to use the little money they had to buy these blankets. There were much more important things to spend it on, like education and food.

Scooping them up, and after dusting the blankets by hitting them vigorously, I lay one over Emerine, and the other over Methys, who apparently likes to toss and turn in bed.

Then I check my clothes, making sure they are not covered in the icky gray filth - maybe they contain some harmful chemicals - and saunter into the tiny kitchen, looking over my shoulder once to make sure that the girls are fast asleep.