I almost jumped out of my shoes as I shrieked, panic coursing through every muscle of my body, "This isn't what it looks like!"

"Then what's happening?" The girl said and stepped around to look at Remi. I realized this was one of the girls from this morning, who was sitting by the student Remi tripped over. She had short black hair, deep blue eyes and had a nerd look about her. "By all the- what's wrong with her?!"

I sighed, wondering how much I could possibly tell her.

"So," I finally said, "My day has been really crappy so far, and I know we kind of just met, but if you could maybe help me and do whatever I say, Remi and I can probably explain later." When we can make up a believable lie, I thought to myself. We never planned for anything like this to happen. For anyone to find us or follow us while Remi was having a fever.

The girl gave me a confused look but said, "Fine...I'm going to hold you to that promise."

She stepped forward and grabbed Remi's other arm and together we heaved her to her unruly feet.

Remi groaned in pain and the girl's eyebrows creased, "Are you sure we shouldn't be going toward the school?" she said, "Shouldn't we get her to the nurse? The hospital?!"

I shook my head, "Into the forest, quickly."

The girl pursed her lips in disapproval but slung one of Remi's arms over her shoulder. I did the same and we hobbled oddly around the side of the school and into the forest. Remi was trying to help us as much as she could, but her limbs didn't seem to be working.

We helped Remi along for what seemed like forever, through the green dappled light of the trees, stumbling over twigs and rocks. The other girl didn't complain, even though we had just met and I was already dragging her out of school with a friend so sick she could barely move, so of course I didn't complain either.

"I don't think I caught your name?" The other girl said, breaking the silence.

"Hazel," I answered, "and my unconscious friend is Remi. What about you?"

"Nick," she said, "well, Nicholina, but most people just call me Nick."

"Alright," she said, "nice to meet you, even if it is a very odd way to-"

Nick stopped and swiveled her head around as if she was listening to something.

"What?" I asked and listened as well.

"I don't know," Nick muttered, "I thought I heard something, probably nothing."

"Weird," I said. I pricked my ears to listen more closely as we continued.

We had barely gone 10 feet when Nick stopped and gave an exasperated sigh.

"You're kidding me right?" she asked, but she wasn't talking to Remi or I.

"Here," she whispered to me, "Hold Remi for a second."

She slipped out from under Remi's arm and Remi sagged to one side, dragging me down.

Nick started back the way we came, slowly, looking around every tree and searching every bush.

This wasn't working, there wouldn't be enough time for Nick to get away.

If only I was strong enough, I could leave Nicholina here, take Remi, run and get away, I thought. Nick is just another student, with a life, she doesn't need to be apart of any of this or she risks being arrested.

"Hazel," Remi whispered before I could decide on a plan of action.

"Yeah?" I said instantly, snapping to attention. I shifted her around so I was facing her. Her face was beaded with sweat and it was pale green.

"Hazel...you-" she started, winced, and then continued, "You have to get out of here. Leave me, get Nick out of here, go back to school, I'll be ok. I promise." Her voice was edging into desperation.

"No, Remi," I said and took her chin in my hand again, her skin was cold and mine was warm. "It's not normally this bad, you need help."

I reached down to her waist, untied her sweater, and wrapped it around her shoulders to stop her shivering. She tucked her arms in, putting her head on my shoulder. My cheeks heated slightly and I didn't know why.

"I'm staying right here," I promised her.

"Hazel please," she begged, tears leaking out of the corners of her eyes.

"No," I said, hugging her tightly, "We need to move."

"Nick!" I called over Remi's shoulder, "Are you done with your scavenger hunt?"

"Not ye-Aha! That was a level of noise that makes me think you weren't even trying to be quiet!" Nick yelled. Horribly loud.

There was a scuffle as Nick grabbed the arm of a person hiding behind a tree. She dragged the eavesdropper into the light and I realized who it was.

The girl Remi had tripped over this morning.

"Gen?!" Nicholina said, her hands on her hips, "Explanation please?"

Gen glared but quickly did this smoothing, calming thing to her face and took a deep breath. Her angular face and blue eyes were a mask of calm.

"I saw Nick leave the school when I was going to see Mr. Adams for an assignment so I figured I'd follow," Gen said and shrugged offhandedly. "Sorry." But she didn't look sorry at all.

Remi growled.

"Gen, Nick, please leave and I will handle this," I said in my best diplomatic voice.

"But," Nick immediately protested, "You need help!"

I groaned with exasperation. She wasn't wrong.

I turned and started helping Remi back into the forest. Remi didn't resist. I had to get out of here where she couldn't hurt anyone, with, or without Nick.

Nick huffed with anger and leaped forward, putting Remi's other arm across her shoulder again. I stopped and stared at her.

"Nick, I'm serious. You shouldn't be here. You should go back to class and pretend this never happened. Tell someone you got lost, you can fix this for yourselves," I said.

Nick just shook her head. "We deserve an explanation. I'm going to get one."

I sighed. I seemed to be sighing a lot that day. "Fine, but if I tell you to run, you run." My voice was dangerously low.

Both of them nodded grimly. We kept helping Remi along and Gen followed behind us like a lost dog, not asking to help but not getting in the way either.

Finally, after at least twenty minutes, we got to the place we were looking for, a medium-sized, forest clearing that Remi and I had cut over the years. On the far side was a large hut, with a woven grass door flap and a crude chimney on the roof of my own handiwork.

As soon as we set Remi down, I grabbed Nick's shoulders and practically threw her back in the direction of Pira.

"Go!" I told her, my voice frantic.

"But Hazel," She protested, "What's wrong with your friend?" Her face looked almost pouty with confusion. "How can I help? What's going to happen?"

"Yes," said Gen, "I'm confused as well." Her voice hissed a little, like a snake.

Remi saved me from having to answer. She yelled and bolted upright, opening her eyes, which were not her eyes at all. It was starting and if Gen and Nicholina didn't leave, we would all surely die.

Gen hesitated, petrified for a split second, staring at Remi, then screamed and said, "Her eyes, by all the Zorg, her eyes!" It might have been my imagination but I thought I saw recognition flash across Nicholina's face before it disappeared into fear.

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Written by justasnarky_sandwing on WATTPAD