9K Views!!! 
WOW, Thank you, to everyone who has taken the time to read my story.
YOU ARE AMAZING!!!!

Remember to VOTE, COMMENT, and FOLLOW (for notifications on the updates)

Here is the next chapter, I hope you'll enjoy!

Stay Safe and Take Care! ~CANGEL

***

District 14

Cadmium Wolfe

     Cadmium jolted awake, disoriented and confused as he rubbed his eyes, blinking into the dark. Their small attic room was still cast in shadows, no hint of sunrise peeking through their small window. Silence hung in the air, broken only by the soft, steady breathing of his sister beside him. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to recall what had woken him.

     When that failed, he turned toward Scarlet—to see if she had woken as well. Ever since her time in the Arena, she had become a notoriously light sleeper, always stirring at even the slightest touch or movement. Cadmium's lips curled at the sight of her sprawled out on her side, black curls lying in a tangled heap covering her face. She was sound asleep.

     Not wanting to wake her, Cadmium laid down quietly, his heavy lids closing easily with the cocoon of heat surrounding his body. It wasn't normally so warm...

     In what felt like seconds, but could have been minutes or hours, Cadmium jerked awake once more. His heart pounded; a sudden clarity cut through the sleepy fog clouding his mind as he placed exactly what had awoken him up the first time.

     The heat.

     It was comforting against the cold that filled their room, but it wasn't normal.

     His breath hitched as he sat up abruptly in bed, the blankets fluttering down to his waist. A shiver ran down his spine, and the sleek sweat coating his skin turned to ice as the cold air accosted him.

     He turned to his sister, still laying peacefully asleep. She never would have normally slept through this much restlessness from him.

     Something was wrong.

     The barest traces of light passed through the window now, allowing him to see what had been safely hidden in the darkness. Scarlet's hair sleek with sweat. Her body was curled up on itself, and when he pulled the blanket back, the inside of it was completely soaked. Her clothes were soaked with sweat, and her skin was flushed and feverish to the touch.

     "Scarlet?" He called, even though she couldn't hear him. He shook her by the shoulder, but other than a light groaning, she gave no response. Heat emanated from her body—even through the damp material of her clothes.

     Cadmium stumbled from their shared bed, heart racing as panic tightened his chest. He moved on instinct, fumbling in the darkness as the chill of the floor bit into his bare feet, but the overwhelming heat that was pouring from Scarlet's body drove him to act.

     He rushed to their small wooden dresser and pulled open the first drawer, grabbing fabric blindly before stumbling over shoes as he made his way to the water basin kept under the window. It was nearly empty, only a thin layer of water left from the night before when Scarlet had helped Cadmium clean his wounds before bed. He dunked the rag in, wringing it out quickly before returning to Scarlet's side.

     "Come on," he muttered to himself. "Come on, Scarlet." His voice cracked with fear as he gently wiped her face, trying to stir her and erase some of the heat. It wasn't working though. The cold rag was warming against her skin, doing little to rouse her. Her skin was near blistering against his fingers, her breathing shallow and labored.

     Cadmium shook her again, harder this time, but she only groaned weakly in response, her head lolling against the pillow beneath her head. The sight of her like this—so vulnerable and fragile—made his stomach twist. She was supposed to be invincible, his sister—but now she looked so small, so breakable.

     This wasn't just a fever—it was something worse—something so much worse.

     Growing up, it was always Scarlet who helped them when they were sick. Who stayed awake through the night and made sure they got enough water and food. She wasn't supposed to get sick like this. He didn't—

     "I need help," Cadmium whispered to himself, voice shaky as his eyes darted to the closed attic door. His family were likely sleeping in the rooms below—Harmony might be up with the little ones—she would know how to help.

     He allowed himself a moment's pause, eyes flickering to Scarlet's prone figure. Scarlet would not go to Harmony—she wouldn't want Cadmium to go either—but...what choice did he have?

     "Scarlet?" He cooed softly, kneeling next to her sleeping form. It was a waste of time and completely useless—Scarlet couldn't hear him, and her eyes were shut—but he couldn't bring himself to move without one more plea. "I'm going to get Harmony if you don't wake up and tell me not too."

     His voice sounded whiny, like a toddler about to throw a fit for not getting his way. He felt a bit like one too, at that moment. He blinked away tears as the seconds ticked by, waiting, but Scarlet remained unresponsive.

     Cadmium wiped his eyes, sniffling. "Okay, then. I'm going to go get her. You asked for it."

     On shaky legs he darted across the room, lowering the attic ladder, his heart thundering in his ears. The air down here was warmer, thicker, hitting him like a brick wall—but even that felt cold compared to the heat thrown off Scarlet's body. He hurried down the hall toward his youngest sibling's room. He opened the door, eyeing the darkness, searching for any sign that Harmony was awake. But two sleeping babies lay together on the bed.

     Without wasting another second, Cadmium turned to the room across the hallway. He knocked on the closed door, anxiety and fear wrestled inside of him. He had never dared to wake up Harmony before—he didn't know what to expect from his mother—and the fear of the unknown was only outmatched by the worry for his sister.

     "Harmony!" He called out when no response was given. His voice echoed through the hallway, louder than he intended, but he couldn't bring himself to care. "Mother!" He knocked on the door again. His siblings' soft cries echoed from the open door behind him, but Cadmium didn't move, his feet planted to the wooden floor.

     After a long moment, the door creaked open, revealing a disheveled Harmony, standing in the small opening, her face contorted with annoyance. "Cadmium—what is it?" she asked, her voice cold and impatient, but her eyes drifted to the room behind him, frustration flaring. "Cadmium! Did you open that door and wake your siblings up?"

     She pushed past him, her nightgown fluttering around her body. Cadmium trailed after her desperately.

     "Scarlet's sick—she's burning up. We need to get her help," Cadmium blurted out, his words coming out in a rush as Harmony picked up Marigold, cradling her in her arms. She didn't respond at all to Cadmium's words. "Please—she's not waking up."

     Harmony finally lifted her attention from the littles ones, her eyes narrowed, expression hard as she offered Cadmium an exasperated sigh. "Just a fever?" she repeated, voice laced with disdain. "Let her sweat it out like everyone else does."

     Cadmium's stomach sank. "But—"

     His mother's frustrated groan cut him off. "Oh, for the love of—Cadmium!" As if completely exasperated by his worry. "With what she did to you the other day? With what she did to Crimson? I'll be damned if I feel any sympathy for her."

     He couldn't believe what he was hearing. His mother—their mother—was standing there with a baby in her arms, another at her side, refusing to help yet another of her children. A child that lay upstairs, potentially dying.

     "She's going to die if we don't do something," he pleaded, his voice breaking. Maybe if he could just get her to go up there. Maybe she would see how serious it was. It wasn't like a regular fever that could be sweated out. "Please mother. We can't just leave her like this."

     But Harmony's gaze didn't soften with the urgency in his voice. She shook her head. "She'll sweat it out." Then Harmony rolled her eyes. "She always finds a way to survive." And Harmony turned away from Cadmium, turning her back on Scarlet once again.

     Cadmium stood there, disbelief and fury churning inside him. He wanted to scream at her and yell at her for being such a selfish person—such a selfish mother—but it was no use. Harmony focused her attention on the children at her side—blonde haired and tanned skin. The children that she loved and chose to protect.

     "I wish you weren't my mother." Cadmium said quietly. Only a slight stiffening in her spine let Cadmium know that she had heard his words. He wiped his face off his tears and grabbed the handle of the door. "I never hated you for anything that has happened to me—but I hate you now."

     He closed the door before she could respond or react and raced back up to their bedroom. His fisted hands shook, whether from anger or fear or exhaustion, he wasn't sure—but he couldn't get them to stop!

     He paced along the foot of their bed, running his fingers through his curls as he thought about what else he could do. He needed help. But who would help them? Everyone hated Scarlet. Even their own mother refused to do anything to help.

     The only person who didn't hate her was...Mr. Fox. Would he help? Could he help? He was a poor shop own—but even if he couldn't help, maybe he knew someone else who could.

     Determination overshadowed the sinking dread in his gut as a plan took root in his mind. Cadmium grabbed her coat from next to the dresser where Scarlet had left it the night before and then moved to Scarlet's side. He pulled the blanket away, peeling it from her skin and dropping it near the foot of the bed.

     Cadmium stuffed her body into her coat, winching as her shoulders contorted and her clothes and skin stuck to the interior fabric. He buttoned it up and pulled the hood over her head before quickly slipping into his boots, tying the shoes tight and pulling on his own coat.

     He grabbed on of Scarlet's arms, draping it over his shoulder as he half-lifted, half-dragged her from the bed. He was taller than her, but she was heavier. Where he was tall, lean and thin, she was a few inches shorter, but denser and more muscular. Her limp body made her even heavier, and the fever made it so she couldn't even offer a modicum of help. It was up to him to get her to the fabric shop.

     Stumbling around their bed, the rising sun provided enough light that he avoided the scattered shoes and clothing. Going down the stairs was impossible with Scarlet on his back, but he still tried. They ended up in a pile at the bottom. Scarlet whimpered when her head hit on the last stair. Luckily, he fell backwards when he had slipped instead of forwards, otherwise they likely would've broken their necks.

     He groaned as he stood, wincing at the ache in his tailbone and his elbow. He gritted as he hefted her up once more. The fall must have woken her just enough, because he could feel her trying to help, her feet pressing feebly against the ground bracing herself as he lifted her onto his back.

     "Cadmium?" Honey asked, rubbing her eyes sleepily through a newly opened door. Her eyes caught on Scarlet, widening in shock. "What happened?"

     "Help me get the front door, will ya?" He snapped, not wanting to waste any more time. Pressed against his back, he could feel her breathing. It was quiet, but uneven and shallow. The urge to get help—that he needed to get her help, NOW, was echoing in his brain.

     Honey raced ahead of him without another word, opening the front door in nothing but a sleep dress and bare feet.

     As Cadmium stumbled down the last of the steps, he glanced back at the home. Honey stood in the door; her lower lip worried between her teeth.

     "I'll make sure she's alright, Honey. Go back inside."

     She nodded, and then disappeared behind closed doors without another protest.

     The sky was dark, and the streets were deserted, just barely touched by the first light of morning. The wind cut through his clothes and his body ached from the effort of keeping them both upright through the slick snow.

     By the time they reached Mr. Fox's fabric shop, Cadmium was panting, sweat trickled down his back from both the heat of Scarlet's fever, and the effort it took to keep her up against his back. His muscles screamed in protest as he shifted Scarlet up once more, kicking the front door open, knowing it was never locked.

     It took three kicks, before it opened, and by that time, his legs were shaking so bad he wondered if he'd even make it inside. But sure enough, he stumbled in.

     "Aurora!" He called out, searching the room for her familiar presence. It must have been even earlier than he had thought, because she was not behind the counter. "Aurora! Mr. Fox!"

     He heard some footsteps from overhead. A door opened and shut. Someone going down the stairs quickly. It had to be Aurora. He stumbled further into the room just as Aurora rushed through the back door.

     Her eyes widened at the sight of them. "Cadmium?" She gasped, her gaze darting form him to Scarlet in alarm. "What happened?"

     "She's sick—she's burning up," Cadmium said between heavy breaths. "Please. I don't—I need Mr. Fox—no one else will help."

     Aurora didn't hesitate, turning around in a rush. She disappeared into the back of the shop, calling for her grandfather. He stumbled forward more as Aurora's face broke through the back door once more. "He says to bring her upstairs. We have an extra bed."

     Going up the stairs was only somewhat easier than going down the attic steps at his house. This time, he had Aurora there to help keep Scarlet on his back and help him keep his balance.

      Mr. Fox was waiting for them at the top of the stairs. Circles darkened underneath his eyes stood stark against his pale weathered skin. "Come this way, Cadmium." He gestured to the open door behind him. "Set her in there on the bed."

     Cadmium shuffled through the door, and when he reached the bed, he nearly toppled over, falling to the floor on his knees as his muscles gave way under the strain. Mr. Fox gently pushed him aside and sat on the edge of the bed.

    Cadmium watched from the floor as Mr. Fox pressed his thumb against her wrist. "What are you doing?" He asked, desperate to know what was happening and if Mr. Fox could help.

     "I'm checking her pulse." He said absently, his mind on his task. "How fast her heart is beating."

     "I woke up and she was like this." Cadmium said, then wiped his face clean of the tears that fell. "I woke up earlier but didn't notice. I fell back asleep." He admitted. It was all his fault—he should have gotten her help sooner. He should have noticed right away.

     "Hush now, Cadmium."

     He felt Aurora at his side, but he couldn't look away from Scarlet. Not even as she worriedly said, "Cadmium, you're bleeding—and what happened to your face? Did you get into a fight?"

     Mr. Fox's hand when to Scarlet's forehead, and then he pressed an ear to her chest, his face darkening, but Cadmium couldn't tell if it meant that he didn't like what he found, or if he couldn't help.

     "Aurora, the yellow home next to the Mayor's. Go there. Ask for Dr. Sylas Hallow. Tell him Scarlet Wolfe—the new Victor—is here in our fabric shop. Pneumonia by my best guess."

     Cadmium let out a breath that he hadn't known he'd been holding. Mr. Fox's voice was calm and steady. And he knew how to help. Cadmium hadn't even known there was a doctor in District 14.

    "Thank you." He said, as he slipped next to Mr. Fox, taking a place next to Scarlet's body.

     "No need for thanks, my boy. You did all the hard work. Let's get her into clean clothes—out of these sweaty ones. I'll get some of Aurora's mother's old clothing—they'll be big, but not by much...Sunny was always a tiny little thing."

     Cadmium managed to get her coat off while Mr. Fox was gone. But it took both of their gentle maneuvering to get her out of her sweat-slicked clothing and into fresh ones.

     As they waited for the doctor to show up, Mr. Fox had brought a wet cloth and basin to the bedside. They worked together to wipe her heated skin, pressing the cool cloth against her forehead, cheeks, and neck.

      Not once did Scarlet stir.

     But every time the panic inside him stirred, Mr. Fox's calming presence was a balm to his anxiety. Cadmium didn't know how he could be so calm. Scarlet was so sick.

     He used to take care of Aurora's mother. Cadmium recalled suddenly. He probably knew a lot about how to help someone sick. Suddenly, he was even more grateful for the steady presence of the man beside him.

***

     It wasn't long before Aurora returned with a man Cadmium didn't recognize. His silver hair was neatly combed back, and his face carried the serious expression of someone used to being in charge. In one hand, he held a worn leather bag—the only sign that marked him as a doctor.

     Otherwise, he looked like any other resident of District 14. Yet, there was something about the way he carried himself and the thick clothing wrapped around him, that marked a certain air of wealth and authority, setting him apart. Cadmium guessed that if he truly was a doctor, he must come from money—far more than most in their District.

     The man looked between Mr. Fox and him, to Scarlet on the bed. "I'm Dr. Sylas Hallow," He said, nodding to Cadmium. "I typically expect payment upfront, but I can trust District 14's Victor to be honorable in her debts..."

     It was a statement, but the way he asked made it sound like a question. And he still hadn't moved from the doorway in which he stood. As if prepared to walk back out if Cadmium disagreed.

     As if. Cadmium nodded his head. He'd agree to anything at this point. So long as the man helped his sister.

     "Alright then, let me see her. Both of you, out of the way." His tone was steady, calm in a way that put Cadmium slightly at ease. Even if Cadmium had never heard of him, he sounded experienced, like he knew what he was doing.

     He moved out of the way, standing near the wall at the head of the bed, his eyes watching everything that happened.

     Dr. Sylas Hallow examined Scarlet with practiced hands, each movement precise. Cadmium watched, his heart pounding as he took in the Doctor's frown, the quiet murmurs to himself as he checked her pulse and her breathing. Finally, Dr. Sylas Hallow straightened, turning toward Cadmium.

     "She's in a bad way," he said, his voice steady and firm. "Her fever is dangerously high, and her lungs...they're filling with fluid. If you hadn't come to call on me, she would have been in real trouble." He added, switching his gaze to Mr. Fox, giving him a small nod.

     "You can help her though? Right?" Cadmium asked.

     "Yes. Thanks to Mr. Fox's quick assessment, I have the medicine right here. It'll take her a few days yet to recover, but she'll be just fine."

     The air left Cadmium's lungs and his legs became jello. Cadmium slid to the floor, his back sliding against the wall. He stared at the doctor who had turned back to his sister, administering the promised medicine pulled from his brown bag.

     "She's going to be okay? Really?"

     "If you aren't going to believe me, then why am I here?"

     "No, no." Mr. Fox hurriedly cut in. "I think the poor child's just in shock. He carried her all the way here from the Victor's Village before you got here. We're all very, very grateful for your expertise, Dr. Sylas Hallow."

     "She was at the Victor's Village?" The Doctor placed his hand under her chin, pressing on her throat a bit. "I'm much closer to there, why ever wouldn't you have had your mother call on me?" His words were a muttered afterthought, and he paid little attention to the effect they had on him.

     Cadmium stared up at him in shock. True shock.

     "You know my mother?" Harmony knew him?

     "Of course. When your family first took residence there, I came to call. I've been out there a few times since; a bit of a cold being passed around with the dropping temperature."

     Cadmium didn't know what to say, so he stayed quiet. It should surprise him. But after this morning—what had he expected?

      Dr. Sylas Hallow gathered the items taken from his worn brown bag, putting everything away. Finally, the Doctor stood up from where he had taken residence on the bed beside his sister.

     "She should sleep more easily now," he said, turning toward both Mr. Fox and Cadmium. "Keep her here if possible—taking her outside now won't be good for her."

     Cadmium looked toward Mr. Fox, ready to beg if needed, but Mr. Fox was already nodding back toward the doctor. "Of course. We wouldn't dream of sending her out."

     "Her fever should taper off in an hour, two tops. If it spikes, call on me again. You'll want someone to monitor her until the fever breaks. Keep her warm and comfortable. If she wakes, get her to drink some water or some warm broth. She'll be dehydrated. I'll come back tomorrow to check on her progress."

     Cadmium listened raptly to the doctors' instructions, engraining them in his brain, afraid to miss even a single word.

     Mr. Fox saw the doctor out. Cadmium could hear their quiet voices from downstairs, but not what they were talking about. Cadmium stayed frozen in place, his eyes still glued to Scarlet. He watched her chest rise and fall, each shallow breath no longer as labored. Her reddened face was slowly lessening, returning to her natural paleness.

     "She's going to be okay," he whispered, almost afraid to believe it.

     But for the first time in hours, his chest loosened, and the weight that had been pressing down on him finally began to lift. His body sagged toward the bed—toward Scarlet. He felt so much lighter—but the feeling wasn't entirely comforting—it was disorienting. His mind, still racing, couldn't quite catch up with the shift in his emotions.

     There was a part of him that thought, just for a moment, about the quickest way to quiet the spinning of his brain. In this room alone, there were so many ways to hurt himself. But Scarlet was sick and for once, Cadmium didn't want the hazy fog that would follow the pain. He had to watch Scarlet. Make sure the fever kept decreasing and didn't return.

     So he climbed onto the bed next to her, settling beside her carefully, almost afraid to touch her. But when his head rested on the pillow, his forehead pressed against her shoulder, he could hear her breathing. Steady. Constant.

     Cadmium squeezed his eyes shut, letting that sound fill his head. He took in a deep breath, the first one that didn't feel like fire in his lungs. For a moment, he thought he'd be okay, that he could hold it together.

     But his breath caught in his throat. His hand found its way to hers, and the moment their fingers touched, the floodgate broke. Her hand was so...small and fragile in his.

     It started with a sharp inhale, a reflex, almost like he'd been hit. He bit down on his lip, trying to hold back, trying to swallow the lump rising in his throat. He told himself he was fine. Scarlet was fine—or she would be fine.

     It wasn't fine. Nothing was fine about anything that had happened.

     Tears welled up, hot and unrelenting, and before he could stop them, they spilled over. He blinked, trying to clear his vision, but the more he tried to control it, the harder the tears came.

     His shoulders shook, the quiet sobs wracking through him before he even realized what was happening. Each sob was rougher, years of pent-up fears and frustrations finally breaking free. He pressed his face into the pillow beside Scarlet, his tears soaking into the fabric and her shirt sleeve even as the sound of her breathing continued to anchor him.

     He wanted to stop. He didn't want to break down like this. He needed to be strong—for Scarlet. If their positions were reversed, he knew that Scarlet would be strong for him. She always was.

     But he couldn't. Not this time.

     And so, he gave in, letting the tears fall as his body curled against her side, finally allowing himself to truly feel the fear, the panic, the betrayal of Harmony, and the helplessness that he had been holding back for so long. Each tear, each ragged breath, carried the weight of the morning, the sleepless nights, the loss of his siblings, the weight of all the secrets and lies that never seemed to cease.

     Through it all, Scarlet's steady breathing filled the room, a small comfort in the chaos of his own emotions. A small hand rubbed his back soothingly, seeming to add to the comfort.

     Mr. Fox. Aurora. Scarlet. They were all here with him. Scarlet was going to get better. And that was enough.

     For now, it was enough.

---------

So... Feels?? Thoughts? 

What is your biggest prediction stemming from this chapter?

Kindly, Vote, and comment!

Take Care and Stay Safe! ~CANGEL