Chapter 93: Gnawing Cold (1/2)
Emil sat outside the bedroom of the Dawn family in a silent state. Gale leaned against the wall clicking his tongue waiting. Zinnia was just as quiet as she was staring out the window fidgeting around. After Alton had collapsed, Scarlett had taken the lead taking Team Rhapsody back to her home once again. The idea was off to Gale and Emil believing a hospital would be much better. Gale sighed, moving away. ”Emil, what happened back there? You froze up in that dump of an apartment.”
”That dump of an apartment was the home I grew up in before I joined the Montagues.”
”Oh, sorry…”
Emil shook his head-scratching his chin which had patches of facial hair plastered around. ”Don't be. I have no remorse or care for that place. I hadn't been back since I became a Montague eight years ago. It just threw me off.”
”You said your mother was in that blitz. No one was there, though.” Zinnia spoke, confused. ”And Alton spoke of another person.”
”Sam? Who the hell is she?”
”An old friend, I think.”
”Something doesn't feel right,” Emil spoke. ”I heard her voice. I knew it was her. But that's impossible.”
”What makes you say that?” Gale asked.
Emil sighed, cupping his hands together. ”Because she is most likely dead. The day my father found me, my mother was taken away. She was wrapped up in a large amount of debt. The drugs and alcohol kept on coming in as she used any income for her addiction. It couldn't last forever. The people she owed money to broke in the night before and took her. They left me, and I haven't heard from her since. If she isn't dead, she might as well be. So, hearing her cry out for me really threw me off.”
Zinnia was lost in thought, a mixture of confusion and concern flooded her. ”What if this girl Alton heard is also dead?”
”Not this shit again. I thought we were done with ghosts after Gemini.” Gale complained.
”No, that's not it,” Emil muttered looking down. ”Hearing her cry out to me. I felt nothing, I couldn't feel her presence. Although I fell for it, I concluded it all felt fake.”
”Fake?”
Emil nodded. ”Whatever was cooing me into that apartment wasn't my mother nor was it the girl Alton heard.”
”Well, whatever it might have been hopefully burned in the fire.” Gale scoffed sitting down. The three fell silent again as the doors to the bedroom opened. They all jumped up as the family's doctor, and Scarlett walked out.
He gave a stern smile patting Scarlett on the shoulder, her expressions, on the other hand, was more of dread and concern. ”I'm sorry miss Dawn. I've done all I could.”
The doctor walked out as Scarlett looked away cursing under her breath. ”Fuck.”
”How is he, Scarlett?”
Scarlett turned to them sighing. ”No point hiding it. Come on in.” Team Rhapsody walked, feeling a vast drop in temperature. Each of them was shivering as the room was frozen. Alton was hooked up to serval machines as he was wrapped in serval blankets and coats. ”Don't touch him.” She raised her hands, showing serval burn marks graved on her hands.
”It's like the bloody ice age in here.” Emil coughed covering his mouth. ”What the hell is wrong with him?”
”I wish I knew. All I know is that he is dying.”
”Dying…” Zinnia whispered in shock.
Scarlett crossed her arms frowning. ”We don't know much. We have the best doctors in the country, and not one of them have a single clue what this is. His temperature is dropping, his heartbeat is getting slower by each passing second. They give him a week before this sickness kills him.”
”Fuck!” Emil barked kicking a chair over. ”First Percy and now Alton!”
”No, there has to be a way to save him! We have to save him!” Zinnia roared.
Scarlett began twitching turning on Zinnia making everyone look startled. ”You think I just want Alton to die?! You're not the only one who wants to save him you dumb bitch!”
Zinnia flinched stepping back. ”Scarlett…”
”No for once I think I'm going to say something that I've been holding back. I know how you feel Zinnia. You think it's all your problem and yours alone. Ever since Percy's death, you've pushed us all away like no one else is hurting too. I've only been a part of Team Rhapsody for a month, but I think I'm more than entitled to my opinion. This is all our problem, and we will save Alton together.”
Zinnia lowered her head, wiping her eyes. ”Alright. Sorry.”
Alton began grumbling as they turned to him in a panic. Zinnia forgot what Scarlett warned her retracted her hand which burned on touch. ”Alton, can you hear me?”
”Stop. Fighting.”
”We weren't.”
Alton still had his eyes closed as he began whispering softly. ”You two are always fighting Marco. Give each other some slack Destiny.”
”Alton it's-.”
Scarlett stopped Zinnia shaking her head. ”Sorry. We'll try. How are you feeling?”
”Like I've been hit by a truck full of nails. Ha. Is Sam, alright?”
Scarlett licked her lips intending to keep playing along with the conversation. ”She just went out for a toilet break. She'll be back in a second.”