Rescue- Runaways 2

Chapter 30: Marcus

The next day was hectic. Most of the morning was spent running through procedures again and again and coming up with plans A through Z for every possible scenario. It made my head spin.

I was thankful when I finally got a moment to myself. I had retired to mine and Luke's bedroom. He had decided to keep talking with Micaiah. How there could be anything else to possibly plan for, I had no idea, but I didn't protest.

The truth was, I felt like absolute shit. My head felt like it was full of cotton balls and my stomach hurt. I just wanted to lie down. And I did exactly that. I practically collapsed onto my cot, staring up at the worn, earthen ceiling. I had wanted to catch a quick nap, but now that didn't feel possible. I wished I had brought some sort of allergy medication. The pollen was finally catching up to me.

Thoughts swirled in my head, but I couldn't really focus on a single one. I was too exhausted. I had felt like this for a couple days now, and it only seemed to be getting worse. And I had another asthma attack today. In the middle of a group discussion, of all places. It wasn't from exertion either, which was stranger than the fact that I had one at all.

It was starting to scare me. I was fortunate to have my inhaler this time, but it didn't ease my fear that maybe this wasn't just allergies. Something worse seemed to be going on behind the scenes. Refusing to let myself get carried away in the what ifs again, I settled on closing my eyes, praying that sleep would come after all. Of course, it didn't.

"Hey Marcus," came a voice from behind our tarp. I suppressed a groan. I did not want to talk to anyone right now. "Marcus?" she said again. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, Peyton, I was just trying to rest for a few minutes." I tried to keep my tone even.

"Mind if I come in?"

Well, I couldn't say no. That would be rude. "Fine." She lifted the tarp, stepping inside the room. I sat up, nodding toward Luke's empty bed. She took a seat at the foot of it. "What's up?"

"I don't know," she answered. "I came in to talk to you. I haven't been able to do much of that since I got back."

Since she got back. So that was how she was referring to it. I guess it was accurate, but it was also sugarcoated. I examined her arms, glad to see that some her lesions were healing. I didn't recognize any fresh wounds. Relief washed over me.

Then I realized I'd been silent too long. "Yeah," I replied. "Well, to repeat your question, are you okay? I mean now that you're back and everything."

She nodded. "Yes, actually. And that's the truth." I believed her. I was so happy to see a genuine smile accompany her answer.

I was glad she had never gone through with killing Jalen either. She hadn't spoken of it since the night we brought her back. I had been concerned when she, Colin, and Luke had disappeared the other morning, but none of them had hinted at anything near murder.

"Marcus," she started. "Is there anything you need to tell me?"

I snapped to attention. "What?"

She chuckled softly. "Anything weighing on your mind? I'm not referring to anything in particular by the way, just wondering. Trying to be a good friend."

A lump formed in my throat as I remembered that she didn't know. She didn't know what I had already told Luke and Aaliyah. She didn't know what I was. All of a sudden guilt crashed over me. She deserved to know, more than almost anyone in the world, besides Luke of course.

I swallowed nervously, trying to convince myself she wouldn't judge me. And honestly, I didn't think she would. Not anymore.

"Yeah. Yeah, there is actually," I said quietly. "It's not anything like what you were probably thinking either," I clarified. "I don't know why I didn't tell you sooner. I just didn't want you to see me any differently for it."