I had spent two more days just like that one, lying in bed with Lauren and she didn’t show any sign of getting better, which made that night very difficult for me.
Lauren had her head on my chest near my shoulder. My head rested on top of hers, as my fingers were absent-mindedly stroking her back. My own eyes barely open themselves, letting the laziness take over my body.
Ed came into the room and I opened my eyes at the sound of his footsteps. He tapped on my arm to get me up. I shifted Lauren, placing the pillow where I had been. Before I could get fully out of bed, Ed dragged me out of room. His eyes were wide. I was about to yell at him as he pulled me aside into the kitchen and started to talk, looking worried.
“Manson’s men are coming. Before you start pointing fingers, it wasn’t me who contacted him. The plan is that you hide somewhere else. I’ll take care of them here.”
I glanced over to where Lauren was.
“I can’t leave her now, I think she’s getting worse!”
He took hold of my shoulders and snapped my concentration back to him.
“Boy, that man is a powerful one! He has followers, not only from the few that survived in Jersey, but other states. He is picking up speed of support from the few that are alive and he has weapons.”
I was so ticked off at myself for getting into this whole mess with Manson. I looked at the bedroom that Lauren was in once more. I cursed the day that I sent Manson to jail. Why couldn’t I have just stayed home instead? That moment of heroism was now putting others in danger.
“I hate doing this,” I stated, not moving my eyes away from the room that I was in just a minute ago, my body felt rigid with dread.
“I figured as much,” he said in a caring voice.
“I really don’t want to run away.” Anxiety continued to take over.
Not again. I did not want to run off on the group once more.
“It’s for the best, for the kiddies,” Ed spoke softly.
“Damn it!” I cursed under my breath.
“Go, boy! You have to leave before it’s too late!”
“I really don’t want to do this,” I said finally looking at him, heart pounding.
“You’re not a coward when it’s the right thing to do.”
Knowing he was right, I ran without another word. I left through the back door, not really sure what to do, but knew I had to get Manson’s men on a new trail so I could go back to the group. I made trees rustle as I was going and stopped dead in my tracks. Manson and his men weren’t following me at all. What was I going to do? Run or help the others?
Chapter Five
Lauren