Broken Dreams(96)
“No! Absolutely not!” She was pissed that he would imply she would do such a thing, even though she had already thought of it.
“What makes her any different? She’s a pain in your ass since she’s with your Henry.”
Sophie didn’t get into the truck, but slammed the door closed and stormed right up to Nick. “Fuck you,” she growled as she jammed her finger into his chest. “You have no idea what I am going through! She has no clue about who Henry really is. I do! We were each other’s first. And if he wasn’t forced to leave, we would still be together!” She was burning hot.
“Jealous?”
“Just get in the fucking truck right now, or you’ll have to hitch a ride with one of your undead pals!” She pointed just over Nick’s right shoulder. Nick looked behind him. There were three coming right for them.
“Shit!” Nick quickly headed to the passenger side. “Fuck!” He shouted when he saw Nate.
“Get in!”
“Nate is over here!”
“What?” Sophie ran over to the passenger side. There sat Nate, slumped over with his neck torn out. “Shit! He’s going to change! It must have just happened!” Sophie raised her gun.
“Wait!” Nick looked at him closer. The back of his head was in bits, decorating the side of the truck. “He’s true dead.”
“What? How?” She hoped playing stupid would be effective.
“Gunshot wound.” He pointed at the truck door. The moaning became louder. Sophie looked up, and shot each of the undeads right between the eyes. One by one, they dropped to the ground.
“Get in the truck!” Sophie sprinted over to the driver’s side.
Nick picked up Nate’s gun, which was held loosely in his hand. Then he pulled Nate’s lifeless body away from the truck, took off his pack, and dragged him over to the sidewalk. He stopped for a moment.
“Nick! Come on!”
“Give me a second!”
“We have to move!”
“I know!” Nick yelled. “God. You are such a tyrannical psychotic bitch,” he mumbled. He returned his attention to Nate’s body. “I’m sorry, Nate. You’re in a better place now. I’m sure you will have all the Armani you can handle.”
He threw on Nate’s pack and sprinted to the truck. No sooner had he gotten in then Sophie floored it, throwing him back into his seat.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Nick’s anger was boiling over.
“He’s true dead. Nothing would have changed that.”
“If it wasn’t for Nate...” He paused.
“I know. But, listen, he was a ticking time bomb.”
“I don’t know about that.”
“He was! He never followed orders!”
“This is not a goddamned military camp! When will you get that everyone is human?”
“Not everyone,” Sophie mumbled with burning anger.
“Fine. Not everyone. The undeads are no longer alive, but they were at one time! We are all in the same boat here.”
Sophie shook her head, feeling a little emotional. The tension was thick. They sat silent through the rest of the trip back to Henry’s apartment.
***
Even though the tears continued to run down his face, Henry didn’t turn away. He put his head in his hands and rubbed his temples. He was shattering. He looked lost, unsure, defeated, and destroyed.
“Henry, what is it?” I felt bad for what I had done. I had ended it with him, and I didn’t think I should have. I regretted my harsh words. While I was searching for some answers, interrogating him, all I had done was make him feel even more lost and even more depressed.
“There is just so much…” he croaked out.
“So much what?”
“Bullshit. It’s too much. I can’t believe I’m cracking. I’m fucking weak!” He slammed his fist on the counter.
“Henry, you aren’t a machine. How many times have I told you that? You are human. You are going to crack. Look at what’s going on around us. None of us have been able to keep it together. Every single one of us is all over the map with our emotions.”
“I have never cracked once! Not even when I was beaten an inch from true death.” He pounded his fist down on the bar. “Damn it!” he yelled. “I looked them in the face, blindfolded or not, while they beat the piss out of me. I never once showed an ounce of fear.”
He was so angry with himself. I grabbed him in hopes that I could comfort him. He turned into my shoulder. “Elaina…” he whispered. Good Lord, he was completely shitfaced. “Please take me back. I beg you. I can’t go on without you.” He rested his forehead on the center of my chest. A few sobs escaped him. “I can’t. I love you so much. I can’t…without you…”