Chapter 27 THEY ARE WHAT? JAXON!
Erica’s POV
It took a long second for the words to land. I stared at the phone, the world narrowing....buzzing.
“How—h…did…” I muttered, my words splitting and falling apart. Aaron. I needed to get to him. I had to be there by Jolie's and Emily's side..
I shoved myself up, clutching the phone until my fingers ached. They trembled so badly I didn’t notice. My head was full of thunder, my heart a furious drum.
Where was his room? Where was everyone? I couldn’t think straight. The corridor outside was empty; the door stood slightly ajar, like they’d only just left. I didn’t stop to question it. I ran.
Rain hit me the moment I stepped out—hard, cold, relentless. The storm roared, thunder punching the sky. I didn’t care. Aaron had to hang on.
Then someone bumped into me. Diego. The impact knocked me off balance and I fell. My phone skittered out of my hand, landing in a muddy puddle and slipping away into the dirt.
“No, no—no! The video of Carter!” I cried, lunging, fingers clawing at the rack, but my hands came away empty. The rain flsuhed over it and carried it off like it didn’t exist. I watched it wash away and i lost my breath.
Everything was collapsing all at once. My vision tunneled. Then I saw him—Aaron,
being carried, shirtless, into a waiting car. Shock and a cold, hot panic crawled up my spine. I pushed myself to my feet and ran toward his crew.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, voice breaking as tears streamed down my face.
“He was poisoned,” Tee yelled, rushing past me. The word landed like a blow.
“Poisoned?” My breath hitched. No one answered; they loaded Aaron into the passenger seat without another word.
“Our comrade Diva—she’s missing,” Diego said, getting in. “We can’t find her.”
“Which hospital?” My throat felt raw.
“Valley A,” they said.
My legs buckled. I felt unreal. Jolie… Emily… now Aaron. Was I cursed? Why was everyone I loved being torn to pieces? I could barely breathe.
“Go,” I said, the engine screamed, driving away.
It was when they left, I notice I was barefoot. Yet I walked down in the rain, I needed the air and cold to think. I didn’t feel the sharp stones tearing at the soles of my feet as I ran. Blood hot and sticky leaked down my feets but I kept running anyway, my hair whipping around my face, lungs burning, every step a promise to them.
Giselle, I thought through clenched teeth. Whatever she’s done this time, what she did to Jolie and Emily, I’ll find her. I’ll make her answer for this. I will kill her, choke her till her face turns blue.
My legs gave out. I collapsed on the curb, rain turning my clothes heavy against my skin. I gripped my shirt so hard
“Why me?” I screamed at the sky, the sound lost in the storm. “Why are you doing this to me? I don’t care if it happens to me, but them, why them?”
I curled there, shaking, until the world dimmed and my eyelids fluttered closed. I couldn’t pass out....not now. Not until I knew they were alive.
Seconds or hours—later, a bump to my head and my eyes snapped open. I was in a car. How had I gotten inside?
“Who are you?” I croaked, blinking at the feminine hands on the steering wheel.
“That’s not how you say thank you,” the woman replied, amused. I let out a groan and blinked harder.
"hmm"
“Diva?” I whispered, squinting at her face. She didn’t look up.
“You poisoned Aaron,” I accused. The car jerked to a halt. My seatbelt cut into my ribs.
“I didn’t mean to,” she said, voice small. “I was angry. I was so angry.”
“He told me, he said it would be better if he died than to keep suffering… all because of her—Celina.” Her voice broke when she said the name.
“Who?” I croaked. My throat was raw. I had no voice left after shouting and crying.
“Aaron’s stepbrother,” Diva said. “I—I regret it. I swear I regret it.”
Aaron had a stepbrother? He’d never told me. Not once. My mind scrambled for the missing pieces and found only questions.
Enough. I needed the hospital. I needed to see them. Jaxon must be panicking, where was my phone? Gone. Of course it was gone.
“Valley A Hospital,” I told Diva. She started the car again.
We pulled into the lot. I scrambled out, but Diva stayed inside the car, her hands clunged tightly to the steering wheel, her head down in shame.
. “Aren’t you coming?” i asked.
"They will kill me if they set their eyes on me" she muttered. Gosh I didn't have time for this.
So I dragged her out from the car “I will protect you,” I said, running till we arrived at the hospital door.
I panted, opening the hospital doors and stepping into the flood of fluorescent light.
Jaxon met me before I reached reception. His face was drained of color, his eyes hollow and blown wide with fear.
“Where are they? Are they okay?” I demanded, grabbing his collar like I might steady myself on him.
“Erica… they....” He couldn’t finish. His mouth worked, but no sound came.
“They are what?” I pressed. My hands shook so violently I could feel it against his coat.
He swallowed. His voice came out a broken whisper. “They are… d--.”