DREAD (BOOK 1 OF THE DREAD TRILOGY)

Chapter 8

The next day at breakfast I get a message on my watch from Felix to come meet him in the medical centre. I hadn't seen Fidelis since yesterday, I wanted her to come with me for support but when I went to find her in her room she wasn't there, Brodie said that Rick had locked her in the same room that he had locked me in. I didn't know that she actually ended up telling Rick and the twelve that she is a dread, I though she was going to wait so that she could create a meeting. I decide that I will go see her after I see Luke. I go to Tobias' room and he seems surprised to see me. I don't see why after last night's events, man that sounds wrong. "Will you please come with me to the medical centre?" I ask him. He has no shirt on and he looks like he just woke up. He rubs his eyes and lets out a yawn.

"Of course" He says. He closes the door and when he comes out he is fully dressed. "Let's go" He says. I was happy that he didn't ask me why I wanted him to come and I think he already got the idea on why. He knows me well and a lot of the time he knows what I'm thinking. We walk to the medical centre and I am almost disappointed that he doesn't hold my hand. Geez why do I sound so cheesy, I don't want to be one of those people who likes a guy and can't resist the urge to touch his hand. I reach out and grab his hand. Damn it Alex. Well it looks like I am one of those people, good job me. He gives me a warm smile but we don't say a word the whole way there. Felix opens the door with a smile and by the look on his face I know that Luke is okay. I let go of Tobi's hand and push past Felix. Luke is sitting up in bed eating peaches out of a can. I run over and hug him.

"Hey sis" He says cheerfully. I pull away and look at him, there is something wrong. I picture what he looked like yesterday. He had cuts on his arms and a cut across his face, He was pale and unconscious, and there is no way that he could possibly be sitting up. I look over his face and there is no sign of the cuts let alone a scar. My eyes widen. "What's wrong?" he asks. He puts down his can of peaches and looks at me with a worried expression.

"Felix turn off the lights" I order. I feel like I order him around like this on purpose because I know that he is scared of me, I'm such a horrible person. Felix looks at me confused. "Just do it" I snap. He frowns at me but turns off the lights. I look at Luke's face and my worst nightmare has come true. Luke's eyes glow a green colour. I put my hand over my mouth as I feel tears falling.

"Are you crying Ali?" Luke asks. I don't answer him, I turn around and walk out the door. On my way I turn the lights back on. I feel my back hit a wall and I slide down it and cry into my hands. What have I done? This is exactly what I didn't want to think would happen. I just turned my brother into a Dread with my blood. That is two people in the last week. I hear someone walk out of the room and sit down next to me. I look up at the person with red eyes, its Tobias. He rests his hand on my back and pulls me into him.

"What have I done?" I ask him.

"You did the one thing that would save your brother's life" He says in a comforting voice. His arm is now wrapped around me and is resting on my shoulder. "He's not angry at you"

"That's the problem though" I say as I wipe my tears. I sit up and look him in the eye. "I want him to be angry, I wanted Fidelis to be angry at me. How could they be so forgiving?"

"You're Fidelis' mentor and you were once her best friend and Luke is your brother" He says. "I don't see any reason why they wouldn't forgive you for something that you can't control" and suddenly I feel better. He always seems to find a way to calm me. Sometimes I think that I don't deserve to have Tobias as a friend let alone a possible boyfriend, he is way too good to me. He has always been there for me and I feel like I haven't appreciated it enough.

"Thanks" I say.

"For what?"

"For being here, without you I don't think there would be anyone who truly understands me"