The Experiment P.31

"Get up!" Stefan was yelling to the others.

Stefan ran over to Lydia.
"Wake up!" he said, shaking her.

"What?" Lydia murmured, opening her eyes.

"They're here!" Stefan shrieked, waking the others. "Get UP!" he cried desperately.

Lydia stood up. In the distance, she saw a white object moving ever so closer to them.

"Stefan, what's that?" she asked.

Stefan grimaced. "It's the Capters. They're coming for us."

Natalie and Marcus leaped to their feet.

"Let's move," Tashie announced.

"We're ready." Natalie said.

"Wait!" Lydia yelled. "What about Gavin?"

The others glanced at Gavin, lying on the grass.

"Go wake him up." Tashie said sternly.

Lydia nodded and slowly walked over to Gavin. She got on her knees and bent down next to him.

"Wake up," she whispered in his ear, shaking him slightly.

Gavin slowly opened his eyes.

Lydia glanced at Gavin's chest. Gavin was barely breathing.

"Gavin," Lydia whispered, twisting a lock of his hair.

Gavin's mouth was open. He was struggling to make words.

"It's the marking." Tashie said, walking over to Lydia. "He's way past gone, Lydia."

The truth dawned on Lydia.
"No," she whispered, clutching Gavin's arm.

Stefan bent down next to her. "He's nearly dead." he said, squeezing her hand. "And we've gotta go," he muttered.

Lydia glanced up. The mob was nearly 100 feet away now. Lydia could see the guns in the Capter's hands.

"We can't just leave him!" she shrieked.

Stefan shrugged. "We've got to."

"No." Lydia said, hot tears streaming down her face.

"Lydia," Stefan said, "He can't move. He can barely breathe. We've got to go." he said, grabbing Lydia's arm.

"No." Lydia screeched. "No no no no no no!" Lydia kicked her legs and grabbed Gavin's arm. "I'm not letting go!" she yelled. Stefan grabbed her and pulled her away.

Lydia stared at Gavin. She couldn't be sure, but Gavin looked like he was trying to say something: go.

Lydia cried out and looked away. "No!" she yelled.

"Lydia!" Stefan yelled, exasperated. "We've GOT TO GO!"

The Capters were close enough to shoot the group.

"Okay." Lydia murmured.

Suddenly, a Capter shot at the group.

"Run!" Stefan yelled, taking off.

Lydia obeyed, but turned around just in time to see Gavin get shot by the Capters.

Blood was streaming down Gavin's face, a look of pain now forever frozen onto his pale face.

"Lydia!" Stefan yelled, grabbing her arm and pulling her away.

Lydia turned around to see Gavin one last time, her body numb.

Gavin was dead.