Chapter 1: Reunion

Nive suddenly woke up. She looked around and realized that it was no longer on the sidewalk or in the hexagonal one. She was in her house. Everything was under rubble. "Cade!" Nive cried as she got off the couch. "Cade, where are you?" She walked toward the kitchen and found the empty glass of water on the counter. "Cade?" Nive hurried back to the couch. "Cade, where are you now?" She circled the couch and screamed. Cade sat lifeless, leaning forward against the couch. "Cade! Oh no no no!" She ran over to Cade and bent over him. Then she saw the knife. "Hey, Cade! Do you hear me? Everything will be fine, okay?" Cade didn't respond. "Cade!" Nive pressed her hands to his stomach, hoping to reduce more blood loss. "Cade, you need to wake up now! I mean it! This isn't funny anymore!" Suddenly Cade gasped. Dazed but also frightened, Cade looked at Nive. "Nive?" he said softly. "Is that you?" Nive smiled. "Yes, Cade. It's me." Cade straightened up and made a wry face. "I'm afraid I'm not doing very well." Nive looked at Cade. "No, I can see that too." She said. Cade coughed and he gasped. "You were unconscious all of a sudden. I was really scared. I thought… you might never wake up. I took you in and put you on… the couch. Suddenly I heard ste… voices. I went to look and put my ear to the wall. Two men were talking… talking. Larson and Brownfield. That's how hot she is. Yes. After they argued, I barged into the… room. They asked if I had understood something and I denied it. She didn't believe me and the tall man, Brownfield, stabbed me. Then Larkson started talking in a language that… I didn't know. Then came a lot of light. A lot! Brownfield said I wouldn't make it, so they could go. Suddenly they were gone. Just disappeared. I walked over here and then collapsed. I'm so glad you're here Nive. Otherwise, I would have been… surrendered to it."

Nive frowns. "What room was that?" Cade coughed. 'I have no idea. I didn't even know that room existed!' Nive looked down the hallway and the trail of blood Cade had left behind. She turned back and gripped the knife tightly. "Hey hey hey wait a minute!" said Cade. He gave Nive a startled look and pushed her hands away. "Brownfield said if you took the knife away you could have a higher risk of infection and more blood loss. Is this smart?" Nive sighed and released the knife. "Cade," she said. 'I know what I am doing. I've got bandages in the kitchen as well. I pull out the knife, clean the wound and bandage it. You have to trust me." Cade looked at Nive and a tear rolled down his cheek. 'Hey. What is it?" Nive said, looking at Cade with concern. "I can't," he said. "I just can't go through that pain again!" Nive also felt tears come up. Cade should know what pain is. She remembered her conversation with the Speaker all too well. Even if he tried to make her forget. The pain had been unbearable. Feeling the shadow running through your whole body was horrifying.

"Yes, Cade. You can, okay? I count to three and pull it out. Ready?" Cade shook his head violently, but Nive paid no attention. The knife had to be removed from Cade's belly. 'Here we go. Three! Two! One!" With great force, Nive pulled the knife. It flew out of Cade's belly and Nive fell backward. Cade cried out in pain again. His hands shot to his stomach. Nive rose again, the knife in her hands. "Good luck!" she cried. Cade looked sullen as tears streamed down his cheeks. Again. "As if that wasn't the whole plan or something."