“How bad is it?” Spencer said.
Jimmy’s normally easy-going face was streaked with tears and dirt and blood. Maibe supported him with her shoulder under his and her hands wrapped around his chest. Jimmy’s face went white as he lifted his hand away from the bullet wound on his arm—a gash three inches long and deep enough to still be seeping blood.
“It’s a flesh wound,” Ano said, pressing the skin on either side. “It needs to be cleaned and bandaged.”
We had stopped at the fence edge that separated the water park from the rest of the fairgrounds. The rundown buildings, empty pools, and brightly painted three-story slides were a creepy background for our reunion. It looked abandoned, but on the far end, there was activity near the train tracks. Too far away to worry about at the moment.
“We have to go back for Corrina,” Maibe said. She looked earnestly at each one of us. “We have to.”
“I don’t think so. We’ve got to get gone,” I said. “They’re going to be looking for us and we’ve got to get gone and away from this crazy place. The bike trail is on the other side of the levee,” I pointed to it. “We find a way onto it and take it out of town.”
“But—”
“Look, I’m sorry, I really am,” I interrupted Maibe. “But we can’t do it, Maibe. We’ve got to run—”
“No, we’re going back for the rest,” Spencer said. “It’s my fault she got caught.” He tugged on the makeshift tourniquet around Jimmy’s arm one last time before standing up. “Leaf, go with Jimmy and Maibe to the edge of the grounds. Find a way onto the bike trail, set a fire, then get gone. Gabbi, Ano, Ricker, you’re coming back with me.”
“I’m going too,” Maibe said.
“I’m not staying behind either,” Leaf said. The yellow of his shirt almost matched the yellowish gleam of his face.
Spencer looked at him for a long time.
“Dr. Ferrad hit a nerve,” Leaf said. “When they were running some tests on me. It was an accident. They really are looking for a cure.”
Spencer shook his head.
“Dr. Ferrad is here?” I said.
“She’s the one who’s been experimenting on us,” Ricker said, loathing thick in his voice.
“She’s trying to find a cure,” Leaf said, his words coming out with a lisp.
“How can you defend them?” Ricker said. “They’re monsters.”
“I’m not defending them,” Leaf said.
I had to look away because he only said it with half his face and it made me want to burst into tears.
“Gabbi, it’s going to be okay,” Leaf said.
I gritted my teeth and turned to Spencer. “This is crazy. You said we should always run from a fight.”
“Not always,” Spencer said.