Sitting up, I gasp for air my head is thudding and I feel like my entire body was held down by weights. Cursing the door in front of me is wide open and my dad is beside me holding my hand.
"Hey Pumpkin, how was the ride?"
"I told her dad… it's over." He's confused as Henderson rounds the frame, panting heavily he shouts.
"Are you both just suicidal or what?!"
"Or what?" I reply with a smirk, using the bed as leverage to push myself up onto my feet. "When did you get here?" I ask as he walks over to me, pulling me into a hug I'm surprised at first.
"You and Olive really need to stop giving this old man heart attacks."
"Can I give you another one?" Another voice joins us, looking towards the door Anna stands there looking no day over twenty. Henderson lets me go, tears falling from his face as he strides over to her.
"Your back! Your finally back!" He cheers holding her close before looking towards Jack, "Come in here you moron!" Jack surprisingly does so as Elinor rushes in, hearing all the commotion she nearly knocks them all to the floor in a flurry of tears.
Slipping passed them to the quiet living room the front door sits wide open. Linus sits on the porch a small book in his hands as he stares out into the forestry.
"You going to be okay?" I ask standing behind him.
"I- I don't know… he hasn't come back yet…" He breaths out the tall-tale sign of tears, evident as he takes shaky inhale. Moving to take a seat behind him, he scoots a bit to make some room.
"Hey, it's going to be okay." I try to reassure him, placing my hand on his back. I can't believe I'm doing this… consulting a murderer. But it hasn't been the weirdest thing I've done today.
"Where is Olive? She should have popped up by now, right?" He finally asks, rubbing his eyes.
"Oh, shit yeah! She's at Andy's shop! I got to go grab her!" Shooting up from the spot a soft chuckle hits my ears before making my way back inside. "Can I borrow someone's car to go grab Olive? She's at Andy's shop." Henderson shrugs his shoulders, making a face when he drops his arms.
"Sorry kid my trucks been wrecked."
Elinor gets up, rushing over to the fireplace where she digs through a bowl and tosses me a set of keys.
"But mine isn't and it better come back in one piece."
"Yes ma'am." Catching the keys, I fain a playful salute before turning around and making my way over to her truck. Opening the door Linus pipes up, standing on the other side.
"May I come along?"
Nodding he, hops inside and we make a quick trip through the town. People stepping out of their homes, some inspecting damages, some just happy to be alive as they stand out front.
"It's finally over…" Linus mumbles as we pass a few more houses, the weather surprisingly cleared quick as the reporter on the radio cheers.
'This storm was one of the worst ones we've seen in the last thirteen years ago. Many people are lucky to have homes nearly intact besides the large number of debris everywhere we are all thankful for the end.'
"Us too…" I mumble as we pull into the front of Andy's store. Olive sits on the sidewalk, standing as soon as we come to a stop. Stepping over she leans against the now open window. "Why hello there, haven't seen you around before?" I joke as she hits my arm, opening the door I help her up into the middle console. Waving at Linus as soon as she was comfortable.
"Hello again Olive. Thank you for earlier."
"Earlier?" She questions, he nods.
"When we broke out of the hospital… you made sure we didn't get shoot. Thank you." He finally says, "I don't think in the state he was in that Olen could not have survived getting shot."
"What do you mean?"
'This conversations getting good.' I thought as I pull from the parking spot and make my way back to the house.
"Olen's body was dying. Fading. I really don't know how to phrase it. But he wasn't going to survive a few pod shots like he did when I first met him."
"Where is Olen by the way? Thought he would be all over you by this point?" She finally asks, giving a quirked brow as she leans back. Linus takes a shaky breath turning away a bit as though he had been stung by something. Hugging himself as she turns to me.
"He hasn't come out yet." I reply, giving me a knowing nod, she lays her hand on Linus' shoulder.
"Sorry. Let's just hope his sarcasm will get him tossed back."
Shaking my head, we reach the house where everyone is standing outside. Surprisingly smiles and laughter, getting out Elinor is quick to meet us.
"Alright so, we have a deal for you." She eyes Linus for a second. "But you got to take something with you and make sure no more idiots do what Jack did."
"And what may that be?"