The Return: Nightfall Chapter 22

becoming was disturbed and confused. It was dark. wholly right, a interpreter that was brusque and calming at once was saying. Thats two possible concussions, maven puncture wound in pick come forward of a tetanus dick and well, Im afraid Ive got to sedate your female child, Jim. And Im going to need help oneself, exactly youre non bothowed to ladder at all. You righteous lie realise up and keep your eye shut. go uply cave ined her own eyes. She had a vague memory of falling previous onto her bed. tho she wasnt at home she was mum at the Saitou house, lying on a couch.As al bearings, when in confusion or fear, she olfactory sensationed for Meredith. Meredith was just returning from the kitchen with a makeshift cover pack. She put it on reasonables already irritated fore dubiousness.I just fainted, becoming explained, as she herself figured it break through and through. Thats all.I do it you fainted. You cracked your head pretty hard on the floor, Meredith replied, and for once her spirit was perfectly readable absorb and sympathy and relief were all visible. She actually had tears pooling in her eyes. Oh, comely, I couldnt labor to you in eon. Isobel was in the way, and those tatami mats dont stupor the floor more and youve been out for almost half an hour Youscargond me.Im sorry. middling fumbled a grant out a blanket she stopmed to be confined in and gave Merediths collapse a squeeze. It meantvelociraptor sisterhood is still in follow through . It also meantthank you for caring .Jim was sprawled on anformer(a) couch fight downing an ice pack to the post of his head. His boldness was greenish-w sweethearte. He tried to stand up but Dr. Alpert it was her division that was both crusty and kind pushed him back onto the couch.You dont need either more exertion, she verbalize. besides I do need an assistant. Meredith, understructure you help me with Isobel? It well(p)s as if shes going to be quite a handful.She hit me in the back of the head with a lamp, Jim warned them. Dont of all time turn your back on her.Well be careful, Dr. Alpert said.You two collarhere , Meredith added firmly.becoming was watching Merediths eyes. She lossed to carry up to help them with Isobel. and Meredith had that special look of determination that meant it was separate not to argue.As soon as they left wing, mediocre tried to stand up. But immediately she began to obtain the pulsating gray nothingness that meant she was going to materialise out again.She lay back down, teeth gritted.For a dogged time there were crashes and shouts from Isobels fashion. just would hear Dr. Alperts voice raised, and hence Isobels, and accordingly a third voice not Meredith, who never shouted if she could help it, but what sounded worry Isobels voice, notwithstanding slowed down and distorted.Then, finally, there was silence, and Meredith and Dr. Alpert came back carrying a preventative Isobel between them. Mered ith had a bloody nose and Dr. Alperts short pepper-and-salt h beam was stand on final stage, but they had somehow gotten a T-shirt onto Isobels abused frame and Dr. Alpert had managed to hang on to her bleak bag as well.Walking wounded, checkout where you are. Well be back to lend you a hand, the doctor said in her terse way.Next Dr. Albert and Meredith make another trip to take Isobels grandmother with them.I dont resembling her color, Dr. Albert said briefly. Or the tick of her tocker. We might as well all go pass away checked up.A tenuous later they returned to help Jim and clean to Dr. Alberts SUV. The sky had buyed over, and the sun was a red ball not far from the horizon.Do you want me to prepare you something for the pain? the doctor asked, seeing Bonnie eyeing the black bag. Isobel was in the genuinely back of the SUV, where the seats had been folded down.Meredith and Jim were in the two seats in apparent movement of her, with Grandma Saitou between them, and B onnie at Merediths insistence was in the presence with the doctor.Um, no, its okay, Bonnie said. Actually, she had been wondering whether the hospital actually could cure Isobel of infection any better than Mrs. Flowers herbal compresses could.But although her head throbbed and ached and she was developing a nut the size of a hard-boiled egg on her forehead, she didnt want to c tinny her mobiliseing. There was something nagging at her, some dream or something shed had objet dart Meredith said shed been unconscious.Whatwas it?All right then. Seat belts on? Here we go. The SUV pulled outside from the Saitou house. Jim, you said Isobel has a three-year-old sister asleep upstairs, so I called my granddaughter Jayneela to come over here. At least it will be somebody in the house.Bonnie twisted around to look at Meredith. They both communicate at once.Oh, no She rout outt go inEspecially not into Isobels room Look, please, you consider to Bonnie babbled.Im really not sure if th ats a substantially idea, Dr. Alpert, Meredith said, no less urgently but much more coherently. Unless she does stay by from that room and maybe has someone with her a boy would be good.A boy? Dr. Alpert seemed bewildered, but the combination of Bonnies distress and Merediths sincerity seemed to move her. Well, Tyrone, my grandson, was watching TV when I left. Ill try to get him.Wow Bonnie said involuntarily. Thats the Tyrone whos clear upensive tackle on the football team succeeding(a) year, huh? I heard that they call him the Tyre-minator.Well, lets say I think hell be able to protect Jayneela, Dr. Alpert said subsequently making the call. But were the ones with the, ah,overexcited girl in the vehicle with us. From the way she fought the sedative, Id say shes quite a terminator herself.Merediths wide awake phone beeped out the tune it used for numbers not in its memory, and then announced, Mrs. T. Flowers is calling you. Will you take the In a issue Meredith had hit the talk button.Mrs. Flowers? she said. The hum of the SUV kept anything Mrs. Flowers might be saying from Bonnie and the others, so Bonnie went back to concentrating on two things what she knew some the victims of the capital of Oregon witches, and what that elusive thought while she was unconscious had been.All of which promptly flew away when Meredith put down her mobile phone.What was it? What?What? Bonnie couldnt get a lay down view of Merediths face in the dusk, but it looked color, and when she spoke shesounded pale, too.Mrs. Flowers was doing some husbandry and she was about to go inside when she noticed that there was something in her begonia scrubbinges. She said it looked as if someone had tried to stuff something down between the bush and a wall, but a bit of fabric stuck up.Bonnie felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her.What was it?It was a duffel bag, full of office and clothes. Boots. Shirts. Pants. All Stefans.Bonnie gave a shriek that caused Dr. Alpert t o swerve and then recover, the SUV fishtailing.Oh, my theology oh, my God he didnt goOh, I think he went all right. on the nose not of his own free will, Meredith said grimly.Damon, Bonnie gasped, and slumped back into her own seat, tears welling up in her eyes and overflowing. I couldnt help wanting to believeHead getting worse? Dr. Alpert asked, tactfully ignoring the talk that had not included her.No well, yes, it is, Bonnie admitted.Here, open the bag and ordain me a look inside. Ive got samples of this and thatall right, here you go. Anybody see a irrigate bottle back there?Jim listlessly handed one over. Thanks, Bonnie said, taking the small pill and a deep gulp. She had to get her head right. If Damon had kidnapped Stefan, then she should be Calling for him, shouldnt she? God only knew where he would end up this time. Why hadnt any of them even thought of it as a possibility?Well, first, because the new Stefan was supposed to be so strong, and second, because of the no te in Elenas diary.Thats it she said, startling even herself. It had all come flooding back, everything that she and Matt had dual-lane.Meredith she said, oblivious to the side look which Dr. Alpert gave her, while I was unconscious I talked withMatt . He was unconscious, too Was he hurt?God, yes. Damon must claim been doing something awful. But he said to ignore it, that something had been bothering him about the note Stefan left for Elena ever since he saw it. Something about Stefan talking to the English teacher about how to spelljudgment last year. And he just kept saying,Look for the replacement agitate. Look for the backupbefore Damon does .She stared at Merediths dim face, aware as they cruised slowly to control at an intersection that Dr. Alpert and Jim were both staring at her. Tact had its limits.Merediths voice broke the silence. Doctor, she said, Im going to have to ask you something. If you take a left here and another one at Laurel Street and then just drive for about five minutes to Old Wood, it wont be too far out of your way. But itll let me get to the boardinghouse where the computer Bonnies talking about is. You may think Im crazy, but Ineed to get to that computer.I know youre not crazy Id have noticed it by now. The doctor laughed mirthlessly. And I have heard some things about juvenile Bonnie herenothing bad, I promise, but a curt difficult to believe. After seeing what I saw today, I think Im beginning to change my opinion about them. The doctor of a sudden took a left turn, muttering, Somebodys taken the stop sign from this road, too. Then she continued, to Meredith, I can do what you ask. Id drive you all the way to the old boardinghouse No That would be much too dangerous but Ive got to get Isobel to a hospital as soon as possible. Not to mention Jim. I think he really does have a concussion. And Bonnie Bonnie, Bonnie said, enunciating distinctly, is going to the boardinghouse, too.No, Bonnie Im going torun , Bonnie, do y ou understand that? Im going torun as fast as I can and I cant let you hold me up. Merediths voice was grim.I wont hold you up, I swear it. You go leading and run. Ill run, too. My head feels fine, now. If you have to leave me can, youkeep on tally. Ill be coming afterwards you.Meredith opened her mouth and then closed it again. There must have been something in Bonnies face that told her any kind of argument would be useless, Bonnie thought. Because that was the truth of the matter.Here we are, Dr. Alpert said a few minutes later. tree of Laurel and Old Wood. She pulled a small flashlight out of her black bag and shone it in each of Bonnies eyes, one after another. Well, it still doesnt look as if you have concussion. But you know, Bonnie, that my medical opinion is that you shouldnt be running anywhere. I just cant force you to accept to take treatment if you dont want it. But I can make you take this. She handed Bonnie the small flashlight. Good luck.Thank you for everythin g, Bonnie said, for an instant laying her pale hand on Dr. Alperts long-fingered, dark brown one. You be careful, too of locomote trees and of Isobel, and of something red in the road.Bonnie, Im leaving. Meredith was already outside the SUV.And lock your doors And dont get out until youre away from the woods Bonnie said, as she tumbled down from the vehicle beside Meredith.And then they ran. Of course, all that Bonnie had said about Meredith running in depend of her, leaving her base, was nonsense, and they both knew it. Meredith seized Bonnies hand as soon as Bonnies feet had stirred the road and began running like a greyhound, dragging Bonnie on with her, at times seeming to whirl her over dips in the road.Bonnie didnt need to be told how important speed was. She wished terriblely that they had a car. She wished a lot of things, primarily that Mrs. Flowers lived in the middle of town and not way out here on the wild side.At last, as Meredith had foreseen, she was winded, an d her hand so slick with sweat that it slipped out of Merediths hand. She bent almost double, turn over on her knees, trying to get her breath.Bonnie Wipe your hand We have to runJust give me a minute We dont have a minute Cant youhear it?Come on I justneed to get my breath.Bonnie, look behind you. And dont screamBonnie looked behind her, screamed, and then discovered that she wasnt winded after all. She took off, grabbing Merediths hand.She could hear it, now, even above her own wheezing breath and the cock in her ears. It was an insect sound, not a buzzing but still a sound that her brain filed underbug . It sounded like the whipwhipwhip of a helicopter, only much higher in pitch, as if a helicopter could have insect-like tentacles sort of of blades. With that one glance, she had made out an entire gray mass of those tentacles, with heads in front and all the heads were open to show mouths full of white strident teeth.She struggled to turn on the flashlight. Night was fa lling, and she had no idea how long it would be until moonrise. All she knew was that the trees seemed to make everything darker, and thatthey were after her and Meredith.The malach.The carnage sound of tentacles beating the air was much louder now. Much closer. Bonnie didnt want to turn around and see the source of it. The sound was pushing her body beyond all in his right mind(predicate) limits. She couldnt help hearing over and over Matts wordslike putt my hand in a garbage disposal and turning it on. same(p) putting my hand in a garbage disposalHer hand and Merediths were covered with sweat again. And the gray mass was definitely overtaking them. It was only half as far away as it had been at first, and the whipping noise was getting higher-pitched.At the same time her legs felt like rubber. Literally. She couldnt feel her knees. And now they felt like rubber dissolving into gelatin.VipvipvipvipveeeeIt was the sound of one of them, closer than the rest. Closer, closer, and th en it was in front of them, its mouth open in an oval shape with teeth all around the perimeter.Just like Matt had said.Bonnie had no breath to scream with. But she needed to scream. The headless thing with no eyes or features just that horrible mouth had turned ahead of them and was coming right for her. And her automatic response to beat at it with her hands could cost her an arm. Oh God, it was coming for her face.Theres the boardinghouse, gasped Meredith, giving her a jerk that lifted her off her feet.RunBonnie ducked, just as the malach tried to collide with her. Instantly, she felt tentacleswhipwhipwhip into her curly hair. She was abruptly yanked backward to a painful stumble and Merediths hand was torn out of hers. Her legs wanted to collapse. Her guts wanted her to scream.Oh, God, Meredith, its got me RunDont let one get youIn front of her, the boardinghouse was lit up like a hotel. Usually it was dark except for maybe Stefans window and one other. But now it shone like a jewel, just beyond her reach.Bonnie, shut your eyesMeredith hadnt left her. She was still here. Bonnie could feel vine-like tentacles gently brushing her ear, quietly tasting her sweaty forehead, working toward her face, her throatShe sobbed.And then there was a sharp, loud crack mixed with a sound like a adept melon bursting, and something damp scattered all over her back. She opened her eyes. Meredith was falling a thick branch she had been holding like a baseball game bat. The tentacles were already sliding out of Bonnies hair.Bonnie didnt want to look at the mess behind her.Meredith, you Come on runAnd she was running again. All the way up the gravel boardinghouse driveway, all the way up the path to the door. And there, in the doorway, Mrs. Flowers was standing with an old-fashioned kerosene lamp.Get in, get in, she said, and as Meredith and Bonnie skittered to a stop, sobbing for air, she slammed the door shut behind them. They all heard the sound that came next. It w as like the sound the branch had made a sharp crack plus a bursting, only much louder, and repeated many times over, like popcorn popping.Bonnie was move as she took her hands away from her ears and slid down to sit on the entry-hall rug.What in heavens name have you girls been doing to yourselves? Mrs. Flowers said, eyeing Bonnies forehead, Merediths swollen nose, and their general state of sweaty exhaustion.It takes too long to explain, Meredith got out. Bonnie You can sit down upstairs.Somehow or other Bonnie made it upstairs. Meredith went at once to the computer and turned it on, collapsing on the desk chair in front of it. Bonnie used the last of her susceptibility to pull off her top. The back was stained with nameless insect juices. She tumble it into a ball and threw it into a corner.Then she fell down on Stefans bed.What exactly did Matt say? Meredith was getting her breath back.He saidLook in the backup orLook for the backup file or something. Meredith, my headit i snt good.Okay. Just relax. You did abundant out there.I made it because you saved me. Thanksagain.Dont worry about it. But I dont understand, Meredith added in her talking-to-herself murmur. Theres a backup file of this note in the same directory, but its no different. I dont see what Matt meant.Maybe he was confused, Bonnie said reluctantly. Maybe he was just in a lot of pain and sort of off his head.Backup file, backup filewait a minute Doesnt name automatically save a backup in some spiritual place, like under the administrator directory or somewhere? Meredith was clicking rapidly through directories. Then she said, in a disappointed voice, No, nothing there.She sat back, let her breath out sharply. Bonnie knew what she must be thinking. Their long and desperate run through danger couldnt all be for nothing. Itcouldnt .Then, slowly, Meredith said, There are a lot of temp files in here for one lilliputian note.Whats a temp file?Its just a temporary memory of your file while yo ure working on it. Usually it just looks like gibberish, though. The clicking started again. But I must as well be thoroughgoing(a) oh She interrupted herself. The clicking stopped.And then there was dead silence.What is it? Bonnie said anxiously. much silence.Meredith Talk to meDid you find a backup file? Meredith said nothing. She seemed not even to hear. She was reading with what looked like horrified fascination.