The Return: Nightfall Chapter 22

decent was disturbed and confused. It was swarthiness.All right, a voice that was brusque and calming at formerly was saying. Thats 2 possible concussions, unrivaled puncture provoke in need of a tetanus shot and well, Im afraid Ive got to sedate your girl, Jim. And Im going to need help, that youre non onlyowed to move at all. You just lie back and keep your eyes shut. beautiful undetermined her own eyes. She had a vague memory of falling forward onto her bed. hardly she wasnt at home she was compose at the Saitou house, lying on a couch.As al substances, when in confusion or fear, she purported for Meredith. Meredith was just locomote from the kitchen with a makeshift ice pack. She launch it on fairs already wet forehead.I just fainted, comme il faut explained, as she herself figured it pop. Thats all.I know you fainted. You cracked your head pretty hard on the floor, Meredith replied, and for once her face was perfectly readable worry and sympathy and relief we re all visible. She actually had tears pooling in her eyes. Oh, decorous, I couldnt scram to you in time. Isobel was in the test, and those tatami mats dont cushion the floor much and youve been out for almost fractional an hour Youscared me.Im sorry. Bonnie fumbled a founder out a blanket she seemed to be wrapped in and gave Merediths present a squeeze. It meantvelociraptor sisterhood is still in action . It also meantthank you for caring .Jim was sprawled on another(prenominal)(prenominal) couch bring ining an ice pack to the back of his head. His face was greenish-white. He tried to stand up however Dr. Alpert it was her voice that was both crusty and kind pushed him back onto the couch.You dont need any more exertion, she give tongue to. exactly I do need an assistant. Meredith, can you help me with Isobel? It adepts 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 ever turn your back on her.Well be care ful, Dr. Alpert verbalise.You two stayhere , Meredith added firmly.Bonnie was observance Merediths eyes. She wanted to contribute up to help them with Isobel. But Meredith had that special look of determination that meant it was better not to argue.As curtly as they left, Bonnie tried to stand up. But immediately she began to see the pulsating gray nothingness that meant she was going to pass out again.She lay back gloomy, teething gritted.For a spacious time there were crashes and shouts from Isobels room. Bonnie would hear Dr. Alperts voice raised, and then Isobels, and then a third voice not Meredith, who never shouted if she could help it, but what sounded similar Isobels voice, completely slowed down and distorted.Then, finally, there was silence, and Meredith and Dr. Alpert came back carrying a limp Isobel between them. Meredith had a bloody nose and Dr. Alperts short pepper-and-salt sensory hair was standing on end, but they had somehow gotten a T-shirt onto Isobel s abused body and Dr. Alpert had managed to hang on to her black bag as well.Walking wounded, stay where you are. Well be back to lend you a hand, the indemnify said in her terse way.Next Dr. Albert and Meredith made another trip to take Isobels grandmother with them.I dont ilk her color, Dr. Albert said briefly. Or the tick of her tocker. We might as well all go get checked up.A minute later they re turned to help Jim and Bonnie to Dr. Alberts SUV. The sky had clouded over, and the sun was a red ball not far from the horizon.Do you want me to give you something for the pain? the doctor asked, eyesight Bonnie eyeing the black bag. Isobel was in the very back of the SUV, where the seats had been folded down.Meredith and Jim were in the two seats in front of her, with Grandma Saitou between them, and Bonnie at Merediths insistence was in the front with the doctor.Um, no, its okay, Bonnie said. Actually, she had been question whether the hospital actually could cure Isobel of inf ection any better than Mrs. Flowers herbal compresses could.But although her head throbbed and ached and she was develop a lump the size of a hard-boiled egg on her forehead, she didnt want to cloud her considering. in that location was something nagging at her, some dream or something shed had while Meredith said shed been unconscious.Whatwas it?All right then. topographic point belts on? hither we go. The SUV pulled away from the Saitou house. Jim, you said Isobel has a three-year-old sister asleep upstairs, so I called my granddaughter Jayneela to grow over here. At least it will be somebody in the house.Bonnie twisted roughly to look at Meredith. They both spoke at once.Oh, no She cant go inEspecially not into Isobels room Look, please, you have to Bonnie babbled.Im really not sure if thats a good idea, Dr. Alpert, Meredith said, no trivial urgently but much more coherently. Unless she does stay away 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 convince her. Well, Tyrone, my grandson, was watching TV when I left. Ill try to get him.Wow Bonnie said involuntarily. Thats the Tyrone whos moodyensive tackle on the football team next 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 after 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 mobile 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 moment Meredith had hit thetalk 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 k newborn around the victi ms of the Salem 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 clear view of Merediths face in the dusk, but it looked pale, and when she spoke shesounded pale, too.Mrs. Flowers was doing some gardening and she was roughly to go inside when she noticed that there was something in her begonia bushes. 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, rich of shoes and clothes. Boots. Shirts. Pants. All Stefans.Bonnie gave a shriek that caused Dr. Alpert to swerve and then recover, the SUV fishtailing.Oh, my God oh, my God he didnt goOh, I think he went all right. Just not of his own free will, Meredith said grimly.Damon, Bonnie gasped, and slumped back into her own seat, tears we lling up in her eyes and overflowing. I couldnt help lacking to believeHead getting worse? Dr. Alpert asked, tactfully ignoring the conversation that had not included her.No well, yes, it is, Bonnie admitted.Here, blustering the bag and give me a look inside. Ive got samples of this and thatall right, here you go. Anybody see a water bottle back there?Jim listlessly handed one over. Thanks, Bonnie said, taking the small oral contraceptive 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 note in Elenas diary.Thats it she said, startling even herself. It had all come inundate back, everything that she and Matt had shared.Meredith she said, oblivious to the side look which Dr. Alpert gave her, while I was u nconscious I talked withMatt . He was unconscious, too Was he hurt?God, yes. Damon mustiness have 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 championship institutionalise. Look for the backupbefore Damon does .She stared at Merediths smutch face, aware as they cruised slowly to stop at an intersection that Dr. Alpert and Jim were both staring at her. address 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 let for about five legal proceeding to Old Wood, it wont be too far out of your way. But itll let me get to the boardinghouse where the estimator Bonnies talking about is. You may think Im batty, but Ineed to ge t 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 new Bonnie herenothing bad, I promise, but a little difficult to believe. After seeing what I saw today, I think Im beginning to change my opinion about them. The doctor shortly 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 you 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 ahead and run. Ill run, too. My head feels fine, now. If you have to ensue me behind, youkeep on raceway. Ill be coming after 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. Corner 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 deport 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 everything, Bonnie said, for an instant laying her pale hand on Dr. Alperts long-fingered, pitiful brown one. You be careful, too of fallen trees and of Isobel, and of something red in the road.Bonnie, Im leavi ng. Meredith was already outside the SUV.And lock your entrances 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 front of her, leaving her behind, was nonsense, and they both knew it. Meredith seized Bonnies hand as soon as Bonnies feet had touched the road and began running like a greyhound, dragging Bonnie along with her, at times seeming to whirl her over dips in the road.Bonnie didnt need to be told how important stronghold was. She wished desperately 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, and her hand so slick with sudate that it slipped out of Merediths hand. She bent almost double, detention on her knees, trying to get her steer.Bonnie Wipe your hand We have to runJust give me a minute We dont have a minute Cant youhear it? know on I justneed to get my wind.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 pounding 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 rather 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 sharp teeth.She struggled to turn on the flashlight. Night was falling, 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 whipp ing sound of tentacles beating the air was much louder now. such(prenominal) closer. Bonnie didnt want to turn around and see the source of it. The sound was pushing her body beyond all sane limits. She couldnt help hearing over and over Matts wordslike putting my hand in a garbage disposal and turning it on. Like 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 fade out into gelatin.VipvipvipvipveeeeIt was the sound of one of them, closer than the rest. Closer, closer, and then it was in front of them, its mouth open in an egg-shaped 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 th ing with no eyes or features just that atrocious 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 galling 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, lightly gustatory perception her sweaty forehead, running(a) toward her face, her throatShe sobbed.And then there was a sharp, loud crack mixed with a sound like a ripe melon bursting, and something damp scattered all over her back. She opened her eyes. Meredith was displace a thick branch she had been holding like a baseball 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 was 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 shaking as she took her hands away from her ears and slid down to personate 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 energy to pull off her top. The back was stained with nameless insect juices. She crumpled it into a ball and threw it into a corner.Then she trim down 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 isnt good.Okay. Just relax. You did great out there.I made it because you drop a line me. Thanksagain.Dont worry about it. But I dont understand, Meredith added in her talking-t o-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 Word automatically save a backup in some weird place, like under the administrator directory or someplace? Meredith was clicking rapidly through directories. Then she said, in a disappointed voice, No, nothing there.She sat back, letting 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 little note.Whats a temp file?Its just a temporary storage of your file while youre working on it. Usually it just looks like gibberish, though. The clicking started again. But I must as well be thorough oh She interrupted herself. The clicking stopped.And th en there was dead silence.What is it? Bonnie said anxiously.More silence.Meredith Talk to meDid you honor a backup file? Meredith said nothing. She seemed not even to hear. She was reading with what looked like horrified fascination.