Page 9 of Drenched

“Why not?” I asked, confused but also scared of the answer.

“Because I can’t tolerate the sun,” she murmured. “If sunlight touches me, I’ll die.”

I stared at her, my mind rejecting what I was hearing. “That’s not possible.”

“It is,” she shot back, her grip on my wrist tightening. Her nails pressed into my skin. “The algae healed me, but it left this behind. It’s a side effect.”

Her words just confused me even more. “You’re saying the algae did this to you?”

Before she could answer, a sudden, loud banging on the door made me jump.

“Amanda!” Sebastian’s voice rang through the wood, urgent and sharp. “We know you’re in there! Open up!”

Amanda’s eyes widened, her breath coming in short, panicked bursts. Her hand on my wrist trembled but didn’t let go. “It’s my mom and Sebastian,” she whispered harshly. “Don’t let them take me. Please.”

The banging grew louder, the doorknob rattling violently. I stumbled back as Amanda darted behind me, my heart thundering in my chest. “What the hell is going on?” I whispered, trying to make sense of the situation.

Suddenly, the lock clicked. The door flew open with a crash. Tanya stormed in followed by Sebastian. They both looked tensed.

Before I could react, Tanya snatched a bedsheet and threw it over Amanda, wrapping her up in one smooth motion. Amanda’s muffled scream tore through the air. She thrashed wildly under the fabric. “Let me go! I’m not going back to that room! Just kill me if you have to! I’m sick of this! I’m sick of you!”

Sebastian lunged to grab her. “Stop it!” he hissed. Amanda twisted free, her small hands clawing at him. Her nails caught his skin, and blood welled up instantly.

“Damn it, Amanda!” he shouted, pulling his hand back.

Through the chaos, Tanya stayed calm in a way that felt colder than anything else. She pulled a syringe from her pocket and approached Amanda. “Enough,” she said. Then she plunged the needle into Amanda’s neck.

Amanda’s scream cut off. Her body sagged, going limp in seconds.

I stood there, stunned, my mind barely able to process what just happened.

“What the hell is going on?” Jaime’s voice called from the hallway. I glanced over and saw the rest of the team gathered at the door, eyes wide, faces pale.

Tanya didn’t look at any of us. “She’s having an episode,” she said flatly.

Sebastian lifted Amanda into her arms like it was nothing. “We’ll take care of her.”

“She’s not well. Go back to bed.” Tanya said with a fake smile.

The others hesitated. Their eyes darted between each other, uncertainty written all over their faces. One by one, they turned away, retreating to their rooms.

I didn’t move. My legs felt like lead, my heart slamming against my ribs.

Tanya and Sebastian carried Amanda down the hall. Her last words rang in my ears.

“If sunlight touches me, I’ll die.”

The door to their lodge slammed shut. The hallway fell into an eerie quiet.

I closed my door with shaking hands and leaned back against it, trying to breathe. My mind raced.

Whatever was happening to Amanda, whatever the algae had done to her, it wasn’t some “episode.” It was something darker, something worse. And I was going to find out the truth.

But for that, I needed fresh samples.

Chapter Four

As I stood in the lab, sorting equipment, my thoughts spun in circles. The morning light felt too bright, too sharp. Sleep had barely touched me. After they dragged Amanda from my room, her face wouldn’t leave me. I couldn’t close my eyes without seeing her. And when I did, questions gnawed at me. What was she going through? What did she mean about the sunlight and the algae?

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