Chapter 22 - Ah yes, let us scream at cameras

I had laid Miriam down on one of the sleeping bags maybe ten minutes ago, she hadn't moved at all and was burning up again. I had a feeling, there was no way a normal fire would've ever made her like this. And I knew full well it was within the realm of possibility for anything that was in the maze to be abnormal in some way. I mean we're pretty much being hunted by a literal half bull half man! I don't think a fire that somehow gave Miriam a killer fever is too unlikely. I swear to the Gods I am going to find and kill every one of them. I quickly got up, tearing off a piece of cloth from the blankets that Victoria and Bear had hung up after washing on the rope. I was surprised the thing had stayed up but I guess that wall kept it up. I wet the cloth in the water of the fountain, kneeling down and resting it on her forehead. Rest was good, rest helps bring down a fever naturally, as well as trying to stay cool. I'd suggest she change into something cooler but…that isn't really an option. I'm glad it's cool down here but the cold of the water should make it a bit better. I got back up, turning quickly to one of the cameras. I gave it such a sharp glare you might think I was trying to start a fire with pure rage alone. "Is this what you want?! To just make us feel like crap and then kill us?!" I screamed. I just needed to get it out, sometimes, you just need to scream. I know it's not good to scream at people, but this is different, they don't think of us as people so I wont think of them as people. I held back tears, damn it one emotion just leads to another, it's like a crack in a dam. And my dam had just burst. "Do you just want us to all go insane like Elizabeth?! Or just feel like there's no point! T-...There isn't a point is there?" My arm started to tense up and shake. I slumped down against the bed of the fountain. I brought my knees to my chest, not this again. The sobs started to come out, they were just as loud as last time. It was hard to breathe through the tears, I had always been a bit of a loud crier. It was never just tears, it was outright sobs, loud noises, difficult breathing, and a red face. I tried to get up and stand, moving made me feel better but I fell straight back down, hitting my back on the rim of the fountain. My mind was practically a blur, I tried to calm myself down, I really did. I glanced up at the wall…should I just smash my head in and get it over with? Wait-What the hell did I just say? Okay okay calm down, don't…do that. I heard a worried voice speak up, Miriam. "Addie…are you okay?" She asked, I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder and looked up. I saw Miriam's face looking down at me. "N-...No" I sniffed quietly, I wanted to say yes, I really did. But I didn't lie, not to Miriam. Miriam continued to talk to me gently "What's up? If you want to talk about it" She offered. I made my way to a standing position, "Just…flipped I guess…are you feeling better?" I asked, concerned for her. "Not…really. Though it was weird to wake up with a sopping wet piece of cloth on my face" She joked. I shrugged "Mom's herbal remedies are weirder, that's why I'm always at school even if I'm sick. I just don't want to take the grody medicine she makes" I joked back. It wasn't like I didn't like what Mom did at the apothecary, I just really didn't like the taste of a good bit of the herbs she used. "Y'know it always sounds so funny when you say words like that" Miriam chucked. I'd calmed down a pretty good bit now, I was still upset…but I was glad Miriam was doing better. Well, she wasn't doing better, but she wasn't unconscious anymore which was good. "So…how are you feeling?" I asked "Not good honestly," Miriam admitted, shrugging "I'm like freezing and my leg hurts like hell". I frowned "Okay you need to sit back down, like now" I decided. I led Miriam back to the fountain, she sat down on the rim again, resting her feet in the water. "I hope the others are alright" Miriam frowned "Same…I have no idea why they thought it would be a good idea for them all to go" I admitted. "Honestly I bet everyone had just been getting restless" Miriam offered "Makes sense, I sprint around the house like a feral house cat when I'm home alone," I mentioned. Miriam chuckled as I sat down beside her, she rested her head on my shoulder as we looked into the water. I looked like crap, my hair was a mess and there was a pimple starting to form on the side of my nose. Miriam's hair was a mess too, though I didn't focus much on her face, her beautiful gray eyes were the only thing I really saw. "I look like garbage" I joked "Same" Miriam smiled softly.