Born 01 - Born

That's going to get infected." She points to the bullet wound.
    I shrug. "I've shown up at camp in worse shape than this."
    Her eyes flash. She pretends to be looking at my wounds but whispers in my ear. "You need to lead these women to the retreat. They can't stay at the camp with Marshall and everyone. They don't have enough food and supplies for all these women. Plus, you're sort of showing Marshall up. You just single-handedly rescued over fifty women and children."
    My heart stops. "What? No, I had help."
    She nods subtly. "He isn’t going to take kindly to you leading a mission to save all those women. People are going to ask how come he never did it."
    "He's a moron. People should be asking what he's doing up there."
    "Well, either way, you need to take them where he can't touch them."
    "Does he know we have to hike all the way to the retreat with all these babies and pregnant women?" I whisper just as softly as she does. She knows who I am asking about. She nods.
    "What was his opinion?"
    She chuckles softly. "Honey, he came and saved you. That’s as far as he got."
    My stomach warms but I roll my eyes. "He did the same for Star. I'm pretty sure I know what he wants. Once he gets it, I will be just another her. See the way he leads her around now. She follows him like a lost puppy."
    Mona crosses her arms. "That’s not exactly how it is."
    I raise an eyebrow and feel my face flush. "I heard you guys all talking the other night. They called her a piece of ass. I might not know a lot of things, but I know what that is."
    It's her turn to blush.
    I nod. "As I thought. Anyway, the lost puppy thing isn’t really my thing. I like to be the hero, not the simpering damsel."
    Mona cleans my wound with a salve from her kit. "Well, that's what I like the most about you."
    I sigh. "My Granny always told me not to fall for boys who care what they look like or play in a band."
    Mona laughs. "Sound advice."
    I can't stop imagining him singing and playing the guitar. The way his lips move when he sings makes me feel funny, good funny. "Yeah, well, fat lot of good it did me. I always have to do things the hard way it seems."
    She puts a bandage on and smiles. "Speaking of doing things the hard way, me and Joe are gonna come with you. To the retreat. We've had enough of Marshall and his shit, anyway. They sit on that damn mountain and plan things that never come to fruition."
    I don’t know what that word means but I can guess. "He isn’t my favorite either."
    I look at the huge group we now have with us. There are pregnant women everywhere and little kids. The oldest isn't two yet because that’s when the doctors take them. They are going to hate the two-day hike to the retreat. It's going to take more like four. I cross my arms and look at Mona. "I'm taking them to the camp. Marshall and the other people there can kiss my ass. We'll stop one day there and then leave the next morning. They can live with one day of sharing supplies and food."
    Mona eyes me up and nods. "Okay, if that’s what you want to do."
    "I'm not in charge, Mona. I just don’t see how all these babies are going to make it that far without at least one day of help."
    She raises her eyebrow at me. "You sure you're not in charge?"
    I frown. "Yeah. I'm positive." Will is in charge. He avoids it as much as I do, but I know everyone listens to him when it counts. I look around the camp and sip my water.
    I notice the new girls look different than the rest of us. They are shiny and clean still.
    I grin. "I'm pretty sure we won't have any shortage of male volunteers to help with them."
    She laughs. "They are all healthy and fertile young women. Not to mention how pretty they all are."
    I look at her. "It's creepy, isn’t it?"
    She nods. "Very. Like cyborgs."
    I don’t know what she is talking about but I nod. Cyborgs must mean pretty.
    Will is talking with one lady who has a small child in her arms. He appears to know her. I wonder if any of the babies are his. It makes me disgusted. I know it's not fair.
    Joe pulls Mona away and I barely notice. I am lost in thought and smiling. I can't help but love the fact that Mary is going to be pissed when we get there. There are at least fifty if not seventy-five gorgeous young women in our group. Mary won't be the special one at camp anymore. I wonder how many she will kiss the way she kissed me. I feel my face blush as I bring my fingers to my lips. I feel confusion about her and her kisses. I don’t feel