My mom looks up from some maps that she was going over with my dad. Pride flashes on her face and then regret. She stands up and puts her hands on my shoulders. My dad joins her a second later. "I think you need to go with Mr. Leroy." She tells me.
"What? No!" I yell. "Absolutely not! I can fight!" I tell her. "I'm not bad at it either." I turn and look to Tony who looks like he already knew my mom would try to send me away. "Tell her Tony! Tell her that I can hold my own."
His expression softens. "You can definitely hold your own Willow."
My father interrupts him, helping him dodge the bullet. "We don't doubt that you can fight. Your gift is too precious and too dangerous to fall into the hands of a Reaper. You know this." He tells me.
I look at him and angry tears start to make their unwelcome way into my eyes. I blink rapidly, not wanting to seem weak. "Yes I know that and frankly, I'm sick of hearing it. I am capable. My gifts if anything give me an edge not a hindrance. I am not going to tuck tail and run away with Mr. Grumps-a-lot!"
"This isn't up for discussion. You will be leaving here tomorrow morning." My mom tells me.
"No, I can be useful!" I stomp my foot. I know it's not giving me maturity points, but who gives a crock! My family is on the brink of splitting apart, yet again.
"You will be useful Willow. We are asking you to take care of Sebastian." My dad tells me.
Sebastian? They are going to send him away too? I guess he can't very well fight, but still... Another revelation comes to me: "So you’re fighting dad? They are going to let you? You have a gift too. You are just as much of a liability!"
My dad stands firm. "First, you need to watch your tone young lady. Second, I left your mom once, I will not leave her again."
I can’t take any more of this, so I stomp away from my parents ignoring anything that anyone says to me. I push past my friends in an angry tirade. Fury and anger are about to reveal themselves and I don’t want anyone around when they do, out of fear for what I might say.
I run up the stairs utilizing my full speed knowing good and well I will beat any of my friends. I lock my door and lean a chair against the handle for extra protection. I grab a pillow from my bed and rip it in half with one motion. Feathers come flying out of the pillow, coating the room in a snow like haze. I grab feathers out of the air trying to slap them down.
My anger is still pulsating through my veins as I grab the sheet off my bed and begin ripping it into shreds, screaming and crying in fury. I rip it into smaller and smaller pieces until there is nothing left to rip.
My energy is spent and I collapse on the floor. My mind is finally calming down and I take deep breathes as I feel my blood pressure return to a somewhat normal level. My face is stained with wet tears and my nose is running. I get up off the floor and go to the bathroom, turning on the sink to splash water on my face. I blow my nose a few times and focus some more on breathing.
Grabbing the sink with both hands, I look in the mirror and my heart stops as I view my reflection. Those are not my eyes, no! I look in horror at the image of myself that can't be real. No, I must be having a nightmare. My eyes are red, the color of a reapers. I don’t know how long I stare. It could be a minute, an hour, a day…all I know is that I am in serious trouble.
Am I a Reaper now? I don't understand. Nothing in me feels different. I only let the rage overtake me, that's all. I can't be a Reaper. If anyone finds out about this I will be locked up or killed. I have to hide this secret at all costs. No one, not my family, not Alec, not any of my friends can know about this.
I place my back against the cabinet and slide to the floor. Cupping my head in my hands, I cry some more. Even when the tears stop coming I heave and choke on my sorrow, desperate to make it all go away.
I’m so scared because I don't know what any of this means. I don't know if I can handle being in charge of Sebastian. What if I lose my temper at him? I look around the room at the huge mess I’ve made. If I can do this to objects, who’s to say I won’t do it to people? When my anger was at its highest point it was like something else out of my power took over my body. Rage seeped from every pore of my skin until I took out the anger on any object in my path.
I run water over my face once more before going back in my room. Fists pound against the door calling my name. They don’t sound mad, they sound worried. Lord knows how long I’ve been raging, they’ve probably heard my screams. I work with quick speed to brush all the aftermath of my frenzy under my bed. I use my speed ability to get it done even though I feel more than spent. By the time it’s finished I’m out of breath.
I run to the bathroom and look at my eyes breathing a sigh of relief when they’ve changed to a nuclear yellow. I hurry to my door and remove the chair from under it. I unlock it and find six furious people staring back at me. I’m not sure what to do. I can’t cry, I don’t want to get mad, for the life of me I can’t smile, so I just stand there not doing or saying anything. My eyes drop to the ground as I go to move past them. I’m not sure where I’m going but I can’t stay here with judgmental stares.
Someone grabs my arm and whips me around. “Young lady, explain yourself.” My dad says through clenched teeth.
“I have nothing to say. Apparently my entire future has already been decided for me.”
You can see the anger and hurt that wells up in my dad’s eyes. “For your information, your mother and I thought long and hard about how we can best keep you safe. It is for your own good that you are being sent away and not staying to fight. If you go, you will not only endanger yourself but everyone around you. Would you feel comfortable putting your family and friends at risk for your own personal gain?”
A horrible dose of pride that I didn’t know I had, wells up inside of me not allowing me to really see or take in what my dad is saying. I grit my teeth trying to control my rage. I look at the floor completely unsure what color my eyes are. "I need some air." I don't wait for anyone to respond. I grab a lantern from the hallway and leave with my gaze to the ground the whole way.
Outside, the night air is crisp. I can feel that same small dose of chill in the air. I take several deep breaths trying to calm my brain. I have got to control these emotions that are bubbling within me. Anger, fear, anxiety and a whole lot more are overflowing in abundance. Don't let it control you. I tell myself.
When I hear the inevitable door open up from behind me I focus everything on going invisible. I step to the side and turn around to see Alec looking for me. I watch his worried expression as he darts this way and that way looking for me. Just seeing his concern strips away some of the layers of anger. I walk toward him and with every step I take it eases more and more. When I am next to him I let go of my invisibility.
“Willow!” He pulls me into his arms. My tears are spent so I just hold on keeping my head close to his chest.
"It's going to be okay Willow, everything is going to be okay." He sooths while brushing my hair over and over with his hand.
I tell myself I believe him. I know I'm lying, but I say it anyway. I know that my world, which only seemed right for a total of three days, is about to be turned upside down once again. I can feel it in my bones, my life will be different tomorrow. I hold onto Alec tighter and when I hear him grunt, I loosen my grip. "Sorry." I whisper into his chest.
"It's fine. I love you and I will never leave you." He tells me. "If you want to stay, I will stay. If you want to go, I will go. I will help you with Sebastian, I will do anything for you."
He lifts my head up to meet my eyes. My heart stops for a moment as I worry what he will see there. He looks into my eyes and then pulls me into a kiss. Relief pours out of me as I get caught up in the kiss. I pull him closer and kiss him harder, releasing all of my emotion on him. Allowing him to be an outlet for my roller coaster of feelings. When we part I feel the last layers of my anger wither away into nothingness.
"I love you." I tell him.
"I love you too." He says.
With that
we walk back into the hotel. Not feeling like discussing anymore tonight, I allow Alec to walk me to my room. I know I should discuss more of this with my parents but I can't, not tonight. We will have to speak of it tomorrow.
When I close the door to my room, I'm surprised to see my bed fully made with new sheets and a new pillow. "Thank you." I tell Claire who is doing a horrible job of acting like she's sleeping.
She cracks one eye open and smiles. "Anytime." She waits till I get settled under the covers to continue. "I will stay with you Willow. If you don't want to go tomorrow, we will all stay with you. Connor, Alec and me are all with you till the end."
I peak at her from under the covers. "Thank you Claire."
"Do you know what you want to do?" She asks.
I shake my head. "No." I whisper.
"Maybe you will know in the morning." She says with a yawn. "Just remember, we got your back either way."
"Thanks." With that I turn over and flip off the lantern, which plunges the room into darkness. With all of the crying and emotions, I fall into a heavy deep sleep instantly.
CHAPTER 14 (Nightmare)
Red eyes, dozens of red eyes pile in through the doors of our hotel. Carrying weapons, they walk with a mission breaking into each room and taking everything from our people. They take until they are dry.
Screams erupt but are silenced within seconds as the Reapers do their dirty work. The hallways are a mess of people running this way and that, trying to find their way out of this nightmare. The sounds of weapons clashing and gunshots in the small narrow spaces, ring out. Blood is splattered about as a massacre begins.
I try to run but someone stops me. I turn around to look into the all too familiar eyes of the Reaper who has me in his clutches.
"Huhhh!" I shoot up from bed breathing in a deep ragged breath. My heart is accelerated at unnatural speeds. I look around the room, it's still dark out. I put my head between my legs and take several deep breaths trying to remove the dream from my memory. Finally my pulse slows and returns to a normal pace. I lie back down and pray that the memory of my dream will go away. The sick feeling it left in the pit of my stomach hasn't ceased. I close my eyes hoping that I won't see anything.
My door opens and I shoot up out of bed and am across the room in an instant ready to attack. My mom shoots to move around my dad to protect him from whatever move I'm about to make. I stop a foot away when I realize who it is. "Mom?"
"Honey, we don't have time. They are coming." My mom says.
The panic I did so well to stave off moments before comes back full throttle. "What do you mean?"
"Your dad saw them, they are coming now. We only have a few minutes to prepare."
"You need to get your friends and go. There will be people downstairs waiting. You have five minutes." My dad tells me.
"No! I can't leave." I tell them.
"We can't do this, not now Willow. You have to and they are coming now. We can't fight. Take your brother and get out of here. The Reapers will kill you." My mom begs me.
"I saw it." My dad says with ice cold fear in his voice.
I look at him and know he's not lying. "I saw it too."
"We need to go." Claire comes to my side and says with conviction.
"Okay, okay, but you two are coming with me." I tell my mom and dad.
My mom's eyes tear up and she lets out a sob. "I can't. I can't leave them, these people depend on me."
"No mom, you can't. We depend on you. I depend on you. I need you." I cry.
"I know." Her voice breaks. "I love you so much, I love my little boy so much. Can't you see it breaks my heart Willow to tell you that I can't go with you? I am their leader. I can't abandon my people." My mom crumbles against the door her head in her hands sobbing.
"I am staying with your mom. We don't have time to talk this out but you need to know that we love you. We trust you, that is why we are sending Sebastian with you." My dad steps in.
"I can't, I'm only sixteen dad!" I furiously bat away the tears.
"You are the strongest sixteen year old I know. You will have help, there are several others going right now. The teachers will help you with Sebastian.” My dad tells me.
"I will help you too." Claire says.
"You will come find us right dad? You and mom will make it right? Did you see that happen?" I beg him.
My dad takes a shaky breath. "I don't know, I didn't see anything for certain. We will fight with all of our heart to beat this and to make it back to you. Hold strong and know that we love you." He pulls me into a fierce hug. My mom joins in.
"You must go." They tell me. With that said, none of us take the time to change. We run out the door and down the stairs. Sebastian is at the bottom, barely able to stay awake on his feet. A few of the teachers are standing with him along with a large group of over thirty children. Mr. Leroy is there also. So are Alec, Connor, Tony, Candy and Jake. My friends come to my side.
I watch as my parents tell Sebastian that they love him and that they will see him soon. The kids don't know what's happening and perhaps it's better that way.
"They are coming!" Someone yells from down the hallway. Like a herd of cattle we are ushered out of our pin and into the night.
"I love you!" I yell to my mom.
I turn to see Tony arguing with her heatedly as we are being pulled outside. Everyone is moving so quickly that they try to pull me away with them. I fight against the flow of people and when I look back I see that my friends are already far from me. Everyone except for Alec. He is standing there waiting for me with Sebastian in his arms.
I hear some screams from inside followed by gunfire. The group outside begins running quickly. Many people scoop the children up to move faster.
"Come on Willow!" Alec yells to me.
I look at him and at Sebastian, then back to my parents. I turn to Alec and shake my head.
"I'm not leaving you!" Alec tells me firmly.
I look at Sebastian in his arms, shivering and scared. I know my eyes are the tint of hazel when I say, "You will go now! You will take my brother to safety. Do not let him out of your arms until you two are safe."
Alec's eyes glaze a bit. Then he nods, turns and runs to join the group, with my little brother cupped safely in his arms.
With most of the group gone, I can hear Tony yell to my mom. "I won't leave you! I will fight by your side."
"My final order to you as your leader is to protect my daughter. You want to lay down your life for this cause? Then you protect my daughter with your own life. That is my final directive." My mom says authoritatively, glancing behind her back. She pulls a gun from her side and without turning around she yells, "Go now!" She runs into the building with my dad at her side.
Tony tries to argue but finally says, "Yes ma'am." He turns and our eyes lock. I look away seeing the hurt there. I know he wanted to stay and fight. He comes to my side and doesn't mutter a word. We begin walking quickly towards the tree line up ahead where the others went.
Something hits me from behind and I fall to the hard earth. The shocking pain radiates down my left shoulder blade. I look back to see a knife sticking in it. It seems so surreal to see a weapon protruding from my back. It takes a second for the pain to hit its fullest potential. I gasp against the pain as I hear Tony fighting someone behind me. I look back to see that two Reapers are on him and he's doing his best to fight them off.
Behind them I see some bodies lying lifeless on the ground. In the dark I have no idea who they are.
As I watch the fight, a Reaper turns to look at me. Anger begins burning through my veins. From the ground where I lay, I watch as Chris walks towards me. Just like in the vision I had. His red eyes and cold hard stare tell me that he's even more far gone than he was when I broke his hand. Someone jumps him from behind before he can get to me.
Mike, one of the fantastic four, is on top of him with a knife aimed at his heart. Chris has a hold of his knife hand as he pushes it away from him. He turn
s it slowly with his own abnormal strength and plunges Mikes knife into his own chest. Then Chris knocks him off of him as Mike is gasping for breath. I watch in undiluted horror as Chris lays his palm on Mike's forehead and Mike's body shakes and trembles like he's having a seizure. From the short distance I can see Mike's eyes roll to the back of his head and then he's gone. Nothing left of the man that was nothing but nice to me.
Overwrought with a livid emotion that can't be contained, I personally pull the knife out of my own back. I feel the wound healing as I stand up. Tony is fighting off a new Reaper who has joined in on the fight. I see that the first Reaper is already lying dead at his feet. He doesn't see Chris approaching me, slowly and with a cocky stare. I'm on my own for this fight.
I clench my hands to my sides and allow the rage to overtake me. I breathe the shaky breaths of someone on the brink of losing control and when I look up, Chris is stopped and staring at me in horror.
He stutters and steps back. "I...I kkneww iit!"
I give him my nastiest smile as I move forward ready to tear him apart like he's nothing more than a pillow. He tries to fight me off but I'm much stronger than him. I use my ability to pass through objects and I walk right through his punch. He stumbles forward with his momentum that landed nowhere but rights himself immediately. He turns around quickly and I go invisible so he can't see me. He pulls the knife out of Mike's breathless chest and starts taking aimless swings with it. They don't come anywhere near me.
When I'm ready and the rage has hit its fullest point I let go of the invisibility and I knock the knife to the ground with a kick that Tony taught me. I punch him in the gut then tackle him to the ground. When he's on the forest floor, I keep punching at him. I focus all of my energy on making those punches count. He tries to fight me off, but I'm stronger than him. I pick up his head and bang it against the ground.
The anger is a swirling emotion now and it has consumed me. I hate this! I hate that my family is being torn from me. I hate that these things are trying to hurt the people I love. I hate that they kill! I hate, hate, hate them! I think each thought and with each thought I punch him harder. Then as his eyes grow weak I put my hand on his forehead like he did to Mike. "You want to know how it feels to be taken from? I will show you." My voice doesn't even sound like my own.
Finding ELE (ELE Series #2) Written By: Rebecca Gober and Courtney Nuckels Page 18