by Cameo Renae
“This is Dr. Banks,” he immediately answered.
“It’s Abi,” I puffed, glad he’d answered.
“Abi, are you okay?”
“Yes, I'm all right. A friend of mine will be coming in shortly. He’s been severely injured, his name is Chase.”
“What’s wrong with him?”
“He has welts and bruises all over his back and stomach. I’m not sure if anything is broken, but he could barely talk. I’m pretty sure he was beaten.”
“Where is he now?”
“Dr. Simon should be bringing him in soon.”
“Okay, I’ll keep an eye out for him.”
“Thanks, Dr. Banks.”
“No problem,” he answered.
“Hey, before you go, how is the man they brought into critical care?”
“What man?” he questioned.
“The man who was beaten and barely hanging on to life? They said he was taken to critical care.”
“No. There’s no one in critical care at the moment.”
“What?” My breathing became labored. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. I’m in charge of the area, and other than a few people who feel sick, and a person who accidentally cut himself on kitchen duty, the room is empty.”
Everything around me started to spin. “I have to go.”
“Who gave you that information?” Dr. Banks called. “Abi?”
I couldn’t answer because I was already running out of the training room and down the hall toward my bedroom. When the door slid open, the room was empty.
“Chase,” I called.
There was no answer.
I ran to the back and checked the bathroom, also empty. Rushing back out, I noticed my sheets were covered in blood stains.
Where the hell is he?
I ran back into the hall and glanced both ways, but the hallway was empty and silent.
“Oh my God. What have I done?” I bawled.
Tears spilled down my cheeks. I staggered back into my room, dazed, and sat on the bed. As I touched the sheets, they were still warm.
“What have I done?”
This was a nightmare of epic proportions, and there was no one I could turn too. Who would believe me anyway? They’d think I was mad, just like Chase and Chloe.
Chloe.
I wondered if she knew what was happening to Chase.
I wanted to talk to her, but didn’t know which room she was in.
Could I reach her by telepathy if I didn’t know where she was?
It was worth a shot.
I pulled the bloody sheets off my bed, threw them in the hamper, and laid a clean blanket over it. Lying down, I tried to relax and pull myself back into my mind. I needed to do it quickly because Dr. Simon said he would return.
Maybe I should have gone back to the training room and waited?
No.
I wasn’t going to keep running and hiding.
Concentrating, I pulled myself back into my mind, and this time I wasn’t afraid. I stepped forward and yelled, “Chloe!”
I waited a minute and there was no response. Maybe she was too far for me to make a connection. I called again, “Chloe, can you hear me?”
I was just about to leave my mind when I heard a faint voice. It was muffled, but it did sound a little like her.
“Chloe?” I called. “Help me find you.”
A barely visible trail of light formed, leading into the darkness. I quickly followed it. It must be leading me to her. I had to pause a few times because the trail was broken and sporadic.
Then, the light went out.
“Chloe, where are you?”
She wasn’t answering and when I turned, the light behind me was barely visible. There was no way I would be able to turn back now. I started to panic.
“Can you hear me?”
“Abigail?” A soft voice called from the darkness.
“I’m here. Where are you?”
Her voice sounded a little closer. A little clearer.
“You found me,” she answered.
There was a glimmer of light ahead which slowly transformed into a transparent figure.
“Chloe?” I called, uncertain if it was her.
“No,” she answered.
Fear crept into the dark spaces around me, and goosebumps covered my skin.
I froze as the figure walked toward me.
“It’s me, Abi. It’s Grammy.”
“Grammy? How did you get here?”
“I heard you. Your voice woke me from my sleep.”
“How are you here?” I questioned. “Are you in the bunker?”
“I’m in a safe-zone in Trappers Peak, Colorado.”
“Colorado?” I breathed. “How am I able to see you so far away?”
“Your mind is very strong. I knew from the first time I laid eyes on you, you are special. I also had faith that when the time came, you’d find me.”
I broke down. I’d felt so alone, and just when I needed her most, she came to me.
“Don’t cry, sweet girl,” she said kindly, stepping closer. She stretched her hand toward me, but when I went to touch her, my hand went right through her.
“I don’t know if I can handle the stress of this place,” I sobbed. “I feel like I’m in a twisted mind game that has no end.”
“What do you mean?” she questioned.
“There are so many lies, I don’t know what the truth is anymore. I don’t think I can trust anyone. It’s my second day here, and I’m already crumbling under the pressure.”
“What should I do?” I felt like I’d been asking that question a lot since my arrival.
“Do what your heart tells you, and nothing more. You’re a strong, smart girl.”
“What about the Arvies? Are there any near you?”
“Arvies?” she asked, confused.
“The mutants.”
“Those monsters? The area we’re located in is pretty desolate, so we haven’t seen many. It’s also safe from radiation. Farmers have begun to plant seeds which have started to grow.”
“Really?” I asked. “It sounds like a beautiful place.”
“It’s pretty close to heaven,” she said.
Where are you located?”
“I’m stuck in a government bunker somewhere in the Black Hills. When we arrived, they found out about my gift and separated me from the family. I’ve been put into a secret program with three other telepaths. Their goal is to use our gifts to manipulate the minds of the mutants.”
“Oh, sweetheart. You should never be put into this position. When the time comes, gather your family and bring them here. You will all be welcomed with open arms.”
“I don’t think they’ll ever let me leave.”
“You’ll find a way. I believe in you.”
“I hope so,” I breathed. “Will I be able to talk to you again?”
“Of course,” she answered.
“I wasn’t sure if you were still alive,” I said. “I will make it my goal to find you.”
“You will find your way, sweetheart. It might be a rough journey, but I do see you in my future.”
“I hope I’ll be in one piece,” I laughed.
“You do have part of my blood running through your veins, and I’m pretty tough. I’d say you stand an excellent chance.”
“I’ll try and visit you at the same time tomorrow night if that’s alright.”
“Of course it is. And if you have any questions about your gift, I can help.”
“Thank you, Grammy.”
Her head flicked up like she was being alerted to something.
“What’s wrong?”
“Someone’s coming. You have to go back.”
When I opened my eyes, I was laying on the bed, back in my room.
There was a knock at the door.
“Abi, are you here?”
I was back in the real world, filled with fear and despair.
“Yes, I’m coming,” I hollered back, blocki
ng my visit with Grammy.
When I opened the door, I found a worried Dr. Simon.
“I went to the training room and you weren’t there.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I felt sick and needed to lie down.”
“Do you need to go to the medical facility?” he asked.
“No, I’m fine,” I answered. “Did you find Chase?”
“I did. He was pretty badly busted up, but he’ll make it. He’s been sedated and getting care.”
“Does Chloe know?”
“She does. She’s in her room and under watch in case she tries to do something to injure herself.”
“How is the man who was beaten?”
“He’s in critical condition, I’m not sure if he’ll pull through.”
It was crazy how straight-faced and serious he was. He seemed so genuine, so believable.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said, trying to play whatever twisted game this was.
“If you’re hungry, just call the kitchen and they’ll deliver your dinner to your room.”
“Thanks, but I’m not very hungry tonight.”
“It’s been a very long and stressful day for all of us. You should try and get some sleep, and I’ll see you in the training room tomorrow.”
“Sounds good,” I said, with a tired smile.
Closing the door, I pressed my back against it.
Was he lying? He had to be. I heard it from Dr. Banks himself, who was working in the medical department tonight. There was no man taken into critical care.
I wondered if I should try and call Dr. Banks again. I’d left him abruptly with the last call, and should try to explain my actions before he started a chain reaction of worry. The last thing I needed was to have my family exiled because of me.
I bolted to the wall and made the call.
“This is Dr. Banks.”
“Hey, it’s Abi.”
“Abi, what happened? Are you all right?”
“Yeah, I'm okay. I’m sorry about before. There was a story going around about someone who’d been beaten with a pipe and taken to critical care.”
“It must have just been a rumor. There still isn’t anyone here who looks remotely dead. And I’ve been waiting for Dr. Simon to bring in your friend. Are they on their way?”
“You haven’t? He’s tall, blond hair, blue eyes, and has bruises all over his stomach and back. He was even bleeding.”
“Nope. No one has come in who matches that description, or who has had those injuries. Are you sure they were bringing him here?”
“I’m pretty sure,” I said.
“I’ll be here for a few more hours. If he comes in, I’ll give you a buzz.”
“Thanks, Dr. Banks.”
“No problem, Abi. Are you in any kind of trouble?”
“No. I’m not. I’m just exhausted.”
“Then go to bed. Doctor’s orders. And, take one of those sleeping pills I gave you.”
“I’ll do that. Goodnight, Dr. Banks.”
“Night, Abi.”
Where the hell is Chase? There was no way I’d sleep tonight. And I wasn’t hungry. All I wanted to do was take a steaming hot shower and go to sleep.
I slid the drawer on my nightstand open and shook out two sleeping pills. I didn’t want to take one and not have it work. I needed to turn my brain off.
In the shower, I let the water beat down on my aching head and limbs. Overwhelmed with the entire day, I couldn’t help but cry, and the sound of the water helped muffle my uncontrollable sobs.
After my shower I threw new sheets on the bed, and finally crawled in.
I’d hidden the ring Finn gave me between the mattresses, so I pushed my hand in and pulled it out. Smiling, I set it on my finger. Immediately, everything felt a little better. If I was sure about anything in my life, it was Finn.
I closed my eyes and pictured his smiling face and dark chocolate eyes. The memories we shared covered me like a warm blanket. My mind was becoming numb as I started to slip away.
For the first time since arriving, I finally felt like I could rest.
WHEN I WOKE THE NEXT morning, I was weak and groggy and could barely pull myself out of bed. Realizing I had about fifteen minutes to get to the training room for breakfast, I dragged myself into the bathroom. My eyes were droopy and red, my hair was a matted mess, and I was staring blankly at myself in the mirror.
I hoped the kitchen would deliver coffee this morning because I seriously needed it. My brain felt like mush.
Recapping the nightmarish evening, I wondered if it had been a dream.
Had all that madness actually happened? I was so tired I wasn’t even sure.
I just hoped I didn’t have another day similar. My heart and head couldn’t handle anymore.
Walking into the training room, I stopped in the entryway, blinking. Chase and Chloe were at the table, eating breakfast with Dr. Simon.
“Come in, Abi,” Dr. Simon chimed, waving me over. “You’re food is already here.”
Chase’s eyes caught mine, and I wasn’t sure what they were telling me. There were so many different emotions, I wasn’t even going to try and read him. He looked tired but better than last night.
I quietly took my seat next to Dr. Simon.
“How was your sleep?” he asked.
“It could have been longer, but it was much better than my first night. I took a sleeping pill and knocked out.” I swirled scrambled eggs around my plate and looked up at Chase. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m good. Tired and sore, but good.”
“What happened last night?”
His eyes fell on his plate. “I – I don’t remember.”
“You don’t remember, or you don’t want to remember.”
His eyes shifted back to me. “Both.”
“You’re not making any sense. What—”
“He’s been through a lot, Abi.” Dr. Simon interrupted. He wanted me to stop.
“Why wasn’t he taken to the medical facility?” I pushed. I needed answers.
“He refused to go and insisted on going back to his room. I couldn’t force him, so I had one of the staff doctors care for him there.”
“Is that right?” I asked, looking at Chase.
He nodded.
“You don’t believe me?” Dr. Simon asked.
“It’s not that I don’t believe you. It’s just, there have been so many things going on around here; I don’t know what to think anymore. Truthfully, I don’t really give a damn. Pardon my language, but all I want to do is get this training over, make it to the next visiting day, and eventually kill some Arvies. I don’t need, or want, to know about all the drama and bullshit going on behind the scenes. I will do whatever the hell it is I need to, so I can start living a normal life.”
Dr. Simon paused for a moment and cracked a smile. “That sounds like a pretty good plan.”
I guess he agreed with what I had to say. Of course he would, it was exactly what he wanted.
Chloe and Chase stayed quiet for the duration of breakfast. In between bites, I glanced up, but their heads remained down. Something was up. They were acting strange and the silence at the table was unnerving.
“When are the white coats coming back to give us shots today?”
Chloe chuckled. “White coats?” Chase rolled his eyes. “What? It was funny.”
At least someone liked my humor.
“They should be arriving in about twenty minutes,” Dr. Simon replied.
“After our injections, will there be any actual training today?” I asked.
“Yes. Today we will be working on channeling each other, and then you’ll be training with Juan in weaponry.”
“We already know how to channel,” Chloe whined.
“I know you do, but Abi doesn’t. Besides, the more you practice, the stronger your connections will become.”
“Whatever,” Chloe huffed, plopping her head between her arms on the table.
This was a joyful
morning.
After breakfast, we each took our seats in our injection chairs, and like clockwork, the white coats with their ginormous needles walked in.
As they strapped our arms down, I noticed my straps were a little wider and thicker. I guess they weren’t taking any chances. Maybe they assumed I’d Hulk smash them again. That would totally throw me into the spotlight. I needed to work on controlling myself better.
My white coat tightened the tourniquet around my bicep and rubbed the numbing solution on my veins. He then placed the dark glasses over my eyes.
Before I knew it, I was back in my mind. This time there were no colorful bubbles or light bursts. I guess my brain was already awake.
Instead of light bursts, there were streams of iridescent flakes swirling around. Reaching out to touch one, it dissolved into my hand, making my veins glow.
Awesome.
I swished my hand and scooped some from the air. When I opened my palm, they were gone and my hand was glowing.
“Abi, can you hear me?”
“Yes,” I answered Dr. Simon.
“What’s happening?”
“There are glittery flakes falling everywhere. When I touch them, they absorb into my skin and make it glow.”
“That’s interesting. Anything else?”
“Nothing yet. Is there supposed to be something happening?”
“No, but because your brain is a little different, I thought you might have had an atypical reaction.”
“If anything else happens, I’ll let you know.”
“Alright.”
I heard Dr. Simon’s voice calling Chloe.
“Abi, can you hear me?”
“Is that you, Chase?”
“Yes. Can you block this conversation?”
“I think so. Let me try.” I didn’t even really have to try anything. I thought it, and the barrier wrapped itself around us, creating a long tunnel to wherever Chase was. “I’m pretty sure this line is secure now.”
“I’m sorry about last night, Abi. I didn’t mean to scare you, or get you into trouble.”
“Don’t worry. I wasn’t in any trouble. But you worried the hell out of me. I thought they’d taken you away and was wondering if you were going to get exiled.”
He huffed. “They won’t exile me. Like I said before, they need us. They aren’t going to get rid of their precious Readers, especially when there are only four of us.”