“No! I have no idea what I have done,” I yelled back. She was making me so angry and I don’t know why. “I’m sorry you had to have Gabe teleport you here. I know you all have better things to do then come and check on me. I’m fine and you can go back to the warehouse. I’ll try and figure out what I did and not do it again,” I hissed.
“Layla, I didn’t teleport anyone. You teleported all of us here,” Gabe said coolly.
“What? No. I wasn’t even thinking about any of you. I was…”
“You called out to us and here we are. I suggest instead of everyone being ass holes and pissed off at the situation maybe we should figure out what happened,” Gabe ordered.
“All I know is I had a moment and I became a bit emotional. I’m sorry,” I explained.
“It’s alright Layla, we are all learning and everyone should take a breath and reset,” Lucy remarked.
For the first time I was happy Lucy was here. Gabe and Lucy’s words seemed to ease the tension that circled around us.
“I believe you are very powerful Layla and have only peeled off a layer or two of what you are capable of. Until you fully understand your ability I believe we are all in for a roller coaster ride. You were able to connect with all twelve of us at once and even more bring us to you. The scary part of this is you don’t know how you did it,” Greg spoke calmly.
“I know this is really important but I’m worried if we don’t get back soon there may be real trouble at the warehouse. I had the screamers sleeping and without me there I’m worried what could be happening. There are two screamers restrained and Gabe brought the new girl back shortly before all this went down. If the screamers are awake the humans are probably keved over in pain. We should get back and help,” Hannah said.
“Why should we help the nongifted anymore? They hate us and want us to leave. They are probably jumping for joy with us gone,” Gabe said, with anger in his voice.
“Not all of them hate us,” Hannah snapped.
“Oh right, because your daddy is one of them so it’s all good for you Hannah,” Gabe barked.
“Send me back now,” Hannah roared.
Gabe looked at me for a long moment.
“I can’t send you all back at once. I can send three of you, maybe four but it will drain me. I’ll need time. The warehouse is far and there are too many of you. Some of you will have to spend the night in the bunker. I can take three tonight, three tomorrow and the rest will have to drive back tomorrow.”
Clear disappointment spread across the faces around me, even Silas looked upset by this news. The group decided Hannah, Greg, Addy and Silas would go back first. I was sad that Silas was in such a hurry to get back. I had wanted him to stay with me for the night but clearly he had moved past wanting to be around me. I guess I was toxic to everyone these days. I watched Gabe take Hannah’s hand and Hannah take Greg’s hand and then Addy and finally Silas. Silas barely smiled in my direction before he was gone.
I brought the remaining crew to my house and escorted them into the bunker. Lucy was fascinated and explored the place top to bottom. She quickly made herself at home and scavenged through old photo albums. The rest found their corners, chairs or beds and drifted into small chat or silence for the remainder of the day. I stayed in my room upstairs until the stars were the only thing to be seen outside.
“You don’t have to shut yourself away from the rest of us. Maybe they would connect with you if you would open up a little,” Jacob said. He walked into my room and sat by the window I was sitting by.
“Once everyone found out I could take their gifts they feared me. It’s best if I keep my distance. I don’t even know what I can do, not really,” I stated.
Jacob had brown hair cut into a military style that fit his head nicely. He had dull blue eyes and he always seemed a bit distant to me. We hadn’t spoken much at the warehouse. He had a nice smile and his face was beyond his years. I guessed he was eighteen maybe nineteen but it didn’t seem to matter anymore.
“You teleported all twelve of us to you and you didn’t need to hydrate. You weren't weak or tired. I haven’t seen you take a sip of water since I got here,” he said.
I hadn’t felt thirsty until he brought it to my attention. My throat suddenly felt dry. Great, I thought now I’m parched. I stood up and was about to go down into the bunker when a light caught my eye out the window. I glanced out and sure enough I saw a light coming from down the road. Jacob must have seen it too because he stood up and without thinking grabbed the flashlight off my windowsill and turned it on. As if that wasn’t bad enough he accidently hit the power button on the remote to my stereo. Never had the sound of music filled me with such utter fear. I reached for the remote and shut it off but it was too late. The screams that were distant echoes in the night moments before now approached with unnatural speed. The closer they got the louder the screams.
All too late he realized he had made a grave mistake. I pulled him to his feet and we raced downstairs. The screams moved in around us from every direction. We were going to be attacked and it was going to be bad. We made it to the basement door when the sound of glass being smashed made me pull the basement door closed. I locked it and pulled Jacob into the basement. The screamers shook the upstairs of the house as we retreated into the bunker. I went to pull the bunker door closed when the basement door was smashed to pieces. The screamers sensed us and they were coming. Lucy pulled us into the bunked and slammed the door shut as the screamers entered the basement.
“What happened?” Lucy asked shaking with fear.
The screamers tore the basement apart searching for us. We could hear the commotion on the other side of the steal door.
“They must have sensed us,” I lied.
I didn't want to throw Jacob under the bus.
“Can they get through the door?” Olyvia asked.
I turned and saw everyone was standing and alarm was evident on their faces.
“No, the bunker was designed to withstand nukes so I’m sure it can handle the screamers,” I lied again, trying to sound confident, “We should be quiet and things should settle down soon.”
With that everyone tried to calm down and get some rest. Rest though was the last thing anyone got that night. The screamers were relentless and made sleep impossible for us. It felt as though the night would never end. Each second ticked by slowly, then pausing for a few seconds and then starting again. At some point I lost track of time and I drifted into deep and pointless thoughts.
Day 96:
The next morning I woke to the sound of a slow and steady pounding. I rolled out of bed and made my way to the bunker door, putting my ear to the door I could make out low growls. A cool hand touched my shoulder and I whirled around to face Lucy.
“God you scared me,” I said.
“Sorry, I’ve been listening to the pounding on the other side of the door since dawn,” Lucy replied.
“I think there are alot of screamers on the other side of the door,” Lucy added, “We are trapped and I’m worried that Gabe may not teleport into the bunker. If he enters the basement…”
Lucy didn’t finish her sentence because we both knew what would happen. I noticed we were not the only ones awake. Everyone was listening and worry was evident on their faces. I put my hand to the door and close my eyes. I pictured the basement and focused, I put myself there and I looked around. My eyes adjusted to the darkness and I frowned at how many bodies were standing in basement. They were crammed together, pressing against all four walls. They slowly swayed back and forth as one. The screamers pressed to the wall hit their heads in unison. It appeared they were in some kind of state of sleep. I turned my head to glance up the stairs when a face appeared right in front of me. It opened its mouth, black rotting teeth lurched towards me. I fell back, my hand leaving the door. I opened my eyes and felt sweat forming on my head. My heart still racing, Lucy helped me to my feet.
“You are right. There are dozens out there. We are trapped,”
I said sullenly.
“Maybe we are not trapped. I could make fire come out of my hands and set them on fire,” Jacob chimed in.
“We would still be trapped and burnt alive. That doesn’t sound appealing to me,” Sally joined in.
The hours passed quickly while we brain busted ideas on how to get the screamers out of the basement. Nate and Olyvia searched the bunker for another exit. Even though I explained there was only one exit. Sally and Sara played a game of monopoly while we threw ideas around. The group was on edge, when evening approached and the pounding turned into screams we couldn’t help but wonder where Gabe was. Worry soon turned to panic. Wes, Lucy and I spent the remainder of the day trying to keep Sara calm. She explained how she had panic attacks and a fear of being confined in small places before the sickness. She would start hyperventilating and lose control of her ability. Each time things would break or move. Books flew off the shelfs and glasses smashed into tiny shards. She kept apologizing but by the end of the day the bunker was in complete shambles. She Finally drained all her strength and energy and fell into a deep sleep. Lucy and I cleaned up the bunker with little talk. The screams from outside the bunker door made it evident the screamers hadn’t forgotten us. After we finished cleaning I went to my bed and climbed in. I wondered as I drifted off to sleep if there was a way I could teleport everyone back to the warehouse. I had after all brought them here. What if I lost control of my emotions again but this time reeled them in enough to teleport everyone. The tricky part was figuring out how I did it.
✽✽✽
Day 100:
It has been days with no sign of Gabe. We had begun to fear the worst possible things. We didn’t know if they made it back to the warehouse. Why hadn’t Gabe come to get us and what if he had but ended up in the basement? The screamers had been relentless and followed the same damn pattern day and night. Sara was a wreck and getting worse with each passing day. The rest of us had been trying to get by the best we could. Olyvia and Nate kept busy playing board games and baking cookies. Which was humorous because none of us ate food anymore. Nate attempted to eat one of the chocolate chip cookies but found the cookie wouldn’t pass his throat. He coughed and ended up spitting it out. Disappointed he threw the plate of cookies against the wall.
“Why do you think we can’t eat food anymore?” He bellowed.
“Doesn’t a human body need nourishment to survive?” He continued, “I really want to eat a damn cookie!”
“I don’t think we are human anymore. What kind of humans have god damn super powers?” Olyvia said.
“Also what’s up with the water consumption? It doesn’t make any sense,” Lucy asked.
No one knew how to reply so we all sat feeling stupid and inspecting our hands like maybe they held the key to unlocking all the mysteries the world had thrown at us.
I stood up suddenly and decided I was not going to sit around another second waiting for rescue that may never come. I walked into the kitchen and pushed the table to the side of the room. I then moved each of the four chairs. The area wasn’t ideal to work in but it would suffice for what I had to do. The ruckus got the attention of everyone and they gathered with curiosity.
“I’m going to try and teleport us back to the warehouse. This means I may need to take your abilities from you. I apologize in advance, but I’m not asking for your permission. I’m going to try my best to fix the mess I’ve caused everyone,” I explained.
Everyone gathered into a tight circle and we held hands. I closed my eyes and tried to clear my mind but thoughts flooded in and memories of yoga classes with my friends came centerfold. Yoga was the cool thing to do. I only went to class because after yoga we always went to my favorite coffee house. There we would get high on caffeine and cake pops. We would laugh and giggle at the silliest things. My friends faces whirled in my head. We were sitting by the big window in the front of the coffee house. One of my friend’s boyfriend worked there and he would put out a handmade sign that said, “Reserved” just for us every Tuesday and Friday evening we made our way to the same spot. My emotions flared around inside me and I lassoed each emotion, putting it into its proper category to be filed away neatly. My hand prickled and electric waves ran through my arm and into my hands. I tried but failed to picture the warehouse. The coffee shop kept replacing my image. I inhaled deeply and on my exhale felt my body lift. I didn’t open my eyes for fear I would lose concentration. A snapping sound in my ears jerked my eyes open. I was standing in the coffee house and I wasn’t alone. I had managed to teleport everyone out of the bunker.
“Nicely done,” Lucy said winded.
She took a step forward but her knees gave out and she collapsed to the ground.
I quickly searched the room to make sure everyone had made it and they had. They were sitting or passed out on the floor. The teleportation must have drained them. Strangely I felt fine. I jumped into action. I went behind the counter and found a sink. Thankfully the water was still working. I filled pitchers with water and fed them to each one. The refrigerator was stocked with beverages including bottled water. I passed out water bottles until everyone regained composure.
“Where are we?” Sally asked confused.
“Layla teleported us to the coffee house she used to come to with her friends. I believe she came here after her yoga class,” Nate explained with a smile.
“How did you know that?” I stammered.
“You shared you memories with me when I was holding your hand. The blond in your memory, She was super hot,” Nate stated.
“She was my best friend, her name was Nicole,” I replied.
“Too bad she isn’t here,” he winked.
“The good news is we are out of the bunker. The bad news is we are still far from the city. We need to find a vehicle and get back to the warehouse soon,” I directed.
Jacob and Wes wasted no time exiting the coffee house to find a vehicle. The rest of us followed after them. The town looked to be in the same condition as the last time I was here. It was easy to find a car or truck. The tricky part was finding the keys. We had to divide up and enter into private homes. Sally found a key to a minivan sitting on the counter in a blue modern day ranch. She exited the house looking a little pale but I guessed she was nervous trespassing in a strangers house. I knew from experience it felt wrong going into a house that wasn’t yours and taking things that didn’t belong to you. My dad was a cop and he arrested people everyday for breaking the rules. I had committed multiple crimes at this point. I had even killed. Killed screamers and my own mother.
“Let’s get out of here,” Jacob yelled.
We all piled into the minivan and heading into the city. I knew we had to drive above the speed limit in order to make it to the warehouse before dark. Not that speed limits mattered anymore but with road conditions being rough, it made it tricky to maneuver on the road. Lucy drove the van at a decent speed. She did a good job avoiding objects and growth that had began to take over the pavement. We made it into the city with time to spare. We turned onto one of the roads that led home when we ran into trouble. Cars had been neatly lined in a row blocking our route. Lucy stopped the van and we idled while we processed the scene before us.
“Someone blocked the road,” Lucy stated.
The sound of a gun filled the quiet city. We ducked down and covered our heads not knowing where the sound had come from.
“Place your hands where we can see them and exit the van,” a voice commanded.
“I don’t think we should get out of the van,” Sara whined.
“I will get out and if anything goes wrong I want you to drive away,” I told Lucy.
I opened my door and slowly exited the van. I put my hands up to show I had no weapon. I watched two figures appear from behind the lined up vehicles.
“Layla?” A voice called out as she approached.
I watched Zola and another soldier I hadn’t recognized come into sight. Zola lowered her weapon and put her hand out to shak
e mine.
She wrapped her gloved hand around mine.
“What are you doing on this side of the city? We had an agreement,” Zola barked.
“I know but we had an incident and this is the only route to the warehouse. Why do you have it blocked like this?” I snapped back.
I watched Zola move side to side in small nervous movements. She was tense and had a scowl on her face she tried to cover up.
“When you left we had an agreement,” she said again, glancing around uncomfortably.
“We are trying to stick to our agreement by getting home,” I stated.
I followed the direction of her eyes and noticed there were others hidden in buildings, they had us surrounded.
“The doctor took control of everything and everyone. We get sent out everyday to find your warehouse. We have orders to bring all of you back to the doctor. He needs to continue his work. I tried to convince the others to kill the doctor but it was a losing battle. The doctor is very convincing and he is obsessed with finding you now. He believes you and your friends hold the key to a cure. The abilities you exhibited that day have made him obsessed.”
She stepped closer to me and whispered, “You have to get out of here. You are surrounded and I can’t help you. You need to pull whatever magic tricks you have out of your hat. I’m going to put you against the van then you are going to punch me in the face and you are going to get the hell out of this city. Go south and don’t come back here.
She ushered me to the van passenger door and pulled handcuffs out of her back pocket. She whispered, now in my ear. I turned and she staggered back. I punched her in the face and she fell with well played acting skills. She fell to the ground and I lifted her up. I pushed her into the van and jumped in, shots echoed in the air but I was too distracted to pay attention.
“Go!” I shouted.
I felt a sharp pain explode in my shoulder when I slammed the door shut. Lucy put the van in reverse and we drove backwards down the road. Everyone in the van ducked and covered their heads as bullets hit the van and flew around in all directions. The van spun around and we hurried down city streets looking for another way to the warehouse. We weren’t being followed because the sun was making its last descent of the day. We were smack in the middle of the city and once again in real trouble.
The Demise of Humanity Page 10