The next morning I’m awoken by the sound of the door handle turning. Still on edge from last night I grab my blankets, hugging them to me tightly. I can see a little bit of light creeping out from under the doorway, followed by shadows of several pairs of feet…one of them smaller than the rest. The door opens letting in light from a lit candle that dimly illuminates the room. I sit up on my elbow out of curiosity hoping my mother is among them. Then I hear sweet whispers from a voice I would never forget.
“Is she here mommy? Is that Wello?” I can’t help the smile that is breaking on my face.
“Sabby?” I ask. My eyes adjust to the light allowing me to see those soft brown curls bobbing towards me. I open my arms to welcome my little brother. It all seems so surreal. I thought I had lost this little guy forever.
I hear my mom’s voice a second before Sebastian reaches me. “Remember Sebastian, be gentle!”
I feel his pudgy little arms wrap around me and I go to squeeze back but my breath is taken away by a crushing sensation. I gasp for breath. It feels like an elephant has decided to set up camp on my chest. I manage to get a small ‘help’ out there before someone takes the weight off my chest. I cough and sputter trying to get my breathing to return to normal. What just happened?
“I so sorry Wello,” says Sebastian. How on earth did he…? I stop mid thought finally understanding. It must be his power; his ability.
I cough once more. “Sabby, it’s okay. I guess you just need to be a little gentler okay?” I see his little head bob up and down beside me. Scooting over on the bed and patting the spot next to me. “Here, come sit by me. I’ve missed you so much!” His little face lights up with pure delight as he crawls onto the bed. For the first time in a while, everything feels right. It feels like it did before all this craziness happened. Before life in the shelter and the chaos that erupted. I revel in the simplicity and put my arms around my baby brother. He puts his arms around me and I tense up a bit hoping he won’t squeeze too hard. I relax when he curls up in my lap and snuggles close…just like he used to.
I kiss the top of his curls and look to the others in the room. My mother stands holding the candle, leaning against the doorframe. Mr. Leroy and Anthony…I mean Tony stand next to her. She smiles at Sabby and me as a tear rolls down her cheek. She wipes it away quickly. I guess now that she’s considered a leader she has a certain persona to live up to, which would include no crying.
My mother breaks the silence, “I see you’ve found your little brother.” I smile and nod my head in affirmation.
Sabby lifts his head from my chest. “I’ve missed you Wello!”
My throat tightens with emotion. “I’ve missed you too Sabby.”
“Alright,” my mother interjects. “Time to get up.” She checks her watch. “We’ve got breakfast in ten. Willow, I set some clothes at the end of the bed for you. Hopefully they fit.” She comes and picks up Sebastian out of my arms. “Alright you. It’s time to get some breakfast, then you’re off to Ms. Wallobee’s.”
She swoops Sebastian up and twirls him in the air. He giggles loudly and a small tear escapes my eye. I can’t stop smiling. It feels so good to see him again and to know he’s okay. Before they exit the room my mother sets a candle on the small table.
“Wait, mom…who’s Ms. Wallobee?”
She clasps the handle of the doorknob. “We’ll talk about it at breakfast. Once you get dressed, meet us on the first floor. Just follow the smell, you can’t miss the canteen.” She smiles at me sweetly and Sebastian gives me a pudgy hand wave before she shuts the door, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
I shimmy into the clothes she left for me, a pair of cutoff jeans and a tank top. It feels bizarre to wear anything but scrubs, but I like it. I feel my age again. I run my fingers through my tangled mane and grab the candle. Sadness runs through my blood momentarily as I think about my friends and my dad. It feels so bizarre now that things have flipped over. I used to worry about my mom and Sebastian. Now I worry about my father, Connor, Claire and Alec.
Alec…A vision of his face flashes before my eyes. A vision so clear I can almost reach out and touch it. The hole in my heart that was once reserved for my mother and Sebastian has been replaced by a new loss. I take a deep breath and right myself. I have to remain strong if I hold any hope of finding my friends. I turn the doorknob the rest of the way and make my way to the first floor.
The smell of cooked grits and eggs fills the entire floor. I hear laughter and conversation at the end of the hall. Rounding the corner, I spot my mother at the head of the table on the far end of the room. Everyone’s heads turn as I walk in. ‘New meat’ they must be thinking. Probably wondering if they can even trust me or not. I give a small smile and hurriedly make my way across the room to where my mother has graciously saved me a seat.
“Hey sweetie, glad you could finally make it.” That is her way of saying I’m late.
“Sorry,” I whisper under my breath. I sit and she pats my hand. I hadn’t realized how famished I was until the smell of grits permeates my nose. I dig in, not really caring about the unseasoned blandness of the meal. All around me table conversation is in session.
“So,” I say to my mother. “Who’s Ms. Wallobee?”
She takes a bite of eggs, swallows and then answers. “Ms. Wallobee is the head caretaker for the children. There are a few more kids here that need supervision. Along with some other teachers under her, she provides a small bit of education for the children like reading, writing and self-defense.”
I nearly choke on my eggs when she says this. “Self-defense?” I question.
My mother’s face turns grim. “Yes honey, self-defense. We all felt it was necessary, what, with all that’s going on.”
I break eye contact. The thought of Sebastian having to defend himself makes my stomach roll. Suddenly I’m not very hungry anymore so I push the rest of my eggs aside.
My mom gives me a look and I quickly pull the plate back to me. She nods her head happy that I understood her nonverbal message. "You’re going to need the energy if you want to come with us today."
My eyes open in surprise. "Really?" Last night she didn't seem too excited about my tagging along.
"Yes, but you have to follow directions to the T. If I say jump you jump, etcetera. Do you understand?" I nod so she adds, "It's imperative that you do this. Things can get crazy really fast. I can't let anything happen to you out there."
"I understand. You don't have to worry about me mom." I gladly shovel some more eggs in my mouth.
"Asking a mom not to worry is like asking a polar bear not to eat penguins." She smiles pointing her fork in my direction. "It's impossible."
I give her a strange look. My mom has always been one to come up with the most bizarre analogies ever. I change the subject. "So, when do we leave?"
"We’re meeting in one hour in the foyer. We have a group of twenty who are traveling with us. Do you have any idea where they might have headed?" She asks.
I didn't know any of them before the shelter so I don't know if there is a special spot they may choose to hide. "I honestly don't know. I would think they would stick close to the mountain. However, Connor could be looking for his parents too. They didn't go into the shelter." I hadn't thought of that last part till just now. It would seem natural that he would search for them once outside.
My mom's expression turns serious. "You need to understand honey that it's possible your friends may not have survived. If the Reapers saw them, they certainly wouldn't have let them walk away unscathed."
I have thought about that. It was one thing that kept me up last night. I also thought about my friend’s abilities too. "Yes, but Claire can go invisible. If Connor could use his powers to help them get out, then I can't see why Claire wouldn't have been able to make them all go invisible to get away."
"Oh, she can go invisible? That’s a rare gift; very useful." She pats me on the leg. "There may be hope for them yet. Now finish up. I’m going to take Sebastian to his class. Meet me in the foyer when you're done." She stands up and calls to Sebastian. "You ready sweetheart?"
"Yep!" He jumps up from the table and runs to me. "Bye Wello! You read me a story tonight, right?"
The sun is starting to rise, better illuminating the canteen. It also makes Sebastian’s eyes more noticeable. While the neon yellow is still extremely odd it doesn't take away from his absolute adorableness. "It's a date!" I ruffle his curls.
"Eww, Wello. No date, we just hang out. K?" His grossed out expression makes my mom and me laugh.
"Deal." I smile and give him a hug. He gets a little too enthusiastic and hugs me until I let out a little grunt.
"Sowee." He shyly smiles up at me.
"It's okay. I’ll see you tonight." I give him another hug and he heads off with my mom to his class.
I take a look around the large eating hall. Most everyone's eyes are on me. Some look curious, some look disgruntled and others look afraid. My cheeks flush at all of the attention and I quickly avert my eyes.
Someone scoots closer to me and I look up to find Tony. "Don't worry. They’ll realize soon enough that you aren't dangerous. You’re just the new commodity around here, that's all."
"Commodity?" I raise my eyebrow at his strange word to describe me.
He shrugs his shoulders. "It's been a while since anyone with another power has been around us. Most of them...Well, most of them aren't with us anymore." He looks sorrowful.
I nod my head understanding what he means. I can't help but wonder who he may have lost.
"So, how old are you Willow?" He changes the subject.
"I just turned sixteen." The memory of spending my birthday with Alec comes to me and I quickly store it away. This isn't the time to be emotional. "How about you?"
"I recently turned eighteen." He answers.
I look up at him. I don't know why, but I imagined Tony was a bit older than eighteen. Maybe it's the way he carries himself or perhaps it's all of the pent up emotions that show as turmoil in his bright yellow eyes. "How long have you been fighting?" I ask.
He looks away at first and seems to take a few seconds to contemplate his answer. Finally he responds, "I've been fighting beside your mother for two months now. She saved my life."
I raise my hand up to my heart and ask, "Really? How?" Pride wells in my heart thinking about my mother being a hero.
"It's a long story, but the short version is that my parents tried to inject me with the red shot. Your mom got to me just in time and saved me from becoming a Reaper. I've been indebted to her ever since." His features turn stoic but the hurt is still noticeable in his eyes.
There is no way to mask the horror that flashes in my expression. "That had to have been...I mean...I'm sorry Tony." I whisper the last part not sure what to say.
"It is what it is. No time for pity now though, we've got to go. Your mom asked me to get you outfitted for the trip. Are you ready?" He stands up and takes my tray and his. I still had some grits left on it but I don't complain. I stand up and follow him to the trashcan.
I block him as he starts to head out into the hall. "I don't pity you by the way. You are very strong."
He raises an eyebrow and his lip turns up at my statement.
"I mean, of course you are strong...You have that ability..." Get it together Willow! I do everything in my power not to slam my hand into my forehead. "What I'm trying to say is that inside, you are strong. I would never pity you. You've been through something horrible, but I can tell that you are the kind of guy that will use that for good." I mumble out quickly, feeling thankful that I was able to get my point across. "Anyhow, thank you for telling me your story."
"Thank you for listening." He smiles.
With that, I step aside and allow him to head out into the hall. I follow him down to a large meeting room where a crowd of around twenty people have gathered.
"I'll be right back." Tony tells me leaving me in the giant room with these people.
I look around the room. I can't help feeling a bit creeped out by the sight of all of them harboring military grade weapons. Some carry large guns while others have opted for machetes and scythes. They look like a low grade militia, what with their grim, tired faces and stunning yellow eyes.
I swallow rather loudly and look at the floor. Tony comes and stands next to me. I jump a little to the side when I see the large gun he’s got strapped to his chest. Goosebumps form along my arms. The size and amount of their weapons gives me a hint as to how dangerous life really is out there.
The random chatter stops immediately as my mother walks into the room. Everyone stands at attention; all eyes on her. I look around at their faces and see nothing short of ultimate respect and loyalty. My heart races at the sight; I couldn’t be more proud.
“If I could have your attention please,” as if she didn’t already. “As you have probably heard, my daughter has come to join us. She came from inside.” A few gasps and murmurs wave through the crowd of people. I’m guessing the gossip must have either not reached them, or they didn’t believe what they heard.
“Most of you are probably wondering how she got out.” My mom pauses as heads begin to bob in acknowledgement. “What I’m about to tell you has to remain top secret…it is of upmost importance.” She looks around the crowd. It amazes me the way she seems to be looking at each person individually.
“My daughter, Willow, has been exhibiting multiple abilities for some time now. We haven’t had much time to discuss all of her abilities yet, but I will tell you that the abilities that she possesses are both rare and of great importance to us. At all cost, we need to protect her and keep her safe. I have already spoken with Tony in private yesterday evening and he has agreed to be her protector, always staying by her side when we are on the outside.” My stomach does summersaults and my cheeks turn an unnatural shade of crimson. I didn’t realize I needed my own personal bodyguard! The thought makes me feel weak and vulnerable. I try not to let it get to me though…I know my mother only wants the best for me.
Tony gives me a sideways glance and I quickly look away embarrassed.
“I know you all must have many questions for Willow about life on the inside.” Again, murmurs surface from the crowd. My mother turns towards me. “Willow, honey, would you mind coming up here? I’m sure there are a few questions these people would like to ask you.”
I swallow the bowling ball that’s lodged in my throat and make my way up to the front. As I pass through the crowd people move aside making a clear path for me.
When I reach my mother, she wraps her arm around my shoulders and gives it a squeeze. “Go ahead and introduce yourself,” she whispers in my ear.
I take a deep breath. “Hello,” I squeak, then clear my throat. “My name is Willow Mosby. I guess I’ll open the floor for questions.” I shrug my shoulders as everyone’s hand shoots up. A feeling of shock peruses my body as I realize these people are very curious. They must have family on the inside. I point to a man holding the least intimidating weapon. He looks to be around twenty years of age with a pointed nose and hollow cheekbones. His five o' clock shadow has come and gone and he has a permanent scowl etched across his face. The only thing bright about the man's appearance is his yellow eyes.
“Yes, Willow, can you tell me what abilities you have exhibited thus far?”
Good question. I nod my head. “Sure. As of now, I've been able to listen to people’s thoughts, go invisible, heal myself and others, pass through objects and use something I can only call compulsion which allows me to manipulate people’s actions by mental suggestion.” I hope I’m making sense.
His eyes go wide and then he furrows his brow. “So, you’re telling me that you possess all of these gifts at any given time?”
I nod my head, “Yes sir, I do. I know it seems unbelievable but what I say is the truth.”
Surprisingly he follows by saying, “Prove it.”
I'm a little taken aback by his audacity but what the heck. Why not get it over with? “Sure.” I say simply. “Would you mind being a volunteer?” I mentally laugh at his expression. I don’t think he was expecting to become a Guiney Pig. He shrugs his shoulders and makes his way up front. I give him a small smile then I address the crowd. “I guess I’ll start with the first ability I possessed which is mind reading. I’m sorry, what is your name?” I ask turning to the man now standing next to me.
“Chris,” he says simply.
“Okay, Chris, would you please think of a number between one and a million in your head.” It doesn’t take long after I let my guard down that I begin to hear his inner voice, clear as a whistle.
“Like she’s ever going to get this one…how about 769,384.” Wow, he’s a smug one.
“769,384,” I say simply. All eyes turn to the man next to me.
“Yes,” he says addressing the crowd bewildered.
Voices are heard whispering in the crowd to one another as I continue. “I’m not really sure how to show my healing ability…” I look to my mother.
She answers, “I don’t think there’s a need for that. There were several witnesses that were there the day you saved me.”
A woman from the crowd speaks up. “I have a small burn on the side of my hand from preparing breakfast this morning. Could she heal that?”
I grin, “Of course.”
She makes her way to the front and gives me her hand. I place it in mine and turn it to see a nasty red blister running down the side of her hand. She must be trying to be tough because anyone can see this is not just a small wound like she was making it out to be. It looks extremely painful. I give her an empathetic smile and concentrate on healing her hand. Slowly, her blister begins to disappear leaving new, pink skin in its place.
She takes her hand back and runs her other fingers over the place where the blister was moments before. She looks at me with awe, “Thank you. Thank you so much!” She turns and walks back into the crowd.
Chris is still standing next to me and I turn back to him. He has his hands crossed over his chest and looks peeved. I guess the concept of multiple gifts doesn’t sit well with him. I’m not sure if it’s jealousy or what.
“Next, I’d like to show you the gift I call compulsion." I say.
Chris squints his eyes at me. He doesn’t believe in me…oh, but he will after this! I try and suppress the grin that’s forming on my face. I look into Chris’ eyes: “You will turn to the audience in front of us and do the chicken dance for ten seconds. Complete with full arm motions and sound effects.”
Chris is desperately trying not to follow orders but lo and behold his eyes finally gloss over as he turns to the crowd and completely embarrasses himself. The crowd erupts in laughter…even my mother. After the ten seconds are over his face turns an unnatural shade of white as the realization of what he just did dawns on him.
I try and suppress my giggles but fail in my attempt. He just did the chicken dance while holding on to a very intimidating gun. The two just don’t go together at all. “Thank you Chris,” I say to him. “That’s all I’ll need you for.”
He gives me a spiteful glare then disappears back into the crowd.
“This one speaks for itself, invisibility,” I tell my audience. I concentrate on becoming invisible and watch as my body disappears before my eyes. Everyone erupts in cheers at this one. I smile to myself as I become visible again. I hear people through the crowd saying things like: amazing and how does she do it? I try not to let the comments go to my head, but it’s not easy.
“The last one is the ability to pass through objects. I walk over to the closed, double doors of the meeting room. I concentrate as my body moves through the door. As soon as I’m through, I turn around and go back through it again. Claps and cheers erupt from all the people…except Chris. They huddle around me patting my back and congratulating me. I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face. I’m usually not one for attention, but this feels nice. After all that I’ve been through in the past few months, it’s nice to feel this love and appreciation.
Chris walks back up to the front of the room and addresses the crowd by giving a slow thunderous clap. Once the crowd quiets down he gives me a cold look. Then with a snarky expression he says to my mother in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "So, your daughter is a Reaper."
The crowd gasps and my mother's eyes narrow. "You of all people know about Reapers. You can see that obviously my daughter is not one of those monsters."
"Yes, yes I do know very well about Reapers. They are able to take powers and hold multiple gifts. They have red eyes. They are evil." He says with a cynical tone to his voice. "Nobody can deny the red spot in your daughter's eyes, can they?" The crowd that had huddled around me suddenly takes a step back in unison.
My mouth is hanging wide open and I have no idea what to say to this man. I obviously pissed him off to the core. Note to self: don't make people do the chicken dance against their will. Could something so goofy put him over the edge? Talk about low self-esteem issues. I finally gain my bearing and start to speak up but Tony steps in front of me.
"Don't be a fool Chris!" Tony says vehemently. Then he turns to speak to the crowd. "Willow is not a Reaper. She has done nothing to threaten anyone's safety. In fact she healed her mother and just healed Sherry a moment ago. No Reaper has ever shown any compassion whatsoever. I think we can all agree that Willow is NO threat to us, or anyone for that matter."
The crowd mumbles in acceptance of what Tony said but they still keep their distance.
"Fine, believe what you all want. It's your funeral. Mark my words, there is trouble coming and Willow Mosby is going to pull us all in head first if we let her." Chris focuses his beady yellow eyes back on me. If looks could kill!
My mom faces him full on. Her posture is rigid, her hands are on her hips and she's giving him the momma bear stare down. "Your comments and assumptions are uncalled for. You have no reason other than your own fragile ego to say such things about my daughter."
Score for mom! Pride for having such a woman on my side fills me.
Chris sticks his foot in his mouth. "Exactly, she's your daughter. Do you think you have the best judgment when it comes to your own blood? Next thing we know you will be declaring her princess over this messed up world that we've been left in."
"You are dismissed for insubordination. Leave now Chris." My mom says boldly pointing towards the exit.
He arches his eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
"Is your hearing messed up? You do not question the judgment of your commanding officers. You are dismissed." She doesn't back down.
He gives her a look filled with menace, as he turns to leave. He walks in my direction since I'm still standing in front of the door. With his hateful glare my first instinct is to step to the side. I look up at my mom and I decide that the new Willow is going to be brave just like her. I stand up even taller and put my hands on my hips. He keeps walking towards me and I'm sure he's going to pummel me but Tony once again steps in front of me.
Chris looks him up and down and rolls his eyes. He makes his way towards the door slamming into Tony's shoulder on his way there. I see Tony stiffen but he doesn't take the bait. He allows Chris to walk out of the room avoiding the potential conflict that was brewing.
The crowd starts mumbling again. My mom brings them back to attention. "Does anyone else want to question me?"
Nobody speaks up so she finishes the meeting. "Meet us outside in the North parking lot in fifteen minutes. We will head out then."
The crowd disperses. Tony turns towards me and says quietly. "I'm sorry Willow, Chris is a punk. He's been unhappy with his position ever since his demotion. He used to be right under your mother."
"Really?" I ask surprised. Tony shows so much respect for my mom, but I saw none of that in Chris. "Why did he get demoted?"
Tony seems to be lost in thought. He runs a hand through his coppery hair then says, "His girlfriend took the red shot and became a Reaper. He tried to hide it at first. You see, they don't immediately turn into phsyco, heartless enemies. In fact, it actually takes a few days, sometimes a week before they lose touch with their humanity. He hid her and didn't warn anyone until it was too late. She killed three people and took out the last and final healer we had here."
"Wow." I wonder how Chris's life was spared. I thought Reapers lose all compassion, even when it involved their own family. I would think that would cover romantic relationships too.
"Well, we better get you some weapons. Are you ready?" He asks me with a gleam in his eye.
Weapons? "Oookay." I say a bit uncertainly.
Tony smiles really big. "Don't worry. I'm not going to get you a machine gun or anything. Perhaps just a knife…or two."
Oh boy. I don't know what I'm going to do with a knife...or two for that matter but I guess it's best to have something on me if it's that bad out there. I make a mental note to get with Tony after this to train on weaponry. "Let's go."
As we walk out of the room my heart ramps up in anticipation for the upcoming search. I just hope it's successful. I follow Tony down a flight of stairs and end up in what looks to be their makeshift arsenal. It's actually the hotels laundry room. There is little light in this room since it's partially below ground and the only windows are small slits at the top of the ceiling. I nearly trip over a gun laying casually in the walkway. Tony catches a hold of my arm and rights me back up.
"So are you right handed or left handed?" Tony asks me.
"Right." I wonder if there are knives that are better suited for lefties. I watch as Tony sifts through a pile of boxes on a nearby table. "So, where did you get all of this?" Scanning the room, there are piles of outdoor gear, weapons, ammo and survival packs with food and water.
"We looted a Walmart and some other neighborhood sporting good stores." He answers without looking up from his search.
"Looted? As in stole?" I ask surprised.
He looks up at me. "Who else is going to use that stuff?"
I hadn't really considered what would happen to all of the belongings and material items we all left outside of the shelter. I just figured it would all be there waiting when we got out. "Um, I don't know. I guess you have to do what you have to do out here."
He gives me a half smile. "Yeah, they left us outside. We certainly weren't going to sit around and rot while holding on to our moral code of ethics. They aren't using them so it's fair game." He turns to the table and says, "Got it." He pulls out a thin box about six inches long and hands it to me.
I look down at the cover on the box. It shows a gnarly looking blade that despite the hot pink handle seems intimidating even to me. I open up the box and pull it out of the packaging. Pulling the blade out all I can do is stare, turning it over a few times in my hand. I look up to see Tony giving me a funny grin. I try to close it back up but I can't get the blade to budge. "It's broken."
Tony laughs and holds out his hand. I pass the blade to him and he says, "Whoa! Watch it tiger. You don't ever hand a knife to someone blade first. Hand it to me handle first, please."
Feeling a little silly for not having thought of that, I quickly turn the knife around and hand it to him by the handle.
"These have a safety catch that keeps the blade open when it's in use. You press this tab here and close the blade at the same time. It prevents the blade from collapsing when you shove it into something." Tony demonstrates how to close it.
"Wow, shove it into something? That seems innocent enough." I say joking.
Tony takes on a serious look. "Weapons are anything but innocent." He opens the knife back up and hands it to me handle first. "Knife 101: you always hand a knife back to a person in the same way they handed it to you. So if the blade was open, you hand it back open, if the blade was closed, you hand it back closed."
"Thank you oh wise one." I joke and that seems to lighten Tony's serious mood. "So, now I know how to open, close and pass a knife. How exactly would I use it? Do I just 'shove it into something'?"
Tony laughs. "We don't have time for a formal training. Until then, your instincts will tell you pretty much what to do. You could slice at them or stab them, whatever you have to do to get away from them. You don't need to finish the job, just scare them enough to give you a chance to run. Also a tip someone once told me is that when you go into a knife fight, go into it knowing you are going to get cut. This will help mentally prepare you to deal with your fear of the blade. If you are ready to be cut you won't be as scared when it comes time for you to defend yourself."
The thought of using a knife or getting cut in a fight makes my heart race. I must look terrified because Tony adds. "Don't worry though; I won't let anyone get close enough for you to have a chance to test your skills anyway."
"Well, that does make me feel better. Oh, and if you get hurt defending me I can always heal you." I give him a half smile and he returns it.
"Sounds like we will make a great team then." He turns to start leading me out of the room.
"Oh, should I take one of those guns?" I ask looking at a pile of firearms.
"Do you know how to use it?"
"Well, no..." Of course I don't know how to use it.
He laughs and when I give him a frustrated stare he adds. "Don't worry Willow. I'll teach you these things in due time."
I wonder what due time is. I don't know if there will ever be enough time for me to get used to handling a gun, or any type of weapon for that matter. I stick the pink knife in my pocket and follow Tony out of the room and all the way to the parking lot. Is it sad to wish the knife handle had glitter or shiny things stuck to it? Bah, I'm such a girl.
Outside everyone is huddled around my mom who is doling out orders. My mom looks up at me as I approach and waves her hand calling me over. Most everyone disperses, except for four burly looking guys.
"Did Tony get you some gear?" She asks me.
I pull out my hot pink knife. "Yep. Girly, yet deadly." I smile.
She raises her eyebrow. "Looks good. Hopefully you won't have to use it." Concern flashes in her eyes.
"She won't." Tony offers confidently.
My mom nods her head then gestures to the big manly foursome. "This is Mike, Tom, William and Henry. I've assigned them along with Tony to be dedicated to your protection. It is their top priority."
In unison, the fearsome four nod their heads. I give Tony a funny look and he smirks.
My mom must have caught it because she gives me her famous mom stare, which tells me that I'm being rude. She continues looking directly at me. "You will need to listen to their orders and stay close to them at all times. Don't try to be brave or go out on your own." She seems to be waiting for a yes ma'am response or something so I nod my head. "I mean it Willow. You saw what it was like on your first day outside. The Reapers are dangerous and while I'm not sure if they can take your powers or not, they can still kill you just as easily with their weapons."
"I understand mom." I shiver at the memory of all of the heartless red eyes I saw. What my mom should truly fear more than my death would be what would happen if the Reapers take my powers. Nobody should have the amount of gifts I have. I have trouble holding in the reigns and keeping it all from going to my head. I can't imagine what someone who can't differentiate between right and wrong would do with all of my abilities.
My mom looks satisfied that I'll be compliant. "Alright. Let's get going."
"Where are we going?" I ask her.
"To the mountain. You said they came out at the same place you did right?"
I nod my head.
"So we are going to comb the forest around the mountain's base. If I were on the run from those monsters that's where I would hide." Her expression turns sadly thoughtful. She reaches out and runs her fingers through my hair. "You do need to prepare yourself though honey. We may not find them today. Or, we may only find what's left of them. It's a crazy world out here and their chances for survival could be low, especially if they go at it alone."
My heart lurches in my chest. I know she already warned me once of that possibility, but I can't let myself accept it. I don't know what I would do if anything happened to my friends, what I would do without Alec. Everything in me wishes that I could be in his arms right now. I blink back the tears that threaten to build. "I know mom. We will find them though...and alive. We have to."
She doesn't confirm or deny my statement. She just pats me on my back and says, "Let's move out." She turns on her heel and heads to lead the group.
As I move forward to join the throng of soldiers I am immediately flanked on all four sides by the fantastic four. They pull their automatic rifles off their back and hold them in position, prepared to shoot any threats. Tony walks to the right of me, inside the small diamond formation that the other four guys make. While I'm a little creeped out about leaving my comfort zone, something about Tony makes me feel safe. Well, as safe as one could feel when being led out to a possible slaughter.
We walk out of the parking lot and follow a gravel road for what seems like miles. The sun beats down on us mercilessly as we walk. Sweat starts accumulating on my forehead and I wipe it away with the back of my hand. Tony pulls a bottle of water from his hiking pack and hands it to me. Feeling like a wimp, I guzzle down half of it and hand it back. He takes a small sip then puts it back in his bag.
I'm grateful when the tall thirsty looking evergreens greet us at the end of the road. Perhaps some protection from this unrelenting sun will help me to cool off. I glance at a few trail map signs. I wonder on a normal day how many hikers would be out here exploring. My heart yearns for some sense of normalcy.
When we step into the forest my mom calls us all to a stop. We stand silently, listening to the nature around us for a good five minutes. I guess she is assessing the area and listening for threats. When she deems it clear, she allows us to proceed. We repeat the same stop and listen procedure every half mile or so.
I place my hand in my pocket and stroke the smooth texture of the knife's handle. I'm not sure why, but the gesture comforts me. We continue marching for several hours through the woods with no signs of my friends or anyone. All this marching on and on is making me antsy and bored. Looking around at the fab four and Tony, I get an uncanny itch to pull a little prank. I can't help myself. They look so stoic and...and constipated or something. I go invisible counting the seconds until they figure it out. Heck, while I'm at it I might as well practice using my multiple powers. I try Connor's power on for size while still invisible and pass through the caboose guy, I think it's William, and stand behind him. I try and stifle a laugh as I watch them continue marching.
Alas, it doesn't take long before Tony finds me gone. He stops abruptly looking for me, causing William to crash into him. The other three turn around with guns drawn aiming all around them. It's in this moment I realize this might not have been the best time for a practical joke. As their guns swing around, I panic and duck, hoping they don't mistakenly shoot me. I let out a small screech and let go of my powers so they can see me.
Tony is the first to come barreling towards me. He grabs me by the arm and hauls me to my feet so fast my head is swimming. "You think that was funny?" He spits in my face.
My eyes go wide in fear. I didn't know he had it in him to be so forceful. I guess that's why my mom must have put him in charge of me. "Sorry Tony, I was just bored. We've been walking for what seems like millennia and are getting nowhere. Shouldn't we stop and talk about other options?"
Tony's eyebrows rise into a questioning look. "Are you questioning your mother's authority?"
I let my eyes wander; anything is better than meeting his scolding gaze right now. Realizing I’m not winning this argument, I relent. I shake my head no. "Sorry, that was uncalled for. It won't happen again."
A second later I hear my mother shuffling through the crowd of soldiers that has gathered around. "What is going on here? Willow are you okay? Why did you stop?"
Before I can answer her myself, Tony steps in for me. "We're fine. Willow just had to stop and tie her shoe. She neglected to tell William behind her, which caused a small collision, slash scuffle.”
My mom narrows her eyes looking from Tony to me and back to Tony again. She relents. "Okay then, let’s get a move on. We don't want to be caught out here past dark." She turns on her heel and marches back to the front.
The fearsome four gather around me again enclosing Tony and I in the middle. I bite my lower lip. "You know, you didn't have to do that." I say, and I really mean it. He doesn't owe me anything.
"I know I didn't have to," he says. "But, I wanted to. Just don't do it again." He turns his head back forward and continues his march.
"I won't. Thank you. I owe you one." I say.
He shoots me an intense look. "Just stay out of trouble and that will be enough."
My cheeks flush as I nod my head. I look away quickly, embarrassed. I'm sure my joke made me look like an immature child to Tony. Not that I care what Tony thinks...Well, maybe I do, just a little. But, really I do want to be taken seriously, especially if I want my mom to allow me to fight by her side. I make a mental note to be on my best behavior from now on.
My stomach starts feeling unsettled as we walk back. I don't know if it's the forest's eerie quietness or the long shadows cast by the slowly setting sun. I find myself inching closer to Tony. He must have a sense of unease because his back is rigid and his jaw is clenched tightly.
A piercing scream erupts from somewhere to the East. A clattering of startled birds disperses into the air not far from us. Everyone brings their weapons to attention and the group seems to form a blockade surrounding me. My heart launches into my throat. I try to look over the throng of protectors that surround me to see what's happening. The scream was high pitched and it sounded female. I pray that it doesn't belong to Claire.
I catch sight of an injured girl breaking through the trees to my left. She's limping so badly that she falls every few feet. My mom and several other soldiers jump out, not to grab her but to fight the figure who steps out after her. A man about six feet in height with crimson red eyes stands there staring at us. At first he seems shocked to see such a large group waiting for him. I can almost see his mental wheels turning, trying to make the decision between fight or flight. He decides on the former and turns back into the woods. My mom, along with eight other soldiers, runs after him. Worry for her consumes me and I immediately try to take a step forward but Tony stops me by putting his hand on my shoulder.
"She will be fine. Your mom can take that Reaper out by herself. With her backup, they are more than capable." He says. In confirmation, I hear two gunshots. "They got him."
I nod and then look down at the hand that's on my shoulder.
He follows my gaze and then pulls his hand back down to his side. He clears his throat. "Where do you think the girl went?" He scans the area around us.
The group seems to relax a bit knowing the Reaper situation was handled so they give me a little breathing room, which allows me to look for her. I catch sight of her long flowing black hair first. She's lying on the ground cradling her leg. "There!" I point to her. "She must be injured." I start moving her way but Tony stops me again.
"Where? I don't see her." He asks.
She's out there in the open, clear as day. How could he not see her? "She's right there!" I say pointing to her, irritated he's playing games. She looks like she's in pain. I shrug Tony's hand off my shoulder and speedily walk towards her.
Tony runs up to my side. "Willow, are you okay?" He pulls me by my arm and turns me around so I will look at him.
"Yes, but she's not!" Annoyed now, I yank my arm from his grasp and jog the rest of the way to the girl.
"Hey, are you okay?" I ask the girl, kneeling down next to her.
When she looks up at me, I gasp. Her tear filled eyes are the same shade of purple as Claire's. She barely shakes her head.
I look down at her leg and see a gash running down her thigh. Examining it, I find that it's so deep that I can see the muscle tissue. My stomach rolls with nausea as I try and get ahold of my bearings. I move my hand over her leg and focus my healing ability on her.
"What are you doing?" Tony squats down and looks at me like I'm certifiably insane.
"Shut up Tony. I need to focus!" I tell him.
The girl groans and Tony straightens up. He looks in the girl's direction but doesn't seem to see her.
"She's invisible." I say realizing the same thing myself. I look back down at the gash to see it's healed nicely. All that's left is a light pink scar.
The girl sits up and looks at me with sad, purple eyes. "Thank you."
Tony reaches out towards her and touches her head on accident. The girl cringes and moves away.
"It's okay, he's not going to hurt you." I say to her, though she still looks scared.
"How are you able to see her?" Tony asks me.
I'm not entirely sure. I can't even see myself when I go invisible. "I have no idea." I answer him. Then I look to the girl. "Can you make yourself visible?"
She shakes her head, her eyes still look frightened.
"You're safe now. Nobody here is going to hurt you." I say earnestly.
Catching on to what's going on Tony adds, "We killed the Reaper. He won't hurt you. We need to get out of the woods though before dark. It's not safe."
"Please." I ask her.
Still looking intimidated she takes a deep breath and I don't realize that she's visible again until Tony tells her thank you. I didn't notice the difference since I could see her in her invisible form already.
"Will you come with us?" I ask her.
She shakes her head. "I have to go home."
I look around the woods. "Where is home?" She can't possibly live out here with those monsters lurking about.
She shakes her head and tenses up.
"It's okay, you don't have to tell us." I say realizing she's scared, possibly even in shock.
"We do need to get out of here now though. You can come with us and tomorrow during the day we can take you home." Tony tells her.
She shakes her head again and tears start flowing from her eyes.
"You have to come with us. I promise, I will make sure you get home tomorrow but for now we have to leave. More of them may come." I am focusing so hard on getting her to come with me that I didn't even realize that I am using my compulsion. She stands up abruptly and reaches her hand out to me. I take her hand and lead her back to the group.
Having seen what just happened my mom doesn't ask any questions. Instead she just says, "Head out."
We all start walking. I continue to hold the girl's hand. Every once in a while I look over at her to make sure she's still breathing and okay. She seems so delicate and young. She can't be more than thirteen or fourteen. Other than her age and the dark hair, she reminds me a lot of Claire. Perhaps it's her small stature or the purple eyes that resembles my best friend. A pang of longing hits my heart. I pray my friends make it out of this safely.
I hate using compulsion but when we step out of the tree line and onto the gravel road, I feel confident that I made the only decision I could under the circumstance. We make our way to the Holiday Inn just as the final rays of sun vanish behind the mountains.