Surviving ELE (ELE Series #4) (20 page)

He gives me a look that says, ‘why didn’t I think of that,” and his eyes turn a deep navy blue.

“Make sure you’re careful not to exert yourself,” I remind Tony after remembering how many times I passed out when I was first getting used to my powers. He gives me a small nod as we watch everyone come to...

Claire’s eyes focus on me first. She wraps her arms around me and
squeezes. I hug her back, but end it just as quickly. “I’m so glad you’re okay, Claire Bear, but we need to go find my dad and Sebastian,” I say. She nods her head in affirmation and immediately gets to her feet. She’s all business now.

Alec, Connor, Marya, and Tony are on their feet. Tony takes the
lead. I call out to my dad and Sabby, even though I’m pretty sure they can’t respond. There are multiple doors next to the lab and, together, we search them one at a time. My heart lurches in my chest each time we find an empty room. We could cover more space if we separated, but I don’t think anyone wants that right now.

I open the door to the third room and I exhale a loud breath of relief. Both my dad and Sabby are huddled together on the cold tile
floor. “Dad…Sabby.” I kneel before them and Tony and I wiggle them out of their restraints.

Alec comes over and helps us heal them. I watch the light slowly come back into their eyes. When Sabby’s lips puff out and he jumps into my arms, my heart leaps in my chest.

“I was berry brave, Wello,” he tells me. His eyes still look scared though. “Just like you tol me.”

“I know, Sabby. You are so brave,” I tell him. I hold him tightly while getting to my
feet. Cradling his head in my hands, relief pours over me. My dad joins in the embrace and for just a moment, the whole world feels right. I reluctantly let go of my family and set Sabby down at my side. He hops into our dad’s arms, who gratefully scoops him up. His copper eyes are shining with tears as he looks from Sabby to me.

I take a deep breath and turn to
Tony. “Tony, would you stay in the front and take the lead? I’m going to remain in the back and make sure everyone gets out safely.”

He nods and turns towards the
door. As soon as it’s open, we all fall into line as Tony leads us into the hall. We take the same path we took before, when Zack was leading us outdoors.

We make it up the two flights of stairs. Tony pauses at the entrance to the commons area. Even though I know that the Reapers are incapacitated, I can’t help but feel like there is still danger lurking around every corner in this burnt shell of a shelter. Up ahead, I see my dad tug Sebastian’s little head against his
chest, blocking his eyes from this horrifying sight. Sabby holds his little hands over his ears, trying to block out the cries.

Claire stops and gags from the smell that the fire left behind. I put my hand on her back and try to encourage her to keep moving. Connor has stopped to help her too, but the others have already made it to the tunnel that leads outside. I don’t like them being so far ahead of us.

“Shallow breaths, Claire. Don’t breathe through your mouth,” I tell her from experience.

Connor strokes her hair a few times and then puts his arm around her back to help her keep moving.

When we make it to the tunnel, the others are already out of sight. They must have gone straight outside.

A gunshot rings out from somewhere in front of us and I
panic. The sound was close… too close. My ears ring uncomfortably and I push Claire and Connor aside. I move with all my might to get to where Tony is. I have to make sure he’s okay. I reach the exit and the sunlight momentarily blinds me. Another gunshot rings out, followed by a scream. It’s a guttural cry and immediately I can tell it came from my dad.

“Dad!” the title I’ve always called him, rings from my
lips. “Sebastian!” I look to the left to see Zack lying
almost
lifeless on the ground in a pool of his own blood. An eerie smile splays on his lips and he raises his gun and points it at me.

I watch in slow motion as his index finger pulls back on the trigger. I swear I see the bullet that’s coming towards my head, but then it’s gone! Zack’s eyes widen in surprise and the gun is flung from his hand.

I turn to see where the gun was magically thrown to and I see Marya grab it out of the air. Her eyes are molten gold as she looks from Zack to me. I realize in that moment that she just saved my life. Our joke about her being able to stop a bullet with her mind was no joke at all. She just pushed the bullet off its course and saved me. I mouth the words, “thank you,” to her.

She nods her head and then focuses her golden eyes on Zack. Her utter disdain for him is obvious. She trains the gun on him to make sure he doesn’t move.

I rush over to my dad. Tony and my dad are crowded around someone…a pool of blood around their feet. Everything happens so fast that I can’t get my mind to wrap around what’s going on. We’re supposed to be safe!

I hear sobs coming from my
dad. I’m afraid to look and then I realize what’s going on. It’s not my dad that’s hurt, it’s Sebastian. “No, no, no!” I cry as the sickening reality sets in.

I fall to the ground at my dad’s feet and can’t even
concentrate. It’s like my own mind is trying to protect me from what’s happening. My father’s shoulder moves just enough to reveal Sebastian lying lifeless before me. I scream aloud and crawl to where he is, ignoring the blood that soaks into my pants and stains my hands. I place my palms on him, along with Alec and Tony, who have already started working on him. I try to focus on healing him, but can’t stop crying. Sobs bellow from deep within me. I feel Claire’s presence as she sits down at my side. She places her hand on my back, not sure what else to do. I can hear her softly crying. Sebastian coughs and more blood sprays from his mouth. Tony removes a bullet from Sebastian’s little body and I dry heave, not able to handle the sight. I put my head down, making sure I keep my hand on Sebastian, exerting every ounce of strength I have on healing him.

Alec begins to sit Sebastian up and I watch as the blood flow begins slowing, clotting up as the wound begins to
disappear. His eyes flutter open and I watch the life come back in his face. His neon-yellow eyes remind me of mom’s. It’s in that moment that I realize Sebastian’s going to live to see another day. It’s also the moment that I decide that someone else won’t get that opportunity.

“You Bastard!” I scream at the top of my
lungs. I let go of Sebastian and rise to my feet. The anger pours out of me, every cell in my being is on fire. Zack lies on the ground, staring up at me with his sick, twisted expression. I take the gun from Marya. You!” I scream, pointing the gun at him. “I thought you were dead! You’re nothing but an oxygen whore. You don’t deserve the three seconds I’m going to give you to live, before I pull this trigger and end your life for good.”

I watch his eyes roll back in his head for a second before he looks back at
me. There’s a red hurricane swirling around his irises. A small amount of green is still left, but I can see death knocking at his door. I think back to what the nurse had told me the red shot does, an instant, swift, painless death. It doesn’t look like she was right and for that I’m grateful. This dirt bag deserves none of those things.

He isn’t all the way gone, but he’s
close. He’s fighting death; it’s only a matter of time. But I want him to suffer! Just like he’s made me suffer...and my mother... and Tony...and almost everyone near and dear to my heart. “You’ve taken everything I love at one time or another, and now, you will pay.” I drop the gun at my feet.

Zack studies me, obviously he expected me to shoot
him. That would have been the easy way out. I look back over to Sebastian and although the tears still fall from my eyes, I can’t help but give him a smile as he continues to heal.
This is for you, baby.

Tony’s stands up, only Alec remains on the ground helping Sabby.

I address everyone through clenched teeth. “I need to take care of something. If you will all meet us at the tree line, we’ll be right back.”

No one dares say
anything. They can see the anger permeating from the core of my being. My eyes fight to go red, but I won’t let them. I can’t lose control in a time like this. I eye Tony and he comes to my side. “Help me get him back to the commons.”

He nods his head once, picks up Zack, and slings him over his shoulder.
Zack lets out a grunt as more blood drips from his mouth. I take the lead this time, leading them into the shelter. We enter into the mountain and walk through the tunnel. I glance over at Tony and grit my teeth at Zack. Revenge has run its course. It’s my turn now. I have much to avenge for.

When we reach the commons area filled with Reapers writhing in pain, I find a chair in the corner and step over the Reapers, who still moan beneath my
feet. I grab the chair and resituate it in the middle of the room. I hear Zack cough as Tony throws him onto the chair. Grabbing a belt from one of the Reaper’s pants, I use it to secure Zack in the chair.

Realization dawns on Zack and a look of panic flashes in his eyes.

I stare at him for a moment more. No words are said between us, it’s not needed. I will finally win and I’ll win for good. “Do you still have the remote?” I ask Tony, even though I know the answer. I saw the antenna poking out of his pocket on the way over here. He gives me a nod anyway, takes it out of his pocket, and shows it in plain sight.

I turn away from Zack and take Tony’s hand as we walk towards the
exit. Right before we get to the tunnel, I stop and look at Tony. He tries to hand me the remote but I shake my head. “I can’t,” I say. As angry as I am, I can’t bring myself to press that button alone.

Tony takes my hand in his and then places our fingers over the button
together. “On three,” he says to me. “One…two…three.” We both push the button and the high-pitch tone silences. I look into Tony’s purple eyes. We are both invisible. We stand there for a few moments as we watch the Reapers come to. They seem to all stand at once. Immediately, they recognize Zack and that’s all I need to see.

Tony and I run down the narrow tunnel into the light
outside. Screams from Zack bounce off the walls, which only calm me as we walk out into the light of day. This is finally over. When we can hear him no more, Tony switches the button back on. The last thing we need is for them to come after us next.

My friends and family stand amongst the
trees. My father holds Sebastian. They’re still covered in blood, as am I, but we don’t care. We are only relieved to see him alive. I rush over to him and take Sabby into my arms. I give him the once over, making sure he’s okay.

“Wello,” he
says. “Sank you for saving me,” he tells me as he hugs me close.

I close my eyes and relish his hug. “I will always be there for you, Sabby. Always,” I say, even though I know it may not be the truth. This life is fragile and
it can break with the flick of a finger. I give him a kiss on the top of his head and hand him back to my dad.

It will take all of us a long time to get over this, to forget the image of my brother bleeding out in that clearing. An icy breeze ruffles Sabby’s curls and he tucks his head into my dad’s shoulder. My dad looks to me. “I am so proud of you, Willow.” His copper eyes are filled to the brim with emotion. “You definitely take after your mother.” His smile isn’t sad; it’s filled with a fond memory.

“Thanks, Dad.” I smile back.

I hear Sabby giggling in my father’s arms. I turn to see what has captured his attention. Connor is acting like he’s walking up and down stairs, which in and of itself wouldn’t usually capture a laugh from anyone other than a four-year-old, but the fact that he is using his ability to sink half of his body underground is quite noteworthy. Sabby’s little laughter keeps Connor, who always uses comedic relief to ease tensions, motivated. He drops into the ground all the way until all you can see are his head and arms sticking out of the snow, and then he pretends to swim in the white ocean. That gains a snort from my little brother, who’s laughing hysterically now. When Connor gets pelted in the back of the head with a snowball, all of us join in with the contagious laughter. Connor turns his head to see Alec trying to hide behind a
tree. He doesn’t make it before a snowball smacks him in the butt, complements of Connor, who has emerged from the white ocean. His clothes are covered with snow, making him look like a marshmallow. I watch as Claire runs and jumps on his back, tackling him back down in the snow. She’s small, but with her invisibility, she has the element of surprise on her side.

Something inside me warms up at this sight. Things seem to be turning around for the better again. I allow myself to hope, something I once thought would never be possible. I see Tony and Marya standing at opposite sides of the ongoing snow fight. I smile at Tony, raise my finger asking for a moment, and then I walk over to Marya.

She notices me approaching and shuffles a little from side to side nervously. I try to give her a warm smile so she knows I’m not coming to start drama.

“Hey, Marya,” I say. From the corner of my eye, I can see Alec staring at us with a worried expression. He gives us our space though.

“Hey.” Her voice is quiet. Her golden eyes look haunted. I never stopped to think about just how much this life has affected her. I wonder what kind of woman Marya would have become if ELE never came along. What kind of woman would I have become?