Flutter (The Discover Series) (9 page)

Something very strange was happening.

“I can hear her.” I whispered to myself, afraid that if I thought it, she would disappear.

Her voice filled the confines of my head and I listened as she anxiously talked herself into another panic attack.
Her thoughts declared her fear like a sonic boom through the ice, and I was taken
back
by the impact of her emotions. My gut twisted in anguish, distracting me from the fact that I was able to hear her clearly inside my head as if I was right there with her.

Her attention jumped from one daunting reflection to another as she contemplated how she was going to get out of the ice that imprisoned her, determining her fate.
As I listened to Sara’s erratic thoughts, my dread was confirmed. The ice was melting slowly, and the liquid result was invading the constraint space, obliterating her need of oxygen. There was nothing I could do from up here, water was feeling up around her, threatening to drown her and there was nothing I could do.

Anger burst inside of me and I hit my fist against the uncaring ice. “Damn it!” I growled.

I wanted desperately to reassure her, give her that spark of hope that I was here, and I would get her out.
I focused on what she was thinking, hearing her whispered thought:
I will have already drowned by then
.

NO
! My mind protested.
You’re doing it again Sara. You need to focus.
I said calmly, more for my benefit, believing my unspoken words, were only mine to hear.

I choked on my next breath when I heard her answer me.

I’m trying! I don’t know what more you want from me!

I didn’t move a muscle, while I tried to determine if I had heard her right. Was she responding to me? Or was she still arguing with herself? I swallowed and closed my eyes, letting her consume my reality.

Just focus baby girl. I know this is overwhelming, but it will get easier once you focus.

I held my breath and waited.

I could sense her hesitation
for a minute, and then she finally responded.

How many voices do I have hidden in here?

My breath came out in a rush and I slumped in gratification. She could hear
me
. I may not be an actual person to her right now, my existence was only a shadow to her, but this was one step closer.

This is the last one, I promise.
I smiled.

I could feel her relax at the sound of my voice, her fear instantly melting with the ice, knowing everything would be okay.

It will!
I said firmly.

She took a deep breath and the last of her apprehension dissolved on the exhale.

That a girl. Now look around, where is most of the ice melting from?
I asked, but I had a pretty good idea where.

There
! She nearly shouted.
It’s coming from above me.

You’re doing good Sara.

Okay,
now what?
She asked.

Aaron was at my side then, and he dropped to his knees opposite from me. I didn’t look up to acknowledge his appearance. I was afraid that if I stopped concentrating on Sara, I would lose the connection.

Aaron pressed his palms into the ice, he inhaled deeply, breathing fresh air through his lungs and my chest constricted tighter at the thought of Sara without the life of breath circulating through her body. Horrible images flashed through my mind, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get the picture of her perfectly shaped lips stained a deathly blue.

“It was the storm wasn’t it?” I asked Aaron angrily.

I lifted my eyes toward the bitter grey clouds that filled the sky, depriving Sara of her survival and silently cursed them.

“Yes.” He said finally. “It slowed the defrosting process…” he tilted his head and frowned. “She is melting the ice from the inside, I can feel her influence. She is pulling the heat from within her.”

He sounded amazed and that made me want to punch him. This wasn’t the time to marvel over the superior of her strength. She needed out of that freaking hole and now!

“I realize this is awe-inspiring for you, but we don’t have the time to be fascinated! You need to do what you did earlier and bring the damn sun closer and now!”

“It’s not that easy. This weather is going to fight me.”

“We’ll fight back!” I shouted.

My attention was brought back to her, creases formed on my forehead as I tried to figure out what she was doing.

“What are you doing?” I asked out loud before thinking it.
What are you doing?

“What?” Aaron asked, looking at me confused.

I’m drinking the water. I thought maybe that would help. It’s filling up much faster now.

I smiled.
That’s my girl.

I didn’t want to say that out loud. Aaron was already looking at me funny, and once he found out, which would be any second now, that I was talking to her –he would definitely not be happy about my choice of words.

I could feel the warmth of her blush as her body flushed from my words and I wanted to enjoy the feeling, enjoy the reaction I was causing in her, but Aaron was demanding answers.

You have to focus Sara, and so do I
. I warned us both.

You’re making it hard too!
She admitted.

I’m sorry.
I listened to hear try to decipher the tone of my apology.
You’re so easily distracted.
I chuckled.

She thought she was crazy and that made me laugh again. She groaned and the sound was like a physical touch.

Can you stop that?
She asked, in protest of my laugh.

“What are you doing?” Aaron asked watching me. He struggled with being fascinated and envious. “Are you… can you… hear her?” he finally got out.

“Yeah.” I said not looking at him.

He was flabbergasted, “but how?”

“I don’t know.” I answered truthfully. “I just can.”

“Can you talk to her too?”

“She seems to hear my thoughts, yes.”

Are you there?

The fear in her voice pulled me away from my conversation with Aaron, and I was quick to reassure her.

I’m here baby girl. I’m not going anywhere.
I comforted her.
And you’re the strongest person I know
I said denying her confessed thoughts of being weak.

I created you. It doesn’t count when you say it.

I laughed, but didn’t want to freak her out by refuting the falseness of her words. She had enough to deal with.

Now what?
She asked.

“What’s going on?” Aaron asked, feeling slightly jealous of being left out of the conversation. “What is she saying?”

“She wants to know what she needs to do.”

“Try to get her to use her power.”

I already knew that, but I didn’t want to point that out.

“Okay.” I said.

I need you to focus on your hands.

But I don’t know where my hands are.
She said.

Yes you do, focus Sara.

I felt her excitement, it overpowered me and I took pleasure in her triumph.

Spitfire.

What?
I asked puzzled.

The name of my nail polish, it’s called Spitfire.

Give it time Sara. You can’t control what you remember, so give it time.
I said in response to her irritation at not being able to remember anything, but the name of her nail polish.

Say’s the voice of reason.
She teased.
I guess that’s why I brought you here though right? The other Sara was just a pain in my ass.

The other Sara?

Yes that’s what I named her.

Well I’m here now.

The same heat as before devoured her body and I closed my eyes against her intense reaction to me. A part of me felt remorseful over my guilty pleasure of her feelings. I longed to know if she felt the same wild connection to me as I did to her and now that I knew that she did, I wanted to be completely surrounded by her.

She mistook my reaction as embarrassment.

You know if I weren’t neck deep in ice, and about to drown, I would find it funny that you’re embarrassed by my thoughts.

You’re not going to drown!
I said firmly.
Don’t say that again and I’m hardly embarrassed Spitfire. I just think someday you might regret you’re thoughts.

“Damn it!” I hissed when I heard her coke and gasp for air.
Try drinking more of the water.

Even as I said the words, I could tell she was already doing it.

“What’s wrong?” Aaron said alerted by my outburst.

It had been easy to fade him out when I was talking to Sara, but he was demanding my attention now.

“The water is feeling up faster. She is starting to choke on it.” I explained.

That will work for now, but I can’t drink it all.
She said.

I know, now I need you to focus on you’re hands again Sara.

What good will that do?
She said bewildered by my words.
I can’t melt the ice away-

You’d be surprised-

I can’t even move my hands to try and break the ice around them
. She finished, talking over me.

You can do this Sara!

Do what?!

You’re running out of time Spitfire! Come on! I urged.

I heard her whimper and it was all I could do not to claw at the ice to get to her.

No Sara, focus! Listen to me okay?

Yes.

Close you’re eyes. Focus all of your energy on the spot between your hands. Just feel the energy Sara. Your body will do the rest I promise.

“Aaron you have to do something now! She is running out of time! If we don’t get her out of there in the next few minutes she is going to drown.”

Without a word he jumped to his feet and lifted his hands toward the sun, and just like before, everything came to life at the simple gesture. The air started to swirl, creating mini twisters of frost all around us to dance over the calm surface of the frozen lake. The trees lining the lake swayed furiously, throwing icicles to their death as they fell from the branches, their shattering becoming a riveting melody. The wind lifted the top layer of loose snow from the ground, and it created a wall around us. We were suddenly showered in an intense blush of light as the clouds parted introducing the suns essence.

I’m so scared,
She whispered.

I’m right here with you Sara. I’m not going anywhere. Can you feel it?

When she didn’t respond I panicked even though I could still feel her.

Sara
, I said and waited.

Say my name again
, she gasped and I could feel the warmth of her power ignition.

Sara

Her power flared again.

Aaron’s hands twisted and a waterfall of sunlight spilled down between us, and the lake glistened and liquefied from the harsh temperature. I turned my face away from the glaring blaze of the heat. The melted gold liquefying a hole into the ice, piercing an entry way to Sara.

Hold on to it Sara. I’m almost there
, I let slip and cursed when I heard her cough against a mouthful of water.

Her thoughts gave me a detailed description of what was happening to her, and I willed the ice to dissolve faster.

She was giving up.

SARA! Open your eyes please! Open your eyes damn it!

I stared into the hole, watching as the melted water sputtered to the top of hole and over flowed. I ignored the freezing liquid as it covered my hands, soaking my clothes. I tried to see her, but the tunnel plunged deeply into the lake and there was nothing but an abyss of endless darkness.

I’m here, please open your eyes!
I begged helplessly. I wanted her to know that I was here and not just an illusion she created.

Hold on to my voice Spitfire! Fight it! I’m almost there!

She thought she was dying.

You’re not dying! Stop saying that!
I tried to convince her, but she wasn’t listening to me and then I couldn’t feel her anymore.

“NO!” I yelled and the pain that tore at my chest was unbearable. “Where is she?!” I demanded at Aaron, but he was still directing the sun.

I waited.

I could see the bubbles rushing to the surface as water continued to over flow the opening of the gap and held my breath when the water went calm.

I waited.

Water erupted from the hole spraying Aaron and I, drenching us both. Aaron was knocked back and the golden waterfall faded to a stop. I looked over at him and then back at the hole.