《The Powers Within》Chapter 18
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I have no idea where I am going. I wasn't given any instructions for this journey, just that I needed to find him. My brother called out to me. I don't know why, but he did. Maybe it is for revenge. Perhaps, he needs help. Whatever it is, I will find him.
I have been searching for days, calling off the dust storms and uncontrolled weather conditions. I have found wild animals and learned how to survive.
I didn't learn, though. I knew. It was a long lost memory that found its way to the front when I was desperate for heat and food.
I made fire. I hunted the radioactive wolves. I ate possibly poisonous meat, but I am still alive. Searching this barren land for a brother, I barely know. For a brother, I thought I had killed.
I keep going. Keep pushing on through this deserted land, unregulated terf.
I can't see, but I keep going. I am weak, my energy dying, but I keep going. I am half dead when I step onto a campsite that looks oddly military.
I am starving, dehydrated. I can barely see 5 feet in front of me. I hear male voices, and then I am on all fours, throwing up.
All I remember is the acid smell of my vomit. I think I blacked out after that from dehydration or maybe the fact that I was starving to death in the wilderness. I really didn't think this search through.
I am bound in a cell. Gagged and cuffed. I hear voices down the hall from my isolation. "She will be taken to the pit." One said. The other was disagreeing. The pit? Is this some Roman sacrifice crap? I thought to myself. Just then, someone
came and opened my cell. He didn't speak. He didn't even so much as look at me. He wore gloves to protect himself from me. I realized then what this was. I was going to be executed for being black.
I began to struggle, but he held on and dragged me aggressively out to the hallway. As we walked down the hall, I was spat on by the other inmates. I was cursed at. It was like they were trying to free themselves by proving they are loyal to this racist community.
The cursing followed me to the end of the hall, a grand archway that led to something kind of like the gladiator pit. The man leading me pushed me forward into the sandy battlefield. I fell on my face, and the crowd made a loud booing noise.
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I lost my temper at that point. It had been building ever since I realized what was going to happen to me. I used my ability to break myself free from the cuffs on my wrist. The crowd was silent.
I heard murmurs as I pulled the gag out of my mouth. People calling me a negro freak. Mutant. I turned behind me to see if my guard was still there. He ran from me. That was when they brought in my brother. He was bound like I was five minutes ago. He was aged way before his time, but I knew it was him. He looked up at me like this was expected, and I looked at the crowd and silenced each of their mouths with my mind.
I walked over to my brother, and his guard ran just like mine had. I now stood in front of my brother, and I broke his cuffs. I removed his gag. I pulled him close, and I almost cried. Now is not the time for tears. "Haiden?" I asked. He looked up as to say, 'yes?' I continued, "I'm going to get us out of here. I promise."
I went back the way I came and headed down my long hall. I opened the cells with the black men, women, and children. I was freeing my people. Something I have always wanted to do but never thought I had the strength.
"Stay close," I told them, "Stay close, and I will keep you safe." I made my way out of the camp. I stood out of the entrance and brought the entire base into pieces. I crushed it with my mind, and I burned it to ash.
I led my people back to Greys base. It would take a while but at least Haider and I know how to hunt and fend for a family. We only have 13 other people with us. It shouldn't be any more complicated than feeding four.
We never had enough time to catch up. I kept looking at him, wondering how he could possibly be alive. I remember killing him.
I remember Him begging me to stop. I remember being so angry that I couldn't. I remember wanting to crush every single bone in his body. I remember wanting him to die. I remember holding his limp body in my arms. I remember...
I am guilty, I realize. I was wondering why I was unable to look him in the eyes, and it is because I am guilty. Suddenly, he is sitting next to me, and I tense. We stopped to rest, and I was daydreaming about the past and my present.
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I look over at him and ask, "how are you alive?" I could barely hear my voice when I asked. He looked at me sideways like I was going to start laughing and say it was a joke.
"You do know what a hospital is, right?" He asked sarcastically. I nodded, but I was confused. "Even if you had received medical attention, you still shouldn't be alive. I felt you die," I expressed my confusion, and he just laughed.
"Look, I am not saying that you didn't kill me. That was like, four years ago, so let's not talk about it. Now, tell me, big sis, Where are we headed?" He changed the subject. I was frustrated, and he just shut me down. Nonetheless, I replied with, "The North American sector base."
He looked at me like I just slapped him. "You are leading us into a death trap!" He exclaimed. He was loud enough to get other heads to turn in our direction. I tried to explain, but he kept screaming in my face about how he trusted me. He trusted that I would get him out.
I lost it. I shut his mouth with a single thought, and I told him what he missed. "Haiden, my boyfriend killed the supreme leader of the world. He was a twisted man, I agree, but his son is nothing like him. He killed his father for me, and now we are trying to rebuild."
At that, I released my hold on him and walked away. "Let's go. We should keep going before dark." And I started walking.
The wind became ice as I made my way back to base with the people behind me. The weather went from uncontrolled heat to an unrelenting cold. "Are we there yet?" I would hear them ask. To which I would respond with, "No. Keep asking, and it'll be longer."
We walked until we couldn't feel our toes. We walked until we were on the brink of passing out. Then we were there.
The people asked why we were at the capitol. They wondered what would happen to them. I reassured them that they would be fine.
I walked inside and immediately had guns aimed my way. I used my powers to aim the guns away. "Where is Gray?" I demanded. The soldiers shook their heads as if to say 'no'. "I am going to ask you one more time, where is Gray?" I pressed on, using my abilities to aim their guns towards themselves. "In his office!" One guard called out fearfully.
I took their guns and slung them against the far wall, then made my way to Gray's office. My people stayed outside when I went inside. My brother, however, followed me.
When I made my way to Gray's door, I slammed it open. I was pissed that his Guard dogs still pointed guns towards me When I have been with him for months now.
He was shocked at first, but then his face began to smile. When he saw my facial expression, his slight grin faltered.
"What's wrong, love?" He asked, his voice shaky. I think he was scared, and I wondered what I looked like in his eyes. "Your guards still point guns at me when I walk in this building. They should know who I am by now!" I yelled.
Haiden walked towards me and put a hand on my shoulder to get me back on track. "What she means to say is she is pissed and will talk about it in a minute, but right now, we are going to focus on the fact that we have black refugees waiting outside," Haiden spoke for me.
Gray walked towards me and grabbed my face with both of his hands. "We can't save everyone, love." He whispered softly. To which I replied, "At least I try." I was fuming with rage, and the only one that feared me at that moment was Haiden.
I flinched back when I saw the fear in Haiden's eyes. The same fear I saw when I was killing him. I pushed Gray away from me and said in a guilty voice, "I'm sorry, I-I am sorry." Then I ran out of the room, fearing that I would eventually snap. I was so angry, but I didn't know where the anger came from. I was fuming with rage, and it scared even me.
I saw red and black and red. I was lightheaded and dizzy. I saw double, and then....
I was nothing, nowhere.
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