Altered

Chapter 11: Gina's Decision

Gina's body had finally healed, and she had begun to pack her bags. All throughout the few days it had taken for her body to finish repairing itself her friends had tried to talk her out of leaving.

"Don't go Gina, we need you."

"I'm not even hurt Gina. Don't leave us, please!"

"Gina girl we all know what you're going back to. Don't do this to yourself. We want you to stay."

None of their pleading or begging or bribing had changed her mind. She stayed firm in her belief that the best thing for the team was to leave. She couldn't risk their lives for the sake of her own wants or needs.

The last bag was packed. She was ready to go.

Gina looked down at the train ticket in her hand and teared up. She knew what she would face at the orphanage if it came to that. Steeling herself, she grabbed her petticoats and walked down the stone path for her last time. The rest of the team was waiting for her at the gateway along with Vienn.

"Gina—" someone said.

She held up a hand. "I must do this. You have to understand."

"Gina, you vowed to stay with us. Practice. Learn control. Stay with us and be careful." Vienn told her.

"I wish you all a warm farewell. You are my very best friend in the whole world."

"We can't defeat the shadow creature if you're gone."

Gina knew in her heart that they needed her. But all it took was a glance at Quill's still healing hands to make her firm again.

"Goodbye."

She walked away, down the path to the cobblestone road, and went to the train station.

I will make it there, she told herself. Then I will allow myself to break down.

On the long trip back to the shire, Gina thought about all the memories she shared with the other Enhanced. She had never had such good friends.

The countryside whirred by her outside the window but she barely noticed it. She was lost in her thoughts.

What if I made the wrong choice? They truly do need me on the team. I know I understand the creature we're fighting in more depth than the others. Gina had spent her spare hours researching the history of Lia'unn and also of the shadow beast.

I pledged my allegiance to this project. How can I stand by and watch the earth be taken over by something evil when I know that I could have helped it?

She shook her head, trying to get rid of the doubts. She was here now and that's what counted. She was heading back. She trembled in her bench seat. What was she going to do when she arrived there?

The train whistled along on its tracks and Gina decided to practice her knitting. She pulled out some yarn and her needles and began making another hat. She would need lots of them for the orphans this cold winter. It was already nearly November.

Only two months left until the creature comes back to the surface.

Stop that! Gina chided herself after realizing what she had thought. No more thinking about the creature!

She frowned at herself and smoothed out her new rows of knitting. Busy hands, busy mind Miss Karina always said. Maybe she was right about that one thing.

An hour later the train reached her shire, and Gina looked up from her concentration on the knitting.

"Last call for Braxonshire! Last call!" The conductor shouted from a space down the hallway from Gina.