Soul Stitched (book one)

Chapter 88: Aqua

I had a really bad feeling about breaking up the group. We had already lost Cryptic, we can't risk losing anyone else. I couldn't handle losing anyone else. It would tear me apart. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"Aqua, are you alright?" Cashmere asked. A splitting headache roared in my head, pounding against my skull. The would started to tilt and I fell against the hospital wall.

"Aqua!" Cashmere cried helping me up. My hands started twitched and a series of images flashed behind my eyelids. I was paralyzed with fear as everything blurred together. My throat closed up and I started to choke. I grabbed onto Cashmere's hand.

"Help." I whispered. No air was reaching my lungs and everything was wacked out of perception. The images started to blur together into one picture. I think I fell to the ground but I can't remember. My lips started to form one urgent word when everything went dark.

My eyes fluttered open and I looked around. I was still in the hospital basement with Cashmere sitting next to me with a worried look on her face.

"Oh God, Aqua. You scared the crap out of me!" Cashmere helped me sit up and I coughed. "What happened?" she asked.

"I-I don't know, I need water." I croaked out, voice shaking. I thrust out my hands. Nothing happened. Fear pinged though me. I tried to summon water but for once not a drop was to be seen.

"Cashmere, m-my powers are gone." I said. She looked down at me.

"What?" she asked. My lip trembled and I stood up.

"Look!" I snapped my fingers, stomped my food but no water came. I was scared, so scared.

"That can't b right. Let me try." Cashmere tried but she couldn't use her powers either.

"Wilt, Crystal, Mac. They could all be in danger." I said. "We have to find them!" I cried, head slightly spinning. I stumbled towards the elevator.

"How? Wait, Aqua, what if we have to be together to use our powers?" Cashmere said after a while.

"That's crazy talk, Cashmere. There has to be another way. Besides, you used your powers when you hurt that girl, Bri and t-the fire with you Aunt-" I bit down on my tongue, regretting the words that had just come from my mouth. Cashmere looked over at me sharply.

"What did you just say?" she hissed. I leaned against the wall, hand on my temple. I hadn't remembered until I saw the images before I passed out, one was a house, ablaze with a small girl standing in front of it with a horrified look on her face. It was Cashmere. A-and I remembered, slightly as if it were a dream, meeting Cashmere and her telling me about the fire. I hadn't remembered  until now. I shouldn't have said anything.

"Nothing?" I offered. Cashmere grabbed my wrist, tightly, nails digging into my flesh. I let out a sharp cry and tried to pull away but she squeezed harder. "What are you doing?" I sobbed.

"How much do you remember? Tell me!" Cashmere shouted. I winced.

"I only remember what you told me as a girl, with the fire and your Aunt dying because of you. That's all." I sniveled. I noticed a bright flicker appearing in her other hand. For just a second, I felt that it was Cashmere anymore, she was being controlled by her rage and powers. I pressed myself against the wall, trying to get away from her.

"Don't tell." she pleaded. "Please don't tell my mom." I was filled with shock.

"Why would I tell your mom?" I snorted. "What does it matter now? Everything is ending, I think your mom would forgive you." I said. Cashmere released her grip on me and I rubbed my sore wrist.

"I'm sorry. It's just- Dr. Shep said-"

"You can't trust anything he said." I snapped. "He's a manipulator, not only physically torturing us, but mentally as well."  The fire in Cashmere's hand went out as she started to calm down. "I guess you're right. Our powers only work when we're together and only a surge of emotion can trigger them. Try using your powers again." I said. Cashmere did and failed. I walked over to he elevator.

"Let's just find Wilt, Crystal an Mac and shut down this generator before everyone is dead." I said.

"We can't just leave, Aqua. We have to stay here and find the generator." Cashmere said. "I think we're still immune so we have to do what we came here r. Powers or none." I gaped at her.

"What kind of friend are you? They could be in danger! We can't just leave them to die." I said.

"It's not about us anymore. There are people out there, we have to save them too! We're not doing them any favors by delaying the destruction of the virus."

"I can't lose them too, Cashmere. If I can save them, I'm going to. I let my father, my mother and Cryptic slip through my fingers, but not them! Never them!" I shouted as tears ran down my cheeks. "Come if you want t I'm going to save my friends."

I turned on y heel and stormed towards the elevator. I pressed the one button and watched Cashmeres broken hearted face disappear behind metal doors.

I stepped out of the hospital and looked down the empty streets. Anyone alive was hiding in their houses, hiding from the infected. I didn't know where Crystal, Mac or Wilt were. All I knew was that I had to find them, and fast.

I walked long on the sidewalk, glancing at the houses. Where could Wilt have gone? Home? Never, she'd never leave just to go home. She must've had a mission or something that she had to make peace with, but what? Think, Aqua, think.

My thoughts were messed up when someone shoved me to the ground. I fell forward and slid across the pavement. It ripped up my hands and my knees. And yanked me and pulled at my clothes. I turned around, fear washed over me. I was face to face with an infected girl my age, eyes glowing red, a rash itching it's way up her body. Blood dripped from her mouth as she reached for my face. I shoved her hand away, terrified for my life. A horrible gargling sound as she lunged for me again. I side stepped and kicked her to the ground. Fear of death tugged me faster. The girl caught up to me a wrapped her hands around my leg and brought me crashing to the ground. My head slammed against the pavement and I groaned. The girl was stronger than me and forced me down, my struggles were effortless against her power. The girl's mouth opened and she bent down to take a bite. Suddenly, blood splattered from her mouth and hit me in the face. I jerked my head back in surprise as she fell on top of me. I rolled her off me, confused. It wasn't until I saw Cashmere holding a bloody knife that I made sense.

"You came for me?" I smiled as she helped me up. Cashmere rolled her eyes and said, "Always."