Umbra《Book 2》

Chapter II

Smii7y

"What?! How?!" Kryoz exclaimed.

"Who's the third person that escaped?" Tucker asked. Smii7y completely zoned out of their conversation. Neo still haunted his nightmares. It had taken him months to finally get the memory of Neo out of his head. It felt like his own breath got caught in his lungs. There was no way he could be free.

"Smii7y?! Hey! Stay with me, bud." Kryoz said in front of him. He gripped Smii7y's shoulders tightly to try and bring Smii7y's attention back. Smii7y tried to control his shaky breath. His whole body trembled from just the thought of Neo being free again. What was to stop him from going after Smii7y again and using him to hurt his friends?

"We will talk about this later." Nogla murmured to Sparrow.

"Smii7y! It's fine! I won't let him anywhere near you." Kryoz tried. He pulled Smii7y into a tight hug to try and calm him down, "I promise."

It took a few minutes for Smii7y to calm down. That whole time, Kryoz was by his side. Everyone had dispersed to either help with take off or give them some space. Smii7y struggled to gather himself. There was something that had weighed him down for weeks after their last encounter with Neo but it all came back. "Can I tell you something?" Smii7y asked once he had calmed down enough.

"Of course." Kryoz said.

"Neo never left." Smii7y choked. It was hard to even think of the words.

"Never left?" Kryoz asked.

"He never left my head. We only barely knew his ability. He was in my dreams. He only stopped when he was put in that prison. He told me that once he escaped he'd find me." Smii7y explained. He had kept that a secret for months since he thought it was just in his head. Neo was actually in his head, calling Smii7y his pawn in his game.

"I won't let him even look at you. I will not hesitate to shock him straight to hell where he rightfully belongs." Kryoz said confidently. Smii7y chuckled slightly. Their lives had changed so much since they discovered their abilities over a year ago. For better or for worse. It had strengthened their friendship and they had more friends but it gave them new enemies.

The plane began to rise up easily and Smii7y glanced out the window. The forest was far below now as the plane moved forward. The sun was beginning to set in the west. The plane flew for a while over the Atlantic Ocean to drop off Clara and Liam. "This is amazing, isn't it Liam?" Clara's voice echoed around the hull of the plane.

Kryoz groaned irritably, "I swear."

There was a gasp, "Oh my God! I know who they are!" Clara ran over, dragging an embarrassed Liam with her by his wrist. "You're the ice abilitor and you're the one who creates sparkles right?" She asked Kryoz.

Smii7y started laughing. "Yup. That's this guy." Smii7y said through his wheezes.

"None of us even make sparkles! It is lightning!" Kryoz retorted. Smii7y laughed again.

"Oh right. I dunno where sparkles came from." Clara said, "I bet you guys are curious about our abilities."

"Not really." Kryoz mumbled. Smii7y elbowed him which earned him a hardened glare.

"That we are." Smii7y responded with his own glare at Kryoz.

"Clara. Don't be bothersome." Liam muttered.

"Oh shush Liam. That norm was all curious about our abilities. They probably are too." Clara said loudly.

"Norm?" Kryoz asked, not recognizing the word.