Atlanta (Part of My World) (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 5

For a second, Cinder's lunar gift slipped. Her grasp on the bioelectricty loosened, and the wave was yanked out of her grasp like a whip that was flicked back.

It left Cinder's mind scarred and imprinted, and her knees lost control, and she was crouching on the floor. Her legs shook, shuddering.

Her mind groped for the waves of bioelectricity again, and took a tendril of it in her mind.

It was like hard wire, bending, but leaving red marks in Cinder's mind. She slowly stood up, glaring through the windows.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she twisted the wire, looking to break it. She had done it before. It was just wire. Just wire.

The ship seemed to sink to a single cubicle, and the tension rippled around her, compressing into her and threatening to snap her bones.

There was a snap of energy, and Cinder shrieked.

Pain exploded down her spine, and another shriek escaped from between her lips.

She looked up, her vision swirling to see Pearl, a wicked grin on her face.

It was chaos.

The ship lurched, Pearl twisting her hand ever so slightly to tip the spacecraft. Cinder's head throbbed, the intruding bioelectric waves feeling like a groping hand.

Another part of her brain screamed at her, telling her that the intruding bioelectric waves were in her trap. She screamed at herself that Pearl was in her snare.

But she couldn't do it. Her brain felt numb, and the whole world was still. The cubicle around her shrank, threatening to close in on her and smash her in its walls.

"Cinder! Cinder!" There were cries.

"STOP! STOP! STOP!" Cinder shrieked, her hands clamping down on her ears. Waves of hysteria pounded on her like sonic booms, making her bones pound against her flesh. Cinder fell down to the ground, scared, crouching on her heels, her arms wrapped around herself.

The bioelectricity curled around her, and squeezed her painfully.

It would have been so easy for Cinder if she had just died.

Thoughts flew through her head.

Why are you even alive?

There's no reason that you have to be alive.

It would be easier to be dead.

Something like glass shattered inside her.