EDEN (Completed) (EDEN Series Book 1)

Chapter 14

My body paralyzes from the blare of the shot. It's daunting tone still rings in my head, seconds after it abates. A trail of crimson makes its way to the drain in the middle of the room. I can't believe she actually did it. I search the room for the newly emerged wound. The expressions of everyone else are as pale-faced as mine. Vince's body slumps over as Mute releases it from her grasp. I've never seen a corpse like this before, except for the ones in movies and on t.v. It's nothing like it's portrayed in Hollywood. The blood is much redder, and the pure feeling of lifelessness binds the entire room. It's hard to refrain from gagging at the sight. Sydney drops the gun and takes a few steps back in the realization of what she's done. Her body shakes with terror as she tries to find the words to explain this mess. She inhales, then exhales, deeply, finding her usually fragile composure once more.

"For years, he's controlled and manipulated me," she announces. Her head hangs low, her eyes studying Vince's corpse. "I... I don't want to be like that, anymore."

Snap slams his fist against the metal rack of paint. The anger in his eyes is intimidating. The level-headed leader seems to be losing his cool over her words. Honestly, I'm somewhat proud of her for finally standing up for herself, mostly because I just recently did it, myself. It's never too late to put the past behind you and become a new person.

"You don't get to play the victim. I'm here because of you!" He shouts.

"A man somehow froze people with the palms of his hands! What was I supposed to do in that situation?!"

She has a point, really. When I discovered my power, I was utterly baffled. After years of reading superhero comics and books, it was pretty shocking to find out someone like that could exist, especially because that someone, was me. And now, it's even more baffling because I always thought that I was the only one who had a gift.

"I want to join you all," Sydney says, "I don't want to be trapped any longer. I can get us all out of here, undetected, but I can't do it alone."

Something tells me not to trust her, but she did just shoot the lead guard in the head. I don't really see how she could come back from that. To betray her company, and then to betray us? It seems highly unlikely. She's gotten on my good side, though, so I guess I'm biased. She disposed of the vermin for me. Although, I would've loved if he had died slowly by my hands. All that really matters to me is that his wretched life has ended.

"How, exactly, can you help us escape?" I ask.

"I know all the guards. I can ask them to get something for me or tell them someone needs them elsewhere. It'll be a small window of opportunity, but there's an emergency exit relatively near here," she responds. "Wait here. I made this mess; now I'm going to fix it."

She exits briskly, driven by her sense of redemption. She will get us out of here; I know it. Snap heads for the exit after her, but I block him with a shroud of chains in the entryway. I can understand their concerns, but this way, we all get to live through this. Isn't that what they wanted, a peaceful resolution? Maybe Snap shouldn't be the one calling the shots. His guidance seems swayed by his own selfish endeavors. He thinks mine are selfish, but wouldn't killing everyone here prevent this scenario from happening to others like us? Maybe I'm the one that should be in charge. Yes, I'm going to be the one to guide them, in due time.

"You're so naive!" Snap shouts, hands shimmering with a blue hue.

"You wanted to get out alive, right?" This is how we achieve that.

"Dear," Aroma adds, "Sydney is not the woman you see before you. She hides her dark secrets well, but we know her as she truly is. A monster."

Sydney? A monster? We're talking about the same person, right? She's the only person here who has made me feel like I wasn't being used for her own benefit. I could almost feel the weakness flowing through her veins. I can hardly believe she has the capability of being as evil as they say. I'm not sure what they've seen her do or what they've heard her say, but I've met people like Sydney before. They're easily controlled, until one day, they finally get sick of it. Today was that day for her. I lift the shroud, and a refreshing breeze follows in from the hallway. Aroma walks to the paint rack on the back wall and shuffles for something behind the cans. She holds a sliver of newspaper outstretched towards me. Her eyes sink, unnerved by what she's about to give me.

"Do not take this the wrong way," she pleads, "but we could tell you were a tad bit... unstable. So, we decided we were not going to show you this. I feel it is time you see it."

My stomach drops, unraveling the paper to reveal the uncanny headline. Two Bodies Recovered After Fatal Accident. It disgusts me, seeing Lucy's mangled car. The world thinks I'm dead, when really, I've been here since then. I'm sure they staged this, as well. Sydney's name catches my eye in the last passage. "The car instantly went up in flames," local witness, Sydney Drevish states.

They were right; she is a monster. It's such a shame; now I have to dispose of her. At least she'll be with her lover in the afterlife. Static begins to hum from the speaker on the ceiling as loud stomps resonate from the hallway. So loud, that there has to be at least ten, maybe a dozen people on the opposite side of the doors. I feel betrayed, again. People are truly a letdown. Everyone that isn't like me, that isn't like us in this room, is a letdown.

"I respect how far you've come, but the games end here," Sydney says through the intercom. "Now, you've murdered one of our own. Soldiers, shoot to kill!"

Gadget points to the ceiling and Snap raises him up above his head. He places his hand on the speaker and closes his eyes. He seems deep in thought, with a concentration that can't be broken.

"The sound waves were being carried from the microphone in her office, that seems to be her current position," he informs.

Mute walks to me with an expression of sadness. She turns to Aroma, seeking approval. Aroma nods and Mute holds out a closed fist. I cup my hands and my heart breaks as she drops a familiar trinket into my palms.

"We found it in Sydney's office, wrapped in the newspaper cutout," Snap says.

A golden locket, the locket my mom never took off. The pictures inside send a chill up my spine. The left side holds my parents' image. They look so happy together, they always did. The right, holds me, a younger, more innocent me. It's the Alice that existed before being touched by the harsh impurities of this corrupt world.

My hand shakes with anger. I buckle the locket around my neck and gently twist it back and forth between my thumb and index finger. I hope my parents are watching me from above right now because this is all going to be for them. Loud thuds come from the other side of the door. My eyes turn dark as my fists, clenched, continue to tremble with hatred. A black aura cloaks me from head to toe; I feel powerful. I can't control my breathing anymore, and I can barely control myself. The light fixture above shakes until the bulb pops, leaving only a spinning red light in the back corner of the room. Sounds seems to fade, and it replaces with the shallow beating of our hearts. Paint cans rumble and slide off the rack, plummeting to the ground. My power consumes me; I've never felt this strong before. I am unstoppable. I look around at my acquaintances, at my new friends. This is now life or death, us or them. Their faces show me that it's going to be them. The soldiers finally kick the door down, it begins.