The Disappearance of Jessica Stark

11. Pity

      Last time I saw her, she was so full of rage, hatred, and pain. She betrayed me. She pretended to be my friend for four years. Turns out she was the daughter of the man who turned me into this extremis monster. He filled my body with the serum. She watched with an evil smirk as my body convulsed with pain.

      I killed her Father, I murdered him right in front of her. It was awful, but he didn't deserve to live after everything he had done. He messed with my family.

I knew why she was here. April Killian wanted revenge.

      She turned towards the bleachers, the microphone was still at her lips. The man beside her raised up his gun and fired multiple bullets into the crowd. That's when panic exploded. People flooded down the bleachers, practically crawling over each other to reach the bottom "No" I whispered as some people were hit with the bullets.

      I ran my fingers through my blonde hair "Ohh no" The football players and coach had hopped over the fence to escape the field. They were scattering. Everyone was bolting for the stadium gates.

"Come out here, Jessica" April yelled, her voice echoing.

      The girls I was sitting with screamed and ran down the bleachers. Stephanie tugged on my arm frantically, pulling me with her. We reached the bottom. I pulled my arm free from her and ran to the football field fence. I was the only one running in that direction, to her. I flipped my hood over my head to somewhat hide my identity. A hand gripped my elbow tight.

      "No, this way!" Stephanie spun me around with incredible force and pointed towards the main gates of the stadium.

I removed her hand from my arm "Go, I'm right behind you" I turned away.

      "No Jessica!" She yelled, pushing me back. My legs skidded to a halt at the mention of my name. All the air left my lungs as I spun around. Stephanie had said my name. The screams of panic from everyone around us didn't matter in that moment.

      Not even the gunfire fazed me. Stephanie stood there. Her shoulders were taller, her face was stern. She looked older then a 16 years old in that moment "This isn't your fight, if you go out there... you'll be giving her exactly what she wants"

      I came to realize that she wasn't really a student here. Henry mentioned before he left that someone would be in that school to keep an eye on me, and that was her "She's killing people!" I shouted with anger "I can't sit by and let that happen" I ran back to the fence, but another body stopped me.

      "You can't, Jessi" Mr. Westbrook had his hands on my shoulders. No way, him too?  "You don't even know your own power yet, not this time" I looked to the football field. April was out there with that man, scanning the crowd. Stephanie shook her head at me. Mr. Westbrook and Stephanie were in cahoots with Henry Morgan this whole time! That went right over my head. I guess I'm not as good of a spy as I thought.

      I balled my fists up, seeing that my veins were beginning to glow orange "Damn it" I swore. They were right. Mr. Westbrook shoved me ahead of him and the three of us ran to the main entrance of the stadium. People were crying, teenagers were yelling frantically into their cell phones.

      Police cars were coming into the area "What do we do now?" I asked once we reached the parking lot after a few minutes of running. Cars were speeding away from the area. I ducked for cover when bullets penetrated the air. Mr. Westbrook pushed me behind a car and used his body to protect me.

"Stay alive" he muttered, glancing over the hood of the car.

      A black SUV was barreling down the sidewalk. The man with the beard from the football field was firing from the window of the car. He was shooting at everyone. People fell to the ground, wailing at the fresh bullets that had pierced their skin. Stephanie was at my side. She had her back pressed up against the car, her blue eyes bright and alert.