Asylum

Prying at the Past

Leo Hernandez

Following the big scary guy into an even bigger and scarier bunker wasn't on my bucket list, but as soon as I get back to Ren's home, I'm adding this on there and crossing it off. Right after that, I'll add in "Survive the bigger, scarier bunker."

Ren went in first, with me behind him, Sarah behind me, and Alistair behind all of us. Nobody wasn't holding their breaths. As we descend the angled hall made of a sleek metal, I reach into the atmosphere, trying to find the threads of someone, or a group of people. Sarah had a point aboveground, saying I practice in the number of people and not the range of my power. Still, something about this felt different. Call it my chili-cheese dog withdraws, call it my rattled-to-the-bone nerves, but it seemed eerily cold and silent, as if no one was ever here at all.

Once we reach the bottom of the descending hall, the bunker splits into three sections. "You've got to be kidding me," I grumble, knowing that splitting up has never helped anyone. "We can all go down together, one hall at a time."

Ren shoots me a glare. "By the time we do that, Kya could already be dead, or wind up like that Sage." He sighs and closes his eyes, desperately trying to control his emotions. "It's my fault this happened," he tells us. "If I wasn't such a dick earlier, then she wouldn't have felt the need to lose the Sages tailing her, and this might have never happened. If you guys want to stick together, then be my guests, but I'm going to cover more space."

Sarah speaks up next. "Why were you so harsh? She did nothing wrong."

Furiously, Ren snaps, "I know." There's a pause before he speaks again. I've never seen the Dragon so unsteady. "I hurt her without meaning to, just like I've done with the rest of my family. I wanted her to hate me so she would stay away from me. I know I went overboard. I thought I was doing the right thing, but..."

Delicately, Sarah places a hand on Ren's arm. "You don't give Kya enough credit. She typically knows when she's in danger and when she'll get hurt..." I don't miss the guilt clouding Alistair's face. "Quite frankly, I don't think she would mind if you hurt her. She knows you better than you think. Maybe even more than you know yourself."

"You're probably right," Ren admits, eyes looking down each of the halls, all of them brightly lit and made of the same lightly-colored metal, but their end seeming unreachable. "I just hope she sees things the same way."

"We can find out when we get back to your house," I sum up. "So, how are we splitting up? Ren goes one way and we all go the other?"

"No way in hell I'm going with you," Alistair snarls at me. If he had fangs, I'm sure they'd be out by now and ready to sink into my neck. But I'm not too afraid. I've been living with Ren, after all.

"Fine by me," I disclaim. "Sarah and I go down hall number one, Ali down two, Ren down three? Sound good?"

"No," Ren disagrees, jamming a finger in Alistair's direction. "I don't trust him alone." Dude, seriously, what the heck is going on with these guys? There's definitely more than testosterone feuds going on, here, but if I recall, the two have never met. What gives? The tension isn't really helping us out right now. "He's coming with me. You two are going to have to split up."

I gawk. "I'm not letting Sarah go in there alone!"

"She'll be fine, Leo," Ren assures. "She's powerful."

"I know that. I mean she can't go in alone because that means I'll be alone. I'm nothing but a defenseless little nugget!"

Alistair scoffs. "Dude, man up."