The Boy in the Gray Hoodie

41...

41...

I kissed him to say goodbye. I didn't want to say it out loud, because that would have hurt too much. But it wasn't goodbye, because as soon as we touched I felt a burst of power so strong that it was nearly painful. It came from him, and coursed through me, a hot current that made my skin tingle and my thoughts turn to static.

            Unable to think clearly, I let myself cling to the burst and held tightly to it, doing everything that I could to make it stronger. Using my abilities to save us both couldn't be a bad thing, and even if it was I didn't care anymore. If I could help us get out, if I could save him, I could do something good with this power. And James would be wrong. About everything.  

The hallway dissipated around us so quickly that I barely saw it as it faded away, the dust and debris in the air shifting like ripples on water as the brightness from the flickering lights faded to black.

            I held tighter to Roy as something pressed against us, the pressure crushing me against him. I felt him hold me tighter as well, the two of us clinging to Pam and each other, waiting to be crushed, or to be saved.

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It was cold again. Like before when I woke up in the woods next to Lisa. She had been sleeping in my arms with her face snuggled up to my chest that morning. She hadn't even felt us move, maybe because my arms had been around her, like they were now.

This time though, I knew she felt the shift. Everything changed and she was awake to see it as it happened. The broken white walls finally collapsed as the concrete from the upper floors landed on top of us. I gasped sharply when I felt it just barely brush against my spine as I bent protectively over Lisa and Pam. We were huddled as close as possible, our eyes closed.

I wanted to save us. I wanted to get us someplace safe, away from here. I didn't know where and I didn't have time to decide. I let the power escape my control and take over. I didn't know what else to do.

The music played in my mind like it had before, in Lisa's room. The soft rhythmic tones were faster now and stronger, because this time they were made of heartbeats. Fast and unsteady, but loud in my head as I focused on them. In an instant, they were in sync, beating together like we were the same person, just echoes of each other.

I looked at Lisa. Her eyes were closed and she was concentrating hard. I did the same, holding her tighter as she pressed close. She was helping me, like she promised. That's why I felt stronger now. Strong enough to let go.

            I felt the shifting, and perceived the brightness fading. When I opened my eyes I saw nothing but darkness, my eyes not yet adjusted to the sudden change of light.

            There was a steady, thundering noise that crashed rhythmically behind us. I was afraid to turn and see what it was, unable to tell if we were someplace new, or just trapped under the rubble of the collapsing building I had tried so hard to leave behind. Instead, I held Lisa tighter and waited for her to open her eyes.

            "Where are we?" she finally asked, still huddled against me as a cold wind blew at our backs. We were still pressed together like we had been in the hallway, but the floor felt different now. It felt...shifty.

            I reached down and grabbed a handful of the ground. It fell between my fingers in tiny pieces. The harder I squeezed, the faster it slipped through my grasp.

            "Sand," Lisa whispered, peering at my hand. She turned and looked behind us. "The ocean. We're on the beach, Roy." I mumbled a small protest as she let go of me and shifting around to look at the unknown void producing such a loud, deep sound that resembled nothing I had ever heard before.