The Fall

Part 6: Eva

Chapter 14: Support

I was sitting there in the little corner, just as Alecia had told me to, when I felt a pulse of energy from down the hall. Then there is a large flow of energy coming from the same spot down the hall. I know its Alecia. Ever since I read her to find her ability, Ive had sort of a connection with her. I can get a sense of what shes feeling at a certain time if I try hard enough and now, I can sense what power is coming from her and what power is coming from the boy.

Trying to figure out whats happening, I direct all my focus at Alecia. I feel anger, like a tornado spinning inside her and slowly, like waves lapping further up onto the shore as the tide rises, an immense sadness creeps in. Then the tornado of anger breaks and a wave of sadness crashes over her. Its not even a wave its more of a tsunami. I dont know what happened, but I know she needs me. She needs support. So, I run. Out of the safety of the corner and down the hall as fast as my short legs can carry me. Leaving behind our makeshift bags.

As I reach the corner of the hall I slow to a stop. I poke my head around the corner, and I see Alecia. She is curled up on the floor and leaning against the wall. The boy, I know now hes not a threat, is comforting Alecia. I ask him with my eyes if its ok if I come over there. He shakes his head in a small nod. I run to Alesias other side and hug her. I make sure I'm touching her hand and I tell her that its going to be alright and I'm here for her even though I know in the situation she is in; those words mean nothing. They are kind but neither of us can help her retrieve what she has lost. At least I dont think we can,

We sit there for a while until Alecia had cried herself to sleep. All the stress can make a person tired. Griffin, I got his name from Alecias mind, helped her up and took her down the hall to one of the rooms. I watched as he gently sets her down on one of the 2 chairs in the room. Knowing shes safe I then go back down the hall way to retrieve our backpacks. When I get back Griffin has laid out 2 mattresses with blankets and pillows on them. He carefully picks up Alecia again and lays her on one of the mattresses and I curl up beside her, covering both of us up with the blankets. I touch Alecias hand and let calm, soothing thoughts flow, through our connected hands, from my mind to hers. Even as I fall asleep, Im still pushing calming thoughts through our connection.

Chapter 15: Broken Barriers

As usual I wake up before Alecia but as I look around the room, I realize that Griffin is awake as well. He is laying on his back in his bead and staring up at the ceiling. I carefully slide out of bed, so I dont wake Alecia, and walk over to Griffin. As I sit down on the corner of his mattress, he notices me. In response to my presence he sits up and sits across from me.

You dont talk much, do you? He asks in a whisper.

I shake my head and hold out my hand, like I did when I first met Alecia. I have read him enough that I can tell that he doesnt mean us any harm but there is this block on a part of him that doesnt let me see much more than that. I want to know what he knows about Alecia and he probably wants to know more as well. We can help each other.

Hesitantly he reaches out and takes my hand and, just as I did with Alecia, I slowly let the information flow through our linked hands. I start slowly. I explain my abilities and how I'm doing this and once I feel he understands I go on. My memories of how me and Alecia met and what I know of what happened to her come next and finally I make a strong point that if he even thinks about hurting my newfound sister, and Ill know if he does, I will hurt him.

He looks at me with confusion and some fear in his eyes, but I can tell that as he processes everything, I told him he slowly becomes less and less confused. After he has a minuet to process, I take his hand again and I ask him how he knows Alecia. Even though I can read most people there is some sort of barrier stopping me from reading him too deeply. He tells me how he and Alecia, or Al as he calls her, have known each other since they were little. They would do everything together and they stayed friends even through high school. He then tells me how Al disappeared and then Apollo hit the earth. As he opens up the barrier slowly crumbles.

I then can see everything. The support of his mother, his loss, his mask, his loneliness, and, how much he cares about Alecia. He likes her as more than just friends. And I also see how it broke him when she said she didnt remember him. I feel so bad for him and decide that I'm going to do everything in my power to help Alecia get her memories back. Now not just for Alecia but for Griffin too.

Chapter 16: Impossible Task

We sit there for a minute more. I think Griffin can tell Im reading him, but I dont think he minds or if he does mind, I dont think he knows how to tell me to stop. After I have finished, we break apart. I go back to Alecias bed and sit there and reread this book for what must be the tenth time now. I'm still not yet bored of it though. It is called Eragon and it is quite interesting. Griffin roles over and pulls from the ground 2 stone slabs and makes them into a tent over his bed. After a wile Alecia wakes up. She is in a sort of a daze. Almost like shes walking in a dream. Griffin gets up and makes us some breakfast by putting some warm water from the sink into three of the oatmeal food packs. We all eat in silence and after he finishes Griffin mumbles something about needing to do something and being back in about 2 hours and he leaves, shutting the door behind him.

Alecia finishes her food and wanders back to our bed. Still in a haze, she lays down on her back and just stairs at the ceiling. I let her lay there while I finish my food and then I walk over to her. I lay down beside her and take her hand. For some time, we just lay there. Alecia staring at the ceiling and me staring and reading what is going through Alecias head. Her head is empty and full at the same time. It is full because there are so may thoughts flying around but also empty because all the speeding thoughts just kind of blur to a dull fuzz after a while.

After about 30 minuets of dull roar of thoughts I start, slowly pushing calming thoughts through our connected hands. Her roaring mind slowly quiets until she falls into the silence of sleep. As she sleeps, I carefully read through her mind, gently so I dont wake her, after a minuet of searching I find what Im looking for. The wall. The mental barrier blocking Alecia from the memories of her past. It just sits there.

Its as if her mind is a house and this section is a room but whoever built the house forgot to include the door. As I look over the barrier, I notice 2 or 3 small holes. Her memories are trickling through at a snails pace. Given 20 or 30 years all the memories might have trickled through the miniscule gaps but who knows what will be happening then and even if they would be even whole anymore. I need to find a way to release them now.

I continue to sit there for some, just observing my massive task that I have set before myself, until I feel the stirrings of Alecia beginning to wake up. As she does, I release her hand and leave her mind. Even without our linked hands connecting us I can hear the dull roar of thoughts slowly coming back into her head.