Touch: Saving Ai | ✓

7

I had no control. The moment Andrew vanished from my line of sight, my limbs sprang into action, the pain and nausea vanishing in the face of the sudden chill that pervaded my senses. Shouts and protests rang out behind me, but sounded garbled to my ears. My vision tunneled. All that mattered was reaching that door.

It slammed against the wall as I charged into the hallway. Halfway down it, I slipped in something wet. My feet shot out from under me and I hit the floor hard. Lying in the puddle beside me was a middle-aged man's corpse.

I've watched hundreds – no, thousands of people die within the confines of my mind, but few are the number of dead bodies that I've seen up close and personal in real life. This was the first. Whatever fearlessness had possessed me dissipated as a sickly, rusty tang of blood mixed with putrid bodily fluids pervaded my nostrils. A gross, sticky warmth spread slowly across my back. The mess was soaking into my uniform.

Acid and bile rose from my stomach as I rolled onto my forearms and knees to retch.

'No time for that,' murmured the Voice behind me.

It was right. Swallowing the urge to vomit, I forced myself to my feet and hurried through the house, following the open doors until I found myself outside in pitch black darkness.

A cold wind brushed my right shoulder and I heard the creak of a gate. Following the breeze, I walked into the darkness, through the open gate and into an alley. Déja vu hit me. I broke into a sprint. Sweat trickled down my temple, dripping off my jaw.

This was where I'd seen Ai die.

My heart pounded, adrenaline thudding a rhythm in my head. Sirens echoed in the distance. Ahead, I could hear shrieks. 

The closer I got, the more the thought stuck in my head.

Had I screwed up?

The idea was horrifying. The cold that consumed me sank deeper into my core.

Had my meddling led Ai to an earlier grave?

My veins felt like ice.

I rounded the corner in time to see Andrew grab Ai by the wrist and fling her into the wall. She collapsed to the ground in a whimpering, shivering heap.

Without thinking, I picked up a stone and threw it. A stupid attempt given that I have all the athletic prowess of a turtle on land. The rock fell short, hitting the ground with a clatter.

Andrew turned around. His mouth moved, the words too quiet for me to make out. He spat something at Ai then began to walk towards me.

All my nerves screamed at me to run away.

As if detached from my brain, my body took a step forward.

'Save her...'

My legs wouldn't listen to me. I could barely breathe.

I'd been in a million dangerous situations while saving lives, but never had I stared a murderer in the eye.

I didn't know what to do.

In my ear I heard a disappointed sigh.

The cold suddenly vanished. Sensations that had been muted returned in full force: the drum of rain on my skin and the pavement rattling in my ears; the nauseating pain resonating from my stomach and my spine; the damp, sticky sensation of my rain and blood-soaked clothes sticking to my skin.

'Maybe next time – '

Footsteps sounded behind me.

' – you'll do better.'