Your End in Mine

《 chapter six 》

Zachary slid onto the seat beside during dinner and I jolted.

I had been lost in my own headspace, seeing her die again and again and again, that bullet lodging into her skull, staining her purple hair red.

I didn't even know her last name.

"You're making a lot of people uncomfortable," He said quietly beside my ear, forking the piece of chicken on his plate. "You're releasing a bunch of bad energy."

"I'm sorry," I whispered back. "I didn't mean to."

Zachary appeared to be awkward. "Um. Well. Whatever it is... I'm sure it'll be fine soon."

I swallowed, fists tightening up.

"No, it won't," I said hoarsely.

That bullet had been meant for me.

A hand suddenly brushed past my fist. I jerked before realizing it was Zachary's hand. He gingerly reached towards me again and unclenched my fist.

"What do you see?" Zachary asked. His voice was uncharacteristically soft. When I didn't respond, he continued, "How I read is I feel. I feel waves of energy, crashing into me. Before I was scouted, I always felt an overwhelming sense of energy when people lied. It was only after I was scouted they told me, oftentimes, untaught readers see what they fear the most."

I looked up.

"So what do you see?" He asked me.

What's your biggest fear?

I said nothing and looked to my side. I picked up the notebook slowly and handed it up to him.

"This is what I see."

Zachary arched his eyebrow before realizing it was the book from before. He flipped through the pages again. He said nothing.

I stared hard at my food and forced myself to say, "See the last page."

He flipped through the book, and I waited until—"Oh my God," He breathed.

I gave a grim smile. There it was.

--

"We need to talk to Aisha," Zachary murmured. A hand appeared in my vision and I tilted my chin up, staring at it.

"Your wall is up, right?" I asked hoarsely.

"Yes."

I took it.

"Don't ever let your wall down," I whispered. "Not when I'm around."

"Okay," He just said. "Okay, I won't."

--

"Aisha," Zachary greeted when she went into the room. The woman looked up from the map on her table.

"Hello Zachary. You seem distressed. And... Ellie."

I nodded my head, not trusting my voice.

"What's wrong?" She came beside me.

"Ellie's abilities. Did you know?" Zachary asked.

Aisha touched my head and suddenly paled. "Oh... dear..."

"Yeah," Zachary murmured.

I'm so sorry. So, so sorry, Aisha said to me, eyebrows pinched sadly.

"Zachary, fetch me the brown book in my bottom drawer," Aisha said and lead me to a sofa by the side of the room. She sat me down.

Zachary did as he was told.