ELEMENT

Chapter Thirty-Three: Lifeline

You mean, she didn't know either?

She told me. She was telling me something she didn't even know!

I should have put the pieces together. Maybe I could have helped.

God, I should have known. I should have understood it. I basically ignored all the hints—

I'm so, so fucking sorry.

I just want her back! It's not the same!

I've told you, that's not my name!

You're not touching her!

It's my fault. Again. I'm such a failure.

"Meadow!"

Her eyes shot open as she pulled herself up from the bed. Meadow and Sage's bedroom was in shambles, blast residue on the walls. "...What happened here?"

"God, this has to stop happening." Sage started to rip spikes from the wall. "Are you okay?"

"...Another nightmare, huh?" Meadow muttered. "Ethan told me this happens."

"Jeez, you almost took my head off with that fucking spear."

"What time is it?"

A spear melted in their hand as Sage turned to meet Meadow. "Time for you to go to therapy. It's nearly three in the morning."

"God, Sage, I'm sorry."

She shrugged. "It's not like you can help it."

"Doesn't that make it worse?"

"Your eyes are brighter this time."

There seemed to be energy glowing from her eyes, like two dull fires. "I really don't know what's happening."

"I don't know either, man." Sage sighed. "Honestly. But maybe we should stop the time travel—"

"No, we can't." Meadow sighed. "Cole told me the same thing, but we can't."

"Cole?" Sage's head popped up just barely. "So you've talked to him recently?"

"We, uh, had a fight." Meadow sighed. "I haven't seen him since. Why do you ask?"

"When was this?"

"Four days ago?"

"Shit." Sage muttered, coming to Meadow and sitting right next to her. "So you haven't seen him either?"

"Where are you going with this?"

Sage inhaled, fiddling with her thumbs. "Nobody's seen him in a while. Like, since then."

"Well, have you checked his house?" Meadow didn't seem too concerned yet.

"Robin stayed there for three hours. They didn't see anything."

"Well, I'll just..." As Meadow spoke, she sounded less confident. "...I can't hear him."

"You can't?" Sage whispered. "Are you sure? Maybe just listen harder."

"I'm trying, I can't hear him or feel him anywhere." Meadow shut her eyes tightly, as if she was trying to concentrate harder. "Fuck."

"Do you have, like, a radius or something?"