Remember

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Step by step by step and the pulsing humming beneath her skin was making her entire body vibrate but it wasn't just because of the sensation of power. Nerves racked her entire being causing her body to shake with fear along with the vibrating under her skin. What if Commander Lorhan was right and her power killed innocent people? She hadn't learned to control it, maybe she wouldn't be able to.

It was too late to turn back now. Colette could see the few villagers that had volunteered to fight a few feet in front of the gate. They didn't exactly look ready to fight. Even from Colette's position in the trees she could see the rigid figures struck with fear. Whatever words Commander Lorhan was yelling at them was not helping to calm them down or prepare them for what was to come.

Silence fell over the entire forest as if the bugs in the trees and bushes and the animals that lived there knew what was about to happen. Even the air seemed to still, the soft blowing breeze had frozen in it's tracks to witness the fight. Colette looked up at the sky, even further away from the city the stars could still not be seen. The sky reflected the dark, upcoming moment.

The first guard emerged from behind a tree a few yards in front of the awaiting villagers. Perhaps it was a trick of the night, but Colette saw a flash of white where his lips would be. A nasty smile painted fiercely on his taut face. How cruel for a man to smile as he plans to end the lives of people who are only trying to protect themselves, rightfully so.

The destroyer of lives raised his hands into the air. The air chilled and the villagers stirred, not knowing what to expect. A few glances were shared between wide eyes and the villagers took a defensive stance. The Govie reached up to his shoulder to speak into the radio there but a shot of electricity beat his fingers to the button of communication. The little boy must have done his job of cutting off the government communication.

Enraged, he unleashed a burst of cold, crisp air that knocked the villagers down, leaving a thin layer of ice on the forest floor where it had passed over. Control of blizzards or maybe some sort of ice manipulation if Colette were to guess. The villagers quickly pushed back to their feet, attempting to scramble to wipe the frost off of their skin frantically. Someone from atop the gate fired a shot, Prissy or Lincoln it didn't make much of a difference, but instead of the bullet finding a home in the guard it dropped to the ground, wrapped in a thick layer of solid ice right in front of his face. The shot would have been lethal if the guard hadn't had suh quick reflexes.

Colette stood unmoving, still protected in the shadows of the thick trees she hid herself in. She should be helping, these poor people were going to die. Their guns and whatever powers they might possess were no match for a trained soldier. Let alone a second one who emerged from the tree line to the right of the first. As well as a third Govie, Nurse Garner, who still had not appeared.

The group of untrained and fear struck villagers took an involuntary step back as Commander Lorhan fired off six, seven, eight shots at the new guard. They were just as unsuccessful as the first from the top of the wall only this time they were stopped with a metallic looking skin that had replaced the usual human skin. The bullets hadn't even left a dent.

A few gasps were released from the villagers as they once again exchanged glances of fear. The two guards did a similar gesture a nodded, advancing towards the front gate of the town.

"Stand your ground!" The Commander's words were loud enough for Colette to hear this time. Even Colette did not dare take another step back from the horrifying scene that was to surely unfold. Colette realized that even the humming under her skin had paused at the words. Suddenly, the adrenaline that her power was providing quickly dissipated and she was left alone with fear so deep rooted a blood hound could smell it from a mile away.