Our Darkest Memories

12. Revelations

That was odd, because Clancy usually left things to the other kids in charge. If people were called to him, you could almost always bet on it that that person was in trouble.

I was wondering if Nadia was one of those kids that were in trouble. And if so, what kind of trouble? Would Clancy have to use his talent on her?

I hoped she would be fine. I trusted Clancy. I did, more than anyone. I knew he wouldn't do anything bad to Naida.

But then there was Buz. I tried not to worry about Buz, the person who hated me the most in the world, who walked away with my friend Nadia. But then I remembered how Buz was curious about me and Nadia talking in the car when we were searching Blaze. And that is when I knew that something wasn't right about Buz sending Nadia to Clancy.

And that suspicion was confirmed when Buz looked back over his shoulder and showed me an evil grin.

I shoved my chair backward and was already on my way to follow them when something made me fall to the ground. Mitchel, who kicked my legs from below my body, hung above me with a fire in his eyes that was undeniably from the anger sparking up from deep inside him. He tugged my shirt and pulled me a little up by it. "You killed Lee, and don't think you can get away with it this easily."

My eyes were focused on Mitchel, but I could feel all eyes of the other kids pointed at us. Yet no one was helping either of us. Trying to make him let go of me, I struggled to say the words, "We both know that that was not my fault."

But that only made him angrier. He let go of my shirt and was about to hit me, but I quickly squirmed from under him and almost evaded the hit. He still hit my cheek, though, which started to ache. I tried to talk to him by saying that I was sorry for what happened to Lee, but I made it worse. Another fist came in my direction and I made it stop in the air with my talent.

But I wasn't the only one with a talent.

Mitchel - a fellow blue - made me fly backward a few feet and dropped me on the ground. After groaning from the pain, I stood up and was about to unleash all my anger on Mitchel - who seemed like he was ready to do the same - when a person sprinted to split us up and stopped in front of me. Raiden's dark eyes were focused on my face and then glanced at my raised arm, ready to strike anyone. He gave me a warning look and I slowly lowered it. Behind him, I could see Aaron standing in front of Mitchel. He had more difficulty but managed to hold Mitchel still.

"You didn't have to help me. I could take care of it," I sneered so that only Raiden could hear it.

Raiden revealed a small smile before he quickly pulled his face back in a serious expression. "Maybe it is better if you follow Nadia," he said while he nodded to the direction she disappeared in.

He was right, so I gave Aaron an appreciative look and ran away to Clancy's cabin.

When I got there, I quietly walked towards the door. After laying my ear against it to hear what was going on behind it, I lifted my hand and knocked on the wooden door. I didn't give Clancy a chance to answer and walked in to find Nadia with her knees on the floor with an empty expression on her face. Her eyes were aimed at Clancy, but it seemed like she stared into nothingness. At my sudden entrance, Clancy glanced up and gave me an irritated look.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I said. "I didn't know you were busy." I looked back at Nadia, who was still on her knees. Her eyes, however, were slightly more focused and she seemed to take me in without turning her head in my direction. She had a puzzled expression on her face.

When Clancy looked back at her, her face turned blank again and her eyes quickly darted back to staring into nothingness, but I realized she seemed more focused than before. I didn't say anything about it. Instead, Clancy asked her a question. "I'll ask it again. Why did you skip your task?"

"I don't know why I didn't do my task today. I just felt like I needed some time alone," Nadia answered.

Alone? I thought. She was with me most of the day. But I came to the conclusion that she must have been protecting me. She was scared that I'd also be in trouble. Yes, that must be it. But then why was she talking in such a weird, neutral tone?

My eyes found their way back at Clancy, who was watching Nadia with squinted eyes.

"I won't skip my tasks again," Nadia continued.

It took a moment, but then Clancy nodded approvingly. "Good. You can leave now."

Nadia stood up with stiff movements and walked towards the door without giving me another look.

"What was that all about?" I asked.

"Buz said that she skipped her tasks today."

"Oh, is that all?" I said with an airy voice.

Clancy raised an eyebrow. "Why? Would there be anything else?"

"No." And I quickly walked towards him. "Hey, Clancy? About this afternoon-"

"Don't worry about it, Morgan." He remained silent for a second before he continued. "I don't want you to feel forced to do or say things that you don't mean."

I felt disappointed. Did he really not think that I liked him a lot? Because I did, and I thought I showed that enough.

He stepped forwards and laid his hands on my shoulders. "Honestly, don't worry about it. I said I loved you, and I still stand by that. And I'm patiently waiting for you to say it back. You just have to realize it first."

But if I wanted to say it back, I first had to come clean about this search party with Nadia, and I wasn't ready for that yet. So as a response, I just nodded and gave him a hug before walking out.

The moment I left the cabin, Nadia came towards me. She had obviously been waiting for me and she seemed a little bewildered. Her hair was peeking out of her bun.

"I'm sorry Nadia. I'm sure he didn't mean to be so tough on you, but he just has a lot going on right now."

"Morgan-" she tried to interrupt, but I didn't pay attention to it.

"And he takes the security of this camp very seriously, so when someone mentions a threat, he has to figure out if there actually is a threat."

"Morgan!" She finally made me stop talking and grabbed my shoulders. "Morgan, I remember it all again. I know what is going on. Raiden has been telling the truth all along. You knew each other. I remember you talking about them to me."

The feeling of excitement broke through and I watched her with expectant eyes. "Really? How do you know? How did you remember? "

But even though I felt like there were finally some answers, her eyes only seemed to avoid my eyes. "I think that when Clancy tried to make me do something by using his talent to get into my mind, something changed. I remember us. How we met. How we became friends. How that all changed again."

"That's great!" I answered. "If that is true, and if Clancy only has to tap into my mind, then all I have to do is ask him if he wants to do that and-"

"Morgan..." She finally looked into my eyes with a sad expression. "When we were both here, we had a plan. But something happened and... It's Clancy. It has always been Clancy." She cleared her throat. "He erased our memories and he controlled us all."

Clancy? No. She is lying. I stumbled backward and almost fell when I bumped into a tree. Nadia tried to grab my hand to keep me up, but I pushed her hand away. Instead, I looked at her with big eyes and then turned around to run away.

"Morgan!" I heard her yell after me, but I kept running.

She was lying, I thought. But why would she lie about this? She wouldn't, and I knew that. But I kept running until I finally reached the lake, where I crumbled to my knees.

And I broke down, because it didn't even cross my mind that the person I
trusted the most would be behind all this.