SILVER EYES (GXG)

Chapter 14: Between The Lines

My body went rigid, and I felt as if I had been forcibly transported to a deep, dark corner of my memory. The strength and adrenaline I had experienced during the fights had completely vanished with that haunting image. I couldn't do anything but watch the scene unfold before my eyes. It was a sunny and calm day. I knew exactly what was going to happen.

Mom and Dad were preparing a trap for drones. It was what they used to do to fight against the Reg society. The drones were like live spy crows, constantly surveilling the area. So my parents created traps for them, and my mother, being an engineer, modified and repurposed them for our use.

Young Michael and Grace walk through the woods to pick up some wood for the house, they heard a sound—a drone sound, but not the usual one. It was more like a malfunctioning sound. A few minutes later, they found a drone flying unusually low. I watched the scene unfold frozen, not knowing what to do. My younger self proposed catching the drone to bring it to our parents. "No! Just let it go!" I screamed, but they couldn't hear me.

Before I could even blink, young Grace and Michael were throwing stones at the drone. One, two, and my third one hit the drone perfectly. "Yes!" young Grace exclaimed, and she high-fived Michael. But instead of falling, the drone began to fly better, as if its previous appearance of being damaged had been a trap for them. Suddenly, it rushed toward them, and they started running away terrified. The images passed quickly before my eyes, my heart racing with each passing moment.

"Don't go back to the house, you idiots!" I screamed full of anger and impotence. But, of course, they did.

My parents heard the screams and came to help them. My mom said they would distract the drone, while my father opened the bunker door on the floor and ushered them inside. They assured them they would join us as soon as they had dealt with the drone.

A few minutes after they had sealed the door, we heard it—a massive explosion. Michael and Grace hug each other their eyes filled with concern. And then, that moment I would never forget. They opened the door. And there, on the floor amidst the ruin, lay two lifeless figures, my parents. The world stood still in that moment, and the weight of the tragedy crashed down upon us like an unyielding wave. The room, the memories, and my heart, all reduced to ashes, leaving only the painful truth in its wake.

Suddenly, I felt as if my lungs would collapse, as though they would deny me the very air I needed to breathe. The strength that had once coursed through me had vanished, replaced by an overwhelming sense of weakness and fragility that coursed through my body. Tears welled up, some trickling down my cheeks in silent despair.

"Okay, that's enough!" Kate's voice reached me with a soft echo. In an instant, the gray-burning house vanished, taking my parents and Michael with it. Everything crumbled, and I found myself back in the training field, surrounded by my concerned and fearful colleagues. A heavy silence settled over the environment, intensifying the moment. Kate joined the field and positioned herself in front of me.

"Ready? Let's go for the final combat!" She said, taking a defensive stance. I stared at her, my eyes smoldering with anger. "No," I replied firmly.

"No? Are you giving up?" Kate asked. "Do you know what could happen if you give up out there?" She continued.

"I don't care," I answered, my determination unwavering. Without another word, I turned and walked away. Gasps and whispers rippled through the crowd as they witnessed my reaction.

Suddenly, Kate rushed towards me and grabbed me from behind. We both tumbled to the ground. "Let your anger out," Kate urged. Her arms were locking me with amazing strength and I felt my lungs unable to breathe. "Overcome the situation," Kate said to my ear. I closed my eyes, and all the intrusive images flashed before me like daggers aimed at my heart. My mom running, my dad locking the bunker door, the explosion sound, the smoke—all of it.