Super Bad (Completed 2013)

‡ Chapter 33 ‡

That was because I was standing exactly in its crashing spot.  Jessie stumbled on her own feet and I immediately sent her away, allowing the drug to kick in.  The human adrenaline spiked up my energy and I was sprinting through the tall grass.  The dirt under my soles started to rumble and I didn’t stop to admire the smoke moving past me.  A horrifying thud drove my legs faster, and I could hear the first half of the plane hit the ground.  I kept running and running, losing sight to where I was going.  Only for a millisecond did I spot a blur dressed in black, sprinting into forest.  Jessie would’ve never spotted this but my eyesight became incredibly sharp and I zoned in on the scar that ran across his left brow and the way his shoulder sagged.  It was haunting how familiar that scar was.  But as soon as I heard the other half of the plane smash, I dove into the grass and put my hand over my head. 

The explosion felt like it broke my ear drums, the crash indescribable.  It was like the Earth was tearing itself apart.  I counted to one hundred before standing up.  I spotted the Eagles that survived and ran over, panting by the time I arrived.  Pale Beauty wrapped her tiny arms around me and soon, I was accompanied by Cray.  The children were huddled around the nurses, anxious looks resembling some soldiers and other workers.  There wasn’t many of them.  “Where’s Romane?” Cray’s brown eyes frantically searched mine for an answer. 

“I-I don’t know.  He was blind, on the floor, and when I turned around to confront Levi, I looked back to find him gone.”  I glanced down, emotions now swelling into my system.  “I’m sorry.  Romane is M.I.A.”  I fought back the feelings, concealing them, not wanting them.   

Desperate to find their leader, we split ourselves up, dividing sections of the open field.  We were far enough from the crash, momentarily at a safe distance.  I kept an eye out for the blur I saw and when we searched the perimeter for hours and found no sign of Romane, I had a bad feeling about who that escaping person was. 

“What does this mean?” one of the nurses asked. 

I scanned the crowd of worried looks and murmurs.  They were nothing without their leader.  I now saw the difference between the Snipers and Eagles.  The Snipers could move on without their leader because as a family, they worked together to get things done and used each other instead of just the leader.  However the Eagles always looked up to their leader, asking him what to do and waiting to be told.  The Eagles started to get hysterical, some shouting and others already crying rivers.  I then jumped on the crates, cupping my hands to holler, “Hey!  Hey!  Everyone calm down.” 

A cloth of silence wrapped the group closer to one another, huddling to hear my voice.  “You’re all scared.  I see fear in your eyes.  You’re lost, you have nothing left.  You feel abandoned.  I’ve been in that position. Romane has recruited and took you all in because you are survivors.  And even though you have that strength and courage deep down, you do have a leader.  They’re strong, powerful, intelligent, and brave.  They will risk their life for you.  They are who you need.”  I looked over and opened my arms.  “Cameron is the new leader of Eagles Eye.” 

The Eagles roared in applause, whistling and thanking the astonished man.  Tears were whipped away and there were only last sniffles.  He slowly joined me on the crate, stunned by these people smiling and listening to him.  “Take the floor.  This is your show now,” I told him. 

His cheeks were pink and his mouth remained open, still having trouble to take in his dream come true.  I gave him a shoulder rub and he cleared his throat.  He said, “Hi.” 

Another round of applause.  “Wow,” he breathed a little too aloud.  Smiles broke from the Eagles.  “Okay.” He clapped his hands together.  He sucked in a deep breath and exhaled.  “I know I don’t look like much.  Probably like, a thirteen year old with messy bed hair.  But isn’t that who we Eagles are?  Not thirteen year olds, but people who are more than what they look.  The Snipers called us cowards but we are not! We are survivors!  We survived the crash, they did not!  I know Romane has told you he never makes promises he can’t keep, and I will honor and value that rule.”  He raised his hand.  “I, Cameron, your new leader of the Eagles Eye, promise to put every ounce of life I have left towards the safety and survival of our kind.  Does that sound good?!” 

Waves of applause hit his ears and he grinned, loving the affection and attention the man deserved.  I was happy. 

But not for long.  I was still alive on this Earth because I had unfinished business.  I needed to seal some deaths.

After the excitement died down, he gave the group orders, the Eagles following without hesitation.  We moved as a group, walking farther away from the smoking plane.  Our legs tiredly moved until dawn, Cray deciding to settle in the forest.  They organized whatever was left, evenly giving blankets to the children and took care of the wounded.  The last of the sunlight was making its final dance along the green canopy, the tall oak trees leaking warm honey colours.   

After breaking into the canned goods and people were pleased, I knew it was my time to leave.  Cray was cradled beside the pile of weapons, feeding a young girl beans.  He was going to be fine. 

“Cray,” I called. 

He glanced up, and understood the meaning in my tone, passing the beans to the nurse. 

I started walking deeper into the forest, aching to get out of there.  “I need the three strongest Eagles left.  We’re leaving.”  Revenge was hot on my mind. 

Cray grabbed my arm, yanking me to stop.  I practiced my speech earlier, knowing he was going to ask me to stay and plead, how he couldn’t do this without me.  But his next response was shocking.  “I’ll take care of everyone.  Don’t worry.  But what do you plan to do?” 

Pride knocked the air out of me and I had to blink back, regaining my thoughts.  He was ready to be a leader all along. 

“I need to ask you a few favors—”

“Be safe.”  The look in his eyes read that he meant it, and I couldn’t register what was happening next as he planted a kiss on my cheek.  I wasn’t sure what to feel.  I didn’t know feelings.  I didn’t want feelings. 

With Eagles Eye now a broken gang and the leader of the Snipers let loose, shit was about to get down.  I didn’t have time for feelings.

I ripped away and wrote a serious look across my face.  “Cray.  I’m asking you to gather the Eagles.  Then I want you to do what you Eagles, you birds, do best.  Travel across the skies and send me a message to the Snipers.”  I felt thick mucus roll up my throat and spat it out.  “I want you to tell them I’m coming for them.  Their heads will be in my hands.  So that way, when they see me fucking coming, the windows to my soul will be their final image.  For they made my eyes, my soul, raging with darkness that’s ready to summon their death.”

I crushed a patch of grass under my boot and loaded the 212.  “After all.  An eye for an eye makes the world go round.”

And it just so happened my world, my everything, was already blind; thus there wasn’t anything to fucking lose.  The break of dawn shined one last warm flicker, it reflecting off my golden ring before disappearing under the clouds. 

Levi was going to die.