Whitmore Prep

Chapter 36

        God, my head is killing me. I open my eyes to complete and utter darkness. I feel the smooth texture of cloth around my head, covering my eyes. I try to move my wrists and find them bound behind me with rough rope.
        Everything comes flooding back to me. The funeral, Parker's meltdown, my father, Chelsea. Chelsea. "This isn't funny, Chelsea." My voice is as tough as the rope.
        "It isn't. It really isn't." I hear her above me. I'm sitting down, the ground is uneven, dirt. She has me in the woods.
        "Is this what you did to Elise?" I will my voice to stay steady, but I don't succeed.
        "Similar, yes. But with her I knew where her power came from. Her hands. But with you, I'm not sure..."
        "So you know about powers." It was a statement, not a question.
        "Of course I know about powers." She spits at me. I don't move.
        "My one question is why? Why are you so hateful? Why did you kill her? Why did you kidnap me?" I turn my head to I'm facing her, or at least where she was a moment ago.
        "Wouldn't you like to know?" Chelsea laughs, "Wouldn't you like to listen to me rant on about my master plan? But I won't, that'll just waste my time. I've got better things to do."
        I hear her start to walk away, so I call out, "Then tell me one thing: why am I still alive?"
        This seems to catch her attention. I hear her stop. "You're lucky, Clementine, I don't know your power yet."
        I wait for more, but she doesn't give me any. Instead I hear her footsteps again, growing softer and softer until she's gone. I wait, just in case she decides to come back.
        She doesn't. My adrenaline is rushing, making it easy to snap the rope. I pull off the blindfold, my wrists red and throbbing. No time for that.
        I'm in a hole. Great. It's tall, about twice my height. The sides are smooth and frozen, no hand holds. I try to jump, putting all of my anger and fear into my legs. Nope. I'm stuck.
        Chelsea's smart, a proper mastermind. An evil genius, even. I should have known, this entire time I've underestimated her. I thought she just wanted her own bathroom, I didn't know she was willing to kill for it.
        But I'm still wandering why she needs to find out my power? What good will it do her? Is it so she will know how to kill me?
        I don't think her goal is to kill us. Maybe she's trying to find out how to get rid of our powers? Is that why she cut off Elise's hands? So she'll stop shooting flames out of them?
        I also want to know how she found out about powers, and what made her want to go on this spree? There's so many questions, my head is spinning. But that also might come from the fact that I'm still starring at the top of the hole.
        Man, right now would be a great time to discover a second power. Flight would be awesome, especially combined with my strength. With Ash's telekinesis I could float to the top. With Delilah's shape shifting I could turn into a bird and fly to the top. With Rolland's I could stretch my arms to the top and pull myself out. Even if I had my father's power, I could grow enough oranges I could create a pile, pushing me to the top.
        But I have none of those.
        I get so frustrated, I want to hit something. I turn and punch the side, putting all of my anger into it. It works; a dent appears in the side, the dirt above it holding the same shape.
It's not spring yet, the ground is still frozen. Which means if I'm lucky I can climb my way out of here. I just need a lot of strength.
        I think of how unfair Elise's death was. One hand up. I think of how close I am to meeting the same fate. I kick in a foot. I think of how many more will die at the hands of Chelsea. I pull myself up higher. I think of how Delilah could be next. Another punch. Or Adrian. Another kick. Or Parker. Another pull.
        I get about halfway up before I question myself. The fear drives another punch. If this plan fails I could fall. Kick. I could break an arm. Pull. Or a leg. Punch. I'd never get out then. Kick. No one comes wandering through the woods. Pull. By the time they notice I'm gone Chelsea will be back. Punch. By the time they start a search I'll be death. Kick. By the time they find me I'll be rotting. Pull.
I'm almost to the top! Punch. I can feel the fresh breeze touch my face. Kick. I hear the dead leaves skid across the ground. Pull. I can reach over the edge. Punch. I slide my foot into where my foot just was. Pull.
        I did it, I reached the top. I gasp for breath, so relieved. I take a moment to rest, hug the ground. My cheek rests against it, the freezing dirt never felt so good. But now I have to go.
        I push myself up, which is hard. I'm weak from climbing out of the hole. God, I need to get into shape. Plus, now I have to run through the woods. Who knows when Chelsea will be back.
         But I don't know which way the school is. I was unconscious when she dragged me out here. And it's not like I can follow the light, there is none after Parker's power surge. Great.
        Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Well, at least now I can run.
        I know! I need to get higher so I can see which way the school is. That means more climbing... I use the fear of Chelsea returning to grab onto the lowest branch I can find and pull myself up. At least the hand holds are already made for me, which takes out some of the effort.
        Many feet and splinters later I'm at the top. I spot the school, well, the top of the dorms a few miles out. Man, this girl must be strong to have dragged me all the way out here.
        But it doesn't matter how we got out here, just how I'm going to get back. And I need to start walking now if I'm going to get back to the school by dark. And I do not want to be stuck in the woods with no jacket in late February.
        I hop down from the tree, greeted with a wave of vertigo. Chelsea hit me hard earlier, and I wouldn't be surprised if she left a bruise. But I wouldn't know, I don't have a mirror. I'm in the middle of the freaking forest!
        I start walking, hopefully in the direction of the school. Man I wish I had a jacket; I'm still in my black dress from this morning, though I seem to be lacking my bra. It must still be at Parker's. And I wish I had something to eat, the only thing I've eaten all day was an old muffin I had in my desk, and that was this morning.
        This all fuels me to walk faster, to get back to campus. To get back to Parker, and his strong, warm embrace. To get back to the Dining Hall, with a hot meal and my friends. And to get back to my dorm, with my soft, welcoming bed.
        There's a snap nearby, a twig. I stop instantly. I should be close to campus now, I've been walking for a while. It's hard to see in the twilight, through the trees. But someone is there. Chelsea.
I duck behind a tree, afraid. I clap a hand over my mouth to silence my breathing, which grows heavy. I wish I could silence my heart, it's about to beat out of my chest.
        I hear Chelsea move closer, she knows I'm here. I wait until I hear her right on the other side of the tree, as still as I am. Then I make my move.
        I'm moving before I can even think about it. Swinging my arm before I even knew it was pulled back. Hear the sickening crunch of a broken nose before I see who I hit. Not Chelsea. Theo.
        "God!" He huffs, grabbing his nose. Thick copper rolls down his face, the smell so strong I get another wave of vertigo.
        "Theo!" I gasp, backing into another tree. "What are you doing here?!" The bigger question is if he's working with Chelsea, but I don't want to give anything away.
        "I was looking for Chelsea, holy shit, you broke my nose!"
        "Why were you looking for her out here?" Do you know she's a psychopathic murderer?!
        "I saw her walk into the woods earlier and haven't seen her since. I was worried, there's a killer loose." If only he knew. But it seems like he doesn't. I'm still not going to turn my back on him.
        "I saw her, too. But she's long gone." I hope. "Come on; let's get you to the nurse."
        "Thanks." He winces, holding his face with both hands. We start to walk again, side by side.
        "Sorry about your nose, you scared me." I apologize.
        "I will accept your apology once I don't risk drowning in my own blood."
        "Duly noted." I see a light off in the distance, we're close to campus. Except... there are no lights at campus.
        "Did the lights ever come back on?" I ask, nodding towards the light.
        Theo seems as confused as I am, "No..." We stop walking, look at each other, and begin to run.
        We finally reach campus, the back of the dorms, and jog around it. I can't deny what I smell now. Smoke. Lots of it. So much that Theo and I start to cough.
        We get around the dorms to find the source of the smoke. The Dining Hall is a bright beacon of light, drawing all the students around it. Well, there goes my chance of a hot meal.
        I spot Delilah and Adrian, his invisible form outlined in the bright light. I run to them, my legs feeling like jelly. Tears stream down Delilah's face, smearing her perfect make-up.
        "Lilah, what's going on?" I gasp, grabbing her to keep from falling over. She points shakily towards the Dining Hall, wordless.
        There is writing up the side of the building, written in flames:
        "We will not be silenced"