The Next Generation (FIRST DRAFT)

Chapter 15

Ben didn’t know what to do. He paced back and forth, trying to think of a way to find the girls. They could be in serious trouble and he didn’t want to be responsible for whatever happened to them. 

    “Ben, calm down. Your thoughts are so loud right now I can’t think myself,” Talon said.

    “Sorry, I’m just really worried.”

    “You don’t say.”

    Ben gave Talon a look. “How can you be so calm about this?!”

    “I may look calm, but internally, I am freaking out just as badly as you are.”

    “What should we do?!”

    “Here’s a thought. Let’s first both calm down and then I’ll fly up and look for more of these crystal thingies.”

    “Okay.”

    Ben folded his arm and put his hand over his mouth nervously as Talon flew upwards, looking around. While he was up there, Ben began to look around further, looking for any sort of sign of what had happened and where they had gone. That’s when something caught his eye.

    Ben walked over to a tree where he found a carving on it. At first, it looked like any other carving in a tree with two names carved inside of a heart, but something was different about this one. Instead of two names, this heart had the words, “Ben, to the hospital.”

    “Lucy must have used her powers to carve this before they left!” Ben thought.

    “That means they must be at the hospital,” Talon said in response to his thought as he floated down next to him. Ben nearly jumped out of his skin. 

    “Will you stop that?!”

    Talon grinned. “Never.”

    Ben sighed. “Let’s just go.”

    “You sure you don’t want me to carry you again?”

    Ben glared. “Yes, I am very sure.”

    “Suit yourself,” Talon laughed. “If we are going to go find them, we need a plan. Obviously the person throwing the crystals is probably on the side of the big wigs, so we should be cautious as to how we approach this.”

    “Geez, where is Lucy with her disguise capabilities when you need her?” Ben joked. 

    “Yeah. I think that going in first is not the smartest idea, in case you haven’t noticed, you kinda stick out.”

    “I noticed,” Ben said, deadpan. 

    “Well if you can’t go in, that means it's up to me. I’ll go in first and if I don’t come out in fifteen minutes, you go in after me."

"What are you going to do when you get in there?"

"I'll figure it out then."

    “But what if you run into trouble?”

    “That’s why you will come after fifteen minutes.”

    “Right.”

    Ben and Talon stood in silence for a few seconds while Ben debated in his head whether this was a good idea or not. 

    “For the last time Ben, do you want to save the girls or not?” Talon said. “Because if you do, this is the only way.”

    “I know, you’re right. It doesn’t stop me from feeling nervous though.”