. chapter seven
After deciding that she would stay, August and Charles went their separate ways. Charles advised her to go and spend time with the six mutants in their special hang out room. As much as August hated meeting new people, -or talking to strangers in general- she took up on Charles's offer and made her way through the corridors.
She has come to loathe the CIA. Everyone here seemed to be such jerks; always picking on the mutants like they were circus animals locked up in a cage for their amusement. August doesn't have a mutation, but she felt connected with them in a way. She hated to see the agents teasing them.
August was also a bit anxious to see the group again. The last time she was with them, it hadn't gone so well. Albeit, everyone had a bit to drink, and August allowed herself to have that terrible flashback.
She didn't bother knocking on the door. She just opened it, staring into the room with wide eyes.
Everyone seemed to be somewhat frightened, staring all around the room in confusion and terror. August took a glance at the window where there was a large curtain blocking then from the outside world.
"What's going on?" August dared to ask, stepping into the room cautiously.
"We don't know," Darwin replied, his brown eyes fixated on the maroon curtain.
"What do you mean?"
August didn't get a reply because a thumping sound interrupted one from coming. She casted her gaze over to where she heard the sound. It's definitely coming from outside.
She stumbles over to the curtain, her eyebrows crunched together in confusion. Her fingertips brushed against the smooth fabric before she pulled it open.
There was nothing that seemed out of place, except the destroyed statue in the courtyard. Everything was normal. That is, until a body came hurtling towards the ground.
The impact of the body caused August to jump, and Raven and Angel to let out gasps or squeals. The body fell limp, unmoving and not breathing. That man is dead. How did he fall, from the sky? It seemed almost impossible, unless he had been working on the roof, but there was no reason to be working outside in the dark.
Lights then flashed on all around the building, making August's heart rate speed up to unhealthy speeds. Deep down in her, she wanted Erik and Charles to be here to keep them safe, because she knew that she could do nothing to help the young mutants that huddled together in fear behind her. What was she to do?
A CIA agent and his team ran up to the window, telling them to stay in the room and that they're under attack. Though August could have told them that, seeing that agent by agent was being dropped from the sky.
Then a man that resembled the likes of the Devil appeared behind the team, wielding shining knives in his hands. August backed away from the window, absolutely fear-stricken. Had she refused Charles's offer into coming, she would not be caught up in such a situation.
The agents began to shoot at the red man, only to have missed him each time a shot was fired. The red man appeared and reappeared next to various agents, killing them instantly before moving on to the next agent.
August could hear the sobs of the women behind her and wondered why she felt so helpless. Could she do anything to help them? Probably not, but could she try? Would Charles disapprove if she doesn't?
In the corner of her eye, she caught a giant whirlwind knock down a building far off from the CIA building.
August could barely hear Darwin swear behind her, the sight of the invasion causing him to go into a sort of panic mode. She finally turned away from the window to find that the group of mutants were pulling the door open. There was an agent on the other side, warning them to stay back–to keep themselves in the room.
They got pushed back, and that's when August decided to go and attempt at comforting the girls, at least. Explosion after explosion made August feel uneasy and afraid, but she couldn't allow anyone to wither in fear if she could help them. She supposed it was a trait she inherited from her mother, but she really wouldn't know much about that.
She set her hands on their shoulders, thinking hard about how she could help Raven and Angel. Stop time, slow it down, anything in order to ease their heightened emotions.
Suddenly, she felt as if she were moving through molasses. Everything she did was hard, even if she took a deep breath it was difficult. Her fingers itched to move away from the girls' shoulders, to try and swim away from the heavy feeling that surrounded her. She felt as if something was holding her down, keeping her arms at her sides and her feet on the ground. But as soon as the feeling came, it disappeared, and August was left feeling dazed. It was as if she were drugged, but she could still make out the objects in the room and what was going on.
She hadn't realized that new people arrived and now stood across the room from the mutants. August glared the three of the men down, one of them being the red tinted man she had seen murder a mass of CIA agents. Why was this happening?
"Good evening," the man in the middle of the three greeted, with a helmet held in his hands as he smiled at the terrified mutants. "My name is Sebastian Shaw."
Sebastian Shaw? August has heard of that name, but where? "There's a man named Sebastian Shaw, and he has means to start World War Three between mutants and humans..." Charles and Erik mentioned him when they first confronted her in the music shop. This man wanted a fight, and August knew that he was willing to go to all extents in order to reach that goal.
"And I am not here to hurt you," he said, that same smug smile on his face.
"Freeze!" an agent shouted from the courtyard, holding out his gun with trembling hands. God, no, August thought to herself.
"Azazel," Shaw glanced to the red man, Azazel -whom disappeared and reappeared behind the agent- killed him in one swift movement.
"My friends, there is a revolution coming," Shaw began, stepping forward towards the shaking group of mutants and handing over his helmet to the other man left in the room. "When mankind discovers who we are -what we can do- each of us will be faced with a choice: be enslaved or rise up to the rule."
There was a pause, "choose freely, but know if you are not with us, then by definition you are against. So you can stay and fight for the people who hate and fear you, or you can join me and live like kings." Shaw smirked at the three women, and added, "and queens."
His hand was outstretched towards the mutants, who were now taking into consideration his words. August didn't have to think twice about it, she already knew she would stay here with Charles and Erik and the younger mutants. She wasn't sure why, maybe because it felt morally right, but she knew that wasn't right. She wanted to stay because she knew she needed to. Charles needs her, Erik needs her, the young mutants around need her, and most importantly, mutants in general need her. Perhaps they don't require her as much as she's letting on, but August felt that she could play a part in such a movement. This is what her mother would do, and what she would want August to do.
In the corner of her eye, she caught Angel moving closer towards Shaw's waiting hand. August wanted to pull her back, but what was the point? Angel didn't think like the rest of them, so all would be in vain if any of them convinced her to stay.
"Angel," Raven sputtered in disbelief and somewhat shock, now less scared than she was before, and leaning away from August.
"You're kidding me," Darwin added, the same look as Raven on his face.
"Come on," Angel motioned towards the broken window, where Shaw and his group were headed. "We don't belong here, and that's nothing to be ashamed of."
August's head pounded. This was a familiar feeling, one that she usually gets when having a panic attack, or unwillingly visits a distant memory. Her heart beat furiously, causing her breath to escalate at an abnormal pace. She felt as if she ran a marathon, running at a constant speed throughout and never stopping. Her limbs felt weak and tired, and all she wanted to do was sit down. Though she couldn't. This was too important to skip; to allow Angel to go, to let anyone get hurt in the process of trying to make her stay.
Adapt to this...
Before August had the chance to shout against Darwin's actions, it was over. Shaw was gone, and there was nothing left in the courtyard except dead bodies and a pile of ash.
It's been a while since I last said hello.
I hope you are enjoying this story so far. If you aren't, that's okay too, and thanks for reading anyway, if you still are, that is.
About the sequel, if you want one, it's already being worked on. I plan on having it finished by the end of this book. I assure you that I won't fail you again.
Thank you for using your time and reading my work.
Mikayla, x.