All of them watched Ashley panic, despite her major head wounds. James wondered if someone Ashley was worried about should be someone they should. He guessed they should, but she has never panicked this much, even when Divina was around.
"Hit her again!" Esme cheered.
Cindy whammed down a large chunk of ice. This knocked Ashley unconscious as they stared around at the dark sky. There was no snow blowing anymore or a hint that it would snow again, but pure darkness.
"It's not working," Esme remarked. "We have to hit her hard enough."
James watched Esme stand in front of him in her puffy blue coat. She held the gun in one hand but stared at him intently.
"Hit her," Esme said, waving her finger at Ashley's body.
"With ice?" James asked.
"You know, with the muscles. What you did to Luke!" Esme exclaimed, standing inches from him, that he had taken a step back.
"Why not just have Jason burn her body?" James asked.
"That's boring," Esme said flatly. "Please, James! Please, please!" she pulled on his arm now.
"Fine," he breathed. His body muscles enhanced as he drew his arm back, punching Ashley hard in the face.
James stared at her for a moment, knitting his eyebrows together. Did killing this thing concentrate on the liquid over the body?
"That should keep her knocked out," Esme said as they walked near the body.
Ashley's eyes then flew open, staring at them all with a glare. "You're all responsible," she spat.
"For injuring you," Esme said.
Ashley shook her head repeatedly before freezing, almost as if she had been struck by lightning. She turned her head quickly, looking around like a wild rabbit.
"This shouldn't be," she mumbled before they heard footsteps that weren't their own. She spun around wobbly, was pushed, and landed right at Jason's feet.
"God is always such an annoyance." There stood a boy with a grin settled on his face. His killer dark eyes scanned them all before Ashley stared with wide eyes.
"You said you couldn't access them!" Ashley exclaimed, looking frozen.
The boy smirked, slamming a shoe on Ashley's forehead. He pressed it hard, with snow dripping down her forehead and her crying out in agony. Only one person could be capable of such a thing.
"Oops? It seems someone gave me accessibility. Isn't that terrible news for you?" he taunted.
"Divina," James said, almost with a gasp.
"Surprise," Divina said, gripping Ashley's hair as she hung in the air.
Why would Divina be back after all this time? Something was off, especially with the storm stopping and Ashley's overwhelming fear.
"Did you cause this?" Jason asked.
"The storm stopping? Oh, no, some human did," Divina stated.
James felt his heart race because someone in The Bubble stopped this madness. There were many questions that rushed through his mind, but he didn't even know where to start.
"Did someone break in?" Jason asked.
"Quite possibly, or someone has developed them," Divina said, looking up at the dark sky.
Would they have to go through everyone? He didn't have the equipment to document any of the information anymore. If they did test people, they'd have to focus on the mutants first before moving onto the non-freaks.
"They'd bring terror here," Divina said, seemingly unbothered.
What more terror is there to bring? Ashley and Divina are their own terrors. Maybe animals will start eating them alive. No, all the animals are dead, so that can't be possible.
"You think they'd make some gigantic monster? Or use the lake to kill everyone?" Divina sneered. "They aren't us."
"What terror?" Cindy asked.
"That human will be because they're one step closer to killing it," Divina sneered, stabbing a finger on Ashley's temple. It zapped her, knocking her out cold.
"About this human... they'll be like you?" Jason asked as Divina nodded.
That meant they could control everything and torture Ashley. It could probably hold objects as if they were weightless or remove gravity from those around them.
"Your terror is also the darkness," Divina said, pointing around. "The bubble and the sky are pitch black, but the human is somewhere around here."
"Someone developed them," James breathed.
"Simcoe, Uden Academy, or even that hospital. The human is hiding, so I can't find it. I hope this human isn't stupid," Divina muttered.
"Controlling all matters of being?" Jade asked.
"Weather, land, growing, and shrinking. The list continues that this person may surpass me," Divina started. "The terror is that human and how they use their abilities."
If this person can surpass Divina, they may surpass Ashley. Did that leave them staring death in the face or being saved?
"God fears it most, but that human being could change this darkness. I'll tell you one thing that will save you," Divina said, grabbing a chunk of Ashley's hair. "That human can destroy god's followers. It will decrease them until it's a weak god to be beaten by humans."
"It won't happen because it's happening soon," Ashley spat.
"I don't remember asking," Divina growled. Ashley's head slammed back into the hard snow, knocking her out. "I have a feeling they won't care for adults."
James wondered if, when that person came, they'd kill adults. Well, if there were still adults alive somewhere. It's been a question they've overlooked since Ashley started creating all this madness in the bubble.
"I'd start looking for that human," Divina said, grabbing snow from the ground as it melted.
"What if we can't find it?" Jason asked.
"What if it's not born?" James inquired, his face growing hot.
It was an odd thought that struck his mind, due to the mutant powers that remained. Jason didn't magically stop it, and Greyson's away. Nevaeh and Eden do have mutant powers that have to do with the mind, but neither would have the capability due to low ranks.
People hid in shelters for weeks, even before the storm started. It could have happened in secret, and nobody knew, but that still seemed unlikely. Yet, everything that seems unlikely seems possible in this place.
"That's not possible for a baby to do this," Jade implied.
"It has to be born. If it isn't... god poses a greater threat to us all. Whatever that thing is, it's probably stronger than god."
James knew they could die. If this person could be stronger than Ashley and even Divina, who did they end up being? Was it someone everyone knew, or nobody?
"Go back to town or somewhere and figure out those that don't have powers," Divina stated.
James knew those still at Uden who weren't ranked yet. If someone like Mia developed them, that'd be a nightmare on its own.
"Just say the words for me to arrive, and I'll talk to this human," Divina said, grinning with a sadistic smile. "They'd need to know some intentions."
How did this go from trying to clear the campground into a hunting game? It started with trying to find a new shelter, but now there's another problem to deal with. Yet this one wasn't one they could exactly brush over.
"Just make sure god doesn't locate this human. Actually, have that human attack god," he laughed mockingly. "The true terror will begin to show itself soon. You know god's intentions, which I'll try to distract."
The intentions are to kill them with whatever means are possible. Divina's back to stick around like an illusion; it's pure darkness, and a new threat seems to wander this place, whom nobody knows.
He grabbed Ashley's ankle and began dragging her away, grinning. "I hope this human understands that killing is fine," Divina laughed, before they disappeared into the darkness.
For a moment, nobody said anything. All the information was slowly sinking in: someone in this place stopped the storm and is capable of destroying followers.
"Great," Jade finally said dryly.
"It will be fun! Searching for someone like a game," Esme exclaimed, making air punches.
"Except half are sick and buried all over this bubble," Jason imputed.
"Well, there goes trying to clear the campground," James sighed.
Cindy still seemed perplexed, almost like she wasn't convinced. "Do we even know who doesn't have powers?"
"I know Uden Academy mainly. We'd all have to go back and split to different sides of the bubble," James explained. "We either team in twos or threes. I think we should start with Uden Academy since it is huge."
"Are we checking the island?" River asked.
"No." Jason appeared to pause.
"All four of them have mutant powers," James said.
"And I don't want Greyson involved in this mess," Jason said.
"If we can't find anyone all over this place, we may have to..." James said.
He didn't want them to get to that resort. It had been almost peaceful without Greyson's fulfilling plans somehow and somewhere.
"And what do we do when we find them? Have them somehow turn this bubble bright?" Cindy asked with her arms crossed and eyebrows raised.
"We'll ask them what they feel," Jason sighed.
"Let's go in the groups we arrived in," Esme said eagerly.
"We'll take Uden Academy," Cindy implied, bopping away with River. When she returned, she grabbed Esme's wrist.
"We'll beat you!" Esme exclaimed as they disappeared.
"We'll stop at the church because that's where most are," Jason implied.
"Give me those keys," Jade snapped, holding out her hands. "I'm driving."
Tumbles fell down the stairs as Scarlett watched it play out naturally. She saw Greyson in the sunroom, walked over, and saw that the snow had stopped.
"The storm stopped," Greyson said.
"Ashley probably got bored," Scarlett said, as she could see the dark town as an outline on the island.
"Why now? It's been two weeks," Greyson asked.
There was a part of her that was interested in what had caused this to stop. It was probably something that happened in town, or Ashley did get bored of this snowstorm.
"Who knows and who cares?" she muttered, facing him as he looked up from the telescope.
"It could be some freak that stopped it," Greyson implied.
"Don't worry about it," she remarked, caressing his cheek. He leaned in and kissed her.
Them making love here had not just been from what happened last night, but multiple times. Scarlett had expected it to be that one time, but it happened repeatedly. It is strange because she didn't expect it to be this way, especially all these multiple times.
Scarlett pushed him back gently, arms crossed. "Actual food time," she said, an eyebrow raised.
They walked downstairs, dressed in warm clothes, spotting Tumbles, holding a pile of snow outside. She used her bare hands to pick up the snow, which Scarlett noticed her hands weren't frying.
"It's not burning my skin," Tumbles remarked as Greyson went over to investigate. "It's not that cold out either."
"That's strange," Greyson said, while Scarlett poured some Fruit Loops into a bowl.
"It's probably just for entertainment or something," Scarlett said as she sat herself up on the stool.
Greyson turned around to pour his own bowl, which was nearly empty. She poured in some lactose milk, since apparently that's all they really had here.
Scarlett took a bite and placed her opposite hand on her side, but that's when she almost spit out her cereal. She swallowed and felt something, thinking it was Preston. Putting a hand on her stomach, her eyes grew wide. Medium rank that wasn't her own rank.
"You okay?" Greyson's remark jolted her out of her thoughts. She nodded with a pressed smile, chewing. It isn't possible for it to happen that quickly.
From what she grasped from sex education, it normally takes seven to ten days. They haven't even been here for seven days. No, that wasn't the real worry. This mutant child inside her is of medium rank.
Putting her bowl in the sink, she spotted Greyson still eating. "I'm going to go to the bathroom quickly," Scarlett remarked. She rushed up the stairs, shut her door, and rummaged through the bathroom.
Did they have anything that could show proof? Did pregnancy tests even work on a child who was a fetus? Seeing a pregnancy test, she turned it over. Would this work? They've been here for about four days. She couldn't come up with a direct solution.
She narrowed her eyes as she opened the small box. It was the one that had the week's indicator. She'd seen her mother use one of these because she'd read the instructions.
She began to pace, watching the stick for any explanation of this. When she spotted the week's indicator flash, she threw the stick across the white floor and backed up against the wall.
"This is some sick joke. I'm not two weeks pregnant, and we didn't do anything in the past two weeks," she panicked.
When she placed both hands on her stomach, she could feel that sensation grow. One dangerous thought struck Scarlett as she buried the test under tissues. Did this baby stop the storm? No, it couldn't be physically possible. It wasn't possible for her to be two weeks pregnant, but she had been.
She went over to the trash can and grabbed the stick, sliding against the wall to stare at the test. She felt her eyes fill with tears, setting her head against the wall. Being intimate wasn't supposed to end up with her having a mutant child in her stomach. She placed the test back in the trash bin, tears sliding down her cheeks.
She laughed, shaking her head. "How could I be a mother?"
The baby would probably end up like the two of them, using people and doing whatever it takes for punishment. She sat her back against the cold wall and sighed. Things would get suspicious if she began having symptoms. She'd have to lie about vomiting or strange cravings, or just say it's period symptoms.
Her one teacher was always nagging her about sex leading to pregnancy. She'd provide a lengthy list of potential symptoms and complications. If they stayed here for months, it would become obvious. Scarlett didn't want to leave, but if someone came, she'd have to protect the baby.
Turning to open the door, she found Greyson there. "Yes?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow.
Scarlett awaited the kiss as if she knew it already. When he kissed her, she was still thinking about the mutant child. It lingered in the back of her mind as a constant reminder that she would be the mother of a mutant child in nine months. It's not only that issue; it's also their child.
"Stop speeding around," Cindy spat as Esme skidded to a stop. They stopped outside the dining room, with people staring as if they had been strangers.
"What's the latest gossip?" Nevaeh asked, walking gracefully towards the three.
"Well, the storm stopped," Esme said, laughing at her own joke. "And someone stopped the storm, and we're trying to figure out who."
"Mia," Nevaeh said as she came stumbling towards the door.
"We need to know if anyone here recently developed one of the superpowers," Cindy stated.
Nevaeh seemed perplexed as Esme sped in. Even if she couldn't rank people to determine their power, she'd figure it out.
"Nobody's got any new supernatural powers around here," Mia slurred, leaning on the maroon wall.
"Whoever that person is, they stopped the storm," Cindy stated.
"What if someone died and stopped it?" Esme exclaimed.
If they couldn't find anyone else, it had to be someone who was dead. Well, there are a lot of bodies that have been buried, which might make it hard. She could probably dig them up, but she'd get exhausted with all the thick snow.
"They wouldn't be dead," Cindy stated unequivocally.
"So, I just have to wait around like a goose?" Esme exclaimed.
"It's a duck," Cindy sighed, shaking her head.
"They're both birds!"
"And nobody developed powers in the past few days?" Cindy asked, but people shook their heads as she let out a long sigh.
Esme wondered if the person ended up being a tree. It might be possible with everything that happens in this place.
"My theory might be correct," Cindy mumbled to herself.
"Is anyone pregnant here?" Esme yelled.
"Why would someone get pregnant here?" someone asked with a laugh.
Cindy thinking someone was pregnant is crazy. Who wants to have a baby so young? Nobody is crazy enough to have a baby, plus the storm stopping could be something entirely different.
"Because sex causes pregnancy," Mia laughed, pointing a finger up.
"Haven't you had like seven pregnancy scares?" Maverick asked, walking into the room.
"Nothing wrong with it," Mia stated, sticking out her tongue.
"Why are you sure it's not some freak from Simcoe?" Maverick asked, crossing his arms, walking near them.
"Do you think it's some talking truck?" Esme snickered, causing Maverick to glare at her.
"It's probably just some Simcoe person," Nevaeh stated with amusement. "Aren't you supposed to be watching the sick?"
Suddenly, Nevaeh started screaming and running around the room. She stopped at one point with watery eyes and a sour expression. Whatever her fear was, it must've truly scared her.
"Stop acting like some bitch around here," Maverick spat.
"Let's go see Emma!" Esme urged. "Please! Please, Cindy!"
In a second, they found themselves in the infirmary. There were bodies still sick, and Hanna was asleep against the wall. Empty medication bottles and plastic cups scattered the vomit and blood-stained floor. There were some mop buckets in the corner, but the water looked frozen.
Emma peered over with tired eyes that seemed to widen at the sight of her. "No!" she exclaimed.
"We have to find the freak who stopped this," Esme whined, zipping around people and shaking Emma's shoulders. "It's like when we went looking for that substance."
Emma stared down at a sick boy. "I have to heal these patients even if the storm stopped; they're almost better," she said.
Esme looked around and spotted Zane. He sat up, holding his head in a daze. "Zane!" she called, as he didn't seem startled.
"He's still sick! Remember, you caused it," Emma panicked, as Esme let out a loud sigh. Waving a hand in front of him, he seemed to snap out of his daze.
"Are you better? Don't vomit on me or Emma will," Esme laughed.
Zane closed his eyes, then opened them. "I survived?" His voice was raspy.
"Another survivor," Esme cheered as she held up a fist. "And now we're trying to find a freak that stopped the storm."
Esme just wanted to run around and find them in the snowy streets. If she could run, it would give her the freedom she enjoyed every time her hair blew in the wind.
"And the snow doesn't burn you," she implied, bouncing on her toes.
She peered back at Emma, who seemed to realize something. "The symptoms have decreased," Emma mumbled. "Zane, you were close to dying."
"So, this person doesn't just stop the storm, but the illness too?" Esme asked as Emma nodded, holding a hand to someone's forehead.
"They aren't burning or freezing either," Emma said as she chewed her lip.
"It stopped?" Zane breathed, already rushing up the stairs.
Esme beat him, whipping open the door to find some wandering around. All of them were lost and confused about why the blizzard stopped and why nobody got sick or burned.
"Weird, right?" Esme exclaimed, only seeing a few figments of people in the darkness surrounding them. "Just dark."
"I'm going to go to the island," Cindy implied with crossed arms.
"Greyson will probably kick you off the island," Esme stated.
"I have a suspicion," Cindy said, bopping away before Esme could speak.
"Okay, Zane, we're going freak hunting," Esme said, grabbing his wrist and dragging him outside. Looking around, she had to think of places they could go. "I can drag you around instead!"
Zane knitted his eyebrows together as she rushed towards the trenches and threw the tarp back in a flash. The children stared startled, while she waved his arm.
"The firefighter is back," Esme beamed. Zane pressed a smile. Someone holding a flashlight pointed it at them.
"You beat the illness?" Talia gasped.
"Seems so," he sighed, releasing from her grasp.
"Did any of you develop any mutant powers?" Esme asked, leaning into the trench. All of them glanced at each other. "I'm guessing no."
Zane wasn't going to be dragged around with her. Not to mention, Highlighter stayed at Uden and Cindy went to the island.
"Okay, I'm just going to speed around." Esme said, taking off running in the dark of the small flicker of light around her. She busted into the daycare; people screamed as she squinted at the dark space.
From what she could see, there were blankets and pillows everywhere. There were a few toys and books on the ground, and she could see a bullet hole in the wall.
"Esme?" Angel asked as she saw the short boy in the darkness.
"Do you have any kids that have recently developed powers?" she asked. "Someone stopped the storm."
Angel rushed to the door at those words. Esme looked through the children, even if barely any of them had developed them.
"Nobody has them here," he implied from the door.
"Well, you do," Esme said, as Angel pushed the door open to look around.
"Can we play outside?" one of the kids called, running towards her.
"Uh, it's too dark outside," Esme said, speeding away from the child.
"You assume someone stopped it?" Angel asked.
"Now it's a big game of hide-and-seek," she waved her arms around. "Let's go searching together!"
"I have to watch the children while Ilya is away," Angel remarked.
"It's not going to take a long time," Esme said, pointing at Layla. "See, you still have someone here."
The Latino boy pressed his lips together while she urged him to accept. He may be like Emma, who screams every single time she drags her somewhere. She does not know Angel other than that he stopped Luke. Yes, he did stop Luke from harming the children. Maybe they could find Luke instead of going on that chase.
"Well, we're doing something different instead," Esme implied, grinning. Grabbing his hand, they flew out of the daycare as she went into the empty variety store.
"I don't see anyone here," Angel wobbled.
"This is boring. I want some action," Esme remarked. She held up her gun as Angel screamed. "You sound like Emma!"
She tucked her gun back in her waistband and looked around the empty aisles. She was getting the hang of where to store guns for battle, especially with people like Lukey still wandering somewhere.
"Don't do that!" Angel freaked.
Esme grinned before she felt the gravity under her crash. She smacked her chin off the dirty floor, groaning. Once she felt the pressure was taken off, she jumped up and rubbed her chin.
"I forgot you do that sometimes," she uttered, while throwing her hands up. "We could see Emma and see if she'll heal it, but she'll probably say no."
Hearing the door open, Esme couldn't see who it was. "Hello!"
"Are you trying to get us killed?" he whispered.
"See, we're like cops," Esme whispered, pointing her gun out. "Hold your hands where I can see them!"
Police officers from television shows always said that when the bad guy was around. In this situation, she was the police officer if it wasn't someone on her side of things.
"Only one could," Luke snarled.
"Heard you turned into one of those stupid followers," Esme laughed, but she couldn't see him completely.
"Well, I got my arm back, didn't I?" Luke sneered.
Esme grabbed Angel and sped to the side, avoiding the crash of a shelf. "That was so cool. Why don't you do it again?"
"It made me angry that you cut my noodle arm off."
"Then you destroy the power plant and Greyson kills you."
"I'm furious at Greyson, but you and that Asian took away my arm," Luke growled.
"Is Lukey mad that girls beat him up?" Esme challenged.
The noodle arm came whipping at her, hitting her in the cheek. She felt the wound open, with blood dripping down her cheek, gritting her teeth.
"That actually didn't hurt much. I already have a cool scar across my face," Esme said, keeping the gun pointed out. "Speed Demon will stop all evil. I'm the superhero, and you're the psycho noodle arm villain."
"Hero and villain situation? Is Jason here to save the day?" Luke snarled. Angel held out his hand, where a loud thump sounded in the dark variety store. "That Mexican."
"Are you going to be able to beat me, Lukey? It looks like you're having some difficulty there. Should I get Jade or Emma to come help?" Esme taunted, grinning.
Esme put a hand on her hip, while Luke just snarled. "I'm not like those loser followers. I'll beat you and enjoy every second of your torture."
We've got a powerful mutant coming to join this place, except it's a baby...
Do you think it's true that the baby stopped the storm?
-Lexi