Wednesday
I had woken up by the sight of small metal eyes in my view.
My eyes shot open after I saw them again. I don't know who's eyes they were, they weren't Mom's and I have never seen such being in my entire life. Real or not. Last night felt like a dream. Like I was to wake up this morning and see last night as a big dream that was never intended to stick. Stick to my brain I mean, like someone or something was playing tricks.
But I had also awoken with one thought in my mind, to get the book from the media room and to never let it go.
So that's what I was to do first thing after I had gotten to the bathroom and rushed on some tight fitted jeans and a tshirt with some sneakers. I made my way down the stairs, it's funny how I see last night play out in my mind right now. I snuck pass everyone asleep and went into the media room only to be drifted in a living nightmare, only this nightmare wasn't scary at all. It was truthful and real and felt so strong.
I grabbed the book from the shelf and didn't look back before storming out the room and toward the stairs, I walked down the hall and opened the door to my room. I headed over to grab my carry on bag and stuffed the book deep down in the big pocket. I know this was probably a bad idea but I had too.
"Hey Zoe"
I turn around to Mia in the doorway. I pick up the bag and throw it on the bed before making my way to the door.
"Margaret wants everyone downstairs" she mumbles.
I nod as we walk toward the steps. Funny how I didn't see this much people out when I rushed down here a couple minutes ago. Now everyone was in the lobby, waiting for something to happen. Everyone stood around.
"The lights went out last night" Marg tells everyone.
I look at her and fold my arms before leaning my body weight on my right foot.
"Anyone know what happened? Was there anyone out last night?" John stepped up to us all. He looked more lean and taller than he did yesterday. His brown eyes scanned the room.
My eyes go to James then to Chelsea. She locks eyes with me and waves.
"Maybe it was just a power outage, how are they on now?" That was Susan.
For some reason my mind hadn't gotten to the thought of them staying last night. She looked over at me now, she could probably sense that I was the one who made the lights go out. Her gray eyes wrinkle at the corners when she smiles. Maybe she already knows.
"Because John turned them back on, the fuse box was completely fine" Margaret finishes, "anyway, that's not why I called you guys all down here"
She waits before continuing, making sure everyone can hear her. Especially me.
"So, what's the big woop about Marg? Spit it out" Will releases his thoughts with words out his mouth and Grace hides her face, shaking her head.
"Don't start Will" Marg rolls her eyes and they land on something else, "will you guys pay attention?"
Everyone looks at Stacey and Alex laughing and being all over each other. My thoughts go to Xander and I see that he's standing in front of me. So where is Jake? I turn around and look up into a pair of ocean blue eyes as they stare down at me. He smiles and it's not a hi smile, it's a smile you give a girl who you know is going to be yours. I turn back to the front, hiding the smile on my lips.
"I'm taking you guys out today" Margaret announces.
"Out where exactly?" I asked. I didn't even think I had a voice right now.
"Theres a place called the center, its like a mall outlet. It has stores and restaurants and things like that. Not very far from here actually, we can go for a little" she tells us.
Everyone starts talking to one another.
"It just to see how you guys can cope around the regulars. Please don't do anything crazy or we can never do this again and if something seems off please let me or Susan or John know, am I clear to every one of you?" She folds her arms.
"Yes" everyone says in unison except for me.
She nods her head and turns to head down the hall to her office.
"Let's go guys" John snapped and everyone followed him to the outside through the front door. His van parked up front along with Susan's Jeep Grand Cherokee.
I stand back by the steps while everyone follows each other toward the van. I let out a breath and John opens the side door, sliding it back so people can start piling in.
"You okay Zo?" Margaret comes up behind me after locking the door. She stuffs the keys in her pocket.
"Yeah, I'm just worried that's all" I say.
"Yeah" she knows this and she doesn't want me to be this way, "it'll be okay, but just promise me one thing"
I look over at my friends before I look back at Marg, "yeah?"
"Please don't try to handle things on your own Zo, please. I know you can but if something really happens with- you know. Tell me, and we can figure it out. Your the most important person going out here and if people see what you truly are..." she trails off.
"I know and I promise" I say before she hugs me and smiles.
We head over to the van and Margaret goes around to get in the passenger seat. John is driving and someone opens the door of the van, "come on Zo" Madison tells me.
I look behind the van at Stacey and Susan in her car.
I don't look at Madison, "I'm going to ride with them" I say before I make my way over to the car. Susan unlocks the door for me before I open it and climb into the back seat.
"Nice to have you on board Zo" Susan smiled through the rearview mirror and Stacey looked back at me.
"You actually trust your Aunt's driving?" Stacey asks me and we all laugh.
"Yeah, I guess I do" I comforted before I sat back and she pulled off behind the van.
Her car was so clean and smelt so fresh and a smile came to my lips at the mention of Aunt. I can see Susan as an aunt and I think Mom would want me to trust them even though Susan made a mistake, it's in the past now.
We rode and I looked out the window at the sight of stores and so many cars. Why does it feel like we've been in the camp for so long? Maybe because we have. I should lighten up and enjoy the trip to the center, I was kind of excited and I just hoped everything would be okay.
Susan and Stacey talked a little as time went pass. I kept my eyes on the outside, as we sped on the highway all the trees went by that stood there ground on the outside of the lanes. And every color car you could think of went by. That was until we pulled off the highway and onto another rode, it went on for miles before we pulled into a parking lot filled with even more cars. And so many people walking around.
"I think I'm going to be sick" I spit.
"It'll be okay Zo" Susan says.
She parks the car right next to the van and pull off her seatbelt before we all decide to get out. The van door slides open and everyone climbs out one by one. Xander comes striding over to me along with Mia, she hooks her arms with mine.
"How's it going Zoe?" He looks down at me.
"I'm fine" my arm tightens on Mia's but she doesn't even flinch.
"I'm so excited" She says before practically running up to the entrance of the center building. A car speeds by blowing the horn.
"Mia, I told you to pay attention and be careful" Marg cautioned.
"I heard you" she groaned.
Everyone gets the the entrance and I notice we are all in pairs.
"Alright, you guys can go as long as you have your money and of course, if you don't that's okay. I got you" she tells us before all my friends began to split themselves, walking in every direction possible.
"If you don't have your money Zo, I'll buy for you" Mia smiles before dragging me to the nearest store while dodging the people walking pass.
"That's the thing Mia, I don't want to buy anything" I tell her and she shrugs. We walk into a store called Pink Lady and she heads straight for the clothing aisles. I stand guard by the door, I had the money for my things but I didn't really want to buy anything. Or maybe I should, I might need to the clothes even though I brought enough to camp.
"How does this look?" Mia calls to me, she holds up a pink almost see through crop against her body.
"Too pink" I tell her my honest opinion but she just laughs.
My eyes scan the store and stop on the door. I move closer, my eyes are going wild at all the people that could waste there lives here just shopping all day. It's not even fun anymore, not like it used to be before this. Before I knew I was hybrid. They all clutter in some places and scatter is others but I can't see any resemblance of my friends anywhere. Everyone looks completely different.
"Uh Zo, hello?" Mia calls to me again.
When I look at her she holds up an all black dress with flower print on the chest. I smile and nod. She just shrugs.
After what felt like forever, Mia finally was done in the first store she decided to go in. She didn't have much though as she made her way to the counter to pay for her things. I waited silently by the door and the bell rang when someone came in. They looked at me and I smiled at them not showing my teeth. It was two girls, one who was straight goth who I'm sure Ava would get along with and the other was a pure blonde head. Like me, except she didn't have purple eyes. That's why they stood staring for long, or was it my fangs? I cleared my throat and looked away from them.
"Are those your real eyes? Why does your teeth look so sharp?" The girl behind the counter asks Mia. She just laughs.
I roll my eyes, why don't people just mind there business?
"Let's go Mia" I shouted, making everyone look before I rushed back out into the crowd.
The door swung open again and out came my friend, "she was nice"
"This is why coming here was a bad idea, she was nosy as fu-"
"Don't get mad, please. I don't want you to blow someone's head off, not today" she closes the gap between us and kisses my head before grabbing my hand again.
•
"Having fun?" Jake said behind me in line.
I turn to him and smile, "yeah actually, I'm surprised myself" I laugh and he joins.
"That's good"
Jake, Xander, Stacey, Alex, Mia and I all waited in the line to order some food from a place called The Palace. It was located inside the center building, not where the stores were. They were on the outside but the restaurants were on the inside.
Mia and I met up with Grace, Will, Ava, Chelsea and Madison after shopping a little more. I was shocked at myself for the little clothes I had found myself fond of. We had headed to another store all the way at the end of the center outlet called Rogue. It had clothes, jewelry, shoes, sneakers, make up and anything else you could think of beside food. I hadn't really gotten anything from there though.
The line moved just a little, I looked back at the tables where everyone else was seated. I smiled to myself, I actually think this day will finish out okay. John, Susan and Margaret were seated at one table while everyone that wasn't in line was seated at other tables. Before I got in line, Emily had asked me to get her a sandwich since the place she ate from wasn't enough. And Christian being Christian asked me to get him a drink so he could sneak and pour his bag of blood in it while John and Marg weren't looking.
We had finally gotten up to the counter and I ordered myself a small sandwich with some fries and a drink. I also got the extra sandwich and a fruit punch for Christian. It's funny how anyone could imagine people like us eating regular. The people around for the matter, yet they didn't even know what we were just sitting among them.
We made our way back to the seats and sat down to eat. I handed the rest of my fries and drink to James who didn't mind eating anyone's left overs.
"You guys ready or what?" Margaret asked us all over the crowds of people talking.
"Jeez Marg, you told the kids they could come here and now you want to rush them to go back home?" I raised my eyebrows at Susan's response.
"Let them stay for a while, maybe they want to check out some other places" she finished. I just realized Stacey sat next to her Mom and Alex sat to the right of her. I sat at a table with Ava, Maddy, Emily, Grace and Will.
"Well I'm out" Mia stands in front of everyone.
"And where exactly are you going?" I hissed at her from one table over.
"To check out the rest of the stores"
"Yeah I also want too" Chelsea stood and walked around her table to throw her trash away.
I shook my head. The sounds of laughter and yelling filled my ears before I began to look around. I looked at all the food places and people pilled in front of the counters ordering or receiving. Others stood or sat at tables while talking and just enjoying themselves. Then my eyes landed on someone. I didn't know who they were but they were at the far end of the court and they sat looking straight at me. I even looked behind me to see if someone was looking at them but nope. They sat staring at me until they got up. They grabbed a white bag and a blue bag off the table and finished off their drink before they looked at me again and walked pass not looking back. What the hell was that about?
"Hey Zo?"
I jumped at the mention of my name, it was Susan.
"You alright?" She gives me a warm smile.
I nod. I stand and throw away my trash before sitting again. Everyone else gets rid of there things and stand together talking. But not me, I'm sitting because my stomach begins to turn. Maybe I'm just being paranoid.
I look up again and my eyes meet a girls now. She is just staring at me while she is pushing the stroller back and forth with her freehand. She doesn't show any expression, no excitement or sadness. I blink and look away. Maybe I am being paranoid and its messing with my mind now. I turn back to her but the seat she once sat in is now empty. No sign of her. No stroller, no trash, no bags.
I swallow before I stand.
"Alright finally, time to go" Dylan says and everyone gathers there bags before we head out the food court, I look back making sure there aren't anymore eyes on me.
"Zoe, I got you something" Mia comes up to me and opens the new bag she holds open.
"Its a dress" she smiles.
"Why?"
"You never know, someday we might go out and party" she chuckles and I join her.
"Yeah right, Margaret will never let that happen" I say.
"I heard that you know" Marg says from the front of the group. Everyone stays in order, all together as we walk into the crowd of people. Some head in the opposite direction of the crowd and others moved in the same direction we were moving in.
Mia moves her arm from around my shoulders and runs up to Xander to talk to him. My head falls and I look at the ground as we walk, careful not to make eye contact with anyone else. When I look up something flashes in my peripheral to the left. Theres someone standing off in the distance. They wear black pants and black shirt but the face isn't covered. I slow my steps a bit, aware that my friends move at the same pace father away from me now. No one looks back.
They blend in the crowd, just like everyone else does. I don't even blink, staring at the same guy now. I can't make out my friends anymore, it's too late. But I can't stop looking at this guy as he stands about fifty feet away from me. Everyone walks pass him, like he isn't even there. Is he? How can I see him and no one else does?
I stop walking completely and turn my body toward him. His face shows anger now, and that anger turns to something else. The corner of his mouth turns up into what looks like a smirk and the world around me slows. The flashes of people walking are blurred in my vision as they all walk two times slower than before. The guy still stands there, then he disappears when someone walks pass him to block my view. I gasp and then I hear it. Not it.
Beep
Beep
Beep
Beep
Beep
Five beeps and the world stops, everything completely stills for seconds, everything completely silent in my ears. I close my eyes to try and focus on those beeps, I need to hear them again. Somethings going to happen.
"Zoe!" Mom yells
My eyes flash open and I look at him. The guy who did it, he's in the same spot. He did this, and nothing happens. Nothing happens but then boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Fire expands as four explosions erupt throughout the center, buildings began to fall and crash on people, missing people. Everyones screaming and yelling and running now, the time has sped up and I want it to slow to a stop again so I don't have to hear the distressed and worried energy that vibrates through everyone. My powers come to me and I run in the same direction of the guy. My teeth come together in anger. He did this.
Everyone is still running and panicking and cars began crashing into each other. I look around, not worried about the people seeing who I really am. This is me and I was giving this power to protect whoever needs protection.
My head snaps to the left as some girl pushes pass me but I don't even budge. I see him, he's looking right at me from afar. He wants me to chase him. And then, his friend appears. The girl with the fake baby and stroller.
He began to smirk and I move my feet in his direction now. My fists at my sides, so many innocent people are getting hurt and they did this. Just like they killed Mom, those High Rollers.
He holds out his hand in front of him and I stop walking. He signals for to come closer to him, he's taunting me now.
I close my eyes and breath, don't let him get to you Zoe. Your stronger than them and you know it. They know it too
"Not today Zoe" I whisper to myself.
I put my power away and let out a breath. When I open my eyes, they still stand in the same place. I hold out my hands to my sides, palms open and back away farther from them. From the commotion that is happening in front of me. People still running and flames reach other parts of the buildings and those building pieces fall out of the air to the ground.
Then I take one of my hands and put it out in front of me. They can see, I know they can as I stare at them and smirk. I do the same hand motion he did on me. They look at each other and then back at me now with anger written on their face.
"Gotcha" I say
The world around me has silenced itself again with my own doing. The Dhampyrs make their way toward me in full speed now and all I do is stand there and let them.
Someone behind me grabs my shoulder, "Zoe, what the hell?! Let's go! You can't save these people!" Stacey yells over the commotion that's returned to my ears again.
People crying now, some lost loved ones and others can't seem to fathom the fact that this happened. Today of all days. Stacey drags me closer to the car and I look back over my shoulder but theres no sign of my attackers. They came for me and if I'm not here then they won't try anything else. I heard firefighter trucks in the distance, more than one.
I'm the one who caused all this, I think to myself as we climb into the car and Susan pulls off out of the parking lot behind the van again. But that's not the only thing I'm thinking about right now.
I'm think that there were five beeps and four booms, what happened to the other explosion?
•
We get off the highway and head up the street surrounded by trees that lead to our camp building.
The whole ride was quiet back, I'm sure they hadn't known what to say which I hadn't either.
"Oh my god"
I look up at what Stacey sees and I'm disappointed just as much as everyone else is I bet. The building, the camp that was just completely fine before we left to go to the center, is completely and utterly destroyed now. I swallow at the vandalism.
Everyone gets out of the vehicles and we make our way toward the building. The windows her broke, the door is off its hinges, theres glass everywhere. I go into the building and the chandeliers are on the floor, the walls are no longer golden wood and perfect. The balcony hangs on by a thread and if it weren't daytime outside, we wouldn't be able to see anything.
"I knew it"
I turn to Margaret's voice. She waits outside the door completely still. Her eyes fill with tears and I know she can't stand the sight of it all. This was her place for many years and now it's gone, messed up because of me.
"I'm so sorry Zoe, you were right" she locks eyes with me and a tears escapes. John walks over to her and puts a hand on her back but she doesn't even flinch.
"No Margaret, I'm sorry" I tell her, "this is your place and if it weren't for me, it would still be here" I want to cry now too but I can't. I feel nothing right now but anger and if my breathing doesn't subside and my heart doesn't stop racing, I'm going to freak and go on a killing spree. I can't let this power take over me yet.
No one says anything.
"You guys need to go home to your parents, back to your old lives or find another camp better than this ever was"
"No"
"What?"
"Why?" Everyone's asking the same questions after Margaret's statement. She sniffs which is the only sound left right now.
I look at John and motion for him to take her away from here and he nods before taking her to the truck.
"We are not leaving and I mean it" I snap and some people nod.
"Where will we stay?" Mia asks. I finally look at her and she looks like she wants to cry too.
"With me" Susan steps up, completely emotion free, "my place is big enough for us all, you guys are welcome as soon as your done here. Margaret needs to leave as soon as possible" she nods at me and I nod back before she makes her way back outside. Stacey follows behind.
"What should we do?" Ava asks.
"You guys should get whatever you need from here, and make sure you need it. Leave anything unuseful" I tell them all and they make way upstairs to the rooms.
I head to the other part of the building. The high glass windows that show outside are broke, glass scattered. The classroom is messy and filled with bricks and rocks. I look out at the yard.
Everything was fine before and now look what happened
It's crazy how you know for sure one thing can or will happen and something cuts you completely off guard. I look over at the table we used to sit at. Nothing will ever be the same anymore. This is it and it's all my fault.
I hurry back to the entrance, they make their ways downstairs and out the door with things in there hands. I head up the stairs and to the room I once owned, I'll never be here again. It all happened so fast.
I move to my bed and grab the bag I left on it. I zip it shut before opening my draw to get my dagger. I squeeze my hand around it before putting it into the small pocket of my bag. I head for the door but look back at the bed again and I can see that there was a note left under my bag that I hadn't noticed. I went back and picked it up, I opened it.
Those who hunt, shall be hunted
Those who kill, shall be killed
And those who are powerful, shall be powerless
Enjoy the gift we left
"Gift?"
Then I heard it. I ran out the room, down the hall, down the steps and toward the door. I jumped off all the steps out in the front.
"Get back! Get down!" I yell at them and they do just that. Everyone scatters and hits the dirt in time.
Boom!
An explosion goes off in the building and fire begans to burn everything inside. The rooms the media room, the classroom, everything goes up in flames.
I stand to my feet, breathing hard. I hear everyone else stand as we all just sit there and look at the camp that once is, now a was. It was a camp and now, it's just nothing.
"Jesus" Someone says.
"That was the fifth boom I was looking for" I swallow.
A/N: hey guys! I had fun writing this chapter and I stayed up until 4 last night but I'm sad for them now. I hope everything will be okay
•
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