The Only Way

The relevation

"Your darling friend here, she dragged you into a trap. She was trying to find out about her dad. When did you figure out he'd been murdered?"

I hadn't figured that out. I didn't know. Murdered? But I couldn't let her have the upper hand. "Weeks ago." I replied with more confidence than I thought I could muster. Jay looked scared, though. I wished I could tell him everything would be alright, but honestly, I wasn't sure that it would be. Plus it was my fault for dragging him here anyway. But say what you might, I was happy i wasn't alone.

Guilt overwhelmed me like a crashing wave. "W-why do you n-need to t-take me?" I was stuttering again. I hated the fear that was building up in my chest, the guilt that was overwhelming me and the panic that was rising in my throat.

"Well, due to the experiment, we are sure your genes have been altered to such an extent that we believe you can help us."

"I-In what?" I quivered. "That's for me to know, and you to find out."

In the grave situation we had encountered, no matter how scared I was, I still looked at Jay. He had a triumphant look on his face. I guessed it would be there. "But darling Jay here, he was never part of the plan. I was finding it hard to find a place to kidnap you, but you just handed me the chance on a silver platter. And with an extra life!" She motioned at Jay. My eyes widened. "You will not touch him." I almost yelled. "Oh, but I can. You are in no position to bargain with me." I gulped. She was right. I had nothing she wanted. Except...

"You need me to cooperate. Or else your experiment, " I said bitterly. "Will have been for nothing. If you do so much as harm a hair on his head, you do not have any cooperation from my side. Not just him. All the people I know. You don't hurt anyone."

She looked hesitant, but eventually obliged. "I won't kill him."

That wasn't good enough. She walked toward me as if to grab me. I lunged toward her with no thought, and tried punching her. She blocked and sidestepped me easily. As I fell I kicked down one of her legs. It wasn't much, but her groan showed that I had hurt her. 

I looked at Jay, but he was still staring into space. I knew I shouldn't, but I felt resentment. This cost me time. Precious, important time. Mrs. Brown got up and kicked me. I groaned in pain. I tried to punch her one last time but I was tired. So, so tired. She effortlessly kicked my stomach a few times. 

I wanted to sleep. I could feel my skin bruising up. I reached for the thing closest to me which fortunately happened to be a stapler. I stabbed her leg multiple times, but with each strike my arm got heavier. She fell eventually and satisfaction coursed through me. Adrenaline rushed through my veins and I felt the same satisfaction I had felt when I was fighting Jay. I kicked her as hard as I could, I wanted to be free. 

She shouldn't threaten me anymore. When she lay unmoving but groaning, I turned to Jay. "We-" I gasped for breath, I was exhausted. "We need to leave. She could get up at any time." I tried pulling him. He didn't budge. Something was off. He was never like this. "Jay, what's wrong?" I asked him. My voice was harsh. Ugh.

"Jay," I asked, softly. "What's the problem?"

"M-my dad, he-he.. he was-" he shook his head, as if the thought was too tough for him too handle. "We can talk about this." Mrs. Brown was stirring. "But not now. Alright? Right now, we need to get out." He shook his head as if to shake himself out if the trance he seemed to have fallen into. "I'm sorry- I just.."

"It's alright, I might even have done the same thing." But I hadn't. I had been strong when he had been weak. Anger swirled around in me. But I couldn't let it obstruct my view. We walked out hand in hand. I don't like touching people. It feels weird and it's pointless anyway. But his hand through mine gave me a warm feeling. But mainly it was because he seemed like he needed the support.

I needed support too. But who'd give it to me? I felt like sulking. But I'd be brave. To find out what had happened, to earn my revenge. Walking out, we met another surprise. A man, or a woman, I was confused, covered in black was standing in the corner, alert. He saw us before we saw him and he charged. He had very nearly beat us, when Jay let out an alarming shout. About 3 minutes later a very disgruntled looking Mrs. Lark appeared. She tried to catch the attacker but he escaped. She took us to the medbay. "You will be safe here." She said in her accent. 

"You ok?" I was asked. I shook my head. I wasn't ok. Not after finding out my dad was murdered. But he died of an illness. How was that murder?

  Unless someone made him ill...  the idea was too horrible to contemplate. "You?" I asked Jay, hoping he would say, 'everything's cool, I'm just bummed its raining.' He didn't say that. He looked so sad, so broken. Though I could not see the blue of his eyes, I imagined that his eyes were deeper now, which was a sad thought. I went over to the opposite bunk where he was sitting. 

"Things are not always OK. We, we can try to make them better, but we can't change their true nature. Mistakes, they're normal. In fact, if you don't make mistakes, you're not human." I said, repeating what my mother had told me once. 

He chuckled. "You sound like an inspiring greeting card." Not the reaction I expected, but one that was equally good. I was covered in bruises. I bet with a little makeup, I could pass as a plum. And at that moment, I felt safer than I had in a while, though I knew I was far from being so. I lay down, careful to keep my distance from Jay, and closed my eyes, sinking into the comfortable feeling that was sleep.

I awoke the next morning in the medbay. What had happened? Oh, right. That.

I was scared. Why had that happened? I needed to check out the office. I got up quickly and felt a severe pain all over me. "What is with you?" The nurse asked. "You're not supposed to get up. You're bruised all over and you've been screaming all night!" Recollection of the nightmares I had encountered last night resurfaced.

Jay laughing. I was laughing with him until I saw that a shadow was creeping upon him. I screamed and tried to warn him. But I was too late. He was still laughing when a knife pierced his throat. His eyes, while humorous, had a sense of horror embedded in them now. He fell and I remembered how my mother had looked when she had died. 

Memories flashed past and I reached one I didn't recognize. It was dark. Not just dark, it was black. Nothing existed at all, except me. "Hello?" I said. A figure came up to me. 

"Hi." She said. Something about her voice was so tantalizingly familiar. I walked toward the figure. It had been a mirror. I touched the mirror and to my horror I felt warm, human flesh where I touched my reflection. She caught my hand. I pulled back in terror. She didn't let go.  "But it's time." She said. I awoke, sweating.

As I walked out, I saw additional cameras being added. Special security measures were being upheld. Was this really necessary? I remembered. Yes. Yes, it was. Nervousness ran down my spine. The job of being acting principal was given to Mrs. Lark. Classes were in abnormal surveillance and they hadn't even started yet.

"In light of recent events," Mr. Boloma, the police officer assigned to this case and the one who had interrogated me more than once boomed. "We have added some extra precautions since some people," he paused, looking at me. "Cannot seem to stay out of trouble." Everyone was staring at me now. I wanted to hide behind my hair. I tried, too. But I failed. I could hear people snickering in the back. I could feel the blush in my cheeks hearing up further and further. 

I opened my mouth as if to say something, but I couldn't. My heart was beating at 500kmph. "Anything you have to say, Ms. Liberine?" I did actually. But no words would come out of my mouth. Usually, in this position, Bea would come over and comfort me with a hug. But she didn't. Instead Harry came over. 

He slipped his fingers in mine. "No. She doesn't." He said with a defiant look. I felt more comfortable. I still couldn't talk, though. But the fact that someone had supported made me feel less like melting. The officer rolled his eyes and went on with his speech. Nothing else was really worth commenting on. Except perhaps that school would restart in a week. When we disbanded, Harry smiled at me.

"You going to be ok?" I really hated that question. Nevertheless, I nodded. He came in for a hug. I hugged him back. What is it with people and touching? Sure, maybe it feels good for a second. Then it gets weird. And no one has the heart to pull away. But I did say I'd have to be brave. I pulled away. He looked slightly hurt, but he'd have to walk it off. We walked till my room where Toby and Bea were chatting. But the moment she saw me she shut up. Rude!

Jay was also standing in the corner, intently looking at my book. The reason I said looking and not reading was because he had been staring at the cover for about a minute. I walked in and snatched my book from Jay. I had reading to catch up on. Also Bea was mad at me so I couldn't talk to her. I was walking to the library when Toby ran up to me. "You need to talk to her, you know."

"Why? She doesn't want to talk to me." I said.

"Oh my God. Don't you girls have some secret code that you say what you don't mean?" I'm pretty sure Jen had once mentioned something about 'keeping them guessing,' but I had tuned out.

"Not that I'm aware of." I replied.

"Ugh. Olivia, you are the most oblivious people on earth."

"Toby, I.. well I suppose I am slightly oblivious." I admitted.

I sat down at my table at the library. "See, if you talk to her, she'll say sorry and then everything will be OK."

I sighed. I didn't want to talk to her first. So I decided to flip the topic upon him.

"Talk to her? Like you've been doing oh so often these days? Come on. I'm your friend. What's going on between you two?" Ha ha. Mission accomplished. He blushed. I think. I wasn't sure, color blindness and all. "We're just friends, Liv." I smiled. His voice was all over the place, he was so lying. "Oh sure. I kissed Bea but we're just friends. Oh no, Olivia. That's ridiculous. I'm so dumb." I impersonated him.

"Oh. Oh. So this is how it is? Fine. I guess I'm just going to ignore darling Harry staring at me all the time and stare at Jay." He cracked up, earning himself a punch from me. Soon we were laughing and joking again as f nothing strange had even happened. We were laughing when the librarian came and said that I had 2 letters. I expected it to be Dan or Jen. I was partly right.

Dear Olivia,

It's me. The guy who tried to kidnap you? Yeah. We're going to need you to cooperate or the results will be severe. We've sent you an example. I hope you behave now, because we will take you the first moment we can. By keeping so many friends, you're only risking them more. I will kill any extras. Call me crazy. I am. So, goodbye for now.

Love,

Aurae.

My heart raced in my chest. I was going to explode. The next letter though, was even worse.

Liv,

I have bad news. You know that bad condition your dad had?

Jen caught it. We're really worried and sad. She's not well at all. She has more time than your dad. Bed ridden for a few months. Please. Call when you can.

Dan

Those words stung. My heart was breaking, but my mind's gears were clicking into place. Third couldn't  be a coincidence. It wasn't one. No. This was the example. Tears welled in my eyes. Toby was trying to get me back. 

But he had already lost me.