The boat
Kristen LaneSeeing Mr. Tefford dive off the boat and start swimming back startled Kristen, and then made her stunned and sad. Sad, of all things. Last summer, she wouldn't have cared one bit about anyone on that boat. Absorbed in her little selfish world, caring only about herself and very little else, they all could have contracted malaria and died horrendously, and she would have been puzzled, shocked maybe, but secretly thankful she didn't hang out with any of them and not likely to get it. But not sad.
Now? Now, after struggling to escape a terror that had secretly been trying to hunt them down, that had lied about everything, that had mindwiped practically the entire school and somehow managed to also edit the camera footage, that had risen classmates who had literally
died at the dance?! After narrowly escaping a legitimate monster that had almost drowned them, and getting the moment of clarity that realized that her speed might help save their lives? And Tefford, Tobias, or whoever he was had abandoned them instead...
And she was sad. Sad for him, above all. Sad that he was choosing to go it alone and face whatever monster might be there. Sad that it had taken her so long to get out of her self-absorption.
After their former principal dove into the water and started swimming back, though, everyone else erupted in anger and fighting on the boat. Each had their own ideas. Each wanted to go their own way. Ascot was right - they needed to stick together.
During the fighting, Kristen heard the suggestion about getting pictures of the wall that was now missing its camouflage to show to others. She got her phone out and took several pics, closeups as well as larger shots. It wasn't professional quality but it would do. She thought about getting a video, but didn't think she wanted a recording of the fight going on.
Jack was making his way to get the boat out of there. Allison and Ascot were both capable of breaking through. Marcel was furious, and it seemed like his anger was fueling his smoke power. Like it was more concentrated now then it had been! Curious! Maurice was upset and raising conspiracy theories. Connor was bitter. And even though she agreed with Ascot that they should stick together, she also agreed that they should break through the barrier.
The moment she could get a word in edgewise, Kristen spoke up. In a smaller, quieter voice to hopefully calm everyone down.
"Guys. If I may," Kristen paused a little so that people might take a breather and turn her way. The former sprinter continued in the calm, level voice as the heads turned towards her.
"Guys, as much as I like the idea of going home, do you really think our boat could survive an encounter with one of those monsters? And we'd be lucky to come back and find only one monster in our way. There were several of those sentry creatures out there. Let's face it - unless anyone here has the super ability of repairing boats quickly at sea, going back isn't safe. Can't see how much more hits our boat can take without us losing it. Now, I know I can swim a bit. Maybe fast enough to outswim one of those things. But that's a big maybe. But I definitely can't shoot rocket arms at any of them and hope to swim at the same time. So if we go back? I'm not expecting to make it, personally.
"I realize you're afraid. That's ok. Everyone is afraid. I'm afraid. And honestly? I think that's where they want us. Cowering in fear. Going our own way. So they can take us down one by one. Well, I won't be afraid any longer. Life is too short for fear. Fear separates us all, and it was only by sticking together that we got this far. My speed was doing diddly against those
things. But your attacks were. Each of you were doing things. Allison's strength. Nikolai's ice. Ascot's axe. Alyssa steering. Connor's energy. The - I don't know what they were exactly - spirit attacks? All of us came together, and that's the reason we're all alive. And then I started kicking. I stepped up and used my abilities to help you. And all of you helped out too, even if it was moral support. And I would do it again in a heartbeat, if you needed it.
"Well, we need it now. We need that same kind of support for each other. It's time to put all that aside. Or it's die alone. Now, I don't know what's behind this wall. No clue. But I know what's behind us. And our boat doesn't stand a chance against those things. One, maybe two hits? And we're toast. I'd rather take my chances on the wall and getting out of this cage.
"You guys remember earlier this summer at the beach party Atalia threw, before school started? And there was this guy that washed up on the shore with all these weird wounds? We didn't know what caused it at the time. Now I'm wondering. Still don't know who that guy was. But I think I know
who he was. He was one of us. A person with abilities. And he went his own way. He went all by himself without a group. And either the tentacle monsters got him, or they did.
"So if you guys are really insistent on going back, I'll go. I'll be shocked if we make it back alive. But I'll go. I'll try to kick us some more speed again, if that's helpful. But I'm tired of looking out only for myself. We have a gift, and right now we need to use it to watch out for each other... I invite you to join me..." She trailed off quietly.
On the deck, in his backyard
Rashaad PennelDyelli Beybi wrote:Rashaad PennelThe men and women Rashaad had lifted up didn't seem particularly concerned at being lifted up. That probably wasn't a good sign. After a long, thoughtful, pause, the one who seemed to be the leader spoke up again, "Alright kid, I'll tell you what you want to know," he said, his voice muffled by from behind the suit he was wearing. There was a sudden crunching noise and his head fell back at an unnatural angle. Something seemed to be writhing inside the confines of the suit's headpiece, as if there was something in there other than the man. The wriggling stopped and something small and sharp sliced at the fabric at the back of his head. Blood dripped down onto the wheelchair. Something was moving up there. Then, without any further warning something that looked a lot like a small black eel launched itself at Rashaad's face with an angry hiss...
Red flags went up in Rashaad's head the moment no one struggled. Too passive. As if they had previously seen others with the same kind of psionic tentacles he had, and could care less about them. And then, when Rashaad thought he had seen it all, the guys in the suits surprised him. "The hell?" he said as the bones of the leader snapped and something was struggling to get out of his body. Were these even people? Rashaad said to himself, "It's like the movie
Aliens decided they needed to come to life!"
And then the...
man's?... head snapped back, as if it were a canister that was transporting something arcane... And suddenly, something dark that sounded like a snake flung itself towards him! Rashaad's eyes got huge, and he conjured up his remaining two mind tentacles to block the direct path to him. If that thing got anywhere close to him, it would be bound up just like the suits were. Whether or not they were actually living people. Meanwhile, his hands on his motorized chair, Rashaad mentally cursed himself for not switching to his lighter, more agile chair that he did all his tricks in. He could scoot away and go down the ramp into the grass just fine. But speed and agility was the furthest thing possible in that.
Lashing out at what seemed to be the dark eel, Rashaad could only hope he reached it before it reached him.