Chapter Two
When I gained consciousness again, the first thing I made real was the pain. Oh, the pain was so real; I couldn't make out anything except the pain. It was all in my head, where he clubbed me. It was like a headache but only one hundred times worse. I tried to use my healing, but I knew it couldn't kill the pain entirely. As my skin began to prickle, I could already feel the throbbing reduce. It subsided to where I could think again, and a protective instinct swam over me. There was no light; only a pitch black darkness swelling over me. Why were my wrists bound? Where was I?
"We're in a van."
I jumped up instantly form where I was crouching and hit my head on the ceiling of what supposedly was a van. Another deep voice, I thought to myself in horror, though it sounded almost child-like.
"That's because I'm 16." The voice said again. Was I talking out loud? I thought for sure I had been saying this in my head. Confused, I tried to rub my temple but remembered my hands were tied. Deciding to confront this guy, I called out hesitantly into the blackness, "Who…who are you?"
He didn't reply at first, and I was immediately suspicious. I waited impatiently, wondering if he even had a name. I guess he did.
"My name is…" and another moment of silence, "Drake."
"Sure. Tell me your real name." He didn't fool me for a second.
"Conner." he said simply. He said it the instant I had caught on to his little game.
Well, well, I thought to myself, he does have a name. Who knew?
"And I'm sure you do too." He said again. How could this guy do that, just finish my sentence like we were having a conversation, when we obviously weren't?
"Because I can read minds." He answered to my thought.
Whoa.
Okay, what did he just say? I thought I was the only one, the only being with powers. Well, power but still. I closed my eyes to the dark, just to find more empty blackness. I sighed. First off, I had to know where we were going. But I doubt he knew that.
"So, do you have a name?" He asked, probably smirking. I wish I could slap it off now.
"Danny." I replied icily. I wanted to keep it simple too.
Just then, he stood up, or at least I think he stood up. It felt like he was coming towards me and I stepped backwards, only to fall flat on my back.
"Hey!" a small voice yelped. I automatically picked myself up, stepping forward again.
"Who is that?" I squeaked. Surely there couldn't be more people on this cramped van? But then again, anything could happen.
"My name's Jade, and I'm nine years old and I can talk to animals and…." Now, anything's possible. She's a freak like us and she's like Benjamin Russell. Just then, the boy, and I just couldn't call him Conner yet, whispered:
"We should probably leave her alone now Jade."
With that I tried to get to the edge of the van so I could sit down again. Groping along the wall, I found an empty space and sank into a crouch, exhaustion taking over my sore body. I had to think here. By myself thank you very much, I said in my mind. Knowing this kid, which I didn't, he would probably be reading my mind all the time. Trusting that he'd leave me alone, I went off thinking.
Okay, so we're probably in the middle of nowhere, driving with an insane psychopath probably bringing us to our deaths. Nice. Also, the little girl Jade can talk to animals, while this Conner can read minds. And of course there's me, the healer girl sitting with them. I heaved a great sigh, not caring enough that they could hear me. Maybe now would be a great time to take another nap, this time without being clubbed in the head. But I haven't the foggiest idea where we are going or what my fellow passengers look like either. Great, I thought sleepily.
Suddenly, a warm hand pressed against my forehead and my thoughts became dreamy. What was weirder was that I didn't feel the urge to snap the hand away. And then it all came into my head. I could see faces, faces I couldn't name. Yet, they had a familiar look to them, like I knew them or something. The first face was a boy, roughly 17 with long, shaggy dark brown hair covering his face. He had these strangely comforting blue eyes, as blue as a lightning bolt. I couldn't look away from his handsome face…
But then the face changed to a little girl, her face dark tan like she'd played in the sun too long. She had streaming black curls running down her face, coming up to her chin. The little girl had green eyes, like the color of a jade. She was so precious looking; I couldn't get enough of her either. But everything around both of them was fuzzy, as if there were not enough light.
The hand gently came off my forehead then, but my dreamy like state didn't fade. As my eyes closed, and my shoulders slumped in exhaustion, I realized that those faces belonged to the others known as Jade and Connor.
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This time, I woke to a noise of squealing brakes and a train wreck of shouting. Doors slammed and I heard the rough bark of an order from him. I snapped my head up and stood woozily, moving to what should be the back of the van. I almost fell, but a strong pair of hands lifted me up and shoved me against the wall. I felt around for Jade, filling a need to keep her safe, as we prepared to face what lay ahead of us.
"Just stay calm and don't say anything,"
That was Conner speaking and I could hear the edge in his voice, almost an icy rage. Jade grabbed my hand, so trusting and kind, and whimpered. I squeezed her small hand and patted her curly locks. I braced myself for the cool blackness of night. But then the doors were opened and a burst of sweltering heat and sun blinded me. I shut my eyes tight, seeing the neon colors in my head. Five men stepped in when I opened my eyes again, and the van sunk about five inches. Huge men, bristles clinging to their grungy faces, grabbed my arm and hauled me out into the dazzling sun. Jade's hand was ripped from my grasp and I heard a shout of struggle from Conner.
Automatically the rough material on my wrists grated into my skin. I twisted my head around to find Conner or Jade but my attention was grabbed by another van pulling up alongside us. Probably more henchmen, I thought with vile in my throat. An extra man swung open the doors, with a little more enthusiasm needed to open a door, to his buddies. There were more grotesque men that came out, but to my horror, there were people attached to them. Not literally attached, but they had kids with them!
Three more kids of various ages came out of the van. Straining my head back, I caught Conner's look of astonishment, very non-expressive but it was there. I refocused my gaze on the three prisoners. They obviously had powers, being why we were all here, but I couldn't tell them right off the bat.
The first boy was a child about the age of 8. He had stringy black hair and russet brown skin. I couldn't see his eyes, but he shouted in a Native language, obviously a curse of some sort. Again, I couldn't tell his power, so I turned to the next kid. He was probably my age, maybe a year or two behind me. He had creamy skin and dark blonde hair, but what caught my attention was what was bonded behind his bare back. Under the scathing rope, I could see why he had it all around him.
The boy had wings.
Not like the wings on angels, or the ones on butterflies, but like those of a, well I don't know what type of wings. But they were definitely wings, no doubt about it. They were inky black, with hints of champagne streaks in them. And they hung limp and damp, as if they really were inked. They came in long strands of feathers; I guess you could call them that. Like the first time I saw Conner's face, I couldn't look away.
A blood curdling scream shattered the stillness in the air. I almost gave myself whiplash I turned my head so sharply. I found out who did it. The third person that had come out of the car was a girl. She was definitely my age, with crystal clear blue eyes and white blonde hair. She had slightly tan skin, like she went to a pool and sunbathed every day. The mascara running down her perfect face came in shadowy streaks.
Still, she held her head up high, and had enough courage to look at me. The instant she bore her gaze into mine, I saw a look that told me to bow down and worship her. I kept my gaze steady, not averting my eyes an inch from her lovely face. Just then, the men handling her pushed her forward and she could no longer stare me down. But I had a feeling it wasn't entirely the men's fault.
I was being pushed along now, and not un-gently either. I tripped a few times trying to keep up the pace the man was forcing me to do. All he did was haul me to my feet every time. I was now bumbling next to the winged-kid. I noticed how graceful he walked, even with his hands and wings tied together and immediately tried to fix my posture. This ended up with my face in the dirt.
Heat flooding my cheeks, I was tugged up yet again by the henchmen's grimy hands. I continued walking with my normal stature. I peeked over at the boy, irked at his strange movement. I had to know his name though.
"What's your name kid?" I asked my voice dry and cracked like the desert I was walking on. I had said this quietly, so maybe the men would think I'm babbling to myself. The bird-kid noticed though.
"Shay." He coughed, trying to disguise his voice. I'm sure the oafs wouldn't be smart enough to figure it out though.
"Danny." I coughed back. I felt one of the hands holding me tighten, and I coughed a couple more times to prove I was really coughing. Might have to watch that one, I thought.
While we continued to stumble, or rather, as I continued to stumble, I wondered where we were going anyway. I couldn't see any path beneath my feet and there was only a giant hill in front of us. Where could they be possibly taking us? I looked ahead at Conner, leading the group. He glanced back at me and shrugged. Should've known he was listening.
We were climbing the hill now, and I was practically dragged to the top. Before I got there though, I saw Conner stop dead in his tracks. Oh no, that could only mean one thing; we were being sent to our dooms. But as I straggled up to the top, I, too, had to stop and shake my head at what I saw. Could I be hallucinating? We were out in the middle of a desert! Were we really going to die in a woodland jungle?
