HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
This jumps around. A heck of a lot.
And I HATE this part.
Charlie.
Amanda's sobs were making me sick.
They were helpless, they were hopeless, and they were terrified.
And none of us could do anything for her.
"Amanda. Stop."
I jumped at the insensitive command. Amanda, at first, reacted like she'd been slapped. But then… the crying slowed.
"Stop." Willa whispered, again. "St-stop."
All of us that could see her looked at her in disbelief. I looked her way, as well, but my view was blocked by a wall.
"You need to stop. I think he's lying, Amanda, I'm sure of it." Willa whispered grimly.
Amanda's head snapped up.
"They wouldn't kill her so fast."
No one breathed.
"They hate her. That's not how they work. They'd want to make it worth their time." Willa continued. "Trust me. I'd know. The last time they captured me they did the same."
For a while, we were quiet. Then, "What are you talking about?"
Willa's voice was raw. She sounded like she was regretting something.
"They'll torture her, Amanda. She's probably still alive, and if she is, she's wishing she was dead right now." Willa mumbled. "They're-"
Amanda was starting to cry. "Stop!"
"They're manipulating her, they're showing her her worst nightmares."
"Willa!" I snapped. "Stop." Why is she tormenting the poor girl?
Amanda's sobs were nearing 'screams' now.
"Just like when you two were younger, right? You were manipulated, weren't you? It was like torture."
Amanda looked like she was going to explode. Pain, confusion, worry… anger.
"They hurt you. They did terrible things to you- to you and Jessie. To your little sister, who's dying or worse right now. She's probably bleeding out." Willa's voice was tight, trying to hold back tears.
It was strange. She was… she was taunting Amanda. At this point, the four of us were screaming at Willa to shut up… but it wouldn't work. She kept talking, driving Amanda a little more past insanity with each sentence.
"Are you possessed?" I screeched.
But Willa delivered the final blow.
"You couldn't protect her. Again."
Amanda screamed. "Shut up! SHUT UP!"
It hit me what Willa was doing.
And then, everything exploded.
Amanda
I couldn't stop it- I can't- Jess-
The walls around me tumbled outward. The bars in front of me blew off the frame. All of the rage that had just built up in me exploded into push energy.
My cell was in shambles. The walls on either side had collapsed, the bars gone.
And I'm not exactly sure what's happening, but the sides of my vision were blurring red. As Philby and Finn stumbled out of their cells that I'd just destroyed, marched up to Willa's.
"You- shut up! I hate you! You shut up about my sister!" I screamed. And Finn's arms were around me, holding me back as Willa curled in the far corner of her cell and cried.
"I hate you!" I screamed. "What's your problem!"
"Amanda." Finn whispered in my ear.
"I hate you, I've always hated you!"
"Hey. She didn't mean it."
"She didn't mean it!? She didn't freaking mean it?" I yelled. "She's been sitting here, torturing and tormenting me about my dead sister and you're defending her!?"
"She was trying to get you mad."
"Why!? Why the hell-"
"So you could break out of your cell."
I glared at her.
"That doesn't mean you manipulate me! That doesn't mean-"
"I'm sorry!" She whispered.
"Doesn't cut it." I mumbled.
The three of them- Charlie, Willa, and Maybeck, that is, were still stuck in their cells. I'd basically blown up my entire half of the cell block, so Finn and Philby were now free with me. I looked back at Willa.
She'd said terrible things- unforgivable things.
"You have to go. You have to go find Jess and get out."
"She's dead." I glared.
"You really believe that?"
I gritted my teeth.
"Does it matter?"
"Look, I get it. You hate me." She whispered. "But don't make things difficult. They probably heard the blast, Amanda. They're coming for us as we speak. You three need to get out. It's up to you whether you want to look for her."
I sighed, starting for the door.
"I'm either going to find her or her body. Who's coming?"
…
Making my way through the halls was the easier part. Holding the fear and tears back was more difficult. After the third dead end, it got more unbearable.
"Amanda." I heard. I turned to see Philby and Finn.
"Yes?"
"That way. That door at the end, it's bolted and locked and crap. She's there, Amanda. It's a tiny police station. That's the interrogation rooms."
They looked anxious.
"Sure. Let's go."
The door, of course, was locked. I focused my powers, trying desperately to unlock the door.
"Stop."
We all turned.
"Peter?" I whispered. I recognized him. Broad shoulders, messy hair and twinkling, mischievous eyes. The impish features and pointed ears. Peter Pan. I'd had quite a few experiences with him in the parks.
"I'm sorry." He whispered. "I'm so sorry. I couldn't stop them. I told them Maleficent wanted them all alive and unharmed, but they shot her anyway. I'm so sorry, I couldn't stop them."
"Peter?" I whispered, again, breathless.
"She's still alive, she's pulling through for the most part, but we don't know."
"You're with them!?" I shrieked.
"No! NO- No, You have to listen! You have to listen!" He whispered.
I threw him back, against the wall, with my powers and pinned him there.
"You betrayed us!" I yelled.
"Keep your voice down!" he growled.
"You traitor!"
"I'm not a traitor!" I've never seen such anger in his eyes. "I'm a spy! They sent me out here for you. Why? Because these baddies have been following you since before you got on that train. Did you know that? Did you ever think, at least once, to cover your tracks!?" he yelled. "They sent me out here to stay with the Overtakers! To make sure they didn't get to you! But now you're stealing cars and being reckless and killing people and you caught their attention so bad they came after you and shot her! And I couldn't stop it! I've been spit on and beat up and kicked and nearly killed to cover your asses so don't you dare call me a traitor!"
My mouth hung open. He took a deep breath and composed himself.
"Now, I don't know how the hell you managed to wreck the cells bad enough to break out. But good job, I guess. You're lucky there were only a few here. I got them for you- you're lucky. They're going to find out when the rest of them come back, the higher powers, so you need to leave now. The other four are in the car around back, at the exit I'm about to take you to." He said.
"Jess?"
"Yeah, Jess. Here." He shoved a backpack into my hands. "Fresh water, beef jerky, band-aids, money. And for Jess, clean gauze, sterile pads, an antibiotic rub, and painkillers. Change the dressing on her gunshots every morning and every night and put the antibiotic rub on it. And the painkillers- one every six hours, or you'll regret it. When they run out, don't get more, or it'll hurt her more than help. Got it?"
I nodded. I followed him down a few hallways to a door. He ushered us out.
"Peter, wait- I'm sorry."
He just shrugged.
"Get outta here, before they find you."
"Thank you."
As we left, he called out to us again.
"And guys?"
We turned.
"Be more careful next time. Any longer here and you would've died. For sure. We characters don't have anything else up our sleeves- you're incredibly lucky." And the door slammed shut between us.
"Well?"
"There's the car, let's go." Phil mumbled, and we followed him in.
….
"Come on. Pain meds. Take them." I whispered. Jess, looking barely aware of anything going on around her, held her shaking hand out. Her face scrunched in pain. "No, hun, I've got it. Just open your mouth."
She did as told, and I helped her swallow the pills. She leaned back against me again; she sat between my legs with her back against me. She was laying down across the back seat, barely moving. It was scary. She looked slightly paler than normal, she looked in pain, and she looked so scared. She'd close her eyes and turn her head to bury her face in my chest, moan and whimper, and then fall asleep.
"Is she okay?" Willa whispered from her seat on the ground. Since me and Jess had taken up all three seats in the back, there weren't enough for everyone, now.
I just brushed Jess' hair back, ignoring her.
"Amanda, is she doing okay?" Finn said, sounding slightly annoyed.
"What do you think?" I snapped. Finn sighed.
"I'm sorry. Is she doing any better?"
"Not really. She's shaking. Do we have any extra blankets?"
"No, you've got all of them. I checked." Willa mumbled. I scoffed at her. She bit her lip, turning back towards Charlie and whispering. I don't really care what about.
Jess shifted, grumbling something.
"Huh?"
"Stupid people. Stupid guns. Stupid pain meds." She muttered, with some difficulty. I chuckled.
"Glad to see you're feeling a little better."
"Mph. Stupid you."
"Love you too."
"Stupid love."
"Jess!" I laughed.
"Stupid… Wait, no."
I just laughed. And I'll admit there were tears in my eyes as I pulled her into a hug, kissing the top of her head.
"God, you scared me." I whispered.
"How so?" She laughed. "Getting shot the first time, or the second?"
"Both, you idiot!" I laughed. But there were tears pouring out of my eyes. "Th-They told me you w-were dead!"
I was starting to shake, hugging her to me as tight as I could.
"Ah!-Okay, bullet wound, bullet wound!" She whispered. I loosened my grip. "Look. Manda, look at me."
I met eyes with her bloodshot gray ones. She's been crying a lot recently, I could tell. I winced.
"I'm okay now, Manda. I'm okay. I'm here and I'm breathing and a little broken but that's alright. I'm here. We're here."
I nodded, and she relaxed into me again.
"Alright." She muttered. "I'm so going back to sleep now."
….
I really hated that. REALLY hated that. But that's where the story wanted to go, I guess.
I really wanted to make Jess dead. But I just couldn't.
And I know. What's with the 'miracle! Suddenly breaking out of prison!'
The thing is, had I kept them there, and kept Jess dead, that'd be the climax of the story. Which means the rest, after this prison, is just falling action until the end.
I want this story to last a hell of A LOT longer. So it couldn't be the climax.
SO, Peter Pan, Miracle Fix!
I'm sorry….
REVIEW?
Please, especially in this chap.