West Coast Issue 12

Loren Perez

"Guns A' Blazing"

After Karinn and I changed, we hurried up to the surface level, my shoulder still thumped, aching with trauma. Still, I followed Drake out from under the Infirmary. Once outside, he zipped around behind me and lifted me in the air. Ms. Lexis lifted Dr. McCoy and Karinn and the five of us lifted high in the air.

The scene was ghastly.

Recognized from photographs in Dr. McCoy's class, Sentinels were locked in fierce battles with the students of our school, all around the perimeter. Flashes of concussive blasts and icy flashes, sometimes, even lightning from various powers were shattering the machine intruders. The night was alive with destruction.

"Why are the guns not firing?" I screamed to Ms. Lexis, a few feet above me and Drake.

"It's James!" Ms. Lexis called out, turning and heading for the front gate.

Drake turned, his grip around my waist tightening. He whispered into my ear, his words mixing with the howling wind.

"I will protect you. Stay back and only come in for healing." Drake's deep voice was soothing.

I wanted to fight, to unleash the Bark Bacteria inside. I needed cover, if only to keep Drake from worrying, but I would help. Even the boy I cared about wouldn't stop me from that.

Clearing the large Women's Dormitories, the Front Entrance slid into view.

I wasn't that close with any of the upper classmen as much as Karinn or Drake, but they were still students, and when I saw Britnie, her eruptive blasts firing from her torso and extended arms in a brilliant rage, a fire started inside me. I can't imagine how Ms. Lexis or Dr. McCoy felt.

Here's the plan. Karinn, you are about to take the best Powers Control test of your life. You will form up with Beast and help defend Britnie and Valerie. My brother Jon is off to the far right, in front of the burning cafeteria. He is hurt.

I was about to offer to heal him, but Ms. Lexis was our leader for a reason.

She continued. Drake, you fly Loren over to him and patch him up. After that, she will protect him as he comes to. Hurry over to the front and night-blend, watching for any one who needs an evac to Loren and Jon's position.

She had spoken to all of us at one time. This was for real. No exam. No training session, we were called to help. We would help.

Drake pealed away from them and we accelerated towards the inferno that used to be the cafeteria. As we lowered, I caught sight of Jon's body, sprawled on the cement.

"Oh my god…" Drake drew a breath and held it. Jon and Him were roommates, and friends from how Drake acted. "This is not right."

I looked up, seeing Drake's chin from where he was cradling. His skin had become black, eyes filmed over with lightly glowing yellow. I could still see the concern in his countenance.

"I can help him, Drake. Set me next to him."

We set down next to Jon, his chest rising in panicked gasps. His shoulder was dislocated, knee cap shattered, and one of his femurs was protruding from ripped skin, a pool of red underneath him.

"Hey, Drake." Jon saw us, winking.

Drake floated over, recoiling as he saw the damage. "Whoa Bro, you got yourself in a big mess."

"Your girl cleans up well, I hear." He smirked a pathetic grin on one of the corners of his mouth.

"This is going to hurt, Jon." My eyes already were clouding, "and you are going to puke your insides up."

Jon smirked. "Sounds good."

He was crazy.

His bones and back popped as the white bacteria crept along his veins. I focused, pumping more and more through the pores in my hand into his skin. The microscopic surgeons continued to fill him. I had to use more and more until I used more than I had on any one person. Ever.

New injuries were revealed as his other arm snapped. It must have been broken. Drake cringed with each grotesque sound.

"My god, Jon. What the hell happened?"

I heard him as I continued to steer the little workers along Jon's injuries. Soon, his broken body was whole again, and I hurried to my feet for the approaching vomiting.

Jon burped, then shot onto his side, vomiting a large puddle of bile and bacteria. Whatever he ate for dinner was among the vileness. He puked another two times before he rolled onto his back and winced, letting out the most horrendous yell.

"Son of a bitch!" Jon jumped to his feet and stretched his back, pausing to rub his leg where the bone had punctured. "You are amazing!" He smiled at me.

"Okay, Jon. Let's get back to the front. Everyone is fighting." Drake pointed and Jon's arms erupted into bright fire.

I squealed, stepping back.

"What's your name?" Jon leaned forward, waiting for my reply.

"Loren Perez."

"I love you." He chuckled, mocking the tense situation.

I shook my head, grinning. "Taken."

"Me too." He jumped in a monstrous arch, a tail of heat and fire trailing behind.

Drake kissed my hand and flew after him, not saying anything.

I didn't want him to. Anything dramatic would have scared us both.

And I was hurrying after them both anyway.