Title: Save Me
Author: Tasa-chan
Email: chibi_soap@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: I own all the characters in this chapter, but that's it
Feedback: Pretty please??
Rating: PG-13, may change later.
Warnings:
language, descriptive (slightly) deaths...
Save Me 1
"to
pass the time away to get relief from
all this life that's filled
with wanton tragedy."
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He nervously brushed a lock of soft, dark hair out of his eyes and turned to Kaylee.
"How do I look?" He asked, holding out his arms and looking down at his shirt.
"Fabulous. Just stop being so nervous!" She teased, swatting his chest playfully.
"But what if-"
"Nothing is gonna happen Josh, don't worry." Kaylee reassured her boyfriend before opening her front door.
"Mom! I'm home!" She called, ushering Josh inside and into the living room. She heard footsteps upstairs.
"Just a second dear, I'll be right down." Kaylee smiled and flopped down on the love seat, looking up at Josh admiringly. He was fiddling with the ends of his sleeves, pulling them down, then hiding his hands inside. Kaylee reached up and pulled him closer by the arm onto the seat beside her.
"Sit." she half-ordered. Kaylee's mom came down the stairs adjusting the bottom of her shirt.
"Hey dear, introduce me in a minute, just have to check the sauce." She told Kaylee, continuing into the kitchen. Kaylee leaned against Josh softly and smiled again.
"You ready?" He ran his fingers through her hair and twisted the ends around.
"As ready as I'll ever be."
"Alright, Kaylee. I'm ready" Her mom said, returning to the living room and dusting her hands off on her apron. She smiled at Josh kindly.
"Mom, this is Josh." Kaylee started, motioning to the teenager beside her. "And Josh, this is my mom, Erin." They shook hands and said hello, then Kaylee's mom led them both into the dining room. They all sat down around the table and began eating, making smalltalk. The whole time, Kaylee could tell Josh was struggling to hold it back. Every once in a while his eyebrows would furrow and he would grab a napkin and casually hide his hand behind it, pretending to wipe his mouth.
Almost a week ago, Kaylee was lounging around with Josh in his apartment watching t.v. She was laying down with her head resting on his lap, and her legs curled up slightly. She had rolled onto her back to look up at his face and say something when she saw it. His face was shimmering and fading out, then would appear normal. She cried out and fell off the couch. When she finally calmed down, Josh explained to her that he was a mutant. He had been for months now, but he still had problems controlling it. When she asked him what it was that he did, he told her. He could become invisible.
"So, Josh, when you graduate what are you planning....." Kaylee's mom started, then she looked up at Josh and gasped. Kaylee squeezed her eyes shut for a few seconds then peeked at Josh. He looked normal. She turned to her mom, who was staring at him like he had six eyes and an antennae. Josh's face was staring intently at his plate, and he looked a little pissed off.
Oh no. He couldn't have. Please God, please say that he didn't slip.
"Mother?" Kaylee politely asked, trying her best to stay calm. Her mother took a few deep breaths and changed her question.
"Josh, what do you think of mutants?" Her voice was harsher, disgusted a little too.
"Uh, well, I - I think... that-"
"I think they're trash. Freaks. Disgusting little bastards." She spat, then she ate a forkful of her spaghetti, all the while staring at Josh.
"Mother!" Kaylee exclaimed. Not good. This is NOT good.
"If a mutant ever, ever comes into my house, I swear-"
"So, how about that movie last night?!" Kaylee desperately interrupted. Her mom regarded her for a few seconds, then went back to staring at Josh. Kaylee could see his hands shaking, and starting to shimmer slightly before he could regain control.
"Wasn't it good Josh? What was your favourite part?" She hoped that her mom would back off. Josh took a shaky breath and poked at the last bits of pasta on his plate.
"Well... I'd have to say that - " Josh was cut off by her mom again.
"Did you see that report on TV last night? Another person was murdered by one of those filthy mutants. A little girl, and her sister's friend."
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Jessie ran her brush through her best friend's hair. She worked quickly, but gently at the same time.
"And then what happened?" She urged Kaylee to continue. Jessie ran the brush through Kaylee's hair a few more times, waiting for her friend to continue her story.
"And then, my mom refused to let him speak. Every time he tried to say something, she would cut him off." Kaylee softly said, her voice sounding a little sad.
"That's awful..." Jessie replied, unconsciously starting to weave a braid into Kaylee's hair.
"Yeah... she didn't force him to leave, but he got the message anyways, and left as soon as dinner was over... he probably hates me now..." Kaylee trailed off.
"Katherine Lee Rutterson! That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" Jessie chided, "Of course he doesn't hate you. He's been head-over-heels for you since grade four."
"Yeah..." Kaylee sounded uncertain. "But that was /before/ he was a mutant. Now he-"
"Now he what?" Jessie cut in. "Josh is still the same guy as always, just because he got some powers doesn't mean he's any different. It's just like getting a haircut. He's still the same inside, and that's what counts, no?" Jessie always had a way to make things simpler than they always were, which was great for Kaylee. She always played everything out of proportion until it seemed so big.
"Yeah. You're right..." Kaylee said softly, chewing on her lip thoughtfully. She leaned back on the bed and looking up at Jessie.
"Of course." Jessie said, weaving fake-surprise into her voice, "when haven't I been right?"
Jessie and Kaylee had been best friends since Kaylee moved to her home in the second grade. By looks, they were practically two opposites, Kaylee being medium in height, with long auburn hair, stunning green eyes, and an unhealthy addiction to computers. Jessie, on the other hand, was tall, with black hair cut just under her ears. Her eyes were a faded brown colour, and they always looked misty, and unlike Kaylee, she was a sportive girl all the way. But it was their differences that drew them together. They had similarities as well, they both loved swimming, french fries, and video games.
"So, whaddya say, are you feeling up to some video-gaming?" Jessie challenged.
"Of course!" Kaylee answered, bolting for the living room in the basement. Jessie laughed, and chased after her.
On their way down the carpeted stairs, Kaylee's klutzy feet stepped in an awkward manner and she tumbled face first the rest of the way down.
"Kaylee!" Jessie called out. "Are you alright?!"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Inwardly, Kaylee scolded herself for being such a klutz, as usual.
"No you aren't, look at that cut!" Jessie retorted, pointing at Kaylee's arm. Kaylee looked at her arm, then up at her friend.
"It's a scratch Jessie. I'm fine, it's not even bleeding that much." Kaylee replied. But even though Jessie tended to tone things down, she was just one of those people that will someday grow up to be a good mother.
"Nonono! I have to clean it up for you!" Jessie insisted, pulling Kaylee up and practically dragging her to the bathroom. Kaylee sighed and followed along, knowing that no matter what, she was going to be Jessie's patient once again.
"Alright, you're gonna need this... and this....." Jessie murmured, sifting through the medical cabinet, pulling out various bottles and containers of assorted medical stuffs.
"Alright." Jessie said finally, glancing over the items she had set on the counter, then at Kaylee's arm. "First, that's gonna need to be washed."
"Uh, no, it won't Jess, I'm fine really." Kaylee insisted, backing up for the door. Jessie grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards the sink.
"Don't be silly, you don't want it to get infected, now do you?" Jessie stated. Kaylee pulled back from her friend, but Jessie's grip held fast.
"Jessie.... don't.. I-I'll wash it out myself!" Kaylee insisted, her voice rising up in volume and pitch slightly. Jessie looked back at Kaylee.
"Why, don't be silly..." She reached for the faucet and started to turn the knob. Kaylee pulled her hand back, before any water could emerge from the tap."Kaylee! Get a grip! What's wrong with you?!"
"Don't turn on the tap!" Kaylee insisted.
"Why not? It's not like it's gonna explode or anything."
"Jessie..." Kaylee pleaded, but Jessie snatched her hand back and turned on the water.
"See?" Jessie said, turning back to glance at her friend. "Nothing to worry about..." She turned back to the faucet and gasped. The water was pouring out of the tap, rising up a few centimeters, hovering a bit, then rocketing in all different directions. Jessie had to duck to avoid one shooting straight at her. She heard a soft cry behind her and turned back to Kaylee. Her hands were covering her mouth and her eyes were wide with shock. With fear.
"Kaylee?" Jessie asked, worry laced through her voice. Kaylee dove for the tap and turned it off. She stood there, with her back turned to Jessie, she refused to look at her. "Kaylee?" Jessie asked again, gentler this time. Kaylee sniffed, and tried to hold back her tears. She slowly turned to Jessie and looked into her eyes.
"Please don't tell my mom." Kaylee whispered before the tears escaped her eyes, slid down her cheeks and fell in tiny swirls to the floor below.
"Kaylee...." Jessie said softly. She pulled Kaylee into a hug.
"Please, don't tell her!" Kaylee insisted again. "She hates mutants. She'll throw me out... Jessie I can't let her know!" Kaylee begged her silent friend. She pulled back and watched Jessie smile sadly.
"I won't tell anyone. I promise."
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"Hey girls!" Kaylee's mom's voice floated out to the den where they were furiously turning the control sticks and pushing buttons with their fingers, eyes glued to the screen.
"Wanna go for a swim?" They both froze, and Kaylee's wide eyes met Jessie's eyes. "Girls?" Her mom called again.
"Uh, no thanks mom!" Kaylee called out weakly.
"Why not?" Her mom called back, stepping into the den. "It's almost forty-degrees out there and you two wanna stay in front of the television all day playing video games?"
".... yes?" Kaylee answered, avoiding her mom's eyes.
"Well, too bad, I need you to sit out there and watch your little sister and her friend in the pool."
"What?! But mom-"
"Nuh-uh. Look at you! You're paler than the rug!" Kaylee's eyes drifted down towards the cream-coloured carpet below her. "You don't have to swim, but you are going outside whether you like it or not." Her mom demanded.
"But, why do I have to watch them swim?" She asked meekly.
"Because I have to go grocery shopping."
"But Mom-" Kaylee's mom cut her off by raising her hand and closing her eyes.
"Nope. I'm not listening to anymore excuses young lady. You are going out there right now, and that's final!" She left the room, and a few minutes later the screen door was heard opening and shutting.
"What am I gonna do..." Kaylee moaned, looking back at Jessie.
"Hey, no prob, I can look after them, you can stay on the porch and sunbathe." Kaylee smiled weakly.
"Kay."
It had been hard enough, hiding her mutation from her mom for the past two and a half weeks. Every time her mom or sister asked Kaylee to go swimming with her in their pool out back, Kaylee made up an excuse. She avoided the food court at the mall, water fountains at school, and the refrigerator at home. If she was drinking something, she made sure no one was around. She almost slipped a few times, once when she was eating dinner, her mom had gotten up to get a drink. Kaylee had jumped up and made a short excuse about having to do homework before her mom had opened the refrigerator. It was getting hard to explain the juice split inside the refrigerator, after she had absent-mindedly walked past it. Or the water droplets clinging to the ceiling and walls all about the bathroom after she showered and hadn't gotten the chance to wipe them away.
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"Kaylee! Kaylee! Come swim with us!" her little sister called from the pool, in the middle of the backyard. She splashed about a little then waved at Kaylee. "Come on! It's not too cold!"
"No, that's okay! I'm not in the mood for swimming Andrea!" She called back. "Jessie will swim with you though!" Jessie was walking towards the water, holding a beach ball. Andrea and her friend Sarah cheered when they saw Jessie.
"Jessie, will you play Marco-Polo with us, pleeeaaaaseeeeee?!?!?!" they both pleaded, running to the edge of the pool to meet her.
Kaylee smiled and sat in the corner of the patio, farthest from the pool. She stretched out on her towel and started putting on her sunscreen.
"I don't know why mom insists I go outside, I never tan anyways, I just sunburn." She muttered, rubbing in the cold lotion on her legs. "She probably wants me to get skin cancer or something." Kaylee wished sometimes that she got her looks more from her mother. She was taller, with dark brown hair, and really nice blue eyes. She tanned all the time. She always told Kaylee how much she looked like her father, who abandoned them both just before Andrea was born.
Kaylee started to put the sunscreen on her arms when she heard shrieks coming from the pool. She looked up and her heart rate shot through the roof. She watched a few seconds, trying to decide whether to run to them or run away from the water and call for help. Just before she made her decision, she realized they were shrieking because they were happy. Jessie was stumbling around in the pool with her arms stretched out like a zombie, and Andrea and Sarah were trying to get away. Kaylee relaxed a bit and went back to her arm. The two smaller girls continued shrieking. One of them screamed, Kaylee quickly looked up and saw them playing so she went back to her book. The screams got louder. Finally Jessie shrieked,
"Kaylee! Help!" Kaylee's eyes shot towards the pool. The three were in the deep end. Wait. Two. Where was Sarah?!
"Oh Shit!" Kaylee exclaimed, jumping up and racing for the pool. Instantly the water became more violent, sending Andrea off balance in the water.
"Kaylee! Get Sarah, I'll get Andrea!" Jessie shouted, diving underwater. Kaylee hesitated then looked down into the crashing water. Sarah was at the bottom of the deep end. Eight feet under water.
"Here it goes." Kaylee sighed and she dove in. The currents under the surface grew stronger as she swam down to the struggling form of her target. Sarah looked up at Kaylee desperately and reached out for her. Kaylee grabbed her small hands and tried to pull her up, but something was holding her down. Sarah pointed at her foot and she started to go limp in the water. Kaylee tugged harder and swam down for Sarah's foot. Nothing was holding her down, at least, nothing that Kaylee could see. She reached out and felt the water swirling around Sarah's foot, making a ring around it. Kaylee grabbed at the invisible ring and tried to do anything. the water slowed a bit, then changed directions. Kaylee grabbed Sarah and swam for the surface. She felt the water grasping at her too.
She broke the surface and gasped for air. Her lungs burned so badly. She looked down at Sarah and made her way to the edge of the pool through the choppy waves. She shoved the small girl onto the ground and pulled herself up. She watched for a second.
"Come on Sarah..." She couldn't quite remember how to perform CPR, her babysitting course that she took, was five years ago! Kaylee gently pushed on her stomach, then paused. Sarah coughed again and spit up some water. Kaylee helped her turn over and patted her back as Sarah caught her breath.
She looked up and saw Jessie carrying a scared Andrea out of the water, being pushed around by the water, little bits flying about.
"Jessie!" Kaylee cried, standing up.
"Kaylee get outta here! Get as far away as you can!"
"But, the kids!" Kaylee exclaimed.
"I can take care of the-" Jessie cut short. Her eyes opened wide and she breathed in sharply.
"Jessie!!" Kaylee cried, rushing towards her best friend. Another group of beads of water shot at Jessie.
"Jessie!!" Kaylee yelled again, watching as her world started to go in slow motion. The water beads shooting through Jessie's back, out of her chest and into Andrea's face and torso. Jessie's eyes squeezed shut and Andrea let out a short scream, that ended abruptly.
"No... Jessie.. Andrea.....!!" Jessie fell to her knees at the shallow-end of the pool and dropped Andrea. Sarah screamed and covered her eyes.
The front of Jessie's bathing suit had tiny holes, big enough to fit a pencil through. Blood was seeping from all of them. Kaylee stared at her little sister's motionless form, in the knee-deep water. Kaylee couldn't move. It couldn't be real. Andrea's neck had a hole through it, where the water had shot through Jessie and into her. The water was slowly turning crimson-red. Kaylee's eyes began to water up.
"Kaylee.." Jessie managed to choke out. Kaylee sobbed and stepped closer, causing another mini-squad of water beads to dart towards Jessie.
"Get out of -" Jessie began, then she closed her eyes and sobbed as the water shot through her again. Kaylee collapsed to the ground in shock and Jessie slumped over in the water.
At that moment, Kaylee's mom stepped out onto the patio, carrying two grocery bags. She looked over at a clothed Kaylee, soaking wet, a scared-stiff little Sarah on the edge of the deep end, Jessie slumping into the water and Andrea floating lifelessly. She dropped her groceries and started jogging towards the scene.
"NO!!!!" Kaylee cried, stumbling up and tripping towards Jessie and Andrea, not noticing her mom. She grabbed Andrea and picked her up, hugging her to her body tightly, as she pulled Jessie's limp form into a hug as well. Kaylee choked on another sob and her tears flew away from her face as soon as they left her eyes.
"Oh my God!" Kaylee's mom shrieked as she spotted the blood-red water pooling around the group. She stared, numbly at the three in the water, the looked over at the lone ten-year-old sobbing on the other side of the pool.
"Kaylee..." She began quietly, not believing what she was seeing.
"Call an ambulance mom! Hurry!!" Kaylee sobbed. Her mom stepped back slowly. "Go! Call somebody! Anybody! We need help!!" Kaylee cried again. Her mom dashed off for the house and Kaylee pulled Andrea out of the water, then Jessie. The water behind her continued to shoot about and the mini-waves crashed at the pool walls.
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She ran. Ran. It's all she could do. All she wanted to do. She had killed her best friend and her sister, and hurt a little girl! She felt like such a monster. Her feet tripped over one another and she tumbled to the grass. A sob built up in her throat and her eyes began to cloud over with tears. She dug her fingers into the soft ground and squeezed her eyes shut. A soft whimper escaped her lips, followed by a sob. Then the tears flowed down her face and danced around in the air.
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The funeral had been horrible to no end. Both Andrea's and Jessie's caskets had been closed. Kaylee had walked up to the caskets, before anyone else had arrived, to say goodbye. She knew that she wouldn't be able to face everyone. Her mother had been difficult enough to deal with.
At first her mom was in shock, luckily. But when that wore off, she threatened, cursed, and yelled at Kaylee for taking her little girl away from her. The whole three days was an emotional thunderstorm.
Kaylee looked down at Jessie's beautiful cherry-wood coffin and closed her eyes. Kaylee reached into her pocket and pulled out a small silver chain. On it was a small pendant, half of a circle. Around her own neck was the other half. It was supposed to be for Jessie's birthday next week.
"Goodbye Jessie. I'm so sorry.... I hope you know that.." Kaylee whispered. She put the necklace onto Jessie's coffin and turned away. Slowly she began to walk away, her pace grew, and suddenly she was going as fast as she could. She kept running, until she passed the edge of the new housing settlements and went deep into the forest behind it. Kaylee kept running, straight into a small clearing. She ran. She needed to run . To run so fast that all her thoughts, all her problems disappeared. It was all she could do.
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And now here she was, crying her heart out. Trying to keep all her thoughts at bay until she couldn't cry anymore.
She cried until she couldn't breath anymore. But it wasn't enough. She wanted, needed to get away from it all. Even here wasn't enough. She sat back and looked around. She wiped at her eyes and sniffled. Jessie and her used to come here and read in the summer, or bring Andrea and sometimes Sarah too, on picnics when Kaylee was babysitting Andrea.
Kaylee stood up walked up to a tall maple tree that bent over sideways. Kaylee ran her fingers over the bark. She looked up at the leaves, fresh and green. A few branches still had little buds on them. Kaylee closed her eyes and sighed. She looked back at the area, memories flooding her mind. No. She couldn't stay here any longer. She had to get away. Her house was only a few blocks away, so it didn't take too long to get home.
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She stood in front of the driveway for a few moments. 'Mom's car is still gone... must still be at the funeral.' She thought. She walked quickly inside and upstairs to her room. She sat down on her bed and stared at her mirror. Her hands were turning white from clutching her comforter so tightly.
She jumped up and paced around her room. She couldn't think, and she couldn't feel. She only had one thought, 'get away from here'. She grabbed her school bag and dumped her books and papers out onto the floor. She threw it onto her bed and opened her dresser. She pulled out a few pairs of pants, a few shirts, socks, knickers, and a sweater. She rolled them all up as small as she could and stuffed them inside. She threw in a few other things, a brush, shampoo, soap, a few sheets, and a towel. Kaylee put her hands on her hips and looked at her bag. She zipped it up and jogged downstairs to the kitchen. She unzipped it, set it on the table and walked over to the cupboard. She pulled out two boxes of macaroni and cheese, two tins of soup, even though she wasn't too fond of soup anyways, a box of cookies, and a few bottles of water that hadn't been put into the fridge yet. She managed to fit them all into her bag, and zip it up.
Kaylee put on her spring jacket. Even though it was warm out, she didn't want to be bare in the rain. She slung her backpack over her shoulders and looked around the house once again. She headed for the door and paused. She thought for a moment, put down her bag and want upstairs. She came back down with her journal and pencil case. She ripped one of the pages out and bent over the paper, writing a note to her mother.
Mom,
I'm sorry for everything I've done. I hope that someday you can forgive me.
I just have to get away.
I love you.
~Kaylee
Even though it was short, her mind was too foggy to write anything else. She left it on the table in the kitchen. She emptied her pencil case into a small front pouch in her bag, and shoved her small journal into the pocket she had stuffed with clothes. She went back up to her room and picked up her wallet. She opened it up and poured it's contents onto her desk. She counted it up and put it back in.
'There goes my bass savings... all two hundred and ninety-five of it." She sighed inwardly, stuffed her wallet into her bag and set off.
Kaylee stepped off the porch and looked back up at her two-story house.
"Goodbye..." She whispered before setting off.
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Lyrical quote: "Angels" by The Tea Party.
Disclaimer: I own Kaylee, her family, her friends, everyone in this chapter! But I don't own X-Men. *tear* And I wont own the characters in the chapters to come.
So, didja catch the foreshadowing in that chapter?
Please R&R!
~Tasa