Chapter 5

Accident?

I feel something cold and thin touching one of my wires, moving inside my chest. I let a small groan escape my lips. I feel like I have been hit by a truck, but I really was and do not want to move at the moment. I drift off to another dream, or perhaps memory, while the soft sounds of people whispering go away.

The Day of the Accident

"So does anyone want to play twenty questions?" Jay suggests enthusiastically, bouncing up and down in his seat in the back of the van, rubbing his hands together from the cold weather.

"Jay, how long have we been playing games? Think about it. We've done eye spy, a-my name is, and tons of other ones I don't even know the names of. Just give us a break, please!" Kai calls back from the driver's seat, his eyes on the snowy road.

"Lloyd, do you want to play arm wrestle or Indian wrestle?" Jay asks.

Lloyd smirks, rolling up his sleeves, showing arms with goose bumps and responds, "Yeah, like you can beat me, the Golden Ninja. I'll go easy on you and do Indian wrestling.

I chuckle while those two horse around in the back and turn to Pixal, who is sitting next to me with her chin in her hand, staring out the left window. I wonder if I ought to say anything to her, but at that moment, Cole leans back from the passenger seat and announces, "We've arrived at our destination!"

"Finally, we've been sitting here for hours!" Jay exclaims, nudging Nya. She startles out of reading her book to see the van come to a stop in front of the ice skating resort.

All of us climb out; everyone (except Pixal and I) rubs their aching muscles, and apparently is quite antsy. "Lloyd and I are going to check everybody in," Kai shivers, his breath coming in wisps in front of him, "Is anyone else coming?"

"Nah, you guys go on ahead," Jay waves his hand as the two head to the resort; then turns back to the rest of us, "Does anyone want to do something, since we have been sitting practically the entire day?"

"What did you have in mind?" I ask.

"Why don't we play man hunt?" Jay suggests eagerly.

I am fed up with Jay's games for today and respond, "No thank you. I would prefer to take a walk."

"I'll do it!" Cole and Nya respond in unison, while Pixal looks at them; then at me hesitantly.

I nod to her and she walks up to the group, saying, "I would like to join as well."

I amble aimlessly away from the group, into the forest, shouting back. "If I have not returned by the time Kai and Lloyd are back, don't wait for me!"

"Okay!" Cole responds.

I walk for quite some time, enjoying every cool breath that enters my artificial lungs, and listen for any sounds of wild life. The snow crunches softly beneath my white shoes and I brush snowflakes out of my blond hair. After precisely three hours, I hear a slight clatter behind me and whirl round, my robotic, blue eyes scanning the forest. I search up and down, side to side, repeatedly, sensing someone's presence, an evil one that is familiar. A shadow is behind me; I know who it is and I turn to see it is Jason, my dreaded nightmare of utter horror. Flames rise in me, my entire body burning, coursing with a dark hatred. Jason smiles ruefully, holding a tiny blade aloft for me to see. "That will not do much harm, will it?" I ask him, summoning up my courage.

"Oh, really?" Jason retorts, "Try to kill me then! After all, I sent that girl to stab Kai and murder your father. He certainly took more work than most, that old man."

At those words, I throw away all of my worry of a trap and lunge at him, wrapping my hands round his human throat, squeezing him with all of my strength. "Say that again!" I screech, "Who took more work than most? Huh! You took my father away from me! You ruined my life, forever!"

Jason laughs, while my rage grows increasingly unstable. I feel a heavy object hit the back of my head, and see white light, stumbling, and fall onto my hands and knees in severe pain. I close my eyes for a moment; then force them open, while a swoon rushes over me. I see several men gather round me jeering and poking me with metal rods. One of them is stained red and I touch my hand gingerly to my head. When I pull my hand back it is permeated in blood. I grimace, biting my lip till it bleeds in defiance and force myself to stand. The man with the blood stained rod, swings his weapon at my leg the moment I get up. Searing pain shoots up my leg and I fall back on my hands and knees, while the others hit my sides unmercifully, the pain becoming unbearable. "That's enough," Jason tells his men, "Hold him down for me."