Chapter 7

The pain vanished as soon as Todd got within twenty feet of the crystal.

"This doesn't make sense." Said Amanda. "You shouldn't be here!"

"But you called me." Todd said. "I heard you. You said you needed me. I saw you and I saw this place."

The horrified look on Amanda's face made Todd's stomach drop.

"Not you! I wasn't calling to you! How could I have possibly have screwed up so bad that I called you?!"

She kicked the ground angerly. Todd was crushed.

"But I… I've been searching for you. For months I've been searching everywhere. I was so worried. I…"

"Go home, Todd." She said. "Just go home. You shouldn't be here."

Todd couldn't speak. He was heartbroken.

"Why did you call Todd?" Farah asked.

"I didn't!" Amanda cried. "It was an accident. I was trying to call someone else."

"Who?" asked Farah.

"I… I don't know. Not him. Someone that could help."

It was a punch in the gut.

"Maybe we can help." Said Farah.

Amanda shook her head. "No. You three need to get far away. Blackwing is coming."

"Then let us help!" exclaimed Farah. "We've been fighting them. We infiltrated their headquarters to save Dirk and the Rowdies. We've been trying to stay one step ahead of them. We've studied them for months. We can help you face them!"

"Not this time." She said.

"Where are the other Rowdies?" Dirk asked. "Surely they found you by now."

"They're getting ready." Said Vogel.

"For what?" asked Dirk.

"For it doesn't matter because I have it under control!" Amanda snapped. "Get Todd out of here!"

Todd was about to speak when the air became thick. And wet. His feet lifted off the ground. He was floating. He was drowning.

Farah could almost hear Todd's heart shatter from Amanda's words. She wanted so badly to comfort him, but it wasn't time for that. They still had a mission.

"Just tell us your plan." Said Farah. "We can help. We already escaped Blackwing twice. We could be valuable assets."

Amanda shook her head. "No. Just go."

Farah was getting frustrated. "Amanda, listen. I…"

"Something's wrong with Todd!"

Dirk's voice cut through their argument. Farah whirled around just in time to see Todd drop to the ground. He was making strange choking sounds.

Drowning.

Farah reached for the syringe, only to discover she didn't have it. It was still in the car.

No!

She began to panic. There wasn't enough time to go all the way back to get it. Even if they carried Todd with them so she wouldn't have to make the trek back, he'd be dead before they could inject him.

I killed him. He's going to die because of me.

"What's happening?" Amanda cried as she dropped to her knees next to her brothers struggling form.

"He's having a pararibulitis attack!" cried Farah without taking her eyes of him. She was trying to think. There had to be something she could do to save him.

Amanda looked up at Farah. "But he never had pararibulitis!"

"He does now!" barked Farah as she tried to think what to do.

"Didn't the Rowdies tell you?" Dirk asked as he grabbed Todd's hand and squeezed. Farah realized Amanda had taken Todd's other hand. He was struggling less. Losing his fight. She felt like she was drowning too. How could she let this happen? How could she let him die?

"Vogel!" Amanda cried.

The young Rowdy pushed Farah and Dirk aside, away from where Todd was laying. He was surprisingly strong. Before Farah had a chance to retaliate, Vogel was standing over Todd and what looked like white smoke flowed out of Todd's body and into Vogel.

"What the…" Farah started.

"It can't be…" said Dirk as he stared.

When the last of the smoke left him, Todd was coughing and gasping, but breathing. Before Farah had time to wrap her mind around what just happened, Amanda was embracing her bother.

Farah rubbed her temples. "Can you please at least try and explain it?" she asked.

Everyone had been so emotional and scattered that it was impossible to make sense of the fragmented words that she was hearing.

They had retreated to a log cabin that the Rowdy 3 were using. They were all there, and they only casually acknowledged the three people that Amanda and Vogel brought back with them.

"Could we please start with how Vogel could feed off Todd?" asked Dirk. "I know you Rowdies can only feed off psychics." He suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Or… people that are thought to be psychic that are not really at all and just have some sort of… ability that may or may not make much sense at times."

"You're partially right." Said Amanda. "They feed off a specific type of energy. One that people who are dubbed 'psychic' produce a lot of."

"So, why could he feed off me and get rid of my attack?" asked Todd.

"Because," said Amanda "pararibulitis is a psychic condition."

The room was so quiet that Farah could actually hear the jaws drop.

"Come again?" Dirk said.

"Ok," said Amanda. "Let me see if I can explain it. There is a certain type of energy that is all around us that is a part of our world, even though most of us aren't really aware of it. Think of it like this, like everyone has a house at the base of a dam. But instead of holding back water, it holds back energy. As long as the dam is working right, it's just there, not causing a problem. With me so far?"

Everyone nodded their heads.

"Good. Ok, now think of someone like Farah. Someone without psychic abilities. She has her little house she lives in at the base of her dam. She still gets exposed to the energy, like rainwater. A little isn't really a big deal. It even does good things like waters her plants and she can drink it, but it's never a ton at once. If you apply that to real life, think of it as gut feelings or intuition or having an emotional connection to something.

"Then there's someone like Dirk or the Rowdy 3. Think of their houses being at the bases of their dams, but there is a channel that lets some water through. And they can use it to do things like fill a swimming pool or grow exotic plants that no one else can or whatever shit they can do because they just have more water than most people to work with. It seems almost magical to people who don't have that kind of access."

"What about us?" asked Todd. "Where do we fit in with all this?"

"I'm getting to that. We have a condition that affects our dams. It's supposed to hold up like Farah's, but let's just say that it has cracks. It isn't coming in with control the way it is for someone with a channel. It's cracking the dam and the cracks get bigger and cause more damage. It's psychic energy that manifests as literal pain because we were never designed to experience it. And eventually, it gets bad enough that our dam breaks and it floods our home. That's when it turns fatal."

"Wait a minute, are you telling me that I'm dying of an overdoes of psychic energy?" asked Todd.

Amanda nodded. "Basically, yeah."

Todd looked flustered. "But, this is a disease that runs in our family."

"Well, it's not exactly a disease. It's a condition that runs in families that doctors don't understand, so they call it a disease. They really know nothing about it. The only reason they think it has to do our nerves is because it hurts and they can't figure out what the hell is actually happening."

Dirk looked wide eyed at her. "That's why you went with the Rowdy 3. They could feed off your energy and neutralize the attacks. They are more effective than any medicine. They are energy vampires that need to feed, and you are a fountain of extra energy you need to get rid of to survive."

Amanda nodded. "And because we were never supposed to experience the energy anyway, instead of hurting when it is drained, it's a relief."

Todd shifted his weight. "What else is it?"

Amanda smiled. "You saw it, didn't you?"

"Saw what?" asked Farah.

"Visions." Said Amanda.

Todd looked down and nodded.

"What did you see?" asked Amanda.

"I'm… not sure. It didn't make much sense."

Amanda nodded. "It took me a while to figure them out too. They're confusing, but they make more sense later. The more you have them, the more you understand them. Or even channel them. That's what I've been doing. Vogel has been helping me focus the energy from my attacks so we can use that energy to help us. Over the last week we have been using it to try and locate someone like me. Someone who had psychic energy we could use to help us. And then when we found someone, we used it to call him to us."

Dirk looked at her. "And you didn't know it was Todd?"

"No." Amanda admitted. "It didn't even occur to me that it could be. I couldn't see his face, and last I knew, Todd never had it. When Todd showed up, I thought I had made a mistake. I just knew it was calling someone like me. Someone with pararibulitis who I needed to help me with the plan."

"What plan?" asked Farah for what felt like the millionth time.

"The energy inside you is growing." Said Dirk. "That's why Todd has been having more attacks. There's more energy pouring through the cracks."

"Why is it growing?" asked Farah. "Is it because you called him?"

Amanda shook her head. "No. It's doing that anyway. I've felt it too. That's why I was able to have enough to find him and bring him here."

"It's because our worlds are merging." Said Dirk.

Amanda smiled at him. "You can see it, can't you?"

Dirk nodded. "I've been trying to for ages. I couldn't tell what I was seeing."

Todd turned to him. "What is it? What do you see?"

"Blackwing. They're the ones we were told about that were going to those worlds and stripping them of their resources. They're the reason we were caged when we stumbled on those aquatic cave dwellers."

"The what?" asked Amanda.

"Long story." Said Todd. "We'll explain later."

Dirk began pacing. "Blackwing found out about other worlds, and they figured out a way to get to them. But something's wrong. The worlds are merging. That's why we were hit by a pyramid and saw that tree. We're bleeding into each other. Blackwing started something that they can't control."

Amanda smiled. "Right. I've been seeing visions about it for months. I met some of the people who have come through from other places. We have to stop Blackwing before things get worse. It's like the dam again. We were not designed to have this overlap. The cracks are going to get bigger and our worlds will literally destroy each other."

Farah looked at her. "So, what do we do?"

"Vogel and I found a way to channel my energy to close the gates for good. But I don't have enough. That's where you come in." she said as she looked at Todd.

"How are you channeling it?" asked Farah.

"We got ahold of a crystal from one of the other worlds. That's what Blackwing is using. They are connected as a grid. They've pretty much mastered how to use them, but they struggle to produce even a fraction of the energy that Todd and I have access to. The Rowdy 3 can use it to disrupt the network."

"So, we'll close the gates." Said Todd.

"Well, we're going to open them first." Said Amanda. "I've met these people. The ones whose worlds are being destroyed by Blackwing. They want to help take them out so they don't have a chance to find a new way back. Their armies are waiting at the gates. They are going to attack from everywhere Blackwing used to get to them. Then they will retreat, and we will close the gates behind them."

"Will two people with pararibulitis produce enough energy for that?" asked Dirk.

"I hope so." Said Amanda. "It's our only option. I've spent too much time and energy just trying to find what turned out to be Todd. We don't have the luxury of looking for someone else."

"Wait," said Todd. "The Rowdies are here. We rescued them from Blackwing at the same time we rescued Dirk. They knew I had pararibulitis. Why didn't you all just tell her about me?" he looked at Amanda. "And when they found you, and told you we rescued them and I was looking for you, why didn't you try to find me? Why didn't you tell me you were ok? We told the Rowdies how to reach us. Didn't they tell you?"

Amanda looked down and shifted uncomfortably. "Well, we haven't been together long. They only found us a few days ago. And they said you and Farah rescued them. I asked if you were ok and they said you'd been hurt but you were with a doctor and being taken care of. I told them that was all I needed to know."

Todd turned to look at the three Rowdies that he had helped rescue. "That's it? You didn't tell her I was going insane looking for her or that I had pararibulitis or that there was a way to contact us?"

Martin lowered his gaze to Todd. "Drummer Girl said that was all she needed to know, so that's all we told her."

"But you knew! You knew I had exactly the disease you needed, and you didn't even mention it?"

Martin stood to his full height and stepped towards Todd. "Frankly, we were hoping the person she tracked wasn't you. We're all a little disappointed at what showed up."

Todd turned to Amanda. "You honestly didn't ask how to contact me to let me know you were safe? After the last time we talked you were screaming about something horrible happening and I couldn't find you for months and you didn't even ask if there was a way you could tell me you were ok?!"

"I asked if you were safe!" exclaimed Amanda. "They said you were, so I went back to my mission. I figured we could talk it all out when it was over."

"I need air." Todd said as he stormed out into the snow.

The coat that Ken had given Todd was doing almost nothing to protect him from the wind that was cutting right through him. He barely noticed as he paced angrily and tried to make sense of his thoughts.

"Todd?" Amanda called.

"What the hell, Amanda?!" he exclaimed. "I've been so worried and searching for you for months and you don't even try to tell me you're alright and you tell your Rowdy boyfriends or whatever that they are not to even tell you about me?"

"I told you I asked if you were safe! And it's not like I forbid them from saying your name or anything, I just wanted to know that you were alright and that was enough for now."

"I screwed up!" cried Todd. "I get that. I make no excuses for the type of person I've been. I will feel sick with guilt for the rest of my life because of the things I have done that I can never make right. And I get why you can never forgive me. Fine. But how can you not even care?"

Amanda looked at him. "I do care. That's the problem. I've been ashamed and embarrassed that I said those horrible things and abandoned you and after all that you still tried to rescue me when I called you all scared and not knowing what to do." She looked up at Todd. "When all that stuff went down, it was still you that I called. I realized in that moment that even though I had told you I hated you and never wanted to see you again, that you would still be the person that would have my back if I needed you. I was mad. I'm still mad. But you are my brother and you have worked your ass off to try and make up for that things you did. And when you started screaming… I thought I lost you. I thought you were dead and that last conversation would haunt me for the rest of my life. Knowing that I never got to tell you that, in spite of everything, I still love you."

Todd stopped pacing and looked at his sister.

She looked down at her shoes. "When I found out you were alive and safe, well as safe as you can be with all this going on, I didn't want them to tell me more because I wanted to find out for myself. I realized I was actually going to get to see you again."

"Then why were you so horrified to see me?" he asked.

"Because I wanted to see you safe and far away from here. Because I realized I had screwed up too and wanted to tell you when we weren't in the middle of all of this. Because I thought that I was so wrapped up in actually getting to see you again, that I had accidently called you instead of someone with pararibulitis and jeopardized the whole mission." She paused. "Because I wanted to do something right so you could be proud of me the next time I saw you."

Todd took a step towards his baby sister. "I'm always proud of you. I've always been proud of you. You're the person I wish I was strong enough to be."

Amanda couldn't make eye contact as she said, "So if we've made up I'd like to go back in 'cause I'm freezing my ass off."

Todd couldn't help but smile.

"Yeah. Let's go back in."