CHAPTER 3
Aunt Meg sent Alyssa straight back to bed the next morning, the girl looked exhausted, "Bad dreams?"
Alyssa nodded, not even trying to explain the dark and terrifying images that had haunted her all night. For the first time she wished she had relived the accident instead.
"I'll call the school," said Meg, gently hugging her niece.
"Thanks." The teenager dragged herself back to her bedroom and flopped onto her bed.
She was scared. It was even worse than when she woke up in the hospital and found out what had happened. She desperately needed to talk to someone but her list of people she trusted was very short.
Her aunt was the logical choice but she couldn't tell her that she was the reason her twin sister was dead.
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Trini was worried when Alyssa didn't show up for class and as soon as it was finished she went looking for Tommy to find out why.
"She had a really bad night," admitted Tommy, his room was next door and he'd heard whimpering. The only reason he was telling her was because she made his cousin smile.
"That happen a lot?"
"You need to ask her that. Why don't you take her homework to her."
"I will," Trini needed to see that her new friend was okay for herself. "Thanks."
"Just…."
"What?"
"Don't hurt her."
"I won't," promised Trini.
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"We don't know what happen to the green power coin after tracking it to the ocean floor ," admitted Kim, she had gone to brief Zordon and the rest of the team while the Yellow Ranger had gone to visit her friend.
"A fish or a fishing net?"
"Wouldn't it change whoever found it into a crazy killer?" asked Zack.
"It may not happen immediately," replied Zordon, "Rita was not evil when we met, the powers she gained as a Ranger corrupted her. If we had seen it sooner perhaps…."
"So it's like a disease?" asked Billy .
Alpha nodded as Zordon couldn't.
"The more purehearted, the longer it would take."
"That sucks," commented Zack.
"Will they know what's wrong?" Jason was curious.
"I don't know," replied Zordon, "Rita was not an innocent, whoever has the power coin is."
"How long do they have?"
"Unknown," replied Alpha, "It could happen slowly or in a series of stages. It could be triggered."
"So the only thing we do know is that someone here in Angel Grove could turn into an evil psycho killer at any moment." said Jason, he could ask his dad if any of the fishermen he knew was acting weird.
"How many people live here?" Kim was sure it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.
"A lot," said Billy.
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Trini knocked on the Oliver's door Tommy had decided to hang out with his friends. She was grateful for that otherwise he'd see how nervous she was.
A tall auburn haired woman who looked like an older version of her friend answered the door, Trini gasped.
The woman smiled, "I know Alyssa looks like me."
Not wanting to pry Trini hadn't asked many personal questions.
"I'm Meg. Her mom was my twin sister."
Trini nodded, "I'm really sorry."
"She'll be happy to see you."
Trini looked suspiciously at Meg. Did she know too? Why couldn't her parents be as accepting.
"Come in, her room is the last door on the left down that hall. Lyssa your friend's here."
"Thanks." The Yellow Ranger knocked on the blue door, then turned the handle, "Are you decent?"
"And what if I wasn't?"
"Ummmm…" that stumped Trini.
"I'm dressed."
Trini sighed with relief as she stepped into the room and closed the door behind her, then chuckled, "Spotty pajamas's? Really?"
"I have been in bed most of today."
"Do you feel better?" Now that Trini was nearer she could see how tired her friend still looked. Not thinking she reached out as she sat down and cupped Alyssa's cheek.
"Are you okay?"
Alyssa closed her eyes as she swallowed.
"I'm a good listener if you want to talk."
"I….I don't know how."
The Ranger didn't know if she should push or not then decided not to. "Day or night, call me if you need me."
Silently Alyssa hugged her. She wanted to tell her about the nightmares but she was terrified of what Trini would think of her. The last thing she wanted was to lose her.
"It's okay," said Trini gently rubbing her back, there was no doubt now something awful had happened. Whatever it was, it was tearing her friend apart.
A knock on the door made her pull away.
"You girls want a snack?" asked Meg, popping her head around the door.
"I'm okay thanks."
"Me too." said Alyssa her stomach revolted at even the thought of food.
"Okay, help yourselves to drinks in the fridge."
"I have your homework," Trini wanted to lighten things a bit, "What fun."
Alyssa snorted, she was grateful that her friend wasn't asking her for an explanation. "What's first?"
"You have a choice of history, english or mathematics."
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On the way home the Yellow Ranger detoured to Zack's house, he had the most experience with sick people. His mother was ill. The first real conversation the rangers had ever had he had told them he was scared about what would happen to him if his mom died.
"Hey, crazy girl." Trini grinned she couldn't get him to stop calling her that but secretly she kinda liked it.
"What's wrong?" Trini gave him the short version.
"I...I don't know how to help her."
"You already are," said Zack.
"I am?"
"You're being her friend, believe me that means a lot."
"How do I get her talk?"
"Keep doing what you're doing."
"That all?"
"Sounds like she's starting to trust you."
Trini nodded, "I want her too."
"Girl, you got it bad," teased Zack, gently. Trini actually blushed. Wisely he kept his mouth shut. "Come on I'll walk you home."
"Why?"
"I figure your folk's will think you were hanging out with me."
She hadn't thought about her parents and where she'd say she had been all afternoon. He really was a great friend. That solved that problem now she just needed to figure out how to help Alyssa.
TBC….
A/N. Thanks for reading. The follows are great :). Please review. Have fun T-Rex :)
