The Prices I Pay ((MIKE ZACHARIAS X ERWIN SMITH X OC))

Chapter 4

Silica sat on her knees surrounded by a vast, cloud spotted sky. The ground she rested upon appeared to be clear, and reflected the imagery of the baby blue scene from above. Her mind remained blank as she sat there, and her amber eyes traveled from left to right slowly. Despite not recalling what had happened or who she was, she was calm; relaxed.

She looked down to her hands that sat in her lap. She appeared to be wearing a stark white dress, and her left ring finger was adorned in a silver band. Her brow rose at the sight of it, and her hand arose in front of her face so she could get a better look at it. The sheer of hazel eyes flashed along the band as quickly as it had come, and Silica felt herself jump at the sight of it.

"You shouldn't be here." The voice of a girl made it to Silica's ears; one that struck a chord of familiarity in her that she couldn't quite place. She slowly looked over her shoulder to see a young girl with long black hair staring back at her.

It was like looking in a mirror.

"I don't know where 'here' is," Silica replied slowly as she looked the girl up and down. She wore a dress that matched her own. She stood on wobbly knees. "Where am I?"

"You're on the cusp of life and death," said the girl. Silica's eyes widened. "But your time isn't up yet. There's still much that you have to do."

"Who are you?" Silica asked. She took a step back with a hand on her forehead.

"I'm apart of you," the mini Silica replied. "One that died inside a long time ago. Have you forgotten me already?"

"What —"

"Silica," Avery's voice made her whip around. Her long blond hair draped over her shoulders, and she smiled at her. "You went through all that trouble to save Brutus and survived Titan territory just to get shot? I thought you were better than that."

"Avery..." Silica breathed in disbelief.

"You have to go back," Avery stated simply. "You can't be here."

"There's still much you haven't done." Silica's reflection nodded slowly in agreement, recanting her previous statement.

"I don't know how." Silica's voice was no higher than a whisper.

"That's easy." Avery offered her another understanding smile.

"All you have to do is wake up."  Silica's reflection took a step toward her.

"Wake up, Silica." Avery said. She too took a step closer.

An uneasy feeling settled in Silica's stomach, and her gaze transferred from Avery, to her reflection, and back again.

"Wake up."

They took a step closer.

"Wake up."

And another.

"Wake up!"

They each took her hand, and flashes of Avery just before she died flashed in her mind. Images of Silica's reflection morphing into a stillborn child made her scream, and she was thrust into the sensation that she was falling.
—

Silica's eyes flew open as she jumped into a sitting position. The sear of pain from her midsection made a rush of recognition flow into her system, and her hand flew to her bandaged abdomen.

"Silica!" Brutus' voice was loud in her ears, and she squinted at the silhouette of him approached her from the other side of the med bey. She didn't fight him as he hugged her tightly. "Jesus! I was so worried. What the hell were you thinking?"