Roads And Maps - Aru Shah

Woken up

Aru's POV

I ran down the street through the dark and tried to reach my sisters through the mindlink. I was crying for some reason and I couldn't breathe.

My mom was on a work trip and Aiden had texted to let me know that my sisters had gone back home. I dropped the bottles and just ran. I got lost quite a few times so it was now 10:30. When I say quite a few, I mean I took about three wrong turns and slowed down at a McDonald's to eat.

Brynne! Mini! Wake up! All I heard in response was static. I tried to run into the museum, but then I thought about it. 'Ava would think I would go to the museum. Go somewhere else.' I tried Greg, but he decided not to open.

I turned around and saw Aiden's house. I ran over and tried to throw Vajra off of his window, but it ended up breaking. Who would've thunk?

A groggy Aiden walked over to his window to see what just happened. I saw a flash of light. It must've been Vajra telling Aiden it was me. He picked up the ping-pong ball then scanned the road. "Aiden!" I cried.

His eyes focused on me, and worry spread across his face. "Shah, what's the matter?"

"Just help, please," I said.

He left his window, and I went to his front door. Aiden opened the door and immediately took me into his arms. "A-Ava found me," I choked out.

He pulled away and put his hands on my shoulders. "What happened?"

"I don't really know. She just came up behind me and whispered in my ear. Then she put me in a headlock. Aiden, I'm scared. What about Mini and Brynne?" I gasped for air because I was talking so fast and crying. I stared at the ground and hung my head low.

"Shah, look me in the eye. The others will be fine. Mini is at home in Texas and Brynne is in New York with Hira. It's Ava against you and me. We will win every time," he said calmly. I slowed my breathing and looked him in the eye.

"I-I couldn't breathe and I-I can't reach anyone through the mindlink," I said as he pulled me into his house and shut the door.

"Brynne and Mini are probably just sleeping."

"What about the twins and Kara?!" I ran back out the front door. Aiden grabbed my hand.

"We can take care of them in the morning. Right now, you are my priority."

"Aiden, let go! I need to find my sisters!" He let my hand loose and he followed me across the street. I ran through the front door and walked the halls of the museum looking for Kara. "Kara! Wake up!"

"Aru, please. Just try to calm down."

I cast a net over him and looked at Aiden. "Calm down?! I can't reach anyone through my mindlink, and I don't know if they're ok!"

"Brynne and Mini can take care of themselves!"

"But I don't know if Kara can. Vajra, here." The lightning bolt came back to my hand as a spear, and Aiden was freed.

I walked to my bedroom and saw that Kara wasn't there. "Maybe she went with Brynne or Mini?" Aiden asked.

I took out my phone and called Kara. She answered in a tired tone. "Hello?"

"Kara! You're ok!"

"Yeah, I'm at Brynne's."

"Oh, thank Indra, or Vayu, if you are talking to Brynne. Don't come back for a little bit, ok?"