Extra Terrestrial

To Flee

It was cold outside. Olivia wasn't sure if that was just how the climate was in this world or if this was odd. But as she stood with her suitcase, shaking random body parts to provide warmth, she couldn't help but wonder where Bloom was. I mean, her sister was about to get frostbite. 

~~~~~

Bloom was marching up the hill, talking to the girls following her. 

"But if they're soulmates-" Terra started. 

"We don't know they are. What we do know is Silva thinks they are so Dowling thinks they are and they're gonna trap my sister here over a hunch," Bloom was ranting. 

Stella rolled her eyes at how dramatic Bloom was being. Musa felt the near guilt rising off Bloom like a bad smell in cartoons. If Olivia was trapped here because of her, she'd never forgive herself. Well, if Olivia wouldn't forgive her, then she would never forgive herself. Aisha just watched disapproving. Interfering with soulmates was one of their highest laws. Especially with a war hero like Headmistress Dowling. The woman held as much sway in the OtherWorld as the Queen. 

Terra let out a laugh. "Ms. Dowling wouldn't keep someone who wasn't her soulmate here." 

"What if- Wha- what if-?!" Bloom was stammering, stuck in pointless denial. 

"What if Olivia is stuck, even with her soulmate, and she hates you," Musa offered her real problem. 

Bloom shook her head, stopping and facing the girls. "Who cares if she'll hate me. I'm going to try and do what I think she would want. Maybe they are soulmates and Olivia stays here and she hates it. I don't want to risk it. She has a job and a life she's worked so hard for. She belongs there." 

Even Aisha could see the logic in this idea. Even if it was pea-brained and completely daft, it had a point. Olivia deserved a chance to choose. She'd gotten along with Aisha fairly well; they agreed when Bloom was about to go too far and they both worked to keep her calm enough to still fit into society. Even as a potential Karen-to-be. 

They finished the walk to the Stone Circle and congregated there. 

Olivia turned around, unaware of the cloak and dagger tension in the air. "Hey, Bloom. What's up? We going? ...Cuz I need a car," she stated. Bloom couldn't drive and the other girls didn't know the area they were in. She knew they were willing to sneak out and that they were capable. Bloom told her about her temporary visit to California where she looked in Olivia's window as they talked. The blonde had made sure to comment that that was creepy. Then they continued with the story. So, they could sneak out. 

"We'll need to walk," Stella admitted. "I have my Gateway Ring so it'll just be a matter of opening the door and letting you through." 

Olivia turned to Bloom. "In that warehouse?" she demanded. "That's three cities down! I live an hour away from my parents," she exclaimed in gasping shock. 

The girls winced. Musa nodded. "Yeah, she'd going to need a car." 

"Or!" Stella held her wallet up. "Bus fair. Or Musa could work some magic on a car rental dealership." 

Olivia laughed. She reached back for her purse which's handle was looped with the extended handle of the suitcase. "I have my wallet and I can rent one on my own. Thanks, I forgot I could rent one." She brought her fingers to her head and flicked them up and away, miming lost thought. 

~~~~~

Silva was pressuring Sky to text Bloom because she wasn't answering his texts. 

Farah was pacing her office, waiting for a soulmate seeking spell to work. It would be dicey considering they hadn't met yet, but she was confident close quarters would be enough for her magic to find this woman. She was already feeling the aches of Soulmate Withdrawal, something that only happened before they were together for the first time or soon after. She had no doubt even her human would be feeling the affects. 

Ben suddenly walked into the office. "Got it!" 

Farah rushed over to him. She looked at his phone and found a map with an outline of the school, two blue dots far apart, and one red near the blue. 

"It's an app I downloaded on the kids' phones after Terra snuck out past the Barrier. It lets me find them wherever." 

Saul stood and walked over to the glowing map. "No one has seen any of the girls and they're not in their suite." He snapped and pointed to the map. "It's working." 

Farah instantly stole Ben's phone and held it beside her map. The locator spell showed exactly what the app said. "The girls are together." 

Saul pointed to the dotted line of the barrier. The sparkle that was Olivia and Terra's phone were moving North. "Towards the Barrier."