Boshville

B. 4

Natalie was coughing but she could see. "Casper? Casper?" She called out for her best friend. "I'm here!" He replied with a heavy cough. Natalie stood up and began to walk. She could hear the screams of a few of them.

"Gather them and bring them in". She heard an authoritative voice order. Natalie felt terrible. She had gathered them to avoid this and now, it was the opposite. "Casper!" She screamed again. She might not be able to save everyone but her best friend was her job.

"Nat!" Casper touched her for a second before he was being pulled away. "Casper! Casper!" She called in vain. He was gone. Natalie held her chest and ran through the smoke. She collided with someone. "Let me go!" She fought to break free.

"It's me". She knew that voice. "Deputy?" She asked the gasmasked person. He nodded. "We have to get you out of here", he said, "if they have you, we're doomed". "But Casper?" She tried to argue. "You can't save him if you're dead". The deputy scolded.

Natalie looked back one more time before sighing in defeat. She held onto the man as he safely brought her outside of the school. They entered his white Sedan and the deputy drove off. Natalie could see in the gas did not mean that its effects exempted her. In a few minutes, she was asleep.

Casper struggled but it was pointless. The trained soldier had ten times his strength. He bowed his head in defeat. He had failed in holding onto his best friend. He hoped they would meet again wherever they were going to be locked up.

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Natalie woke up from a dreamless slumber. She could feel that she was moving. She snapped her eyes to see the deputy. "Relax" he hurriedly said, "it's just me". "Where are we going?" She asked looking through the window at the very unfamiliar road.

"The next town". "What?!" Natalie shouted, "take me back to Casper! My parents...they would be devastated! We can't just run away". "I said relax", he rolled his eyes, "we're not running. Think of it like tactical retreat. We need supplies and help if we're gonna save your friends".

Supplies? Help? It was too much all at once. Natalie wanted to panic but she couldn't erupt no matter how hard she tried. "Boshville is not safe for you anymore", he broke her thoughts, "your parents were foolish to have stayed here after the last outbreak".

"You're joking", Natalie laughed, "this is all a joke".

"Think what you want Natalie but the fact is you are in danger. Boshville is not the quiet town you think it is".

"That's impossible. I lived there all my life. It's the same boring routine everyday".

"You were tricked. Boshville is much more than some town that was formed by men who escaped the civil war".

Natalie sunk into her seat. She had a million questions about him alone. "You can ask as many questions as you wish when we are safe". He told her. Natalie rolled her eyes and snapped, "let me guess, you can read minds?" "You cannot be mad at me for your current state", he was ever calm, "and no, I cannot read minds. Your Renomones speak to me".

Natalie raised an eyebrow, "my what?!" "Renomones. That's how our people communicate", he explained, "since your senses are active now, you will be able to hear them too". "What do you mean by 'our people'?" She was getting scared.

With the look he gave, she got the answer but she denied it. "You cannot deny that which you are". He shrugged. "Stop reading my mind! I want to go home!" Natalie started hitting the window, "let me out!"

The deputy slammed the breaks. He held her arm tightly, "do you have a death wish?!" He yelled, "Boshville is not safe. It has never been safe". "You're lying. My parents would never want to harm me. They love me and my life is in Boshville". Natalie struggled against his grip.

Suddenly, a blue light was spreading over her. "Stop that!" He ordered. "Stop what?! I'm not doing anything!" She snapped back. The light reached her face and she could see the deputy no longer.

Natalie seemed like she was floating. After some seconds, her feet felt the solid ground. She opened her eyes slowly. "What the hell!" She exclaimed. She was staring at the 'Welcome to Boshville' sign. "How did I get here?" She asked herself.

A red light like hers appeared in that moment and faded to show the deputy with a disapproving look. He did not give room for her confusion as he held her hand and they transported back to the car. "Don't ever do that again". He warned.

Natalie's mind was racing. Did I just teleport? Do I really have powers? Am I even human? "You must relax your mind", the deputy's voice went back to it's usual calmness, "panicking only makes your powers spiral". "Powers?!" She screeched. "Relax! Think of your most happy moment, your friends, your parents...anything! Just don't freak out!" He advised.

Natalie nodded and closed her eyes. Her happiest moment. That was her sixteenth birthday. The sneezing and red bumps from the allergies were awful but she had fun. Her parents threw her a party and there was this feeling of awareness that overwhelmed her that day. Her friends showed up and she had tons of fun.

"Three weeks ago". She blurted. "Hmm?" He asked her. Natalie leaned on the door, "you said to think about my happiest moment", she shrugged, "that was three weeks ago on my birthday". "Your birthday" He looked tensed for a minute, "10th of April"

"Yeah", Natalie was confused, "that's my birthday. How do you know that?" "I wish I had time to explain but I can't. We would be lucky if we reached the safe house without troubles". He stepped on the gas and they were practically flying on the road. Natalie decided to add her confusion to the heap of questions she would ask.

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Casper woke up as the engines were killed. His head was pounding but he opened his eyes. He was in the middle of a pile of kids from school and they seemed to be in the back of a truck.

Casper felt his pockets and luckily, his phone was there. He dialed Natalie's number with speed. "Casper? Please tell me it's you". Her voice sounded relieved and scared. "It's me. The truck just stopped but I don't see you in here", he was slightly listening for footsteps, "where are you? Are you safe?"

"Yeah. The goatee deputy saved me. We're in his car but way out of town. He says Boshville is not safe but I don't buy it".

Casper sighs. "I'm glad that you're safe. Stay with him. I'm gonna be fine".

"You're acting strange. Is there something else going on? Oh no! Are you being forced to call me or tortured or..."

"Nat! I'm good. It's just...those chemicals might have awoken a part of myself that I forgot".

"You're not making sense, Casper. You've not been lying to me, have you?"

"No, never. I don't know much but you have to be safe Natalie. I'll find you". He hung up after that.

Casper steadied his breaths. He had a weird dream last night and after the attack, it was beginning to align. He had to stop his thoughts mid way because the doors were being unlocked.

More tension, more drama...
I love how I can make my story smooth and then super rocky.

I don't know if this should be a warning but there is a lot of talking in some chapters. Bear with me!

Love you,

Josy💜