Estrellas: Book 2

CHAPTER EIGHT: LIVING NIGHTMARE

(told in perspective of Matthew)

I sat at the edge of Andrometa's hospital bed, just staring at her motionless face, filled with anguish and pain. And it was all my fault. I put my hand on her cheek and she relaxed. I can't do this I can't do this. I started to tear up. "It should've been me, it could've been me." I whispered to myself. I could've stopped this from happening, but I just stood there, like a clueless child. I scowled at myself. I could've done better. I could've saved her. She wouldn't be in pain right now if I had been better at being team leader, like I'm supposed to be. I put my head down by Andrometa's head, and I started to drift off to sleep.

***

I woke up and realized Andrometa wasn't in the hospital bed any more. I bolted up and started to run through the hallways. Where is she where is she? The hallways were empty and dark. My head was spinning and there was no sign of Andrometa anywhere. "Andrometa!" "Andrometa?" I yelled through the halls, my voice echoed every time I yelled, and the echoes grew louder, and louder every time I let out even a whisper.

Suddenly I heard a voice, "Matthew?"

It was Andrometa! "Andrometa! I'm over here!" I yelled, bolting through the hallways and corridors, ripping open every door, peeking in every nook and cranny.

Then I heard her voice, growing fainter now, "Matthew?" She continued to plead. I kept running, trying to find her. Please be ok please be ok. "Matthew!" Her cries continued to get fainter and more desperate.

"Don't worry I'm coming! Where are you?" I yelled. The echoes grew louder.

"I'm in here..." a scream, "MATTHEW HELP!" Then there was a shot, and Andrometa's body lay on the floor infront of me. I kneeled down and cradled her body in my arms. She looked up at me with disappointment."Y-you could've saved me." she squeezed out and then her hand went limp.

"Nooooooooo!" I cried. "Not again!"

The echoes had caught up to me and repeated Andrometa's last words, "You could've saved me, you could've saved me, you could've saved US."

And with that one word my parents bodies appeared and were laid infront of me and I continued to cry, "No nnnno no nooooooooo!"

I heard laughing in the background, evil laughing. Suddenly a man came out of the shadows, it was Tony. He was holding a gun and he started laughing, his smile gleamed in the dim lighting, the echoes laughed with him. And as my head continued to swirl, he shot me.

***

"Nooooo!" I jumped and wacked my head on the hospital bed. My heart was pounding a million beats per second, I was breathing hard. Then I took a deep breath and realized I was ok. "It was only a bad dream Matthew, nothing more." I whispered to myself. I cradled my body on the floor and rocked myself back and forth. "Only a dream only a dream." I looked up at Andrometa and sighed with relief. She's ok. Everyone's ok.

"Matthew?" I jumped then I realized that I had probably woke Andrometa up. I stood up off of the ground.

"Andrometa!" I kneeled next to her bed again.

"Matthew, wh-where am I?"

"The Media medical bay."

"You brought me back?!" Andrometa sat up.

"Yeah."

"And they're completely ok with that?!"

"Yeah." I grabbed her hands and looked her in the eyes. "I'm just glad your ok."

She smiled and jokingly said, "Nothing phases the great Andrometa Turner!" We both laughed and I ran to go get the doctors to tell them she was awake. They shut me out of the room to run some tests on her. I left to walk to Zana's office. She looked up when I opened the door.

"Hey sleepy head! Saw you sleeping in the Med bay. Peaceful dreams?" she asked me.

"No, actually. Zana I need to ask you something."

"Shoot."

"If I decided to go on the mission one last time, would you let me?" Her eyes widened and she shook her head.

"No, I've realized sending you guys out into the field isn't safe."

"But Zana..."

"Just look where your last mission got you!" She started to raise her voice.

"Zana, I'm sorry..."

"I know you are, but I can't put you or anyone else in harm's way. I'm putting my foot down. No more missions for you guys, not for a few weeks or so that is." I looked at Zana with disbelief.

"No? M-my parents could still be out there I-I..."

"And what makes you think you'll find them if there even was a next time?"

"I can do it Zana, I just have this strange feeling I'll find them."

"And risk your teammate's lives on a gut feeling? No thank you." She stacked some of her papers and looked down at her desk, rummaging around trying to find something. She finally grabbed what looked like a picture frame and said, "Aha!" She handed it to me, it was a picture of my parents.

"Why are you giving this to me?"

"To remind you that your not invincible, your parents begged me to go on that mission, and I, regrettably, said yes, not thinking there would be any consequences, they tried to go against the entire world, and suffered the consequences. The same consequences I hope you never have to face." I sat down in a chair across from Zana, staring at the picture she had given me.

"Their the only family I have left, if I don't have them, I'm completely alone." I said sadly, "That's why I want to find them, to be a family again."

"And I understand that Matt, but I want you to understand, that even without them, Media base will always be where your home, and your family is." I gave her a faint smile and looked back down at the picture. And I'm about to bring that family back.

"Ok Zana, thanks anyways." I stood up and walked out of her office, giving one last look at the door. "I'm sorry Zana..." I whispered while sending a signal out on all of my friends comms. I started walking to the Media garage. "...but I have to do this." I turned the car on and waited for my calvary; Danny, Draco, Cassandra, Brutus, Pandal, and apparently Pandal's new dog. They all hopped into the car and Cassandra looked at me.

"Are we really doing this?" She asked.

"Yeah, and when we finish the mission we started, they'll be thanking us by the time we get back." I laughed and started up the car.

"Want me to drive?" Cassandra looked at me.

"Last time you did we crashed into the side of the road."

"True."

"Ok are we all ready?" I looked at everyone in the car.

"Yeah!" Everyone shouted, and the dog gave a loud bark.

"For Andrometa!" I yelled and pressed on the gas.

"For Andrometa!" They all repeated and we drove off with the alarms blaring in the background.

(told in perspective of Zana)

A flustered security guard plowed open my office door, "Ma'am!"

"What is it?" I asked concerned.

"Some kid named Matthew and his team just took off with one of the Media's cars!"

"WHAT?" He stole one of our cars and deliberately disobeyed orders? I started to get mad but then realized that he reminded me of someone. Marge. I sighed. What am I gonna do with this boy? I looked up and shook my head.

"Soooo, should we send a recovery team ma'am?" The guard stood there, waiting for an answer. I thought for a second and tapped my fingers on my desk. Then I started to shake my head.

"No, let them go." I smiled and waved him out of my room.
TO BE CONTINUED