dream walker | AVATAR [1]

fifteen

[ so much happens in this chapter ] 

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Kit wiped her mouth with the kitchen towel, smiling at everyone as she went to her link. She'd been up for hours, an infectious happiness having filled her and kept her awake. The zoologist had been very productive, having caught up on most of her work and made breakfast for everyone. 

Trudy, Grace and Norm now knew about the relationship that had happened between the two.  It was a small communal space, it wasn't really like they could hide it anyway. Some money had been exchanged between Trudy and Grace, those two winning the bet they made. Kit had asked for some of the money as it was her relationship they bet on but apparently that didn't mean she got a cut. 

Jake attempted to roll himself after her but Grace grabbed the back of his wheelchair, "not so fast, Marine. I'd hate to force feed a cripple," she gave the man no choice as she sealed the door shut behind Kit. 

Kit chuckled to herself as she heard it shut. But she was just as eager to link, yet hid it better than he did. She calibrated the link pods as no one had done so that morning, looking over a few of the features she'd never used. One red one caught her attention reading 'ɪɴꜱᴜʟᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴏxʏɢᴇɴ ꜱʏꜱᴛᴇᴍ', she'd read up on it later. 

The zoologist pulled the metal skeleton down on herself and then the lid, her mind going blank and linking in. 

The Marine, back in the kitchen, muttered about unfairness – similar to how Kit had done earlier about the bet – but he picked up his knife and fork,  smiling sarcastically at Grace, and began to eat his eggs. Grace telling him to slow down as he barely chewed. 

Her yellow eyes snapped open to the great roar of an engine. She was curled in Jake's arms, both laying on their sides. The splintering and cracking only getting closer to them and the zoologist stood up, eyes widening in disbelief to see a huge bulldozer approaching the sacred tree. And them. 

Green trees fell down as the machine carried on forward. Kit was gasping in horror when she realised what was about to happen. 

Immediately she covered Jake as trees shook the ground, letting out a panicked yell as one landed close to them. She leaned over his body and tapped his face, "Jake, for fucks sake link already!" It made no difference. She knew this but wanted to try anyway, somehow feeling like their connections went deeper than just a simple link. 

Jake shovelled more eggs into his mouth, Grace shaking her head at him, chastising him in a way only a mother could. Norm went through to the other room and started to power up his link pod. 

The first of the soul trees fell and it almost physically pained her. Kit didn't have time to wonder how that was possible, grunting in alarm as she started to pull Jake away. He was far too large for her to carry, "Jake, please! Wake up!" She shouted, yanking him along the ground.