The Chosen.

Connected

"Well that went better than i expected." Georg says as we walk away from James' house.

"Yeah, I'll say." I say distractedly. Ever since he spoke my mothers name, I cant stop think of her. I feel like know her, i feel like she's calling out to me.

"I didn't even get to introduce myself." Tom says bitterly as he kicks rocks along the asphalt.

"Why would you introduce yourself?" Bill says, his nose curled up in the air. 

"For when i ask for her hand in marriage, DUH." Tom snaps at him.

Sloane and Mia's eyes both widen and shoot to me. I smile softly and shrug my shoulders. 

"Not if i marry her first." Bill says haughtily, wrapping his arm around my shoulder and planting a little kiss upon my cheek.

"Like she would ever!" Tom bites back.

"Stop it you two." I chastise the twins like they are little kids. After all if they were going to act like it, they would get treated like it. 

"Okay, now what? We just waltz back into the lab??" Mia changes the subject, which i am incredibly grateful for. 

"Shit i haven't even though about this." I throw my head back, letting out a frustrated groan. 

"You've had a lot on your mind, it's okay." Bill snakes his hand around my waist pulling me closer to him. My heart flips in my chest at his sudden yet smooth movement.

Sloane walks behind me, her nose buried deep into the map. "Guys this map says that the lab is about three miles from here. That's about an hour walk." She thrusts the piece of paper forward pointing to the map.

"So this is it then." I look amongst the group. "After tonight we will all go our separate ways and continue the lives we once lived." I smile softly attempting to hide the empty achy feeling in my chest.

As selfish as it sounded, i never wanted my time with this group to be over. 

"Yeah, we might go back to our lives. But we will forever be connected by this experience. I can't speak for you guys but i know that you will all have a special place in my heart." Mia looks purposefully at each of us. 

"I love you guys!" Bill jumps up and down, throwing his arms around Gustav for a hug. I see the way Gustav smiled so gently as he embraced Bill. Brief moments here and there remind me of our old Bill.

After our quick and sappy 'i love yous' amongst the group, we quickened our pace heading towards Tokio Laboratory. 

The night air thickened as the hour got later. It was now about one in the morning and the moon was peaking in the sky. 

Through the small clearings of trees i was able to steal quick glances of my friend the moon. It was completely full tonight. I smiled to myself remembering the lunar lecture i sat through my second semester of my freshman year of college.

'Exemplifying femininity, the full moon symbolizes immortality and eternity.'

The irony almost makes me chuckle as i remember my deal with death. I can feel him. He looms quietly over my shoulder at all times waiting for me to call his name. But i am not afraid, hell, who would be with death in their corner.

Before i knew it, a clearing in the thick brush opened up to a tall, thick and very familiar chain link fence. 

My stomach drops as i remember how emotionally exhausting it was to be trapped in this concrete box of a building. Everything i could ever need handed to me, except freedom that is. With out it i would never be happy.

I wrapped my fingers through the openings of the fence leaning my face against the freezing cold steel. My eyes surveyed the building, thinking of anything to get back inside my prison.

God, i never thought i'd say that.

"We'd never get across the lawn, the motion sensors would detect us." I turn around explaining to Sloane and the boys. 

"What to do..." I place my hands over my face, rubbing them as i am deep in thought.

"What the hell is that thing?" Gustav says looking up at the building.

I jerk my head around to find Valerie standing on the balcony of the building. She jumps up and down excitedly waving her arms in the air. I sigh a breath of relief.

"That would be Valerie." Says Tom as he shakes his head at the sight laid out in front of us. 

A few moments pass before Valerie steps outside the back door of the facility, now on ground level. She scans her key card against the wall, causing the barely visible beams of light scattered amongst the ground to fully vanish. 

She waves her arms for us to follow her inside. I attempt to take a step forward, but my arm is caught by Sloane who pulls me backwards. 

"Do we trust her?" She looks at me with worry clouding her beautiful face.

"Yeah... just not around Bill." I smirk. Mia and Tom giggle behind me.

"Oh, come on. It was one time!" Bill throws his arms in the air letting them fall down and hit his sides. 

"Come on." I crawl through the same opening in the fence that we left through. 

We all sprint across the courtyard, smiles plastered across our faces. We were so close to the end.

"Come inside, hurry!" Valerie shouts and she ushers us all inside one by one.

I take in the familiar smell of disinfectant and despair. The yellow fluorescent lights of the stairwell radiate an eerie buzz throughout it. And somehow, it all felt like home.