Summers' Purpose

Chapter 58

Lyssa broke through the clouds. She was able to burn off most of the drugs in her system but there was still enough that it made her feel groggy. She was desperate for a break but was too afraid to stop. She pushed a little bit more when she saw buildings in the distance, trying to figure out where to hide. The cold air nipped her exposed skin, keeping her awake a little longer. She used her powers to make sure anyone around ignored her as she headed down to find a rooftop to land on. Exhaustion wracked her frame and she broke her fall at the last minute before landing harshly, rolling on the roof and laying on her back as her chest heaved from exertion. She looked up at the sky, only now noticing how beautiful the stars looked before her eyelids closed.

She opened her eyes, panicking when she realized that she'd doze off. She didn't know how long she was knocked out. Lyssa stumbled as she got up to look around and remembered where she was. She peered over the roof's edge and saw people walking around the busy street, deciding to jump down a back alley where she was less likely to be seen. She kept her head low as she tried to blend in with the pedestrians. She was still too tired to keep up her mental barrier, which meant that the emotions of the people around her were slowly growing to be too much. A wave of dizziness and nausea hit Lyssa, forcing her to go to a nearby establishment. She apologized as she barged in, heading straight to the washroom.

Her stomach was empty so there wasn't anything for her to throw up. She clung to the sink's side, forcing herself to channel out everyone else's emotions. When she was done, Lyssa checked her reflection in the mirror, upset to see the blood dripping from her nose from the strain. She washed her face and cleaned up as best as possible so as not to stand out too much. Lyssa exited the washroom and found herself in a nice, quaint pub where some patrons were giving her judging looks, annoyed by her less-than-graceful entry earlier. She ignored them and hastily exited the pub.

She stepped out onto the streets, unsure of where to go. She decided to walk along a random street but slowed her pace, bugged by a peculiar feeling. She felt like she was being watched. Lyssa knew it could just be her being paranoid, but she quickly headed to a back alley just to be safe. She took a few turns and found herself entering a new street. She proceeded to walk alongside the other pedestrians until something caught her eye. A figure stood out to her—a man—standing ominously by a shop front, seemingly looking at her. The area was dimly lit so Lyssa couldn't see his face but it was enough for her to notice that the man's outfit looked out of place. She turned around quickly, not wanting to risk it.

Her mind raced back to the people who jumped her earlier. Compared to Gabriel and Bernardo, they were more coordinated and put together; not forgetting the equipment and tech that they had. That shield that deflected her attack, the electric bracelet thing that the woman wore, and the flying robot. Lyssa wondered if they had managed to track her to this place, hoping that was not the case. From the corner of her eyes, she swears that she saw the same man from before standing by some shops opposite her. She blinked and just like that, he was gone. Lyssa paused to check the area where she last saw him, wondering if the fatigue was also affecting her mental state.

A small group chatting excitedly bumped into Lyssa, not realizing that she was standing still. They hastily apologized and walked away, effectively removing her from her thoughts. Lyssa continued along her journey, still aimless but as anxious as ever. It seems that a shadow or figure would be just out of sight at every turn she made. And each time she questioned what she saw, she would lose sight of what made her suspicious. She was starting to question her sanity at this point. Another sighting of the man by the steps of some shops ahead of her was the last straw for her.

She turned the other way, crossing the road quickly, and turned off into a junction. She saw a bunch of people standing in line as they waited to enter a club and headed straight to them, hoping to lose any unwanted attention. The people in line were complaining as Lyssa slipped by them to get to the front and she ended up being stopped at the entrance by the bouncer.