Running From Time

Chapter 13

I sat in the hospital bed, sleep evading me, and sighed. Thalia had been in and out for the past two weeks as much as she could but the hospital had now decided that she couldn't stay any longer. I laid my head back and was about to try to sleep again when a memory hit me. I sat bolt upright in the bed and my eyes widened.

I peered out from between the trees at the scene in front of me. Sam was standing next to a swing set, his facial expression sad. I went to comfort him but he put his hand out and stopped me.

"Don't come any closer, Chris. I'm a monster." I frowned and still came closer.

"You're not a monster." I said softly, standing next to him and hugging him tightly. He was only about nine years old at the time and I was only five.

"Yes, I am. I killed my best friend because these powers that I have are too out of control." I shook my head and hugged him more.

"No. You didn't mean it. Please don't be sad." I wept and Sam hugged me back.

"But we're such a rare species and I fear that people will try to hunt us down. If that ever happens, promise me that you won't try to protect me, Chris." I frowned and looked up at him. I couldn't make such a promise!

"No! I can't promise that."

"Christopher, I don't want you getting killed. Please, do this for me." I closed my eyes and reluctantly nodded, giving in.

"I'll try."

"Just run, if anything like that happens. Run as fast as you possibly can." I nodded and clutched Sam tighter, afraid of losing him.

The memory abruptly ended and I flopped back down into the bed. Shaking my head, I tried to remember exactly who Sam was but I couldn't remember anything about him. My mum hadn't ever mentioned anyone called Sam. Although he did look oddly familiar, and it unnerved me. With a sudden realisation that nearly winded me, I realised that I couldn't remember my childhood at all. When I tried to think about it, all I saw was haziness. My eyes widened and a single tear fell from the left one. Why couldn't I remember half of my life?! What was wrong with me?

**********

A few hours later, I was finally allowed to leave the hospital. Casts had been wrapped round both of my arms and I sighed. Protecting myself with my power was going to be a whole lot harder. My legs had healed up considerably but I knew that the scars would stay there forever. They had a green tinge to them, and I knew that that had been caused by my blood. The staff at the hospital had been scared when they saw what colour my blood was, but I had threatened to set them on fire if they told anyone. It was an empty threat, though. I could never kill someone.

Thalia helped me out of the hospital and I was met by many adoring fans, lots of which were crying. They looked at my casts and said some nice stuff to me. I smiled. They were my true family. I let some of them sign my casts and hopped into Thalia's Range Rover, making sure that I didn't knock my arms in the process. Thalia drove past the screaming fans and onto the road again, towards the woods. Luckily, the treehouse wasn't far from the edge of the woods, and the trees weren't very densely packed. The Range Rover steadily made its way through the trees and the treehouse came into sight.

"Let's just hope Lydia isn't here still." I murmured quietly and Thalia rubbed my shoulder in reassurance.

"She won't be. And if she is...you have to kill her, Chris." I looked at her in surprise. Well, that was sudden.

"But I can't kill some -"

"Well, you're gonna have to, sooner or later. I'm sorry." I nodded, realising that she was right.