4:24 a.m.
I kept on waking up every thirty minutes. It was endlessly annoying how I'm still not in peace. I could just climb out of bed and sit on the floor and watch TV, but I didn't want to wake up anybody. However, the others never came back so it was just us three.
I pulled a string and the whole bathroom lit in brightness. I turned the faucet and splashed warm water on my face. My skin felt like I just popped a dozen pimples--numb but painful. I glanced at the bathtub right behind me and thought, "I need a bath; I smell like sweat and blood. I look disgusting."Ten minutes later, steam filled half of the bathroom. I came out after dropping my wet towel next to the sink. I still felt a little sleepy but it was able to fight it. Everything remained in place since I woke up--Jason slept on the floor clutching two pillows and Eiffel slept in Robert's bed. I felt small hint of comfort and security inside.
A small, hollow thump hit the door.
And another.
And another.
The knob from the other side of the door started turning itself, trying to unlock it. Then kicking made the whole door rattle. I walked towards it and slid the chain inside the lock. I looked through the peephole and gasped and rushed for the drawer where I kept my inhaler. My breath was stifled, like I lost a lung. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
There wasn't just a couple, it was half an army waiting for us to get out of our rooms. I shook Eiffel and Jason awake, shushing them as they complained about waking up too early. I shoved everything out of my bsckpack, including some of Eiffel's clothes. A hurricane of worry flooded my insides.
"What are we gonna do?" Eiffel sounded worried. "There's no way out."
I grabbed a chair and barricaded the door with it.
"Guys, I have a plan," Jason said. "I can just teleport out of here and get you guys somewhere safe."
"What about the others?" I said. "We can't just leave 'em there!"
Those words felt uneasy to say. Why did I even include Jackson in my thoughts?
"He's right." Jason said.
"Wait, but I thought you didn't want Jackson to--" I cut off Eiffel.
"I don't know," I said, "I can't think straight!"
We heard distant footsteps coming from next door. I turned to our door that was getting pounded from the other side and the chair broke in pieces. The door was punctured by bullet holes. I grab hold onto Eiffel's hand. The two held on to me as I ran through the sliding door that led to the terrace. Cold air rushed into us.
"Too bad the door's made of glass," Jason said. "You two climb out of the rail and--"
"No!" Eiffel cut in. "There is no way you can make me do--"
"Eiffel, your life's depending on this. Do you want to see Sky again, yes or no?" I said to her.
"Yeah, I wanna see her but--"
"Then you have to climb out."
"Just tell me it's not real...and that you'll never let me go."
"It's okay. I will."
"Okay, love birds. Enough of that," he scolded. "You guys need to climb out of the rail and I'll distract them."
"Then what?"
"You guys make it look like you jumped, but if you just hold on to the very edge, it'll totally force them to go down and inspect. Then we can get the others out of here and we can es--"
His sentence ended in a gasp. He fell forwards, leaning on the railing. He flipped forwards, almost fell. My hand connected to his but he didn't know because his eyes were closed. Something long was sticking out of his back. A syringe. I remember my step-brother lying on the driveway unconscious after Jackson injected him with the Power-neutralizer.
From what I've noticed, its substance seems to have the ability to make everybody pass out. It's gotta have at least an entire bottle of sleeping pills mixed together with a who-knows-what chemical.
"Come on, Jason, wake up!" I yelled as I pulled him up. His body was at least half the weight of an mammoth's tusk.
Eiffel grabbed his other arm and pulled the syringe out of Jason's back.
"What is this?" she asked.
"It's a Power-neutralizer--come on, we gotta get him out of here without getting caught."
"But how? We also need to get the others too."
"Yeah, you're right." I said.
"Behind you!" she yelled frantically.
It was a clone at the terrace next door. He didn't have anything with him. Except fire. Fire had been devouring his clothes as he flailed around. I distinctly remembered Sarra. The man constantly yelled, but flipped off the railing before anyone else came. But no one wouldn't have done it.
A blonde-headed girl rushed to the terrace. It was Sarra--the firestarter.
"Are you guys alright?--oh my gosh what happened to him?" she said, staring at Jason's unconscious body.
"He got shot by the Power-neutralizer." I told her.
"You guys have to come here, we killed the clones in this room."
"We? But how? With who? Are any of you guys hurt?" I stare at the thirty-foot distance that separated us from each other.
"Jess!" Before I knew what she yelled at me for, I realized that it was a clone.
He grabbed my shirt and twisted its collar and looked at me monstrously. "You owe me something valuable."
The man pushed me against the wall, my back aching. "Give it to me!" He screamed at my face, purposely splashing a wave of spit in my face.
"Eiffel, go! Get outta here!"
With no hesitation, she grabbed the rail and twisted herself out.
"I cannot believe how you imbeciles think of ways to escape." he said.
"Do whatever you want with me. I won't stop you."
"You're right, there's no stopping me gettiing your powers..."
I swatted his strong hands that gripped my shirt down with my right forearm and snapped my leg forward, aiming at his gut. He sinks down on his knees in pain. A gun slipped out of his pocket and towards my shoe.
"Shoot him." Eiffel said, who was holding tightly on the railing on the other side of the terrace.
"No," I said, "Let's just go. I can make a platform that can get us to the other side."
I admit, I missed the smooth touch of the forcefield platform. My shoes slipping and my body swiveling to the side. Eiffel walked behind me, looking up.
"Don't look down," I said stupidly, as if she wasn't doing it. "Or you'll fall."
"Stop it, Jess. I'm in the midst of my death wish right now. Don't need any interruption."
"Sorry." I said.
"I'm afraid of dying." she said with her voice quivering.
"Okay, Eiffel, no one's dying tonight."
"It's actually morning, Jess." Sarra cuts in.
"Don't ruin our moment." I said.
We reached the end of the railing and climbed over it. I felt the beeezy air sweep my hair. I know we reached the other side, but the presence of the clones still felt disturbing.

YOU ARE READING
Fracted (Book #2)
Science FictionYOU THINK YOU ESCAPED, BUT YOU DIDN'T! After a devastating experience in Capricorn Academy, Jess tries to heal his wounds. Both physical and emotional. No matter where he goes, his nightmares still follow him. In the midst of growing up, he wonders...