The New Generation

Chapter 47

Okay, so I'll try to upload on vacation, but you never know, so I hope you guys like this chapter! Vote, comment, enjoy!

Kayla’s POV

The moment my head hit the overly-fluffy, cheap hotel pillow, I knew it was going to be a long night. Part of that reason was because I couldn't sleep. Sure, I was tired, but nerves racking through me kept my eyes open wide and brain on full alert. Sabrina got us a room with two beds, and then had ordered three cots. Sabrina and Steven had sacrificed their beds to Haley and Becky, who, oddly, didn't seem to mind bunking together.

I did pull Haley off to the side after we were assigned and told her if she needed anything to scream. We then had a big fight over my trusting issues which ended with me storming out of the hotel for a couple of hours. By the time I had swallowed my pride and went back, Haley was already asleep. It had been our first fight as friends. Sabrina had still been up. When I had come in, she had surprised me by walking over and giving me a hug.

"It's OK, you know. You don't have to do this alone. Not anymore. You're with friends now." she whispered.

I was so surprised. At first, I didn't know how to react. Then, it all fell apart. Everything I had been holding inside came out in a single moment of weakness. I cried. Not the sobbing, boo hoo, can't breathe, breakdown crying. But the silent, teardrops slowly running down my face crying.

I saw Steven watching us. I shot him my best, "If-You-Ever-Repeat-This-I-Will-Personally-Hunt-You-Down-And-Make-Sure-You-Never-Have-Children" look. Then, I buried my face in Sabrina's shoulder. It felt good to have someone to cry on. I never knew I needed someone like that. She let me cry until I had no more tears left to cry. Then, we just sat and talked. I learned that she had originally been named Rose, and that she was trying to free all the mutants, all while trying to stay alive while the poison coursed through her body. She learned about what I could do and how I had escaped the labs.

 At one point in the conversation, I had said in a voice low enough for only her to hear, "Call me Kayla." She had smiled. I noticed that she was able to do that. Smile. A lot. Despite the fact that she had been through all this crap. I wondered how she did it. How she kept smiling. Maybe she was stronger than me...

That was about an hour ago. Everyone else had long since fallen asleep. Sabrina and Steven had cots right next to each other. They had fallen asleep holding each-others hand in-between the small space between the two cots. And I stayed awake, staring at the ceiling, wondering just how messed up my life really was. And how I could fix it. And how I could become stronger, for Haley, Glen, and the others. I found myself watching them sleep. Sleep seemed to be the one time when oblivion set in and we were immune to the hectic happenings in the waking life.

Then, It was like someone flipped a switch. Every thought, every voice, everything suddenly grew quiet, and I was aware of the silence of the darkness. I glanced over to where Glen was sleeping, and saw his eyes wide open, staring at me. Goosebumps rose on my arms as I stared into his eyes. What scared me even more was that he stared right back, never breaking eye contact. It was as if he didn't care that I caught him staring. I felt my heart beat in my chest.

“You're awake." I whispered into the darkness, breaking the silence.

Glen stared at me for a moment more, then smiled. Not responding, he rolled over in bed, facing the other direction. Spooked, I copied him, rolling over so my back was to him.

Then, I heard him whisper back, "Kayla...are you afraid of the dark?"

 My heart skipped a beat. "No." I whispered back.

"Oh." Glen said. Then suddenly, it was as if he was right next to me, whispering in my ear. "You should be." I jerked around, ready to punch Glen, but he was still right where I last saw him, in his cot, facing the other direction. Heart pounding, I stared at him.

"Hey, Kayla?" I heard Glen say, a little louder than a whisper. "Watch out for Brett. The guy's got a lot of darkness around him. I know you're strong and everything, fearless leader, but don't get stuck alone around him."

Not responding, I turned back over, facing Haley. I watched her sleeping, the steady rise and fall of her back as she slept. I felt a sudden wave of tiredness sweep over me, and I closed my eyes....