Better Undercover

Chapter 13: Ring Around the Rosie

Chapter 13

"This is going to hurt," Foley said, but I couldn't fully understand her. The buzzing in my ears kept talking over her.

"You could just give up, you know," someone said. "It would be so much easier. Just let it take over and watch what would happen. It won't kill you, I promise. It'll make you better, stronger, everything you every wanted to be. Foley can't get your memories back. She changed them; she didn't take them away. There's no way to get the life back that you wanted before, but you don't want it anymore. All of those friends who weren't there for you, all the lies that they told, is that really what you want? To be accepted by people? Those people? Do you really need that? You have unlimited power, Courtney. You can do anything you want, and if you want to be just like everyone that you hated, go ahead. But you don't have to."

"It's spreading too quickly," Foley said. "I can't get it out of her system without damaging something."

"I can heal it," Lillianne responded. "But if you don't get the poison out her, she's not going to be ok."

I couldn't feel the pain. They said there would be pain, but they lied. There was nothing to feel. I wasn't coughing anymore, I had suddenly started feeling great. The voice wasn't lying. The voices had never lied to me.

"What do I need to do?" I asked.

"Courtney, you don't have to do anything," Foley said. "Just sit and let us help you."

But I wasn't talking to her.

"Get up. It doesn't hurt anymore. I wasn't lying about that." And they weren't lying.

I stood up and felt no pain at all. I hadn't felt this good in a long time. I felt like I could run around the world, fly to the highest mountain, hold my breath forever, I could do anything.

And there was nothing that could stop me.

"Sit down," Lillianne said to me.

Laughter filled my head. "Who's going to make me?" I asked.

"What's going on?" Kade asked.

"It's in her head," Lillianne said. "Foley, you have to get it out now."

"You're all really stupid," I said. "But whatever. You can be as stupid as you feel like. I don't need you anymore."

Foley's hand blazed red. I snapped my fingers and it faded completely. Foley looked down in surprise. "What just happened?"

I held my hand out and felt Foley's energy in my hand. It began spiraling into a ball. "I like this," I said.

"Of course you do," it responded. "You can do whatever you like."

"What should I do next?"

"Something exciting."

"Exciting? Sounds good." I laughed as my imagination began to take over. What could I do that would make me happy? I had to do something, I knew that. I would go crazy if I didn't do something.

Cameron and Kade had pinned me to the ground while I was lost in thought, and as Foley and Lillianne came over, I continued laughing.

"Knock her out," Lillianne said.

I smiled, and then I teleported away. I stood looking out over the parking lot at school as the wind blew my hair out of my ponytail a bit. I looked up in the sky. It looked like it was supposed to rain, but it wasn't. I knew it wasn't.

I was glad it wasn't.

I had been pushed off this roof by Foley. It seemed so long ago. I could barely control my flying, but now I could do whatever I wanted.