The Dangerfields

Chapter Twenty-Three

Please don't let me be too late. I think, as I let loose all of my emotions with that one-word shriek. What if she was beginning to shoot and I was too late? I can't handle any more death.

That's the whole, hard truth. I've dealt with enough death, and enough pain in the last few weeks to last me a lifetime.

The silence is deafening. First the scream was, but now the silence is. "Just stop," I say, my voice raspy and barely audible from the force of the scream.

I say, "visio," and release my magic.

"Well, aren't you just the little hero?" Rodenburg says sarcastically. "Reveal yourself at the last moment to save your best friend. However, he still broke the law and lied to a government agent. He is an accomplice. And although he may not die, he will be fined and imprisoned, as will the rest of the West family." She smiles coldly, and I glare back.

"I didn't do anything wrong!" I exclaim, "I scared boys away from my best friend and I, because they were threatening us. I saved this bird from suffering," I pause and stroke Alston along his side, then continue, "I was stalked by a government agent, who broke into the Steeles' house and killed Livia for doing nothing wrong. My grandfather was killed for being a Temerary. I've been running away for over a week, away from the president and away from the people who want to kill me and test me. Your husband killed a girl who wanted to make a difference, one who had a bright life ahead of her.

"She was a hero, and was killed because she didn't want me to die. I've been running so her death wouldn't have been in vain. What kind of country is this, where people are singled out for being different? We live in a developed world, where people should accept when others aren't the same as they are. They shouldn't be hunted for it." I stop, and stifle the sob that crawls up my throat. Tears stream down my cheeks, but I do nothing to wipe them away.

Mom and Ryder appear next to me, ready to protect me. I glance at Mom, and note that her injury is a graze, on the side of her upper right arm. Nothing life threatening. I breathe a sigh of relief.

Rodenburg just laughs, a harsh, cruel sound. "Good way of twisting the truth, Temerary. I'll let the guards know when I turn you in." She pauses. "Actually, you piss me off. I have strict orders to turn you over to the testing facility, but hey, I was told alive was preferred, but dead was acceptable."

Faster than I can react, she whips out her gun, and fires a shot towards me.

I've read in books that time seems to slow as a bullet hurtles towards you, but I don't find that. Rodenburg holds her gun, but Mom flashes in front of me, taking the bullet in the chest with a yelp of pain. Time didn't slow, I barely knew what was happening. All I know is that now Mom lies on the ground.

Rodenburg takes this in stride and reloads her gun. I'm in shock, I can't do anything but stand there, like a deer caught in headlights.

Before she can shoot, though, a boy appears next to me. He yells, "Arenio!" And all of the government agents, as well as Rick freeze.

Not just freeze as in stop moving, though. They are actually frozen in place. They still breathe, but they can't move. Rodenburg glares at the boy, "Release me this instant, Temerary!" She bellows.

Instead of releasing her, however, the boy waves a hand, and says, "Silenus." Rodenburg continues to mouth profanities at us, but no sound comes out. She is finally quiet.

I turn my attention to more urgent matters.

"Mom!" I cry, dropping to my knees next to her. Her face seems to flicker for a moment, and I see Livia lying next to me, dying. Then I blink, and Mom is back. She's still dying though. She's still leaving.