Link Six (completed)

Chapter 41 - A Plan

Emma is jolted awake by someone screaming, or rather the feelings that are causing screaming.

She looks to the side and sees that Rhea is screaming and sobbing.

Emma sits and up and wraps her arms around her.

"Hey, it's okay, it's just a bad dream, it'll be-" Emma tries to comfort her but is stopped short by Rhea's fear and horror. It's so intense that it overwhelms Emma, preventing her from transferring calm emotions to Rhea. Emma starts hyperventilating, and she's reduced to a crouch on the floor as tears start pouring down her face. She has no idea what had frightened Rhea so much, but all she knows is that her friend is terrified, and now, she is too.

Leeanna! She cries out in thought, too overcome by fear to say anything verbally.

Leeanna's eyes open immediately after someone calls her name; she's always been a light sleeper. When she sees Emma and Rhea sobbing, she knows it had been her sister who called her. She isn't sure of the situation, whether Emma had a bad dream and projected to Rhea, or Rhea had a bad dream and Emma sensed her emotions, either way, both girls are in distress.

Colton, wake up, Leeanna calls.

He groans and rolls onto his side.

Colton! Wake up! Leeanna repeats.

"I'm up; I'm up. What's wrong?" He mutters. He hears the two girls crying and sits up. "What happened?"

Leeanna shrugs.

Colton crawls over and puts his hand on Rhea's shoulder. "Rhea, whatever it was, it's wasn't real. Just calm down before..." He drifts off as Rhea's dream fills his mind.

"What's with all the noise?" Howie moans. "Sleeping on the floor is hard enough." He sits up, sees the scene, and looks at Leeanna in confusion.

Rhea had a bad dream, Leeanna explains, now understanding what had happened.

"And, Emma's feeling what she's feeling?" Howie asks.

Leeanna nods. She puts her hand on her sisters back. Come on, Emma. Just try to push it back; bring your emotions forward.

I can't! I'm too scared! Emma wraps her arms around herself.

Leeanna looks helplessly at Colton, who is still zoned out with his hand on Rhea's shoulder, then looks back at Howie.

Howie crawls over to that side of the room and tells Emma, "You have to calm down, or else you'll make us all as scared as you are, and then you'll feel even worse. You don't want that."

"I-I can't, it's too much," Emma gasps, still crouched on the ground.

"Will it help if we bring her to this side of the room so she's not as close to Rhea?" Gerald – apparently awake – asks.

Leeanna and Howie look at him, then at each other.

"Maybe," Leeanna replies. She reaches out to grab Emma's arm and help her to her feet.

Howie stops her arm with his telekinesis. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Leeanna looks at Howie sternly.

"She'll start projecting to you," Howie points out.

How do you suggest we get her across the room, then? Leeanna asks, knowing that he's right but not happy about him forcefully stopping her.