Vagabonding.1 [COMPLETE]

16. An Unlikely Team

My body felt rigid in the way that a mannequin must feel; although, knowing my luck, I was most likely stuck with a dumb expression frozen on my face. I tried to take in a deep breath but was painfully reminded that I was still very much paralyzed. I couldn't hold a lungful of air's breath to my full amount that I was used to. My body was being continually dragged further into the building and there was little I could do to stop it.

No matter how much I run away, my problems always come out to find me it seems.

When the dragging, tugging, and placement was settled, I was left in a storage room of items nearby a tall mirror. My eyes refused to move as I tried to force myself to look into the mirror's reflection. After a few minutes, I was able to blink again and became hopeful of escape once more.

My vision caught glimpse of the mirror's reflection properly. I was able to make out a good amount of the room from behind finally.

I quickly noted that it was the same mirror that was inside of Kid Jones' restaurant before noticing Surge behind me in the reflection. His face was frozen in pure rage as if his body was ready to attack, they had froze him with his back strongly arched and his legs bent, as if he was moments from lunging out. After blankly staring at Surge, I tried to pry my brain to work.

The room was cleared of guards but filled with boxes and few dozen of crates that could be seen overflowing with priceless amounts of jewelry, gold, paintings, and who knows what else. It was nothing more than your special storage area with only one main exit and a door that leads to the inside of the building.

After a few minutes of being stuck, I felt my body slowly coming undone in a way, as if a huge knot was being unwound with patience. My body slowly worked its way back to how it used to be. My fingers finally were able to move, followed by my arms, torso and then legs. I was finally able to walk again freely and I let out a huge beaming smile. I don't know how I was able to move again, but I somehow did something right.

I immediately looked at Surge and noticed that he was still very much frozen in time, his eyes fixed dead ahead. Leaning close to his nose, I could hear his breathing speeding up.

"You're still the same?" I asked as I walked over to him and touched his bare arm, underneath the heated skin, I could feel the incredible definition of his muscles underneath. "What even happened to us?"

Surge stayed silent as I pulled my hand away from him. I stared at his unblinking brown eyes as I went to poke his forehead.

"You can't blink," I said lowly as I tried to think of a way to get him to answer, "But you can still breath, can you huff out your nose once for yes?"

I waited and finally heard the puff of air being forced out.

"Two huffs for no," I said.

He seemed to try but could never seemed to fully get the second huff out.

"How about a huff for yes and silence for no?"

He huffed out once.

"How many guards are outside?"

Silence.

"That's right, only yes or no questions," I said with a sigh. "Silly me."

He huffed out once.

"I don't get it," I began to say as I tugged at his arm in an effort to get him free from his paralysis, but he was still as rigid as stone, "I got out from it, why can't you?"

I looked at the mirror and looked back at Surge as I quickly thought of an idea, "Is this Kid Jones' mirror?"

He huffed out once.