When Lightning Burns [COMPLETED]

Chapter 19: Burn

           

She flipped her bag over her shoulder and crept down the back alley. With any luck Rory and Luke would wait inside for a while before realizing she had left. Julie wanted to just have this night for herself, this one night to revel in without the rest of her life intruding.

The alley was dark. She looked up, noticing that the light was out. Great, she would probably trip on something. She debated about sparking up a light on her fingertips, but if someone came out or saw she didn't feel like dealing with the aftermath so she could see a little better. But it was only a few feet to the main road, and many of the girls came and went this way.

There was a scrape behind her. She sighed. She couldn't even get away for a few hours.

"Rory and Luke, please. I just need you to leave me alone right now."

Julie spun around, feeling a sting of something hit her exposed leg. She looked down as she brushed it with her hand—a black dart.

Two men walked forward, wearing black uniforms, A.R.S.E. emblems on their shoulders. One looked familiar. Was that the Goth guy from the club a few nights ago?

Crap.

She had almost forgotten about them. For weeks she had tried to lure them out, and now tonight, they attacked, when she was least expecting it.

She should have expected that.

Julie giggled at the thoughts. Expect that she should have expected it when she least expected it. What was wrong with her? She felt dizzy and collapsed to the ground.

♦

There was a bump, and Julie's eyes flew open. She smacked her lips. Her mouth was dry, and there was a weird taste. When she tried to stretch, her legs hit the sides of something. Then there was another bump, and she bounced, her head hitting something else.

Where was she?

It was almost like she was in the back of a car. Then she remembered the men and coming out from the alley. Seriously, what was up with her and alleys? Maybe she should just avoid them. She gulped down every bit of fear and instead let her anger get stronger.

Screw this.

Julie closed her eyes and pulled up a tiny wisp of power. Her head spun, and she gripped the sides of the car. They went over a bump, and she just barely held in her stomach contents. All her powers slipped away as she tried to hang on to her control. The only thing worse than being crammed into the back of a car was being crammed in the back of a car covered in vomit. Yes, that was worse.

This was so much harder than the alcohol Luke had trained her on. But he had warned her. Maybe she should have practiced more.

She took a deep breath, letting the nausea go down. A few minutes later she tried again, taking a hold of the smallest amount she could, picturing a rope that she needed to peal one tiny piece of fuzz off of. That fuzz was all she needed. She took deep breaths as the nausea hit her, but it was not as severe. She let the tiny strand expand into a thin film and wash over her. She instantly felt better.

Julie smiled and tried to pull up her powers again, full force, and reeled as the nausea hit her so hard that she passed out.

A bump woke her. She blinked, trying to remember what had happened. Crap. She needed to get rid of more of the tranq. Whatever they used was strong. And she needed to do this slowly.

She pulled off a strand again, noticing how it only made her dizzy. So the first time had helped. She let it wash over her. Then she did it again and again until she didn't even feel a nudge of dizziness when she pulled it up.