The Trace of Stars

Episode 6: Rearranged Details

"Rowin," someone said softly.

    It wasn't Seth, who was still in my arms in the loud room. He released me, so I turned to see Adria in front of me. All I needed was that one sight of her.

    "Adria," I gasped, stepping into her embrace. "Oh, Adria. You're alive..."

    I buried my face into her shoulder, comfort seizing control of my emotions.

    "It's alright, Rowin," she said, rubbing my back.

    She was okay, not a scratch on her. The troubled gaze I remembered from the last time I saw her wasn't as present. Her calm gave me the impression that she was the most sane out of all of us.

    I pulled away to return her smile.

    "How--" she began.

    Eden, who was standing next to us, suddenly collapsed. I whipped around to see him curled up on the floor, holding his head in his hands, eyes squeezed shut. His face was twisted in pain. It reminded me too much of what I imagined Jonathan was like.

    Frantic instincts set in. I didn't think. I just wanted to help.

    As I dropped to the ground beside him, I grabbed his hands. When he didn't react I frantically began looking at his fingers, his chest for a charcoal version of the Elements that represented the Antipode.

    Seth was immediately at my side. His firm grip on my shoulders was a signal for me to stop, but Eden's pain was too disturbing for me to not do something.

    "Don't Rowin," he murmured, pulling on me slightly. His tone was hurt, afraid, exhausted. "You'll lose yourself."

    Pausing, I thought about what he was saying. I glanced at the approaching experts, but they were moving all too slowly. Eden cringed again, pulling me back into the predicament.

    I yanked up his shirt sleeve and saw it. A black key was wrapped around his wrist, pressing into his skin. Without thinking, I clutched it to pull it off. Seth pulled me back; it was too late.

    All it took was my fingertips grazing it.

    Pain flashed up my arm and my vision darkened. I blinked, feeling the air rip from my lungs. Before my eyes, Seth was being held by Cassius, trying to escape.

    "This is your doing, Rowin!" Cassius proclaimed, jabbing the barrel of a gun to his head.

    "Seth!" I shouted.

    I lunged for him, but found I couldn't move. We were in the streets in front of the Refugee Center, where Eden and I had found the ring. It felt exactly like that night.

    A shot when off. Seth dropped dead as Cassius cackled. His blood pooled around his head while tears burst from my eyes.

    My horror gave way to silence. I had just found him less than twenty-four hours ago. I just found him! We were safe, we were together only moments earlier!

    "Give me the key!" Cassius yelled.

    "You don't have the right to keep it!"

    I whipped my face around to see Eden behind me, gripping a copper key in his fist. He looked at me with his wide, fearless green eyes that held so many secrets he had yet to tell me.

    "It was my idea!" Cassius replied. "I believe it belongs to me!"

    Eden set his jaw, not moving. Another shot caused my heart to jump. He collapsed instantly, clutching his stomach. He looked up at me, face contorted in pain.

    "Save me, Rowin," he whimpered. "Save me... Please..."

    "Rowin!"

    I was being held by the shoulders, my body tingling with what felt like an electric shock.

    I opened my mouth to speak, but I couldn't form words. Seth's death and Eden's expression were still lodged in my mind. The screams sounded so real, I felt like I had witnessed it myself.

    My hand felt burned. I was holding a fistful of someone's shirt as I clutched the other hand to my chest, hoping the pain would subside. It didn't. I cringed into the person as someone else pulled at me.

    I opened my mouth, only I could hardly form words.

    "Seth's dead," I whimpered, feeling tears spill over my eyes. "I need him b-but he's gone."

    The phrase was hardly comprehendible. Another shock flashed through my body and I jerked against the arms holding me.

    "Rowin, I'm right here. I'm here!"

    I snapped my face up to see Seth's, frightened. My chest caught. He stood, my head spinning.

    "I've got her, just show me where to go," he said protectively.

    He must've gotten instructions, because the next thing I knew we were out in the open. Someone was crying. The sobs were loud, pitiful-- they were mine.

    "I-I n-n-need Seth," I choked out.

    "It's okay," a voice comforted quietly. "I'm here, it's okay."

    I wasn't connecting that the one I needed was carrying me.

    My nerves jolted once more, a gunshot sounding in my ears. I yelped. Why was Cassius continuing to torture Eden? He was dead.

    "Rowin!"

    I gazed in the shadows of the treeline, watching Seth's body disappear. I turned my face away, unable to watch him die.

    The stronghold released me and I was gazing into a bright light. I blinked, black creeping up over my vision. A hand grabbed mine, shouting commencing.

    "Don't leave!" a panicked voice commanded.

    My breathing felt loud. I realized the statement was directed at me, then desperately tried to pull my eyelids open.

    "Rowin, please, please..."

    "Stefen, it's okay!"

    "She can't leave!"

    My vision focused on the blue eyes begging me to keep conscious. I was hardly aware of needles being poked into my arms as I took my heavy hand and placed it against his cheek.

    A quick beeping was filling the room along with serious murmurs. I concentrated on that, as well as his eyes, lips, nose, cheeks, hair. Everything about him. His attention was on me, not wavering while I gripped reality, wanting it back for once.

    Then the fear began creeping up in my stomach and everything snapped into place. The heart monitor, Seth's panic, Lincoln's efforts to comfort him, the doctors, Adria. The Antipode. Eden.

    "I'm afraid," I whispered. "Why did it feel so real?"

    The three of them sighed softly, simultaneously. Seth pressed his lips to my fingers.

    "It's just the Antipode trying to take you. You're safe now, Rowin. You're okay," Seth replied, his eyes relieved.

    I nodded, then tried to persuade myself of that as screams bounced inside my head.

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(a/n)

Not gonna lie, this storyline has messed with my head so much. So if you're confused, just ask and I'll try my best to explain what's going on. (: Some of your questions may be explained later on, too.

Any predictions to what may happen next?

Hope you all are having a lovely day on God's wonderful earth!

-Abigail

{April 16, 2017}

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