The Poseidon Project

17. Death be Among Us

Cari fell asleep on my lap and it seemed that no one came to take her away. I brushed my fingers across her face and I noticed how pale she was.

It was scary to think about how she was blind. But then how'd she even get to my cell?

I guess maybe her powers? I dont know.

"Ian?"

I flinched at my name and I saw Gale standing by the doorway.
He showed no emotion. "Believe me now when I say that you won't die but she will. Have you decided whether you will submit to the leaders or not?"

I didnt respond. I kept my poker face on as I looked down at Cari.
"At least she can spend her last hours with me."

"She'll be dying in three hours and two minutes. So there is no way you can get to the lab room with the antidote."
Good to fucking know.

Gale shut the door behind him and I noticed that there was a glint by the door. He must've dropped something.

I shook my leg so Cari woke up. "Ri, can you do me a favor?"

She coughed and slowly raised her head, her dull eyes glued to the floor. "Mm?"

"I'll direct you to where you need to go. Turn around and walk to your right."

She did so. "A little left, like two feet...Okay now go straight...Stop. Now feel around for something. I saw something by the door."

She dragged her fingers across the floor and seemingly picked something up.
"...Ia-" She started coughing again and a clear liquid arose from her throat.

It's getting worse. "It feels like keys," she spoke as she crawled back over and handed it to me.

Indeed it was. I stuck one in shackle and it didn't budged. I tried another and the shackles fell from my wrists.

"Okay, let's move." I picked up Cari and carried her over my shoulders.

I unlocked the door with another key and sprinted it who knows where.
"The lab, we have to get there."

"Third floor then take a left."
I stared at Dyllon, his face wearing a smile.

"Dyl-"

"No time," he interrupted me.
He pulled Cari from my back but before he could carry her, she pushed herself off of me and started sprinting in an entirely different direction.

We chased after her and she went into a room and locked it behind her.
The armory.

"Dyllon, she's gonna kill herself!"

Dyllon ran faster an started punching the door.
The metal started to form dents and and I heard her mumbling on the other side.
"Ian, I'm sorry."

"Forget it," Dyllon grunted. "I'll go get the antidote and you try to change her mind."

I leaned against the door and called her name. "Cari? Ri, please talk to me."

"Go away. I'd like to die in peace."
"Then I'll make as much noise as I possibly can. Da da da de da da de-"

"Are you serious Ian?"
"I'm always serious Ri."

I heard her choke a bit but I could tell it was her body preventing her from laughing.
"Ian, what will you do when I'm gone?"

"Probably cry, a lot. Then hurt myself, a lot. Eventually dying like you are-"
"Don't do that."

"But why are you doing it? That's unfair."
"I have no choice."
"...Ri?"

"Ian, I don't belong here. You are this great person who was meant to be on Earth. I love you enough to not know I can't be with you."

"Ri, your better than life itself. I don't want to be stuck in a ditch like before I met you."

"Ian... Say you love me."
I laughed. "I love you."

"Ian?"
I smiled from her small voice. "Yeah?"

"Goodbye."

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

Cari's POV

"Shut up! Don't lie! He can't be dead! He can't be, he can't be!"

Ian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. "I'm sorry, Cari."
He pecked my head and I broke down.

"Why?! Why did this happen?! I'm stupid! I'm so stupid!"

I fell to the floor and choked on my sobs.
Dyllon was dead.

I formed my hands into fists. I felt the stitches by my chest loosen but I didn't care.

Dead because I made that stupid deal with my brother.

"Ian, I have to go."

"What? Where-"

"Alone."

And with that I walked away from him

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

"Gale! I know you're here!"

I head doorsteps and Gale walked out from behind a tree, raising his hands up, his emotionless face staying in place.
"Caught me? Remembering how we'd always come here as kids?"

I swam really far to get to this park.
"I hate you," I spat. "You killed Dyllon."

"Lemme let you in on something. I dropped the keys on purpose so you can escape. Your cell was being filmed so I had to stay in character. Ian's was not. I let out Dyllon but he wasn't supposed to die. Because your body is too weak to withstand the effects of the serum, Dyllon had to fight to save you."

He walked up to me and narrowed his eyes.
"I didn't kill him. You did."

He starts to walk away but I gripped his sleeve.
"I would always be by your side."

I looked at him and he was looking down at me.
"The last thing I told you before I left."

He looked down at my hand and shook it off.
Then he hugged me. A really awkward one at that.

"Will you come home with me?"

Gale kept his mouth shut but then somehow we ended up by Ian's house.

"Teleportation?"
Gale nodded. "Yeah."

I sucked in my breath. "Let's go introduce you to my boyfriend."

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

Don't kill me for killing Dyllon! He died praised by all people of Earth *sniff* and me.
Tune in for next week's chapter.

Lots of luck and other stuff 🍀