Power

Chapter 7: Goodbye

Emma POV

I can only remember certain things. Fire, blood, death. The world before the arenas wasn't anything special. I remember fighting, so much fighting. And then one day I woke up on that big room, surrounded by other poeple who had no idea why they were there as well. And that's where I met James. It's where I met Lauren, and Sophie. So maybe this arena thing isn't completely bad. It's where I met my whole family, everyone I care about. The lady who was there to explain to us what to do was snooty little brat. She wore her fancy lab coat and glasses and talked about how smart she was and how she and her evil friends had created this whole thing. She told us that there were a certain number of arenas we had to complete and then we could escape.

She called me a creature. I'll never forget it. She treated us like animals. I'm not an animal, I'm a human with an extraordinary ability, I think I should be venerated, but that lady treated me with an annoying indifference. I was too stunned to attack her then, but next time she won't be so lucky.

The first few arenas were easy enough. Basic stuff, like flying over lava pits and such. But while the arenas where easier, mental stability was harder. We had a few people that were just so freaked out... It didn't end well. I was on the brink of insanity, and I would've been just like the other people if it weren't for James. He saved me from losing myself completely. He was always so calm and careful, I never understood it.

I remember the day I met Lucy. We were all getting to know each other on the first day, and she came up to me. "Hi Emma. I'm Lucy." I have her a surprised look. "How did you know my name?" She grins. "I read your mind " and I liked her from that moment on. For some reason I loved her total arrogance. I loved that she thought she was smarter than all of us, and I don't know why. I guess it made her stand out in a way none of the others did. And now she's dead, because of me. She dies trying to save me. A deep sadness washes over me and I close my eyes in attempt to block out the hurt. James puts an arm around my shoulder, startling me back into reality. Oh James. If I ever lost him...

"Emma I know you feel responsible for Lucy, but it was her own decision. And it's over now, so we need to try to move on, okay? We need to try our best to delete the memories from our brains, and replace them with new ones. We'll make some new ones, better one-" he looks down at our hands. I'm examining his fingers, mesmerizing the way they feel against my skin, so one day if he's gone I'll remember at least this. "Um, as I was saying..." He gulps, still watching me fiddling with his finger

"Sorry. I just... I don't want to loose you." I look down at the bed, embarrassed. He tilts my chin up lightly. "You won't." And then I'm crying again, and James pulls me into his chest. I sob, and he just holds me. He's my glue, he's the only thing holding me together. Eventually it gets late again. I know we will have to set off again in the morning, but for now I can just enjoy this, enjoy this new, better memory.

I wake up in the morning, my face crusty from tears. My bed feels different and I notice why the second I open my eyes. I'm all tangled up in James. His face only inches from mine. He looks so peaceful, his face pressed into the pillow and his hair a beautiful disaster. I want to kiss him. Wait, what? I didn't just think that. Thank god Lucy isn't here. No, I didn't mean that. I would do anything to have her here right now, anything in the whole world just to have her back for a second, just so I can say thanks. But thanks just doesn't seem like enough for something like that. Nothing is enough for that.

I continue to force myself to not kiss him. I don't like him or anything, it would just be a friendly peck, like you would do to a baby or a dog, but on the lips. I eventually settle with giving him a quick kiss on the forehead. I watch him for a minute to see if he wakes up, but my new watch (which came with my new suit) says it's still 5:30 AM. I untangle our intertwined fingers and start getting ready. I'm still wearing my suit pants but at some point last night I must've swapped my shirt for a tank top. I find my shirt balled up under the bed. I put on my whole outfit, complete with the boots, and begin searching for a hairbrush.