EQAO

Chapter 38 - Water's Fury

I attempted to engulf her in water, but I couldn't hold it, as I evaded her attack of pure electricity. I moved my water bubble around her, realizing that I had to keep moving. I remembered how I had spotted a weak spot on the soles of her feet. I could still attempt to do that.

But I still have to knock her over.

Ms. Gerdalli cracked her whip at me. I made my little air pocket big enough for my whole body. Water conducted electricity just like metal. If any water was touching me, I would be fried. My water dome sparked for half a second, then returned to normal. I shot hundreds of tiny water arrows at her, but they just dissolved as soon as they hit her barrier. She shot little lightning bolts to attack me from all sides, but they couldn't penetrate my shield of water. Ms. Gerdalli and I looked at each other.

"Looks like we're pretty evenly matched." I said, nonchalant.

She snarled, but I could see it in her eyes that she knew I was right.

"So how about," I continued, "you lower your shield, and I'll attack you?"

There was no way she would do it, but there wasn't any harm in trying, right?

"I'll lower my shield," she said, returning to her calm, and collected self, "if you lower yours."

I blinked.

"What?"

"Since we can't seem to get past each other's shields, why don't we fight without them?"

Her lips twitched as she said it.

Don't trust her.

I knew it was a trick, but what could I have done, continue attacking her until she got sleepy? I would be tired before she was. I slowly started to let the water surrounding me return to the lake beneath us. All except a small platform under my feet. Ms. Gerdalli smiled triumphantly, and I prepared myself for an attack. It never came. Instead, she too took off her protection.

"Now this," she said, "will be more fun."

She flicked her wrist, and I instinctively rolled to the side, as her whip came crashing down on the spot next to me. I spun, and blasted a stream of water directly at her face. She sidestepped, but I turned the water around for another attack. She tried to duck, but the water hit the top of her head. She stumbled forward, but quickly regained her balance.

She sent a huge ball of energy flying towards me. I forced water to push me high up above the ball, and I was suspended in the air for one second, before falling onto the pillow of water below me. The ball looked like it would hit the wall behind me, but turned into several long chains that sprang for me.

I raised a wall of water in front of me, but one of the chains got through, and wrapped around my right wrist. I screamed, as a shockwave rippled throughout my entire body. The water had taken most of the electricity, but there was still enough to paralyze me for a moment. Ms. Gerdalli took this opportunity to attack me with full-force.

I managed to use my remaining energy to return the water bubble that protected me from all sides. The chain retracted, and I fell to my knees against the cool water underneath me. I breathed deeply, feeling safe in my cocoon of water. It was like it was returning my strength and energy. I stood up again, and looked at Ms. Gerdalli. She looked furious, and shouted,

"What happened to our-"

I interrupted her, by using half of the water in the room to create a tidal wave. It crashed into Ms. Gerdalli and she fell back onto her electrical platform. I sent water daggers to attack the soles of her feet. She screeched an awful sound, and her armour and platform disappeared. She fell into the water below, and I allowed the water to swirl around her, raising her to be right in front of me. She was in the hold of my water, powerless, and I was pouring water into her lungs, drowning her.

I could end it all right here. I could just kill her, avenge my friends, and make sure she never hurt anyone ever again.

I clenched my fists, and the water swirled faster.

This is it. I'm going to kill her.

But then, I thought about the boy who was murdered before the first event, and the other boy who was framed for it. I thought about Jacob, and all the kids who were killed because they missed one golden hoop. All the other contestants who were just like me. They had loved ones, and they would never get to see them again. They had died, for people's entertainment. And Mia. I had killed her. As well as Collin. I thought about my best friends. I gulped.

Would they want me to kill her?

All these people had died because of Ms. Gerdalli. I wanted to think that killing her was the right thing to do, but I realized that it just made me no better than her. I took a deep breath, and took all the water out of her lungs. I kept the sphere of water around her, but I created an air bubble so that she could breathe. She coughed horribly, then croaked,

"I knew you didn't have the guts."

"Shut up." I snarled, "I could always still drown you."

She smirked, but stayed silent.

Now what should I do with her? I could call the police, but how would I explain how I'm controlling the water? I have to find a cage to leave her in.

I decided to look around the school. I put Ms. Gerdalli down right by the door, still surrounded by water. I left the arena, and the crescent room, to find myself in a long hallway. I opened several doors, until I found Ms. Gerdalli's office. I walked inside, and found exactly what I was looking for. A small, barred cage made of metal. There was a plaque that read,

"Winner"

I shivered.

This must be where she keeps the winner of the E.Q.A.O. Games until their execution.

I called out to the water holding Ms. Gerdalli. In a few seconds, Ms. Gerdalli was floating next to me, a stream of water following her. I opened the cage and put her inside. I locked the door before releasing the water.

"If you attempt to use your power to free yourself, you'll kill yourself." I said.

Then, I left to call the cops.