The Changed (Completed)

XIV

Margo~

"So you're the new trainee?" The boy hopped down from the metal second floor that wrapped around the training room walls, his dirty blonde hair fell in his bright blue eyes.

I smiled a little, attempting to be friendly. "I'm Margo." He offered me a hand and I flinched, it seemed the jumpiness was just one of the many symptoms of being in constant fear.

He gave me a small grin. "I don't bite." I shook his hand nervously. "I'm Tristan."

Tristan lead me to a weight lifting bench. I felt a pit in my stomach beginning to form. Even with my new abilities, I doubted I would be able to lift anything impressive.

"So," Tristan watched me carefully, trying to read my expression. "What is the most incredible thing you've done since you figured out your abilities?"

I shrugged. "I healed a bullet wound, on Wes-" I swallowed, wondering if I should reveal his name. I decided it was better not to. "-On a friend, and I healed my own broken leg."

Tristan nodded. This must all sound familiar to him. "Unlike the other classifications, gammas require less training. Our abilities come more naturally than the others. But we can become faster and stronger the way any other person could." He handed me a twenty pound weight.

Though I could tell it was heavy, it felt light. It was like holding a book. I handed it back to him. "That's it then? I stay with all of you and you train me to be faster and stronger...then what? Does life just return to normal?" I felt my voice break. How was this going to fix anything? I was always going to be haunted...hunted.

His gaze was sympathetic. I noticed the flicks of silver in his blue eyes. "You already know the answer to that. Things will never go back to the way they were. Now you have enemies. But you have to be fast enough to outrun them and strong enough to fight them."

I felt a tear slip down my cheek and I quickly swiped it away with my hand. The last thing I wanted to do was cry over my sob story in front of him. Most everyone who survived had it rough. My sadness was no greater than his or anyone else's for that matter.

To my surprise, his arms wrapped around me. Though we had just met, it was as if we were connected. We were gammas but more importantly, we were survivors. He was just as much my family as my mother had been. Just as much as Wesley and Avanali are.

His chest rumbled as he let out a small laugh, his hair tickled my cheek. "It's gonna be okay, ok?"

I took a breath. "Okay." He broke away, picking up the weight.

He gestured to the bench. "Let's get started."

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Wesley~

Drip. Drip. Drip. Drop.

Blink. Shit. Shit. Shit. Panic arises in my chest as I squint my eyes, trying to peer into the absolute nothingness that surrounds me. I'm lying down, it's wet, everything is wet. I try to sit up but I begin to sink, salty water flooding my mouth, ears, and nose. It burns my eyes.

After a few seconds of sputtering, my feet find the bottom. Now I'm standing in water, chest down. My whole body shivers, my teeth chattering so violently they might shatter. I'm dead. This is what death must feel like....

The repeated dripping that echoes throughout the vast darkness is the only thing keeping me sane. It's all I can hear besides my teeth. I count them as they fall. I'm trying to make sense of this. I can't remember anything. I don't know where I am or how I got here.

"Margo." I whisper her name at first, my throat so dry, my voice is like sandpaper. "Margo." A little louder. "Margo." Now I'm shouting. I'm shouting it again and again. It's the first name that comes to mind. That and my own. Who is she? Shit, who is she?