Defective

Chapter 5

Bubbles supported his body while he floated in an ocean of warm water. That was the best he could describe the soothing feelings that caressed his mind. Strangely, he had experienced his feeling before, long ago where his memories faded like the background of a painting. He wanted to live in this suspended time, but brilliant flashes of light seared across his vision, bringing him out of his stupor.

Aiden awoke from his dream-like state, his eyes reluctant to peel open and adjust to the dim glow of a white tunnel light. He briefly wondered where he was when he remembered the previous events of his collision with the ground. Forcing himself into a sitting position, he grimaced at his own carelessness. He used up too much of his power and was now suffering the consequences.

"You shouldn't move, my brother only just sewn up your wound." Aiden glared in the general direction he heard Sam's voice, his hand moving for his side. A crude tear in his shirt uncovered the gash slashed across his abdomen. Blood crusted over neatly sewn edges that had saved his life.

Sam set aside his fox mask she appeared to have been inspecting, saddened by a hairline crack in the porcelain. "Wilkins can use his hair for anything he wants," she explained to Aiden, "You should have said something before you started vomiting blood."

Her brother leaned against the tunnel wall in the darkness, digging the sharp edge of a knife into the ground. His shaggy locks didn't do much to hide the noticeably large patch of missing hair on the side of his head. "Now we're even," he said.

Aiden inspected Wilkins for a long moment. "We were never even," he felt the need to say, irritated by his lack of capability. "I need to leave." Ignoring the sharp jabs of pain that shot through his body, he rose to his feet.

"Wait, don't leave just yet," Sam rushed over to ease him back to the ground; her hands pushed forcefully on his shoulders.

"My bag," Aiden protested but sank under the pressure weighed on his shoulders. Sam's hand felt cool against his cheek as she brushed past; like a computer her entire being was downloaded into his brain, absorbed into his consciousness and stored among the thousands of other identities he stole.

Sam trembled, feeling something similar to a electric pulse. She glanced at Aiden staring at the ground with wide eyes before he seemed to relax quickly. "Did you drop it when you rescued us? I can get it for you, hang on."

Wilkins perked up at his sister's declaration. He shifted positions, grimacing at the pain in his leg. "No your not, it's dangerous."

"It's the least we can do for him." Sam argued with a sharp glare at her brother. "Besides, he'll be mad if we don't do our job, and we don't want to do that."

The wall felt surprisingly comfortable, perfectly slanted enough for a person to curl into the side for a nap. Aiden slumped against the tunnel, cradling his sewn up side and trying his best not to close his eyes. He needed food, more precisely energy. He needed his bag.

"Fine, then go, I'll watch over the kid." Defeated, Wilkins turned away from his sister. He pulled a black chip from inside his jean's pocket and tucked it inside his ear.

Sam scooted closer to her sulking brother, hand cupped over her mouth. She whispered quietly into his hear, voice low enough Aiden couldn't pick up on their conversation. "I'll be back," she pecked his cheek with a kiss before vanishing in a wink. The wind stirred at the spot she last sat.

Aiden barely processed she had teleported before she appeared in the air, her feet landing gracefully on the ground. In her hands was his backpack, riddled with holes and covered in a fine layer of dust. Surprised, he hesitated in reaching, grabbing his bag only when Sam offered it to him. A sheen of sweat glistened on her ghostly pale face and her hands shook with effort of holding his bag. He nodded his thanks before undoing its clasp and digging for his school clothes.