The Nerd's Secret |Ongoing|

☫ Chapter 16 ☫

☫ Chapter 16 ☫

It felt like time had stopped.

     Or maybe my watch broke.

     The sound of Ethan's and his friend's footsteps had been amplified with the echo of the facility, making the sound sharper when the harsh stomps of their feet hit the ground. It turned silent and a thread of wind whistled through the air, lightly touching my cheek. I looked to the other side with wide eyes. They were gone. Raindrops continued to fall, the pace of the weather calming down and now simply drizzling. I was the only one left.

     "Jude!" I called, hoping that he would no longer be submerged in the green liquid. That he would start swimming out of there and get back on the ground. "Jude!" I repeated and went closer, now at the edge of it.

     My heart rate skyrocketed with an ache. The thumping thundered in my ear and the clenching spreading throughout my chest. I turned into stone, my legs staying put and my body shivering uncontrollably. I was soaked with the cloth of my crumbled shirt sticking onto my skin uncomfortably. My breath hitched and I clasped a hand over my opened mouth when I noticed bubbles erupting from the pool.

     I swallowed the lump in my throat and forcefully shook my head from side to side. I need to think.

     I can't swim in because I might drown with him and that will defeat the whole purpose of assisting him. It'd be inconvenient if I were to die in the process. Evidently. I'm going to have to use my powers. Which is something I really should have done a while ago. Now I got Jude hurt. Why did he even try and help me? I do appreciate him saving me but now he's in trouble. Why didn't I do more about it?

     "Okay," I whispered, finding it hard to speak. I shook my head, getting rid of my thoughts and focused on the task. My voice cracked as I stomped my feet onto the ground, crumbling the pavement under my feet. "Okay," I breathed in an attempt to psych myself up for this.

     I placed my palm towards the pool, having it hover it and then I gathered all my powers to my hand. The adrenaline coursing through my veins added to the abilities, creating a surge of wind to where Jude fell. With a sudden pain consuming me, I grunted and clutched onto my stomach. I kept a hand up, squeezing my eyes, and letting out soft puffs of air from my lips.

     "Argh," I groaned and pulled Jude out with the manipulation of gravity that my hand was doing.

     I never used these powers on a person like this before. It was sort of surreal to witness.

     Jude was floating. His eyes closed and chapped lips sealed. I moved my hands, making him move as well. I brought him to the ground gently and with a sigh, I settled next to him. My knees shaking as I knelt down, almost collapsing on him. I waved my hands over his body, and with a swish of the wind, the chemicals were wiped off him.

     My eyes scanned his body, checking for injuries.

     "Jude," I said, trying to get him to open his eyes. I leaned forward, pressing my fingers against his neck in order to find a pulse. My heart relaxed when I felt it. I placed my ears by his heart, checking the rate of it. My palms spread to his abdominal, pressing on it, attempting to trigger a shock and hopefully making him wake up. I gotta help him. He began coughing but wasn't fully conscious.

     Realizing that there was no other way, I slapped his cheeks. "Jude, wake up!"

     "Bloody hell," Jude gasped, his eyes snapping open.

     Maybe I shouldn't have slapped him that hard.

     "Not hell but you're close," I joked with a small smile, my legs shifting slightly. My cheeks flushed with warmth at the view of him breathing, living. No longer looking so lifeless.