Powers

Chapter 29

Hey guys! I am going to be writing the story by switching point of views for now since I want you, as readers, to see what the other characters are planning to do while Julia's away. It's annoying, I know, but it's only temporary! Thanks for reading!

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(Peter's point of view, set one week after the events of the last chapter.)

It's like my world has come crashing down now. I thought I knew what pain was; it's one of the first things you learn when you're raised in the dark side. But I never thought true pain could feel like this. Ever since the girl I love was ripped from my arms and led away in handcuffs, I can't function. She was a part of me, and now there's an empty void that she used to fill.

It's like I've forgotten how to live now. I'm constantly having to remind myself: Now you have to wake up Peter, now you have to tie your shoes Peter, you have to focus Peter, people need you Peter. My conscience can be really annoying sometimes.

I told myself a long time ago that I would never fall in love, because I lose too many people in my life. I never wanted to lose someone I loved, but now Julia's gone. She's not dead, that I know of, but she might as well be. She's not here to remind me that I'm okay.

I try to ignore the fact that she's gone by reminding myself of the things I love most about her: the way her smile is a light in the dark, the way her caramel-colored hair flows down her back, how willing she is to sacrifice herself in the place of others. And her eyes, if course. Never before have I seen eyes like those, almost as if they were a gift from God Himself. Staring into those emerald orbs is like a shot of espresso, waking you up and making you focus. They're what makes her different, but I think different is beautiful. I think she's beautiful.

I've been called handsome, but I don't dwell on it. I see two eyes, a nose, a mouth, and a chin. A face. I don't know what they see.

I try to convince Adam that we need to organize a rescue for Julia, but he won't listen. He'd rather we wait for our injured people to heal and supplies to be restocked, but no matter. I told him I'm ready to go in there on my own and fight like a raging hulk if it means she gets back safely, which provoked a dramatic eye roll from Adam.

I tried to convince Cassia to come with me, but she agreed with Adam that she and the other healers still have a lot of work to do before they can even think about going into another fight. I've even tried to convince Susan, not that she's ever responded since she's still unconscious from the events at the library. The only person I can seem to get to agree with me is the person that never leaves Susan's side.

He's this guy named Kyle, and his story is quite interesting if I do say so myself. Looking at him, you wouldn't think he was originally fighting on the Council's side. With his red hair and brown eyes, he could pass for Adam's brother. The only difference is Kyle is Susan's age and he has glasses. He has the power of healing, so that's why Adam's allowed him to be with Susan for as long as he has.

The day we journeyed to the library and things went bad, he was with the Council when the fight ensued. However, he swears that the moment he saw Susan, he saw which side was right and which was wrong. It was only when someone injured her that he left his side without question, because it meant he would be with her. And in truth, I believe every word of it. I know how quickly you can fall in love with someone.

Ever since then, he's cared for her around the clock, probably getting no more than a few hours of sleep a night. The other healers plead with him to get some rest, but he never listens. "Until she wakes up, I'm here," is his answer every time someone asks him to rest. I admire his affection for her, the way he doesn't fear that she could reject him.

I don't think he really knew what he was doing when he sided with the Council; he was probably one of those citizens that was blind to who they really were until he saw the true horrors of this war. But no matter, he's set straight now. I've talked to him about going in after Julia, and he's agreed to help, but only once Susan is awake.

So here I am, an entire week after Julia was taken from me, unable to do anything but pray that they're keeping her alive. I would be able to cope easier if I just knew. If only I knew what was happening to her, what they're putting her through, I could stand it a little better.

"Peter!" A voice says. I turn around to see Adam with this wild look on his face and a blueprint in his hand. "What?" I ask. "I have a plan to free Julia," he says with excitement. "How?" I ask, excitement filling me up. "Well, we may be short in numbers, but there's still a large amount of people hiding in their homes on both the good and the dark side; I think that if I could talk to them and be willing to make some kind of compromise, they could help us break her out," he says.

My excitement dies, because I know his plan is useless. "Adam, the two sides are polar-opposites. They'd never agree on anything. And even if you somehow did, you couldn't get them through the wall," I say.

"I should have no problem rallying people from the good side, and I have one thing going for me with the dark side people: once they see the good side and how privileged the people are, it'll spark hate on the Council for never providing them for the same. And as for the wall situation, take a look at this," Adam says, laying the blueprint in front of me.

I look down on the intricate plans and sketches, curious to see what could take care of the wall. It is then when I understand them: it's an instruction sheet on how to make explosives.

"We're going to blow up the wall," Adam says.