Just An Echo

8: My Cosmos Sized History Lesson

I bang in the wooden door and try the large handle to find it locked. I turn to see Sam watching me worried while Steve and Bucky are ahead standing in front of a large statue of one of the cloaked men. I give up on the door and walk up next to Sam trying to look further down the halls on either side. It reminded me of a temple from Indiana Jones with torches lining the walls and corroded mossy stones making up everything I see. Bucky takes one of the torches placing it on a track full of gasoline and the fire spreads through the line illuminating the halls. Strange symbols are scrawled on every column and wall making it look more like a prison cell than an ancient temple.

"Cat time?" Sam begs holding up his disposable camera. I roll my eyes but shift into a tabby cat. Sam instantly scoops me up and stands in front of the statue taking a quick selfie before setting my softly on the ground. I shift into regular form and blink my eyes stumbling around. Steve puts a hand to catch me right as I fall.

"Woah, you ok?"

"Yeah, it's just shifting into certain ones wear me out."

"What do you mean, certain ones?"

"Like I don't know, changing what I look like as a human is easy but when I change something with totally different genetics, like a cat, it wears me out faster." They all nod understating and I get a small sense of guilt which I don't understand why, I don't have to help them.

"I'll have to use my cat card sparingly then." Sam nudges my shoulder and I nudge him right back but we're interrupted by a long low wind coming from one of the halls.

"Let's get the scroll and get out." Bucky mumbles gripping the straps of his backpack and for once I agree with him. I practically hug Sam's side as we venture down the long hallway and turn right at the statue following the track of fire down the corridor.

"So, do we know where we're going or are we just walking around aimlessly in this creepy temple apparently haunted by the ghosts of Gods which doesn't really make sense since their supposedly immortal in all and-"

"Why don't you talk to them since you guys seem to have great conversation that you just happen not to tell us about." Bucky grumbles brushing past me and I push off of Sam clenching my fists as I walk closer to him.

"My mistake next time I'll invite you over and we can all talk about it over tea." I snap my growing voice echoing off the walls. Barnes whips around and our face our only inches apart as we glare at each other ready to rip each other apart... again. I feel my stone sting again as I grow angier and again I feel my body being pumped full of energy. The fire next to me grows its flame flickering against the wall and leaving black burn marks. The wind in the temple begins to pick up whipping our jackets around and causing old dust and dirt to stir up. I feel a hand on my shoulder and I flinch turning around and taking a step away from Bucky, and Steve who is trying to calm him down.

"Both of you quit we don't have time for your childish arguing. You're still healing" Bucky takes a step back looking at his shoes and I give Steve puzzled look. The wind is now gone and the fire has gone back to its tiny flickering leaving me wondering how powerful this stone really is.

"Wait what do you mean-"

"Lets go, this fire won't burn forever." Sam interrupts wrapping his arm around me and leading me further down the hall. I shrug off his arm and turn around stopping in front of Sam.

"What are you guys not telling me?"
"It's nothing important."

"But I want to know." I whine scooting in front of Sam when he tries to go around me.

"Trust goes both ways Echo." He finally gets around me and Steve and Bucky join him leaving me a few paces behind. I touch the stone through the bandage and look back to the men in front of me. I should tell them, not just to find out what wrong with Barnes but they're also probably the only people who understand what's happening to me. If they found this temple and the stone and temple are connected then maybe telling them about the stone is the only way to save everyone. I study the ground as I walk behind them still going back and forth about trusting them with my secret.