Surreal ✿ M. Wheeler ✿

✿ five ✿

The next day, Josie escaped. She had left during the morning, killing a total of forty five men and women as she made her way to the exit. Dr. Brenner, unfortunately, wasn't one of her victims. He stayed hidden, trying not to become a product of a twelve year old's week and a half long rage. And those words were a lot more dangerous on a girl who has abilities than a girl who doesn't. She was angry, and no one could say otherwise.

As she walked through the woods, trying to find her way back home, the air got cold and started to make her whole body feel numb. It was one of the flaws to having abilities. Since she could control all things liquid, she could also change someone's body temperature, but for some odd reason she could never this to herself. That was very disappointing, especially since she was in a hospital gown and those things were about as useful as a cold, wet tank top.

Her feet crunched on the leaves, her toes growing more and more dirty by the second as she continued to walk.

When she reached the train tracks, her sad demeanor turned into one of hope. If she followed those tracks, she'd be able to find a familiar home in no time. However, since everyone in town knew her, she may not be able to keep a low profile. She was going to need to stay somewhere. Somewhere with someone she trusted. After a few seconds, she looked ahead.

"Mike," was all she whispered before she started heading in the way for Mike's house, her long, stringy, black hair following her close behind.

*

Mike was watching Eleven carefully as they hung out in his house. He decided to skip school so that he could keep her safe, and also because he didn't want her to mess up his house. However, he felt he shouldn't have really worried about it considering the girl barely knew how to work a television.

"Want something to drink? We have OJ, skim milk, what else?" he mumbled under his breath as they walked downstairs.

Eleven turned her attention to the living room when she reached the bottom of the steps. She walked into the room and looked around, taking in the new environment. Mike noticed her wandering and immediately followed pursuit behind her. She was standing in the middle of his living room, her eyes scanning around the room with confusion. She had turned over her shoulder multiple times, almost like a robot that was trying to scan an area and understand something about humans.

"Oh, this is my living room," he explained. She didn't pay him any attention as she continued to walk through it. She walked over to the tv and sat down in front of it. "It's mostly just for watching TV."

He walked over to it and turned it on, causing Eleven to jump back a bit. She looked at him and he smiled sweetly, internally laughing at her lack of knowing what things were. She looked back at the tv, her eyes being completely taken by the bright colors.

"Cool, right? It's a 22-inch," he explained. She turned away from the tv, walking over to the fire place, taking notice of the photos that were on it. Mike, not knowing that she had went on to something else, continued, "That's like, ten times bigger than Dustin's."

He turned his attention away from the TV and saw that Eleven was fingering the photo of his big sister. He walked over to her, wondering what was on her mind. If Josie was here, she'd probably adore the girl, treat her like a little sister. She always complained about being the only girl in their party.

Ever since what happened last night, Mike hasn't felt the same. It was weird how he knew she was there. Sure, she wasn't there physically, but he had a feeling she was probably watching. And she was, at least, he thought she was. He had felt something running through his hair last night and even though that was weird, the creeped out feeling didn't come across him. It was like he subconsciously knew she was there because he wasn't scared.