Echo in Her Mind

Fourteen.

Bethany wasn't sure when she got to this point, the point where she would kill innocent people in order to get something she didn't even remember having in the first place. As far as she was concerned, and how little she actually cared, the emotions that she was fighting for weren't hers, and she's on a man hunt to slaughter human beings that have no idea anyone is coming their way.

Ruben was ready though, that much was sure as he hustled along the abandoned path to cut through the old musky woods on the other side of town, the brisk breeze ruffling his hair, with his charming smile plastered on his face.

What Bethany would do to be able to pry apart that mouth of his from corner to corner, so that he could never smile again. The self-fulfillment would be remarkable.

"Whatever it is you are thinking about, I suggest you drop it and focus on the task at hand." Ruben had stopped walking and was starting at Bethany now. The seriousness in his eyes told her that there was no joking manner, and that she must keep her thoughts in order. She glared at him in response, fully aware that his time would come eventually, just not at this very moment.

"Before we go any further, I must advise you to keep your eyes and anger, on the vessel, and refrain from any collateral damage. We do not need any witnesses or bystanders getting injured, and we must stay low."

It took Bethany a moment to understand what he was saying. She stared at him blankly, trying to hold in the flame of anger that was raging through her veins.

"So, let me get this straight, you expect me to keep something I haven't experienced feeling since I was young, in control, so no consequences arise from killing a person? Is that, right?" The sarcasm that oozed from her words surprised even herself, but Ruben didn't even flinch, let along answer her question.

"The Watcher likes things cut and dry; he doesn't like to clean up messes." It was the most absurd thing that had come out of his mouth as of yet.

Bethany squeezed her hands into fists and she swore she could feel the heat from the blood gushing out where her nails dug deep. She wanted to kill him, but she knew she would be stuck the way she was now, forever, if she did.

Ruben continued to walk in the direction that they were originally headed, completely disregarding what was about to come out of her mouth. With a huff, Bethany stormed behind him, following.

The further they got, the faster her heart started beating. She wasn't entirely sure how long they had been walking, but her legs felt like Jell-O, and her feet pulsed in agony. She wanted to ask to take another break or find another form of transportation to get to Maine, but she knew that Ruben was only following orders, and wouldn't stray from them.

So, she continued to follow him, her thoughts taking over her mind, and she knew she should be afraid for her life, her future; afraid for all of those that she was coming for, who had no idea what was about to occur. Bethany's stomach ached and she felt sick, form hunger, exhaustion, or whatever else, she wasn't sure. But her body was giving out on her, and she wasn't sure what was wrong.

Bethany dropped to her knees and took in her surroundings. She was unaware of where they were, but it certainly wasn't Jersey any longer.

"What is the hold up?" Ruben came up to her once he realized she was no longer following him.

"I don't want to do this." She looked up to his face and it was expressionless.

"You do not have much of a choice. If you do not complete your mission willingly, The Watcher will force your body to do so." Ruben was serious, she knew that. She wouldn't put it past The Watcher, she had seen what he was capable of.

He knelt down beside her, his delicate eyes watched her, a form of sadness in them. He felt bad for her, but she didn't want his pity; she just wanted all of this to end.

"I need you to focus on one thing, and one thing only. Look back and focus on the most important, horrible and unpleasant memory you can find in that brain of yours. The memory that makes you so angry that you would do anything to right it.

"Harvest that anger deep inside your soul and in your brain. Make it so it is the only thought that consumes you, and work off of it. Just make sure you don't lose yourself in it."

Bethany focused on her thoughts, trying her best to form her most painful memory, the one she had been repressing almost her entire life.

That day, the most horrible event any child should ever have to experience: the day her best friend was shot and killed in front of her, by what Bethany was told at the time, was nothing more than a drive by. Everything that she felt that day, everything that she could no longer feel, hit her like a ton of bricks when she remembered what The Watcher said about that day.

Her anger resurfaced, but this time towards The Watcher; the one that pushed that horrible gift upon her, the one that made her unknowingly kill her best friend as a child over something as little as sharing a toy.

She remembered running home to her parents and telling them that Mandi was dead. And she now remembered their faces; faces that had been erased from her mind up until this very moment.

Bethany recognized her mother, her kind eyes and shocked face as she spoke the words about what happened to her best friend. And then, her eyes moved to her father, and Bethany couldn't be sure if what she was seeing was real, or if her eyes were deceiving her. But as she gazed upon his face, she was left in a moment of shock, as The Watcher's eyes stared back at her.

With a gasp, Bethany was withdrawn from the memory, and brought back to reality. She could see Ruben's eyes staring back at her, and in the next moment, she took off running, not looking back to see if he was even following her.

Bethany ran with all her force, as if her past wastrying to catch up with her, and the sanity of her mind depended on escaping it