Crumbling Time

Crumbling Time (Chap. 13)

This is a much shorter chapter, and you will soon see why.

Enjoy!

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13. Danger

"Please, Carnell," I begged as Cam came back to my side, standing closer to me than he had been before.

"Lately I haven't...had much luck...in the discovery department.... If I can find out...the source and reason...for your powers...I'll be a millionaire." He looked on the verge of insanity as the thought went through his mind.

"You can't use...me like that," I said, just barely able to keep myself together. "You could kill me!"

"This is science...things like that...happen."

"Holding hostage...is illegal...you could get...arrested."

"I can just tell...the police I was...holding you until...they arrived."

Damn, damn, damn! Life was not going well for me recently.

"This is insane!" Cam exclaimed, getting a grip on my arm above my elbow. "Someone's gonna...realize you're...not in the lab."

"I always am...traveling to different...rooms.... This is normal."

Shit, shit, shit! Life seriously wasn't very good to me.

"Can't you just...take my saliva?... Take a hair?... A piece of my nail?... All of that?... I don't care! Let us go!"

Carnell smirked. "I'm enjoying this...desperation right now."

"You sick bastard!" Cam exclaimed, and I could just feel all of my hope exiting my being.

"That sounds...like a really...good nickname.... Sick Bastard." Carnell nodded in liking.

I felt like I was going to vomit.

I could just picture everything in my mind: me strapped to an operation table-no anesthetic-and Carnell coming towards me with a scalpel in hand and the same sneer on his face that he wore right then. Next would come the pain of the blade cutting my body and the feel of Carnell's gloved hands probing my insides. After that, if he still wasn't satisfied with his findings and didn't close me up soon enough, I would go into shock and then...die.

I shivered at the thought, and for about the tenth time that week, I really felt as though I were going to cry.

I turned to face Cam head-on. "What are we...going to do?" I asked desperately. If anyone had an idea, it would be him. Or at least I hoped.

He stared back at me hopelessly. "I...I don't know."

My defeated breath came out with a whoosh. There was absolutely nothing we could do.

I placed my hands on his chest. "I am...so sorry...I brought...you here.... I wish...I could turn back...." I stopped, realizing something.

"Lexie?" Cam asked, concerned.

"Cam," I finally said. "Try to go...back in time."

"What?" he asked.

"Go to the past," I explained. "Redo ever...coming here.... Redo us getting...in Carnell's way."

This whole thing had been pointless, I realized with a jolt of happiness. We could've just gone back in time and ignored Carnell when he came to the lake. I didn't know why I hadn't thought of it before. Now it just seemed so simple, instead of lying to our parents, ditching school, and traveling across two states. Everything could just be redone and okay!

"Will that really-"

"Try. Go," I urged.

"What are you...two talking about?" Carnell asked suspiciously.

"Nothing of your concern," I said, hoping my defeat was still heard in my voice.

"Aw, two young...lovers saying...their farewells.... It's disgusting."

I wished Cam and I really were what Carnell thought us to be, but that opportunity would be impossible-if my plan didn't work-more impossible than it ever was before.

"Now," I breathed to Cam.

He held my hands, which were still resting on his chest, and took a deep breath. I waited in anticipation, but nothing happened.

"It's not working," Cam whispered.

My hope died once more.

"It's because...of me.... My disorder is interfering." I took my hands away from his, as much as I didn't want to be alone. "Now try."

Cam kept eye contact with me as he concentrated. But, again, nothing changed. It wasn't working.

"What...what's going on?" I asked, on the verge of tears again.

"You're right," he replied. "My power won't...work around you."

I sighed, ready to fall to the floor in defeat.

"Would you two..." Carnell said, "stop with the...mushy-gushy...I have experiments...to run." He stepped closer to me.

I looked at Cam, and his face suddenly looked really angry.

"I have...an idea," he whispered. "When time is...frozen for you...lunge for him.... We'll go from there."

I nodded ever so slightly, then turned to Carnell.

I waited for time to freeze for me, then I went for him, aiming to knock the gun out of his hand. But I wasn't close enough to him. When time unfroze, Carnell saw and registered what I was doing, and, using the quick thinking I didn't know he even had, he raised the gun and pulled the trigger.

I tried to duck, but I felt a sharp pain go through my left shoulder. I heard someone shout my name over the ringing in my ears from the bullet, and I fell, completely in shock at what just happened.

"Oh no, oh no, oh god no," is what I heard Cam moaning as I blacked out, allowing death to enter.