A Blessing and a Curse

Chapter 44

   "I didn't hear anything. Swear," I said, nervously. What were they talking about? Why was it so important to hide?

   "Zeb, calm down. He should know, too," Ahsoka telepathically spoke. The grouchy man sat back down, muttering under his breath. Ahsoka invited me to take a seat.

   "So, what is it?" I asked, curiously.

   The alien woman took a moment to process what she wanted to say. She seemed almost mixed still from earlier events, shifting in her seat. Tucking a white strand of hair behind her ear, wise blue eyes met mine.

   "My people had just finally found a spot to settle and hide when I found Rey. I was getting water from a stream when seeing her basket caught in some of the tall grass. I took her back to raise her as my own but my village didn't want her so I ran away. I didn't want to let her go and there was something special about her that I couldn't quite understand," she explained.

   I knew that feeling and the strange "specialty," that came with Rey. I knew the feeling has something to do with the darknesses plans. Staying silent, I let her continue.

   "So I raised her as my own and built up the rebellion after the multiple attacks happening throughout the different lands."

   "That's it? How did Rey even end up there?" I asked with more questions about to be spit out. Ahsoka glanced over at Zeb like he had the answers. He probably did, too.  My eyes averted to him and patiently waited for his side of the story. He didn't seem like he wanted to talk but knew there was no choice in the matter.

   "After the attack, I was looking for survivors. The place looked like a ghost town and battlefield. Everything was destroyed and strange flooding would happen every so often from the dams being knocked down. Rey was the only living being I found out of that mess. She was like a beacon of hope through the darkness," he said.

   Zeb looked down, guilt etched on his face and sadness in those acid green orbs. Whatever happened next is sure eating at him. A spot of sympathy grew in my chest at the troubles that caused this man to struggle through this war.

   "The same night I found her was the very night I lost her. I was searching for days with barely any food and no sleep. I stupidly decided to take a short nap but when I woke up, the place was flooded and the basket Rey was in disappeared. I've never felt more horrible and guilty in my entire life."

   I sighed, knowing how it felt to lose people and there was just nothing that you can do to save them. I let my sister get kidnapped by the Empire. My punishment: to survive on the unforgiving streets of Lothal all alone.

   I let Kanan get captured when there was something that could of been done to rescue him from the Empire. There was so much loss to the Empire and the virus. It made me so useless because my power of light can only heal but my power of darkness has a mind of its own. It can't be controlled, only it controls.

   It controls me, its host like a brainwashing parasite. It slowly drains the consciousness until it takes over and begins its hunt. Prepares for its next kill.

   Is that how people feel when they transform into an Infected? Losing all control of their body and mind, practically changing everything they once were into forgotten memory. An illness that spreading and can't be stopped until it is taken from existence.

   Am I part Infected? Do I have a bit of the virus in me, slowly trying to turn me into a monster with temptation? The very thought made me sweat and nervously drum my fingers on the table.

   The Puppet Master.

He sees all.

He hears all.

Knows all.

Controls all.

He will do anything to get his hands on the ultimate power.

The ultimate power.

The Cure.

My eyes shoot open in realization and he was standing right behind Ahsoka, who gave me a worried look. She said something but I wasn't listening to her. My stare did not break from the demon with yellow eyes.

"Whoever controls the ultimate power...controls the world," it spoke.

"I will have you, if not..."

I didn't need to see his face to know that there was a sinister and psychotic smirk encased on its lips. There was a hunger I could sense. The lust for power and control. The guy who pulls the strings and controls the monsters...especially me.

   If he can't have me...there will be consequences. I don't want to find out what punishment this sick-minded shadow can do.

   I jolted as if something electrical touched my skin and ran throughout my body. The shadow disappeared and Rey came into view. Her innocent face showed concern but stayed neutral like always.

   Tua was standing at the door subconsciously unsure of what was going on. Ahsoka and Zeb were watching me carefully, waiting to see what happens next.

   "Did he hurt you?" Rey asked. I wasn't sure how to answer that. I definitely am not mentally fine but don't feel differently at all. It scares me how willing I take in situations like that with the Puppet Master. I'm willing to-not completely-tear down my boundaries, welcoming the darkness in. It's not like I haven't dealt with it before.

   "No, I'm okay," I reassured her, a grimace appearing on my lips. Her dual eyes stared at me with only a sparkle of knowing that I had just lied.

   I soon left the room feeling a familiar presence following closely behind. It wasn't the shadow guy but it still felt sinister. That's when I saw her standing at the end of the hall.

   "Erica?" I mumbled. She smiled at me then ran in a different direction. I ran after her down the corridors until she stood at the exit. Erica laughed a little before walking through the door like a ghost.

I blinked a couple of times trying to figure out if it was just my mind playing tricks on me. However, I still walked towards the door and opened it.

She stood a couple feet away on the trail, gesturing for me to follow. Like a moth to a flame, I followed her into the forest.

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