The Dark Side

Chapter 23 - A Plan

I still lean against the tree whilst everyone sleeps, but Jamie and Vincent. Both of them on watch, feeling like they still can't trust each other yet. I try to sleep, but I can't. I still rest my hands where my injury is.

I hear someone walking over to me and quickly glance over to see Drew coming over to me. He sits beside me, "Feeling any better?" He asks quietly.

"A little." I mumble, leaning my head to the right on his shoulder as we both look at the raging fire. He rests his head on top of mine. "Can't sleep?" I ask.

"Nope. You?" He replies.

"Nope. Especially after I just got a needle stabbed in my side over and over." I glance over at Jamie as I speak.

"Hey, I saved your life." Jamie says, throwing his arms in the air irritably.

Drew and I both chuckle quietly as he's already angry with us again. "I know." I say.

"Good." He rolls his eyes and turns away from us.

I let out a breathy laugh, as does Vincent from opposite Jamie. After a while of silence I finally begin to drift off into a deep sleep as I lean against Drew comfortably.

~-*-~

I look around me quickly. I'm on a mountain. It almost looks like the same mountain from my last dream. This must be a dream then.

At least I know that now. Now I just want to wake up. I don't even remember falling asleep.

Around me is lots of tall dead grass and clouds gather in the sky. Everything feels so gloomy and grey. I stand up from where I had been seated in the middle of the tall dead grass.

A click sounds from somewhere and within seconds everything around me sets on fire. I step back and hear the roaring flames from all around me. But, when I step back there's a harsh gust of wind in my direction. I glance behind me and see the fire open up a like a trail. Without much thought about the strange occurrence of events, I turn and begin walking that way. As I walk the fire continues making a trail for me to walk until I quickly stop.

I'm at the edge of a cliff and ahead of me is burning land. Trees burn to ashes and all of the greenery burns until there's nothing left, but a large creature. The IX. My eyes widen as I step back, but the flames appear behind me, stopping me. The IX turns to face me. His eyes are empty holes. This time I don't make any sound. I stand tall atop the cliff and feel something in my hand. I look down in my hand and see a dagger in my hand.

The creature roars loudly, before running towards me with frightening speed. I hold the dagger, ready to throw it. Once it's basically right in front of me, I throw the dagger. It slices through the air, straight towards the creature. The dagger seems to catch on fire in midair, just before slicing into the flaming IX. As soon as it hits the IX it explodes and everything around me seems to explode, as it all disappears.

~-*-~

I jolt upright as soon as my eyes open from the dream. I glance around to see everyone is already awake. They all talk to each other and laugh at a specific joke Jamie tells. "Jess, you okay?" I hear Drew ask from beside me. I nod.

I glance at him, then back to the group. I take out my dagger from my jacket pocket and I look at it for a second. "I think I know how to kill the IX." I say loud enough for the whole group to hear. Everyone turns to look at me, expectantly.

"Well, how then?" Zachary asks.

"Fire." I reply shortly.

"How do you know that?" Sara asks as if I'm stupid.

"My dream. I keep having similar dreams. The IX is in every single one, but-" I begin, but Zachary cuts me off.

"But, he's on fire." He says. I nod. "I've had the same dream." He states quickly.

"So, you're telling me that because of a dream you'll risk everyone's lives." Sara rolls her eyes.

"Well, if you have something better in mind, please do everyone a favour, and please share." I say aggressively.

"Yeah, well, anything would be better than depending our lives on a stupid dream." She explains stupidly.

"I agree with Jess." Drew says, shutting her up, "Fire would work. Their skin is quite penetrable. We could burn it to the bone." He says. Sara rolls her eyes.

"Exactly." Vincent agrees.

"So, what's the plan?" Zachary asks me.

"We need gasoline. And, lots of it." I begin, "We also need some kind of object that can explode to the touch of flames."

"Where can we find gasoline?" Jamie asks.

"There was a room for storage back at Sector 6. We had tons of gasoline in there." Zachary says.

"But, we can't get in there." Vincent says.

"I can manipulate Jake." I say.

"Shouldn't someone go with you?" Drew asks me.

"Yeah, but you won't be able to get in. You know he hates you." I reply.

"We could wait outside." He suggests, shrugging.

"You'll have to stay hidden or they'll shoot you. Jake made a new rule as soon as he kicked me out. They shoot on sight." Zachary says, "But, otherwise I'll go with you both. We should split into groups of three."

I nod, "And I'm pretty sure I saw some explosives in the Strangler's cave. Must've been a mine at some point. They would've used it there." I state.

"Uh, there is no way in hell I'm going in there." Sara says, "I'd rather not be close to death like you." She gestures to me. I glare at her.

"Then have fun being torn up by I9's straight from the IX." I say carelessly and turn to Jamie and Vincent, "You will go to the Strangler's cave, while we go to Sector 6. Remember, you guys are getting the explosives, we're getting the gasoline. The explosives I saw were down the end of a short hall that you'll find to the left." Everyone nods, but Sara. Jamie looks at her in a way that reads, 'Just do it.' She rolls her eyes again and sighs.

"Whatever." She sighs.

"Careful, roll your eyes enough and maybe you'll find a brain in that head of yours." Drew says. We all laugh, she glares at him.

"We leave tonight so we get to our destinations by dawn." I say.

~-*-~