Convergence - The Last Science #2.1 - In Plain Sight

B2: Chapter 7 - Identity - I

  The cards scattered across the library table. Quinn was frozen in place, eyes wide. Natalie stood up, pulling her bag over her shoulder.

  "I gotta go."

  She could see Rachel's disappointment in her head. Images of Rallsburg's last days flashed through her mind, memories bubbling up to the surface of her boiling mind, threatening to overwhelm her. It all started after the town had found out about them. Her world ended only a few days later.

  Now she'd been discovered. She'd been noticed. They'd come for her. Natalie felt magic burning through her limbs, preparing for the worst. She had to be ready to move at a moment's notice.

  "Wait!"

  He leapt to his feet, reaching out for her. He managed to snatch her hand just as she started to move away. On instinct, Natalie pushed him back. Hard.

  Quinn flew backward as if he'd been hit by a car, suddenly tossed through the air and rammed into the bookshelf behind him. He fell to the ground in a slump. Books fell off and landed on his head.

  He wasn't moving. His eyes were closed.

  Natalie knew she should leave. She wasn't in view of any cameras. No one had seen her. If she left now, it'd only be Quinn's word about what happened. It'd be easy to dismiss him as crazy or making things up. She could still be safe.

  Seeing Quinn on the ground with books scattered around him, Natalie couldn't bring herself to do it. She liked him. She'd hurt him. She couldn't just leave him.

  Natalie ran to his side, kneeling down next to him and grabbing his wrist. She knew how to check for a pulse, and he had one. He was still breathing too, but that pretty much exhausted her medical knowledge from what she'd seen on TV. All she could do now was call for help.

  Who should she call? The library staff? Nine-one-one? Lily? All of those risked more damage, more problems. All of them would just make everything more complicated.

  Natalie called the only person she could think of.

  "Hello?"

  "Hailey, I did something bad," Natalie whispered. She knelt down by the unconscious Quinn.

  "...Tell me everything, okay? Start at the beginning."

  Natalie breathlessly ran through the entire day's events, starting with the fire in science class. She didn't leave a single detail out, her heart racing as she recounted everything. What would Hailey say? Natalie was in so much trouble and she knew it. She'd broken their most important rule, staying secret. If Rachel ever found out—

  No. Hailey will fix this. Rachel won't ever have to know I screwed up. Quinn's gonna be okay. He has to be.

  "...and now he's blacked out on the ground and I don't know what to do," she finished, her voice ragged. "What do I do, Hailey?"

  "Okay. Take a deep breath." Hailey took one with her, crackling over the phone a little. "Is anyone else there?"

  "I don't think so." Natalie glanced out of the stacks quickly. "There's a lady pushing a cart at the end of the row, but she's going away from me."

  "Okay. That's good. Keep taking deep breaths." Hailey paused. "There's two ways we can play this. Is he still blacked out?"

  "...Yeah. I think he's really hurt." Natalie choked a little on her words. "I didn't mean to hurt him."