The Enhanced Ones (paused)

Ch. 6 Willow

Miss Fazer's shoulders are rigid as she stares at the shadowy outline of the woman. "Celeste, you..."

"Found a better job." The woman sing-songs back.

Shilio leans close to me. "Who is that?"

"Celeste." I say not looking at Shiloe as she rolls her eyes.

Suddenly Celeste steps forward and the moon lights her up in an eerie glow. She has long black hair that hangs loose at her hips. Her skin is a sickly white color made worse by her dark blue dress. She makes a tsking sound when her soulless eyes land on Shiloe and I. "You poor dears. If only you had been found earlier. We could have saved you."

"They would be soulless weapons, you mean." Miss Fazer spits at Celeste. Her gaze leaves us and lands on Miss Fazer.

"Aah!" Miss Fazer falls her hands wound tightly in her hair. "Stop!"

"I have gotten better, have I not?" Celeste grins her teeth gleaming.

"Please stop!" Miss Fazer says as blood seeps from under her fingernails. Seeing this Shiloe steps in front of Miss Fazer. As soon as eye contact is broken Miss Fazer falls back. Strands of hair coming away with her hands. I lift her under the shoulders and drag her a short ways away the turn back to Shiloe. Her face is covered in sweat. I look at Celeste who is also drenched and looking very angry.

"You have a strong mind, Shiloe. I wonder why that is." Celeste says through gritted teeth. Shiloe gasps and Celeste's grin grows. "Oh. I see."

"No!" Shiloe screams as she charges Celeste.

"Shiloe!" I yell. Miss Fazer grabs my hand preventing me from charging. "No!" I watch as my friend who has never been tired in her life is dripping with sweat and fighting to move forward just one more step. Celeste taunts Shiloe by stepping in and out of reach. I turn to look at Miss Fazer who still grips my hand. "What is she doing to Shiloe?"

Miss Fazer grimaces before answering. "She is forcing Shiloe to relive her most traumatic experiences on loop."

"How?" I practically shout.

"Because she is a telepath. She is like us."

"Enhanced?"

"Yes." We both look up at the sound of a click. Once again I am staring down the barrel of a gun.

The man rolls onto his side breathing heavily never looking away from us. "I said no funny business." He cocks his head so that he can yell over his shoulder towards Celeste. "Hey, how come you haven't dispatched these two yet?"

"Because there is a third one we weren't anticipating Bert." She spits his name like is poison.

"Huh?" Burt turns more to try and see Shiloe and Miss Fazer takes that moment to lung. The gun goes off at her sudden movement. I drop to the ground in terror. I hear a scream and scuffling then things are quiet.

"Willow?" Someone taps on my shoulder. I crack my eyes and see Miss Fazer leaning over me.

"How are you alive?" I ask as she pulls me upright.

Shiloe drags the unconscious Celeste to where Bart lies in a collapsed heap. "She fazes. That's how we got up here. I jumped and we went right through the ceiling."

"Oh." I look between them then to the two people on the ground. "My brain feels so overloaded."

"Miss Fazer" Shiloe begins.

"Sam." Sam Miss Fazer cuts her off. "I go by Sam. Miss Fazer is the identity I assume when I must play a part."

"Okay, Sam, who are you really. What is going on?" Shiloe finishes.

Sam looks at the people on the ground then shakes her head. "Not here. We need to go."

"What about them?" Shilio gestures to Celeste and Bert.

Sam looks down at them then as if they are roaches spoiling her food stores. "We leave them. They won't harm the Regulars when they wake up." Shiloe opens her mouth to speak, but Sam cuts her off. "What would you rather do? Kill them? Do you want that on your hands? On your conscience? Leave them." Shiloe's hands fist but she shakes her head. "Then follow me."

Sam walks a short way to an empty space on the roof. Her hand reaches towards empty air and her fingers curl in midair. She jerks her arm back a distinct clicking sound can be heard. She keeps pulling and a changing in the scenery occurs. Where a straight shot view of fields once was, a door to a literal flying ship is. Me and Shiloe share a glance. "In you go." Sam says to us ushering us to enter the doorway. Shiloe takes a step forward, but I yank on her arm.

"What about your mom? My parents, John?" I whisper to her. Her eyes are wide darting between me and the door.

"Willow, what about what happened tonight? Do you really think we can stay here?"

"But"

"We can't stay."

"I will explain more soon, but it is becoming increasingly unsafe to stay here. If we wait then we may not be able to prevent bloodshed." Sam says.

I step away from both of them and go back to the thin rope. "I can't leave. Not like this. What would they think?" I say before I throw my legs over the edge. I pause waiting for Shiloe to follow. She looks away. I descend the ladder, alone.