Rewriters [Completed]

Chapter 16: The Only Future

For the first time in months, Lysa didn't wake up in the middle of the night, drenched in cold sweat. That wasn't to say she had a fitful sleep, however, as she woke up at six in the morning, feeling too restless to go back to sleep.

As she made her way to the kitchen to grab a quick snack, she heard soft snoring sounds from the living room. Kaleo was passed out on the sofa with his headphones around his ears.

She let out a sigh, bending down slightly as she placed a pillow under his head, moving him to a more comfortable position. He stirred and she quickly moved away before he noticed.

"Lysa...?" he mumbled, fumbling for his phone to check the time. When he got it, he squinted against the light. "Is there something wrong? You are up really early."

"No." She stood in place, averting her gaze awkwardly. "Sorry... for waking you up."

"It's okay," he said, getting up from the sofa and putting on his maroon jacket. "Um... do you feel up to talking a quick walk around the neighbourhood? Maybe some fresh air would be good."

"Sure."

Kaleo blinked, clearly taken aback by how readily she agreed. "Oh, that's great! I'll... um... just wait for you by the door."

"No need." Lysa took the essentials: her phone, inhaler, keys, including her jacket in case it got cold. As she walked up to him, he seemed slightly baffled.

"Let's go."

He nodded. "Okay."

She couldn't remember when was the last time she took a stroll. A month ago, the thought of going out left her skin pricking with unease and on particularly worse days, she felt too shaken by the memory to get out of bed.

Even now, that feeling of unease lingered but for some reason, it did not bother her as much as she thought it would.

"How are you feeling today?" Kaleo asked.

"Okay."

A shadow of doubt crossed his face. "Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"Are you hurting anywhere?"

Lysa was about to respond when she realised he was referring to physical pain. "No," she spoke, frowning slightly. He had asked her that question before, except it was more specific that time. "Why do you ask?"

The expression on his face told her that he was brooding over something. Whatever it was, it seemed rather dire for him to be so uncharacteristically deep in thought.

"Ever since I got my powers, my... father always told me to inform him if I ever felt pain, especially around here." He gestured around his heart. "I only found out why four years ago. If you ever feel that something is eating away at you... um... your power might be killing you."

A chill sank into her heart as she stopped walking abruptly. "I... felt it before... after my father died..."

Kaleo tried not to let panic show on his face, but she had come to realise that he was bad at hiding his emotions. He took in a shuddering breath.

"Did anything else happen?"

"No... but my heart felt like it was going to explode."

"Okay..." Some of the tension eased up from his face, replaced by a grave expression. "Sorry for upsetting you... but I felt that you deserved to know."

She said nothing, holding her arms together.

"Lysa... the other reason why I told you is because I'm worried about you. If you keep overstraining your power... your body might not be able to take it and..." He couldn't bear to finish that sentence.