Can't Hide Forever - The Darkest Minds

Two

They try to lead me to the car, but I stand unmoved. "I'm not going anywhere with you," I tell Cate when she notices me not following. "Please, we want to help you. we won't hurt you like they did at the camps. We help kids like you," she tries to explain. I still don't trust them, I can't trust anyone.

When I see her lock eyes with Rob as they both approach me I finally understand how fucked I am. "You're not going to let me go are you?" I ask them, as much as I want to make a run for it, I know I am too tired to fight all three, especially because they'll see it coming. Cate sighs, "We don't want to leave you, we want to help." She says.

My shoulders slouch in defeat. I collect my backpack and follow her back to her van. I can't fight anymore, I can't run anymore. I pile into the back of the vehicle with Cole, Rob taking the wheel, Cate in the passenger seat. We drive in silence for what feels like an eternity before the it is broken. "What's your name?" Cate asks, peering at me through the rearview mirror. I contemplate for a moment whether I should answer, but then decide I don't trust these people yet and stay bound to silence.

After a couple of minutes, Cate sighs and turns around to face me. "Look I know you don't trust us right now, and that's ok, but we want to help you. We are going to HQ, a facility run by the children's league. You will be fed properly and clothed, there are other kids like you there". It was a great attempt at comfort. I'd like to belive her words, but I am crushed with utter reality. They don't know what I am. There is no one else out there like me.

According to the IAAN spectrum of disease, the infected sway to one color category. Green, blue, yellow, red, or orange. I am not like them. Instead of one, all of those powers rage inside me. It comes as an rather obvious decision to keep my powers a secret. After another long silence, I sigh, finally easing a bit to Cate's apparent kindness.

"Tess," I say almost too quiet to hear. She lets out a small smile "Tess. What's your color?" she asks. Ah, there it is, the question I have been dreading. Although they claim to be there to help, it's a overused promise I've come to know too well. The same promise the Doctors at Thurmond preached before they couldn't figure out what I was. Couldn't determine if it was me who needed protection or them. Before they ran their series of tests that haunt me to this day.

Lying about my color has become second nature and feels as natural as breathing. Although I can technically choose any color, the powers on the higher end of the spectrum are too powerful for me to control, I don't want them to see that. "Green".

The ride is bumpy as we ride over the pot-hole covered roads, bouncing up and down. Cole glances at me, as if trying to figure me out. When I meet his gaze, he flashes what seemes to be an attempt at a comforting smile. Bet that grabs most ladies doesn't it. Nice try. I break our stare and resort to playing with the hem of my uniform, noticing our path through the window as we continue.

When we finally come to a stop, I see we are at a large warehouse. The door opens behind me and I follow as Cole starts to climb out of the van. We walk inside, the temperature immediatly dropping. There are tables of chattering children along with a few tables of adults. I feel as all the children's eyes fall on me, specifically my Thurmond uniform which I was still wearing as I walk by.

Cate walks me into a room of bunkers and hands me a small bag. "In here are clothes and things to help you wash up," she winks "I was even able to sneak in a book for you." I smile in gratitude, then she leads to the bathroom, "You can take a shower and I'll meet up with you in a bit." She informed me, walking away.

Stripping down, I step into the shower. The water feels nice as it flows down my body. My skin has been caked with dirt and blood for weeks. I scrub until it's gone, watching the filthy water stream down my body, slowly turning more clear. When I feel I have cleaned myself to the best of my ability, I change into the new clothes. A blue t-shirt and grey sweatpants, works for me. Anything beats the Thurmond uniform. I shove it back into the bag and rummage through the other items Cate gave me.

I find two hairbands and a brush and decide to do something about my hair. As my fingers detangle my hair, I am overcome with deja vu. I see my sister Grace, her steady hands showing me how to braid, an overwhelming amount of happiness and sadness washing over me. I weave my hair until it sits in two clean braids.

I look like a new person. Closely tudying myself in the mirror for the first time in years, I notice how much I've changed. My dirty-blonde hair and vibrant green eyes, freckles scattered sloppily over my nose and rosey cheeks. The braids lining my head look so slick and clean that I laugh for a second, knowing Grace would be proud.

Before I leave the view of the mirror, I want to see one more thing. With a regular kids abilities, the color their eyes light up when using their abilities coorelate with the color in which their power has been organized to. I realize I have never noticed which color my eyes turned. I look in the mirror, triggering my abilities. A swirl of the rainbow comes around my irises, all the colors intertwining and wrapping around each other. I can't deny the beauty of it, as if a rainbow is trapped in my iris. If I couldn't come to ever except that I was a monster who's powers controlled them, at least I could have the beauty in this. I walk out of the bathrooms and find Cate nearby, following her to the cafeteria of sorts.

I don't know where I am of what this place has in store for me, I must be on edge. But I can't seem to shake the fact that there are more ways staying here can go wrong then right.

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Heyyoooo
I just can't rave enough about this series. I read so much and honestly nothing compares :)
I absolutely love the characters and plot.
It's so fun creating my own version of the story!