Ataxia

twenty-eight

Orion

It was a rush as I made my way through the hallways, barking orders and leading everyone to the safe room. We were under attack. I tried my best to scan everyone before leaving, but I couldn't catch a few people like Des or August or Wynn or Johnnay following me. They must have been with another group. But I could not worry about it right now. I had to focus on what was happening in front of me.

A giant rumbling sound made me topple over and I fell to the ground. Several people tried to help me up and I refused service. My head was elsewhere. That noise ... it came from something huge and powerful. It had to be someone's abilities.

"Jennifer!" I yelled, halting, making everyone else copy my movements. "I need you to take the rest of the kids to the safe room!" I yelled over the destruction and shrieking.

"What about you?" She asked. I grinned. That was why I chose her as second-in- command. She was tough, smart, but was concerned about everything and everyone, even if it was minor.

"I'm going to check out what that loud noise was!" I continued screaming at the top of my lungs. "I think someone may be in trouble!"

"Did you see it?" She asked.

"No," I replied. "But I'm going to anyway. They may be seriously hurt."

"Moving fast isn't your strong suit! Are you sure you don't want someone like Valerie to go with you?"

"No," I shook my head. "They might get hurt, too! Take them with you, now! I'll return with you once I get the chance!"

Jennifer nodded, and being obedient, ran off, uttering words of comfort to my roommates as they ran off towards the safe room. I had to worry about them later. For now, I needed to be concerned about that huge noise. It shook the entire building. That can only mean trouble.

I dashed towards the noise from where I heard it, pushing past several people on my way. Eventually and gradually, there were no more kids or adults so I could search freely. One of the classroom doors was open and the rest were closed so I decided to check it out. I peeked inside and I nearly yelled.

Wynn was there in a crumpled heap, in the middle of the classroom floor. He was out cold and about half of his head was bathed in fresh blood. One of his bones was bent in an oddly-shaped way and his breathing was really shallow. Most of his clothes were torn up, exposing bruises and cuts. What in the world happened to him?

"Wynn!" I rushed over, bending down on one knee to examine him further.

"O -- rion ...?" He mumbled, opening one eye that wasn't coated in blood.

"Don't say anything," I insisted. "You were hurt pretty badly. Now, can you walk?"

"No ...," he took a deep breath. "I think ... I can stand ... though." I helped prop himself up and hoisted him onto my back. I felt my hoodie being stained by his blood and I shuddered. He must have gone through hell to get this bad. "You ... don't ... have to carry ... me."

"Oh, yes, I do." I nodded, beginning to jog towards Mrs. Katie's clinic, which was in the school area. "Look at yourself, Wynn. You are barely able to stand and you are coated in blood."

"I ... am ...?" He asked into my shoulder. He sounded like he was about to fall asleep.

"Well, yeah."

"That guy ... must've been super strong to ... all this." He uttered again.

"One person did all this?" I exclaimed, not completely surprised. There were multiple people out there with crazy abilities. But to do this level of damage ... it had to have been some power. "Jeez, Wynn, why didn't you run away?"

"Tell me ...," he said, completely ignoring my question. "Is ... Des alright ...?"

I wondered why he was worried about that. Shouldn't he be worried about himself? He was torn up pretty badly. "I don't know. But I'm sure we'll know after all this is over."

"No ..." Wynn protested. "We ... need to make sure ... she's okay."

"Why?"

"They're ... after her." He sounded like he was about to slip into unconsciousness again.

"Who?"

"The ... attackers." And he was out cold.

I pushed on, running up stairs to the clinic room. I hoped the nurse, Mrs. Katie, was there. Wynn was fading, fast. He needed medical attention, now.

Hold on, Wynn.