Mind Games

Chapter 8

We walked down the street at a quick pace. It was starting to get light out, people were waking up to start the day. Our day however, hadn't ended yet. Katrina told me about her first encounter with the hunters and how they killed her whole family trying to get to her. She had been on the run for over 70 years. Was this really my life now? "I'm staying at one of the refuge's right now. They took me in after I was shot by one of the hunters bullets. The leader healed me with his powers and took me in. I don't know how I'm going to talk them into letting you in to the refuge. They don't take to strangers." She explained. "Well just tell them that I'm one of you guys." I said, trying to think of a way in. "Doesn't work like that. They don't take in strays. Too risky. We can't afford getting tracked down. We don't know who is looking for you." She said. I stopped. "Then why are you even wasting my time?" I said, anger and a loss of hope in my voice. "Calm down, spikes. Just follow my lead." She laughed. "Why do you got to call me spikes. How did you even come up with that nickname." I said, confused and offended by the nickname she had given me. She pointed to her head. "Your hair. You got crazy spikes, so I call you spikes. Be happy I don't call you duck face." She laughed. What was that supposed to mean.

She kept walking and I had to jog a little to catch up, thrown off by her comeback. "The refuge is right over here. Stay here while I go talk to the leader. Don't move. I'll try and talk to him and see if you can stay here. Just wait down here though." Katrina said, going inside a building. I could see her walking up a flight of stairs through the window and then she disappeared from my sight. I waiting downstairs in the hallway for awhile. It was a rundown apartment building, looked almost empty. I could hear movement coming from upstairs. I wondered what was going on. I wondered what Katrina was talking to the leader about. After a few minutes Katrina came walking down the stairs. She had a blank face on and didn't say anything until she got down the stairs completely. She looked at me and smiled. "You don't have to thank me or anything, but he said you can stay. He just wants to meet you and talk to you, come on follow me." She said motioning me up the stairs.

When we got to the top of the stairs Katrina opened the door. Almost 25 other seekers were in the apartment, and they all looked my way. I was a newbie in their group, an outsider. I waved and nodded. A few people were friendly, welcoming me to the group. Others were giving me dirty looks, not so welcoming. "Go straight back down the hall and his office will be to your right. He just wants to talk to you, don't worry." Katrina said pointing straight ahead. I walked down the hallway slowly. What could he want to talk about? Was this a trap? Maybe all this wasn't such a good idea after all, but I knew Katrina. I saw her in my dreams, I knew I could trust her. If she said it was OK, then it had to be the truth. I turned into a little room and knocked on the door.

There was a chair facing the wall. It moved just the slightest. "Come in, Cole. Welcome to my home." A man said, he had a deep voice that made him sound like Hercules or something. I walked over to a chair that was on the opposite side of the desk and took a seat. "Thank you for letting me stay here, sir." The man cut me off. "My names Damien, don't call me sir. I hate that name, makes me feel old." Damien said. He turned around. Damien was big, muscular. He had dark brown hair and a golden brown skin that made him look like he laid out in the sun for hours and got perfectly tan. He had 2 quarter sized earrings in each ear, and the thing that stood out the most was the scar that ran down from his right eye all the way down to his mouth. I couldn't help but stare at it, I wondered what had happened. "I wanted to clarify some things before I officially welcome you into the group. I don't just take in strays usually. We don't like to subject ourselves to danger. Tell me a little about yourself and how you ran into Katrina." Damien said. He looked at me with no expression on his face. I stared at him for a second, not sure what to say. "Well, I uh... I um... I have hunters looking for me. Last night they came to my house and broke in. I'm not sure where my brother is, and I'm not sure if my father is OK. All I know is that I'm alone in the world now with no where to go. I can't control my gift, I don't know how, I need help. I can't do this alone. I dreamt about Katrina and then I ran into her on the bus. It was like fate, I knew I had met her for a reason. Now I need your help. I have to get to the portal. The safe haven portal. It could be my key to finding my mom." I said. Damien looked at me for a second, I didn't know if he was confused or interested in my story. "Who is your mom? Why are you looking for her?" Damien asked. "Because she could be the key to saving the world." I said. Damien looked at me for a moment.

He walked over to the other side of the room and picked up a glass. He dropped some ice cubes into the glass and picked up a bottle and started pouring himself a drink. He looked at me and offered me a glass but I waved my hand and shook my head, "No." He set the bottle down and grabbed his glass and walked back over to his chair and took a seat. He took a sip and looked at me again before saying anything. "So why should I let you into my group here, Cole?" He leaned forward, not breaking eye contact. I was getting frustrated now, did he not just listen to me? "I don't know why you should let me into your group, but I need you to. I can't do this alone. I don't know how to control myself, my powers are getting stronger. I need someone to teach me how to use them, I don't know what I'm capable of at the moment." I leaned back into my chair. He sat there for a while. He took a few sips of his drink, never breaking eye contact with me. I had enough, this guy obviously wasn't going to let me in the group. I started to get up and walked over to the door. I started to open it when Damien started to say something. "You're in. On one condition." He took another sip of his drink. I stopped and turned around. "I'll teach you how to control your powers, and I'll get you to the portal, but you have to agree to take Katrina with you." Damien said. I looked at him weird. Why did he want Katrina to go with me? "You got yourself a deal." I smiled. He got up and walked over to me. He gave me a slap on the back, "Lets go introduce you to everyone, shall we?" He smiled. He still had his glass in his hand and he opened the door and walked out, signaling me to follow him.

"Alright everybody listen up. This right here is Cole. He's new to the group so I need everyone to make him feel welcome. If anyone has a problem with him joining you can come talk to me about it." Damien's voice was powerful, the voice of a leader. "Katrina will show you your sleeping quarters. Dinner is at 6 o'clock no later, curfew is at 7 o'clock no later. Everyone is expected to do their part, help out with laundry, chores, and cooking. We'll start training tomorrow morning, so get some sleep. Welcome." Damien nodded tot Katrina and walked back down the hall towards his office. Katrina walked over to me. "Welcome to the group, Cole. Lets show you where you'll be sleeping. I followed her down the hall, the refuge was bigger than it looked on the outside. It stood four stories tall, the first floor contained the laundry area, the second floor was where I would be sleeping. The third floor was where the women slept, and the fourth floor was almost like a hangout place. The fourth floor was also where Damien's office was. Every floor had their own kitchen and bathroom. The group came in all ages. I was exhausted, Katrina showed me my bed and I immediately laid down, relieved to put my feet up and relax. I wondered what James and Lexi were doing right about now. I wanted to call James and see how he was doing, but it was too risky. I shut my eyes for a second holding back tears. I wondered how my dad was most of all, I prayed that he was still alive. "I'll let you get settled in and get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow, Cole. Goodnight, and welcome to the group. We're glad to have you." She smiled and left the room. I could hear her talking to some of the guys on the way out, but I didn't pay any attention. I was eager to get some sleep.