Alessandra Faye

34

We walk away leaving Ethan behind. What he did was uncalled for. Why would he do such a thing? She's been through so much. After all that's happened you would think she would at least have some luck with guys. I look down at the tiny map lying in the palm of my hand. Four glowing dots are coming towards us with increasing speed. How in the world do these guys get to us so fast? I swear I think we're chipped with tracking devices. I reach up to my neck, running my hand over it. I don't feel anything but I don't think I would if they wanted to hide it. I look up at Alessandra and feel a pang of guilt. Maybe I shouldn't worry her with more things but if I don't then we could die. I feel bad having to worry her with something new.
"Alessandra," I say slowly. She glances back at me, her eyes gliding over the map.
"We have some more company." I say uncomfortably.
She turns around and strides towards me. Looking at the map, she strokes her chin as if she's thinking. She looks up at me nervously.
"How long do we have till we reach the main room?" she asks, looking nervously at the map.
I look at the map surveying the distance to the main room with all the scientists running everywhere. It looks about twenty minutes from here. I look nervously behind me. Do we have enough time to get there?
"Twenty minutes at the most." I look at her waiting for her reaction.
She glances nervously behind my shoulder then looks at the map chewing her lip. "We can make it if we run fast." She looks at me with a determined look.
I shrug my shoulders at her. I'm not sure we can make it at our speed but I can't tell her that. It'll just get her worked up again, not like she isn't already worked up.
"If you say so." I look at her nervously.
"Okay, then let's get a move on." She looks at every one of us with a hopeful look.
With one more look around the group, she turns around and starts running down the hallway. I follow her lead, the rest falling into place behind me. We run a few minutes in silence. I examine the back of Alessandra while I run. How did this whole thing start? If I remember right it was at least a few weeks ago when we were sitting on the couch. Where did the time go? I look at Alessandra thinking that is this hadn't happened then what would we be doing right now? Probably fixing somewhat of a dinner. Of course, Nathan would be cooking since no one else can cook that good. As soon as I think of Nathan the memory of him striding up to us in the main room. It hasn't passed my mind of telling Alessandra. Should I? I don't think I should, if she ever finds out that Nathan is here with them and possibly working with them then that would be another heartbreak. I don't think her heart can deal with breaking again. So, I won't tell her. I'll let her find out on her own. I'm probably making the worst decision in my life. Oh well, I've made plenty of those. None of them have had that bad of a consequence, yet.
I can feel my breathing starting to get shorter and more frequent. I need to work out some more next time but I'm not going to be the reason we all die. I turn my head up high and pull shoulders back with my arms pulled tight beside my side. Then I keep trudging along. Thankfully in the next few minutes Allie requested a rest stop.
"Shew, I can't go on any longer, I'm sorry Alessandra." Allie's face is red and her chest is fluctuating hard trying to support Allie's lungs.
Alessandria skids to a stop. I watch her walk over to the wall and just slide down it with no hope or care left in the world. Striding over, I plop myself down beside her. I play with my fingers until I get the courage to ask her the question that's been playing in everybody's mind in the group.
"What happened back there between you and Ethan?" I watch her expectantly waiting for her response.
She lays her head back against the wall and closes her eyes. Shrugging her shoulders, "I don't even know anymore. I try not to think about it too much."
I know I shouldn't press on but I need to know whatever happened can be fixed. "Well, maybe you can tell me."
Her eyes land on me. They're filled with hurt and regret. "Why do you want to know so badly?"
I just shrug my shoulders, "I just do."
"Fine. He accused me of still loving Dylan and then he acted like a 2-year-old by storming off." She throws her hand up at the direction we just came.
"Do you still love Dylan?" I know what her answer is going to be. No, I don't like Dylan. Why does everybody keep asking me that?
She shrugs her shoulders. "I guess, I don't really know what I feel about anymore."
That is not the response I was expecting. I decide this situation needs a love expert and I'm not that good at love but I can give some good advice. Just ask Allie. She'll tell you that when it comes to personal advice I'm the one to go to. Not that I'm bragging on myself or anything.
"Well, just think about it. The first time you and Dylan met, how did you feel?"
"I thought his blue eyes were mesmerizing."
Okay that's a little weird to say but it's her own opinion. Now to rip the bandage off. This might sting a little.
"How did you feel with Ethan when you all first met?"
"Nothing. I felt nothing at all. It's just the tugging sensation in my stomach was the only reason I was the least bit curious about him and I."
So, she doesn't love Ethan but she doesn't really like Dylan. Sounds like we've got a love triangle here and I just got myself right in the middle of it.
"I think that tells you your answer. You don't love Ethan but you did love Dylan for a short time. What I want to know is why did you stop loving him?"
"Why do you care so much about my relationship problems?" she stares at me, annoyed.
"I just want to get things back to normal!" I yell at her. I don't know why she's getting so worked up about this. It's not like I'm asking her to rip her heart open for me. I just asked a couple of question to get to know the situation between Ethan, Dylan, and her.
She pushes herself up from the wall beside me. "Stop asking about my personal life and start worrying about your own!" she yells at me before stalking off to the other wall. She plops herself down beside Dylan obviously pouting. That's it! It is about time we change the way she acts. I push myself up to my feet with a lot of force, causing me to stumble a little. Within seconds of getting to my feet I'm standing in front of Alessandra. My face is heating up fast and then my arm bursts into flames. It's a good thing I don't have long sleeves on.
"What is the matter with you?" I scream out.
She looks up at me with a bored look on her face. "I can't deal with this now."
I grab her arm and jerk her up to her feet. She wipes her hands on her jeans.
"It's time you have an attitude adjustment."
"Why do I need that?" she steps up to me until her face is right in mine. "You're the one that needs an attitude adjustment."
I laugh, it echoes off the walls. So, I practically just gave the ones chasing us our location. I whip the map out, looking at the direction we just came. They're still some little miles behind us but they should be on top of us soon. I turn the map off and stick my hand in my pockets.
"Come on. We have to go before they get here." I start to turn around to start running again. Alessandra grabs my arm tightly.
"No, we're going to settle this right now." her words drip with anger.
I turn my head around to face her. Her face is covered in red. She almost looks like a strawberry. If you gave her some green hair and drew some dots on her face then we'd have an angry strawberry.
"What is wrong with me?" she asks me.
I shrug my shoulders, "Nothing."
"Well, it has to be something if people are starting to burst out in anger at me." she looks at me waiting for my response.
"You're just a little difficult to handle." I tell her.
"How? I've kept you alive by being difficult. You would be dead if I was so cool about everything."
"Maybe, but we'll never know if you keep acting like a two-year-old."
"I'm not the two-year-old. He's the two-year-old!" she stabs at the hallway we just came from.
"No, you're both two-year-old's but Ethan was at least a little cooperative."
"Whatever. We need to go." She shoves me hard out of the way with her shoulder.
I stare daggers in her back. She glances back at me and I whip my head back up to her face.
"If you want to leave to than get moving or you won't be alive tomorrow."
I shake my head. She turns her head around, "That's what I thought."
She starts running and I fall in behind. I bring out the map occasionally to check the other team. The sixth time I check the map I find the dots in the place we just left a couple of minutes ago. I look behind my shoulder at the dark hallway. Then I hear it, a couple of voices bouncing off the walls and into my ears. The voice's start screaming. Their boots slam against the floor. I turn my head back around, my breathing coming out in short breaths. I start to pick up the speed and soon I am running up alongside Dylan.
I lean my head in towards him and whisper into his ear, "They're right behind us. We need to run faster."
He looks behind him. In just a few seconds his eyes go wide. I look back curious at what he saw. In dark black uniforms so they can blend into the hallway are four big figures coming towards us.
"Alessandra, we need to get out of here now." Dylan demands at her.
She doesn't even have to look behind her to know it was time to increase the speed. she looks at me nervously, "Isabelle, can you speed each one of us out of here before they catch up to us?"
I glance down at the map. Their too close but I think I can make it if I can increase my speed by about 10 more miles per minute. I have never gone that fast before. There's so many things that could go wrong if I don't reach that speed. the others could get captured before I can get to them. I could die, which is the worst thing that could happen. I look at her and nod, "I'll try."
She nods her head. I look behind me nervously, "Okay, who's first?" I look back at Alessandra.
She looks around the group. "I made a promise to you guys to protect each one of you and that is what I'm going to do." She steps up to me and grabs me by the shoulders. "You have to promise me that you get every one of them out of here. Promise me!"
I shake my head, knowing that she wants me to leave her behind if it comes to it. "No, Alessandra!" The tears start to flow down my face. "I can't do that. I won't do that! I'm coming back for you if it is the last thing I do."
She grips my shoulders firmly. "I order you to get the others out and don't worry about me."
I shake my head fiercely, "No, Alessandra, this is a death wish!"
Tears form in her eyes, "I know but I made a promise and I keep my promises. I love you guys so much! Be safe my loves."
She kisses each of our head with a gentle touch. Then she grabs Allie and puts her down gently in my arms. Allie struggles to get out of my arms but she can't do it. Tears are flowing down her face forming little squiggly lines. Alessandra leans down and kisses my forehead one more time.
"I love you so much, Isabelle. Keep them safe for me, please."
I nod my head, afraid that if I speak I'll break down again. Turning towards the direction I am headed, I take one last glance at Alessandra. Her eyes are red from crying but she is trying to put a brave face on for us. I can see that it's not working. I turn my head and push off my right leg with a lot of force. The hallway speeds past us or it's me that speeds past it. Colors blend in with each other making more dull colors. The tears that were threatening to flow down my face are now frozen in time. Allie has her head tucked tight into my chest. I know in my head that I am not going the speed I want to but I can't waste all my energy on one person. I must have enough to get Alessandra out of there before she's killed by the advancing enemies. Within minutes I'm standing outside of the building. I lay Allie down gently on the grass in a secluded area where no one will see her.
"Stay here." I whisper to her. She nods her head quietly at me.
I turn back around and take off again. Colors blend with each other, time freezes in place it seems like. Then I'm standing right in the middle of a warzone. Two sides fighting each other with a deadly force. I look around desperately trying to spot out Alessandra and Dylan. My eyes land on Dylan in a far corner fighting with two bulky guys. Each time Dylan delivers a punch to one of the guys faces they both deliver two hard punches into Dylan's chest causing him to double over in pain. Then I find Alessandra fighting off three not so bulky guys. She's doing fine with the help of her two swords but I know before long she is going to get tired. I want to help her but she ordered me to get the others out and I can't go against her orders. It's a sacred law we made when she became leader. No one puts their life on the line for her. Like she says, 'I can fight my battles for myself'. There is another person fighting beside Alessandra in the same outfit as hers. This can be only one other person, Ethan. It's nice to know he came back, I guess. What am I doing? There is no time to waste here. I grab Dylan out of the battle and speed towards outside. I make it to outside and lay Dylan down beside Allie. They look at each other, a sense of understanding passing between them.
"You have to leave Alessandra, Isabelle," Allie declares to me.
"It's for the best."
"No, I can't leave her. I have so much time left to get her and Ethan out alive." I look down at the map. There's two against two right now. Like I said I have enough time to get her and Ethan out. Just have to break my record.
Before she can protest, I head off towards the battle. The same process happens, colors blend in with colors, and time seems to freeze but never does. Inside my head I know I'm not going fast but I don't know how to go faster. I never did find out how to during my 14 years of life. I know I must increase my speed by jumping off one foot with a powerful force. I concentrate on my legs, the movement between them. In a couple of seconds my mind seems to grab my right leg and push it down the hallway with a force even I couldn't do. Then just like that I'm moving faster than the speed of light.
I emerge right in the middle of an intense standoff between Alessandra and the two left standing on the other side. Ethan catches my eye. He shakes his head fiercely at me. "No," he mouths to me.
"I can't leave her," I mouth back.
"You have to," he mouths back.
I stomp my right foot on the floor and bite my lip. Why does everyone seem to not care about Alessandra? I must save her! I just know it. Pushing off my right leg, I speed towards Alessandra. Halfway there some kind of forcefield slings me backwards. My back slams into the wall. Ow! I can feel a couple of my ribs break with the impact. Scrambling to my feet, I look around trying to process where the shield came from. My eyes land on the source of it. Ethan has arms up producing a silvery substance from his hands. Oh, so now we have wizards in this world. That's just awesome!
"Go!" a voice yells at me.
I look at Ethan. His mouth isn't moving but how is he talking to me. Then it hits me, the forcefield he's projecting can also deliver messages. He's a powerful wizard then. No, guys I'm kidding there aren't any wizards in this story. This isn't like Harry Potter. Even though those books were awesome. This case of a forcefield comes from a new power holding person and it just happens to be Ethan. I bring my hands up to the forcefield, trying to push against it. It doesn't seem to want to budge. Alessandra's eyes glance at mine.
Her mouth has just enough time to scream, "Get out of here!"
Then one huge hand comes down and slams into her hand knocking Alessandra unconscious. I slide down the forcefield and onto my knees screaming.
"NO!" I scream with everything I have. They pick her up, dragging her limp body across the floor. Ethan looks at me before he follows them.
"I'm sorry."
Then the forcefield disappears causing my hands to fall onto the floor.