Rocky Raymond //Book Five// - COMPLETED

Chapter 21 - Seeing Red

MacKenzie's POV

I sit next to Iris in a chair

Nora is awake now -- still in bed though

"So, can you try wiggling your toes?" Caitlin asks

"I can't." Nora says

"Again?" Caitlin asks

"I can't." Nora says

Caitlin touches Nora's foot with a measurer

"Anything?" Caitlin asks

"I don't feel anything." Nora says through her teeth

"Okay, well, Cicada's dark matter has left your system, so you should be healing soon." Caitlin says. "I mean, since my last scan, your spinal axons have grown five millimeters."

"That's something, right?" Iris says

"It's progress." Caitlin says. "Maybe not quite the speed we were hoping for, but it's something. I'm going to go run a few more tests."

Caitlin walks out

Nora breathes deeply, holding back tears

"Hey." Iris whispers. "Don't give up, okay? Growth is growth."

"Normal axon growth rate reaches five millimeters a day in a large nerve." Nora says. "With speed healing, mine should be over 100."

"How do you know that?" Iris asks

"I took neuro-regeneration in my fifth grade STEM class." Nora says through tears

"I took fractions in fifth grade." Iris says

Iris and Nora laugh

"What if I don't heal, Mom?" Nora asks through tears. "What if I never get better?"

I sniffle

"Can I just be left alone for a little bit, please?" Nora asks

"Yeah. Okay." Iris says

Iris gets up and gently grabs my hand

We walk out

I let go of Iris' hand, running down the hall to find Caitlin

She's in the speedlab

Well, Frost is in the speedlab

I walk in and immediately watch her shatter the whiteboard with ice

Ralph run in

I wipe away a tear and grin

"That was kinda cool." I say

"I respect your right to protest the cure, Frosty, but even for me, that is excessive." Ralph says, walking over and putting a hand on my shoulder

"Well, maybe Caitlin will get the hint now." Frost says

Barry walks in

"Uh..." Barry whispers

"Snow and Frost are having creative differences." Ralph explains

"I'll get Caitlin." Frost says, rolling her eyes

"No, I-I need you, actually." Barry says, handing her a list. "We need to get all those metas to a safe house before Cicada finds them."

"Oh, and you think they're going to listen to me?" Frost asks. "50/50 on that. I haven't quite lived up to my name. But I do know where we should start." She looks at me. "But we probably shouldn't bring that one."