Arlo's Birthday!

Part 35

Numb. 

My entire body was numb.

I vaguely heard the sirens around me or the yells of voices slightly familiar. 

Were they my friends?

Who was I?

Was I alive?

Maybe not. 

It didn't matter. 

I saw a faint shadow.

At least the sun was now out of my eyes.

He had green hair.

*************

It was the first time John had actually cried. Sure, he'd shed tears before due to anger. Some to sadness. But he never really cried. 

It wasn't the first time Remi had screamed. She screamed a lot. But it was usually out of fear, or anger. But this time was different - she screamed out of pure anguish. 

Blyke couldn't think straight. He was always a good thinker - no. Scratch that. He never was a good thinker. But he really couldn't believe that the base of the building had just given way due to the bombs in the basement. 

And Claire. She hated herself. 

If she hadn't let herself be injected with the liquid she had made herself, maybe her clairvoyance would have clicked in. 

She could have prevented this. 

***************

Seraphina burst through the door along with Isen, Anya, and Cecile. She was surprised Cecile wanted to come. But she didn't have the time to interrogate her about why. 

She saw Remi and John sitting, their wounds wrapped in pure white bandages. John looked up to see her dashing over to them.

Seraphina: Start from the top. What in the world happened John?

John wasn't sure if he could phrase this right. 

He didn't know how to tell Seraphina that he had been dumb and not kept his ability active. They had literally gone into the base of EMBER. He should have had his ability active at all times. 

If he'd activated his ability just a second earlier, Arlo might have been fine. Battered, but fine. They could've fought over who did most of the work during this mission. They could've beat each other up in the hallways of the hospital.

They could've become friends, after forgiving each other for everything they had done. 

But he hadn't activated his ability fast enough. After the basement started to blow up, John had merely crouched in shock, listening to Remi's screams. He watched the barrier flicker once when he realized Arlo wasn't inside the protective barricade. Only then, did he activate his ability and make a barrier over Arlo. 

He didn't know how long the explosions went on for. Slowly, the sounds died down. All the bombs had gone off. 

Debris was everywhere. He couldn't see. But the barrier Arlo had created flickered a few more times. Then it had disappeared. 

Remi had been the first to act. She tried to wave away the dust and smoke in the air, but not succeeding. John wanted to run over there right now to Arlo and punch him for making him worry. 

He was very worried. 

He didn't know that Blyke had called Doc and the faculty at Wellston to come. They didn't want to risk calling the authorities. For all they knew, the authorities were EMBER. He didn't even yell at Claire to get out of his life.