{"id":745,"date":"2011-10-07T00:00:21","date_gmt":"2011-10-07T04:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=745"},"modified":"2011-10-05T09:34:52","modified_gmt":"2011-10-05T13:34:52","slug":"day-18-chapter-11-03","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=745","title":{"rendered":"Day 18 – Chapter 11 – 03"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDamn her,\u201d Rory mumbled under his breath as he tramped down into the fringes of the ravine down one of the paths sheltered by the rubble of some of the dormitories.\u00a0 What the hell is she panicking about?\u00a0 So Leah decided to wander off on her own.\u00a0 Not all of us are that keen on staying together all the time.<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He\u2019d had the advantage of being able to buck that rule a bit, mostly because of the effect he\u2019d had on the grays when they\u2019d attacked Marin.\u00a0 He still wasn\u2019t quite sure what he\u2019d done, other than let loose something that lurked inside of him, something he tried to keep tightly bottled up.\u00a0 No one tried to stop him when he slipped off alone on short walks in the area, hikes up to the ruins of 45 and back, sometimes across to the orchard.\u00a0 As long as he brought back any fruit he found ripe, no one really complained.\u00a0 A few asked why he was allowed to wander freely, but a shrug usually quieted the questions.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 After all, no one really wanted to go anywhere alone but him.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 That\u2019s what landed him heading down into the ravines by himself to see what the heck Leah was doing on her own down by the river.\u00a0 He had absolutely no doubt that she was just down there clearing her head, probably fishing like she\u2019d told Thom, just doing it alone rather than with a gaggle of other people.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It might\u2019ve been the end of the world, but not everyone wanted to be all huggy-touchy-feely\u2014or with other human beings twenty-four\/seven.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Of course, that morning, all he\u2019d wanted was a hot drink and a spot near the fire, since digging the well had left him feeling about twenty years older than he actually was, but Kellin had other ideas.\u00a0 More to the point, Leah<\/em> had other ideas, which caused Kellin to have other ideas.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDamn her,\u201d he muttered again, no longer sure who he was cursing about.\u00a0 At least they\u2019d let him go by himself rather than dragging someone along behind him.\u00a0\u00a0Brandon and Drew, Marin and Kellin, Stasia and Paul, and Davon and Jacqueline had all gone looking, too, hoping that they\u2019d find her that much faster.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019s probably down by the old crew launch, fishing.\u00a0 If it were me, that\u2019s where I\u2019d be.\u00a0 Good purchase and places to sit, current\u2019s not too fast, either.<\/em>\u00a0 Not that he trusted the Grand\u2019s bounty yet, but there were a few people more trustworthy of its yield than he was.\u00a0 As long as Tala kept on producing salted or smoked meat, he\u2019d be fine for a little longer.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The woods were dead still for most of the hike down.\u00a0 He\u2019d come to the spot where the hills started bottoming out into the river\u2019s upper flood shelf when he started hearing whispering rustles somewhere someplace above.\u00a0 The air was dead still, not even a breeze.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m not alone out here.<\/em>\u00a0 It was too high to be one of the others, too widespread to be a squirrel or another critter.\u00a0 He stopped walking, looking around slowly as he became aware of something dark, foreboding as his eyes sought their source.\u00a0 There were shadows moving through the trees, silent as the grave, around and above.\u00a0 He rocked back against his heels on the dirt trail, starting to hear the whisper of voices amidst the brush.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Forsake them, Old Soul, and come to us.\u00a0 We are your kind, blood of blood, flesh of flesh.<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 His heart began to pound, the sense of violence and darkness starting to sing in his blood even as his heartbeat pounded in his ears.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Come to us, Old Soul.\u00a0 Come to us.\u00a0 We ask for nothing but your hands and your talent.\u00a0 All else is yours.\u00a0 Help us.\u00a0 Help us.\u00a0 Help us.<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The whispers became a wail.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Help us!<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHelp you do what?\u201d\u00a0 He demanded, looking around at the shadows gathering along the trail, unnatural and concerning.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Help us!<\/em>\u00a0 The voice demanded it, now, instead of begging.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDo what?\u201d\u00a0 Rory asked again, voice as commanding as the whisperer\u2019s.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 You will help us, Old Soul, or suffer like the rest!<\/em><\/strong>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He opened his mouth to shout back at it but never got the chance.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The shadows coalesced into a mass around him, binding and choking, squeezing and clawing.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Fuck no,<\/em> he thought, you don\u2019t get me without a fight!<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He could feel the heat burning just beneath the surface, setting his palms tingling and eyes stinging.\u00a0 He could sense the clean heat building inside, begging for release.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou want me?\u201d\u00a0 He shouted.\u00a0 \u201cTry and take me!\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Even as the shadows forced him to a knee, heat and flame pulsed off of him in a shimmering, writhing wave.\u00a0 Tongues of flame licked hungrily out from him in a circle, devouring the shadows in their wake.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The shadows screamed as the clean flames touched them, consumed them, vanishing into dust and foul-smelling smoke one by one as Rory knelt on the ground, hands balled into fists.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He struggled for control, taking deep, labored breaths.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t like helping Drew save Marin.\u00a0 This was like the first time, trapped in the gym when he was twelve with no way out.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Of course, he didn\u2019t remember anything about that day beyond the flames erupting and waking up halfway down the hall.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Breathe.\u00a0 You\u2019ve got this.<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The flames sucked inward, vanishing with a pop mere inches from his skin.\u00a0 The acrid smell of burnt hair lingered as he slowly straightened up and flaked some dried mud off his knee.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I think I had some control there.\u00a0 Maybe a little.<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 That control had been tenuous at best, though, and he grimaced.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Next time, don\u2019t start to panic.<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Rory looked around.\u00a0 No sign of anyone coming to investigate.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Must\u2019ve been quiet, or far enough away.\u00a0 Either way, small favors strike again.<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A shiver went down his spine at the memory of those voices.\u00a0 They\u2019d scratched at his brain, at places he kept shut away, the dark, hidden places of his mind.\u00a0 That darker part of him had been deeply tempted, but he\u2019d refused.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t be sure he\u2019d manage to do that a second time.<\/p>\n

\n

First<\/a>\u00a0\u2022\u00a0Previous<\/a>\u00a0\u2022 Next<\/a> \u2022\u00a0Latest<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDamn her,\u201d Rory mumbled under his breath as he tramped down into the fringes of the ravine down one of the paths sheltered by the rubble of some of the dormitories.\u00a0 What the hell is she panicking about?\u00a0 So … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-745","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-chapter-11","category-day-18"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-c1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/745","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=745"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/745\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":756,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/745\/revisions\/756"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=745"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=745"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=745"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}