Chapter 4: Running away

Chapter 4 – Running Away

“We have to get out of here,” Cadell said. He was the first brave enough to speak.
Everyone was pretty banged and bruised after the large fight, though there were no major injuries or deaths in their small group.
“Where do we go?” Cora asked, her voice trembling with fear. She had a black eye and seemed to be limping a bit, scratches also running down her face.
Emre spoke up, saying, “There’s a forest right outside of Woodbury. It’s huge, but it’s sparsely populated.”
“Then let’s go,” Rush said without hesitation, staying close to Noelle.
Emre nodded, and nobody argued. He glanced at Ivory, saying, “Are you okay?”
Ivory was quiet and looked extremely shaken, which was understandable, considering she had just found her dad – and discovered he was a member of an anti-gifted cult.
She nodded weakly to Emre’s question, but stayed quiet. Emre didn’t pressure her to talk more, but gently wrapped an arm around Ivory, beginning to lead the way.
Cora and Try6stan followed after, Cadell behind them and Adyson was trailing quietly, looking sad and scared. Noelle and Rush were taking up the rear, and everyone was stepping over the unconscious bodies. They all walked quietly, remaining together.
It would have been easy to split up – everyone was obviously debating this option.
For one, they didn’t know each other very well, if at all. They couldn’t know if everyone around them had malign or benign motives. But one thing seemed to bind them all together: powers. They all had them, whether they wanted to admit it or not. .That seemed reason enough to stick together.
They walked in silence out of the park. No words could really describe what they were feeling. However, each person was thinking the same thing: We’re on the run
Which was true. Now that they had been discovered, they all had to flee Woodbury. It was no longer safe.
This was easy for Trystan and Adyson to accept. Though they had grown close to Blaze, they hadn’t known him for too long, so leaving him wouldn’t be so hard.
Emre’s parents were never home. They wouldn’t care if he disappeared. In fact, he was eager to be gone from Woodbury, where he’d lived all fifteen years of his life.
Ivory would’ve been happier had the situation been slightly different. Though she was glad to be rid of her foster parents, she was frightened at the prospect that her biological father was hunting her.
Noelle and Rush were relieved. Their parents had been catching onto their powers, and they would have had to flee soon enough anyways. As long as the two stayed together, they were content.
Cora and Cadell, however, were not so thrilled. Their parents had supported them ever since the discovery of their gifts. They had vowed to help the twins find their birth parents. Somehow they would have to get in contact with them and say their goodbyes.
For now, though, everyone’s main focus was survival. From now on, they would have to work together to stay alive.


They walked through the little town for about an hour before arriving at its edges.
“The forest is coming up soon,” Emre called. No one replied, which wasn’t surprising; they were all exhausted by now.
Emre sighed, glancing at Ivory, who still had the same, shaken look on her pale face. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, then glanced at his surroundings.
They were no longer in Woodbury.
The woods lay ahead, densely packed with trees. There was a badly marked path winding through the forest, so most likely they’d be free handing it through until they found an open spot to stay. The trees were tall and provided immense coverage. Even if it rained, they most likely would only be hit by a couple of drops.
“We’re here,” Emre said as he pushed some branches aside. Everyone squiggled their way into the thick woods until the eight stood on the messy dirt path.
“So what do we do now?” Trystan asked.
“We keep walking,” Emre said. “It’s not safe being here right at the edges. We’ll have to go deeper in.”
“Hang on,” Rush said as they started deeper into the forest.
“What?” Emre asked, looking annoyed.
“Depending on how long we stay, we’re going to need supplies – you know, food, clothes, maybe money,” Rush said.
Cora nodded in agreement, saying, “Maybe we could go in two groups and stop by our houses and stuff.”
“You mean like… we’ll split up and one group will wait here?” Cadell asked.
“Yeah,” Cora said, glancing around. “Anyone disagree?”
There wree a few mumbled agreements, and Cora said, “okay, Cadell, me, Trystan, and Adyson will go now.”
Emre nodded, looking a bit angry that he hadn’t thought of that. “We’ll be right here,” he said, waving a bit as the first group headed off.
Rush glanced around, saying, “This is… interesting…”
“At least it’s hidden,” Noelle said as she sat down on a log.
“That is a plus,” Rush agreed, sitting down by Noelle.
Emre glanced over at Ivory, saying, “Hey, are you gonna be okay?”
Ivoryo shrugged, sitting down on the ground and pulling her knees to her chest. Then, finally, she spoke: “I… I just… always wondered… who my dad was… and to find out that… that he was… one of the… the bad guys…”
Noelle quietly slipped to the ground beside Ivory. Though she didn’t know her, she sensed her sadness and fear and instinctively wanted to help her. “I’m Noelle,” she said softly, holding out her hand.
Ivory glanced up a bit, smiling weakly and shaking her hand. “I’m Ivory.”
“You must be pretty sad,” Noelle commented softly.
Ivory sighed, saying, “My mom was a teenager when I was born. She died giving birth… so I’ve been told,” she said quietly.
Noelle frowned, saying, “You’re suspecting she might still be alive?”
“Seeing the way my dads become, it wouldn’t surprise me,” Ivory said.
“Well, to brighten up matters, let’s finish introductions. To anyone who doesn’t know yet, I’m Noelle.”
“I’m Rush,” her brother spoke up quietly.
“I’m Emre.”
“I’m Ivory.”
There was a moment of awkward silence, then Ivory slowly said, “So… what are ya’lls powers?”
This got everyone’s attention. Rush immediately became defensive. “What makes you think we’ve all got powers?”
Ivory flinched at his tone of voice, but said, “Just curiosity… I mea, they were chasing all of us.”
Noelle punched Rush, then said, “I’m telekinetic and telepathic.”
“I have ice and water powers,” Emre said.
“Fire,” Ivory said simply.
“None,” Rush spat unhappily.
Noelle suddenly looked up at Rush, her eyes suddenly. “Rush… they were chasing you too… I know they were…” she said, a sudden wave of realization hitting her. When Rush stuttered, she said, “I knew you’d been hiding something from me! I knew it! You have powers too! All these years, and you’ve never told me!” she suddenly shrieked at him.
“Noelle, I… I’m sorry…” Rush stammered, feeling even worse when tears started down her cheeks. He reached out to her, but pulled away when she flinched away from his touch.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she whispered tearfully as she slid weakly against the empty tree log.
“I didn’t want to… to scare you… to endanger you…”
“Oh, and you think I’m so much safer now, do you?!?!?” she cried back.
Rush dropped his head in shame, tears brimming his eyelids. His only goal in life had been to protect his sister with his life. And now she wouldn’t even look at him.
Emre and Ivory had been quiet the whole time. Now the four sat in waiting, awkward silence.


“Blaze lives here,” Trystan explained to Cora.
“I know,” she reminded her. “Cadell and I live a bit further down.”
“Can we meet at the library?” Addy asked.
“Sure,” Trystan said. “Is that okay with you two?”
“Yeah,” the twins said. “See you in a bit,” they called before heading towards their house.
Trystan quietly entered the shop, hoping to avoid Blaze. No such luck.
“Where have you two been?” he asked as he hurried and embraced them both. “When I found you both gone and your rooms ransacked, I panicked.”
Trystan pulled away and said, “Blaze… we have to leave.”
At his confused look, Trystan continued with, “When Cora came over, we heard people in my room and Adyson’s. That must be why it’s ransacked. But Cora and I ran and got Addy, then we ran into her brother Cadell and got chased to the park, then this cult tried to kidnap us but we beat them up… and it’s not safe and we have to go…” she finally finished, taking a long breath afterwards.
Both her and Blaze’s eyes were watering up as he hugged her. “You have to?” he asked quietly, hugging Addy too.
“Yeah… we’re so sorry…” Trystan apologized softly.
After another minute of holding them in a tight embrace, Blaze let them head back to their rooms.
Blaze waited quietly at the counter for them to finish packing.
“Pack one pair of clothes and maybe some entertainment and money,” Trystan told Addy. She herself grabbed a pair of jeans, a light tank top, and a light jacket. She switched her shoes and put on her combat boots, fastening them tightly. She then grabbed the money she’d earned working for Blaze, which was actually quite a bit. She finally slipped a few books into her waterproof pack, zipping it up and slinging it over her shoulder.
Adyson had grabbed his jeans and a sweatshirt, wearing tennis shoes. He had grabbed himself some books also, and his favorite stuffed animal “Froggy” the Frog. He also slipped his backpack on, going over to Trystan.
Trystan took his hand, quietly leading him out. “Blaze?”
Blaze looked up, sighing and going over to them. “I’ll miss you two,” he said gently, reaching out to them once more. Trystan hugged him tightly, and Adyson wrapped his arms around his waste, hugging Blaze too. After a final long moment, Blaze released them, reluctantly, of course.
“I guess this is good-bye?” Trystan said softly.
Blaze’s eyes softened, and he said, “Never say good-bye. Always say ‘see-ya’.”
Trystan smiled, saying, “See ya around, then, Blaze.”
“See ya!” Adyson called, forcing a smile and taking his sisters hand. After blowing a kiss to him, they headed to the door. They made eye contact for the final time, and then they were gone.


“Mom! Dad!” Cora and Cadell called together.
Their parents came running down the stairs, embracing them both tightly. “When we saw the rooms destroyed, we were so worried,” their mother, Alicia, said worriedly.
Alicia was about 35, with deep blue eyes and golden blonde hair. She was taller than the twins, but only slightly, a bit short for her age. She had an athletic, toned frame, and looked as if she could be 25.
Their dad, Brandon, was 36, with emerald green eyes. He had short brown hair and a tall, muscular frame, though he had a relatively small build. He, too, looked extremely worried, saying, “Where have you two been?  It’s already past dinner time.”
Cara glanced at Cadell, then at her parent’s expectant faces. “Something happened,” she began, tears starting down her cheeks, “with our powers.”
With Cadell’s help, Cora gave a tearful explanation of the afternoons events. Alicia and Brandon listened in startled silence until Cora said, “There’s a forest outside of Woodbury. We’re going to hide out there.”
Alicia had finally snapped, though, and said, “NO, absolutely not. NO child of mine is going to be out in the woods alone.” At Cora’s confused but desperate look, Alicia said, “You two can’t go without me and your father.”
Cadell said, “We don’t want to endanger you guys.”
“We’ll be in just as much danger as you, powers or not,” Brandon said. “Who knows if the cults will go after us as well?”
Cora glanced at her brother, still seeming unsure and weighing her choices mentally. ”What about if we’re in combat?” she asked helplessly.
“Your father and I can fight back,” Alicia said. “You know that.”
Cadell now glanced at his sister, then at his mom and dad. “I suppose even if we said no, you’d still follow anyways?”
Both smiled, and at the same time said, “You bet.”
Cora smiled weakly, but said, “Come on, let’s get packing. The others are waiting.”


Trystan and Adyson lingered quietly at the Woodbury Public Library, the designated meeting place. Presently, Cora and Cadell were trekking towards them, with two strangers following closely.
Trystan frowned when Cora and Cadell reached them, saying, “Who are they?”
“Our mom and dad,” Cora answered.
“They refused to let us leave without them,” Cadell said sheepishly.
“Mom, Dad, this is Trystan and Adyson, our friends. There’s four others, but to be honest, none of us know each other very well,” Cora said.
Alicia and Brandon nodded, and Brandon said, “It’s nice to meet you guys. We go by Alicia,” he pointed at his wife,” and Brandon.”
“Nice to meet you,” Trystan and Addy said in quiet voices. Both were still sad about leaving Blaze, but they had more important things to think about.
“What did you guys bring?” Trystan asked Cora and Cadell.
All four of them held small, easy to carry backpacks with them containing one change of clothes, some food for each of them, and money. Cadell relayed this, then Trystan relayed what she had brought. Soon, the six of them were hading towards the forest, walking in grim silence.