and thus,
mortal enemies.
The heat in Kendra’s body surged in
response to the demands of her adrenaline. The entity in her grew, lapping at
her fingertips, fully prepared to lash out at her adversaries. The energy
proved a very valuable asset—semi-separate, protective, and increasingly
obedient.
Liam didn’t settle for diplomacy. He
didn’t have time for it, though he had a lot of pent-up anger. He raised his
hands out and the white energy sparked across the door, igniting the wood and
blasting it off the hinges in a muffled explosion.
When the noise gave away their exact
location, a guard inside the house came to the door just as the door sparked.
The energy jumped from the wood to his body like a voltage shock. Unfortunately
for him, the explosion and electric energy crushed him against the back wall.
A lack of a door created a wide entryway
through which the duo could enter. They neither paused nor slowed down in their
assault. Kendra twitched her nose at the smell of cauterized flesh and ash.
The singed and disoriented hunter
huddled against the wall. Liam gave him a backhand in the air. The heat swept
across empty space and knocked him out. Other hunters emerged from the top of
staircase, and shot at him. He took them out with another flay of his wrists
and an energy outburst from his fingers.
Liam and Kendra raced to the basement
stairs. The others created their own passageway to the catacomb of electric
prison-like cells below. Ravens occupied only seven of the dozen cells. Several
surgical tables, with preserved Ravens split apart from autopsies, stood in the
middle of the room.
Kendra cringed at the stench of rotting
flesh and the sight of ghastly corpses. The so-called researchers were amateurs
at best and, by the looks of it, had not been kind enough to wait for death to
take their victims before slicing into the beating hearts of captured mutants.
Their rigid bodies were barely covered. Their wrists and ankles had been bound,
and moist cloth filled their mouths. Some were still fresh, only slightly cold,
and their skin hadn’t become taut and pale yet.
The guys freed most of the prisoners, including
a familiar face in a grown up body. They freed Julie first, and in turn, she
helped liberate others. Kendra couldn’t believe Julie was still alive and a
Raven in this cruel dimension. Her sister hadn’t changed much over the years.
She’d grown into a tall, healthy teenager, and lost the childhood chubby
cheeks. Julie retained her olive skin and black hair, her narrow nose, petite
lips, and the dimple in her lower left cheek. She wasn’t as curvy as Kendra
was, but had a fresh, willowy figure.
When Liam entered, she ran into his
arms. They embraced, loving, sincere. Julie kissed him on the cheek. He smiled,
relieved. He never looked at Kendra that way.
Liam behaved very gentle with Julie, and
something struck at Kendra’s heart. To think he was attracted to Kendra, kissed
her, teased her, and flirted nonstop, but apparently under the guise of a guy
who loved Julie. Yeah, she was mad at him, but she sort of liked him too. All
that flirting and he wasn’t into her at all. He just used her, albeit for a good
cause, but still, this hurt!
Aside from pushing Liam, who obviously
loved Julie and Julie clearly loved him in return, away, Kendra wanted to reach
out and hug her little sister. Did Julie even remember her after a decade?
Grief, happiness, and relief tore Kendra
apart. Memories that she tried to repress over the years flooded through her
thoughts: Memories of playing as children, going to school together, having
family dinners, and, of course, that awful day ten years ago.
How many times had she slept in Julie’s
room hoping the disappearance was a horrid nightmare and she would awake with
her baby sister next to her? How many times had she talked with Julie’s toys,
encouraged them not to worry, and reassured them their friend would return home
soon? How many times had bullies teased
mortal enemies.
The heat in Kendra’s body surged in
response to the demands of her adrenaline. The entity in her grew, lapping at
her fingertips, fully prepared to lash out at her adversaries. The energy
proved a very valuable asset—semi-separate, protective, and increasingly
obedient.
Liam didn’t settle for diplomacy. He
didn’t have time for it, though he had a lot of pent-up anger. He raised his
hands out and the white energy sparked across the door, igniting the wood and
blasting it off the hinges in a muffled explosion.
When the noise gave away their exact
location, a guard inside the house came to the door just as the door sparked.
The energy jumped from the wood to his body like a voltage shock. Unfortunately
for him, the explosion and electric energy crushed him against the back wall.
A lack of a door created a wide entryway
through which the duo could enter. They neither paused nor slowed down in their
assault. Kendra twitched her nose at the smell of cauterized flesh and ash.
The singed and disoriented hunter
huddled against the wall. Liam gave him a backhand in the air. The heat swept
across empty space and knocked him out. Other hunters emerged from the top of
staircase, and shot at him. He took them out with another flay of his wrists
and an energy outburst from his fingers.
Liam and Kendra raced to the basement
stairs. The others created their own passageway to the catacomb of electric
prison-like cells below. Ravens occupied only seven of the dozen cells. Several
surgical tables, with preserved Ravens split apart from autopsies, stood in the
middle of the room.
Kendra cringed at the stench of rotting
flesh and the sight of ghastly corpses. The so-called researchers were amateurs
at best and, by the looks of it, had not been kind enough to wait for death to
take their victims before slicing into the beating hearts of captured mutants.
Their rigid bodies were barely covered. Their wrists and ankles had been bound,
and moist cloth filled their mouths. Some were still fresh, only slightly cold,
and their skin hadn’t become taut and pale yet.
The guys freed most of the prisoners, including
a familiar face in a grown up body. They freed Julie first, and in turn, she
helped liberate others. Kendra couldn’t believe Julie was still alive and a
Raven in this cruel dimension. Her sister hadn’t changed much over the years.
She’d grown into a tall, healthy teenager, and lost the childhood chubby
cheeks. Julie retained her olive skin and black hair, her narrow nose, petite
lips, and the dimple in her lower left cheek. She wasn’t as curvy as Kendra
was, but had a fresh, willowy figure.
When Liam entered, she ran into his
arms. They embraced, loving, sincere. Julie kissed him on the cheek. He smiled,
relieved. He never looked at Kendra that way.
Liam behaved very gentle with Julie, and
something struck at Kendra’s heart. To think he was attracted to Kendra, kissed
her, teased her, and flirted nonstop, but apparently under the guise of a guy
who loved Julie. Yeah, she was mad at him, but she sort of liked him too. All
that flirting and he wasn’t into her at all. He just used her, albeit for a good
cause, but still, this hurt!
Aside from pushing Liam, who obviously
loved Julie and Julie clearly loved him in return, away, Kendra wanted to reach
out and hug her little sister. Did Julie even remember her after a decade?
Grief, happiness, and relief tore Kendra
apart. Memories that she tried to repress over the years flooded through her
thoughts: Memories of playing as children, going to school together, having
family dinners, and, of course, that awful day ten years ago.
How many times had she slept in Julie’s
room hoping the disappearance was a horrid nightmare and she would awake with
her baby sister next to her? How many times had she talked with Julie’s toys,
encouraged them not to worry, and reassured them their friend would return home
soon? How many times had bullies teased
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