Luke could still remember the moment he triggered the explosion at the power plant. Everyone else had taken full-force of the blast. He had only just entered the room, escaping with the lightest injuries.

The sight of Scarlett's broken body filled him with absolute joy. Her mocking grin and arrogance was gone.

At last, he had shut her up.

After the explosion, Cindy arrived and teleported her away, while Greyson face had twisted with rage.

The large pipe was hurled straight at Luke, slamming him against the wall.

Greyson killed him for ruining his plans—and for hurting that bitch.

Darkness swallowed everything.

When Luke opened his eyes again, he was lying in the bushes. That was where he had been granted his arm. It was completely dark, but the snow around him had been cleared away.

That was when he saw her waiting in the darkness.

Ashley.

That ugly girl he had once tortured.

"You're different from the others," Ashley told him. "You are a follower—but you're not exactly dead or alive."

The memory of Esme and Cindy cutting off his arm came rushing back. Losing it had filled him with equal parts of humiliation and rage.

Now, he wanted to harm them deliberately while still walking on the earth. He didn't want to be some illusion, but someone more.

"You're like her," Ashley said.

He remembered that she had shown him Teagan.

It was the same girl he had killed.

He would've thought that those Simcoe people wouldn't be after killing them, especially since he killed her.

"The terror is coming," Ashley spat.

Luke enjoyed the terror he got inflicted on people—the wide eyes, the panic, the moment when they realized they couldn't escape.

It reminded him of chasing rabbits through the backyard with a lighter, laughing as they scattered. The pleasure it gave him made him crave more.

"You're sure it's a human?" Luke had asked.

Ashley bared her teeth.

He hated uncertainty.

Maybe, once he'd found this human, he'd make Ashley regret talking to him like that.

Luke hated taking orders. Still, if following someone meant he could hurt people whenever he pleased, he could live with it. Greyson had proved that.

That was why he stood inside the dark variety store, where a single lantern glowed on the counter across Esme and Angel.

"Are you sure you can see us, Luke?" Esme's eager voice echoed.

Luke grinned deviously.

"You'll be the first to go."

He charged down the aisle, his whip-like arm cracking through the air. The metal rack folded under the impact before exploding into a wall.

Esme's lips twitched, but she didn't laugh. "Still too slow."

"Are you just going to hide behind shelves? It isn't that big here," he sneered.

"Might," Esme said.

His arm twitched again. It had been happening more often lately, but he ignored it.

He whipped it again, knocking over the shelf. Esme dodged with precision.

He gritted his teeth and lunged at Angel. The boy didn't flinch, presenting the perfect opportunity. Luke whipped his noodle arm straight at him, catching Angel completely off guard.

Angel screamed.

Esme immediately rushed towards Angel, but Luke intercepted her, slamming her leg with a vicious strike.

"You rush around like Tumbles," he mocked.

Esme jumped up, despite blood rushing down her leg. "Nope, you're just seeing things," she said, holding something in her hand. "Remember barbed wire? I keep it on hand."

In an instant, the barbed wire tightened. Luke's body split cleanly in two, both halves collapsing onto the floor. He didn't pop like those loser followers that literally do nothing but chase people. This is what he was granted.

"Darn, I thought it would be in multiple pieces," Esme commented, with a hand on her hip.

"You can toy with me, but I'm still going to live," Luke sneered, and then he hit her directly in the eye. "If I bury you, you can't crawl your way out."

"I still have my arms," she said, angling the barbed wire around his real arm. "I'll slice that right off for you."

Before Luke could react, Esme blurred past him. Pain flashed through his shoulder.

A second later, his noodle arm hit the floor.

"We're playing doctor," she said, throwing the arm out the door. "Now for the real game."

Luke watched his upper body being sliced, hanging in the air. "You can't even dig a hole," he snarled.

"You can't catch me, Lukey," Esme said, looking at the other half of his body.

Before he could say anything, they were already gone, speeding off to one of the trenches.

She tossed him inside and looked around.

She grabbed a shovel and quickly began piling snow into the trench.

"I can easily get out of this," Luke sneered.

"And I'll just cut off your arms again. Maybe next time I'll give you a better makeover." She pointed the shovel at him.

The snow continued to pile around him, but he couldn't feel the cold. The sensation was distant, as if his nerves had been muted.

"Someone will find it," he sneered. "And then they'll try to kill you."

He didn't hear Esme speed away to bury the other half of his body. It didn't feel like he had been alive or dead. He would have to wait for Ashley to find him and rebuild his body.

Since his body would be somewhere in this bubble. It could be the frozen lake or power plant. When Ashley did get him out of here, he could find that speed demon.

Ashley wanted obedience. Fine.

She kept talking about the coming terror, as if everyone should be afraid.

Luke wasn't.

If this terror enjoyed hurting people as much as he did, maybe they'd get along just fine.

Buried beneath the snow, he smiled to himself.

He only had to wait.

When they arrived at Uden Academy, the gates stood wide open.

At least ten bodies lay frozen in the snow beyond them.

Someone had tried to cover with a single towel. It only hid one corpse. The others were face down.

"It's strange without security around," James murmured beside him.

Jason didn't answer, but just lifted a hand. The faint glow in his palm crept along the walls, revealing frost patterns and faded drawings.

They moved forward, their boots scraping against the floor in the heavy silence until the hallway widened into the dining hall.

Jason stopped short.

People laughed over card games and empty cans of soup.

He glanced back toward the entrance.

Ten corpses outside.

Jokes inside.

A pile of food gleamed under the weak light.

Protein bars.

Dented cans.

Crackers.

It wasn't much.

After weeks of rationing, it looked like a feast.

"Oh, hi there!" Nevaeh called with a smirk. "Unfortunately, your brother isn't here."

Jason's stomach twisted. "We need to talk to Mia," he said flatly.

Nevaeh led them down the long hall into the cafeteria. It was quiet, except for their footsteps.

"Hiya." Mia lounged on the edge of a table, one knee swinging lazily. Smoke curled from the vape pen between her fingers. "Got drugs if you need them, but the vape's mine."

Jason didn't bother greeting her.

"Did you give Eden drugs?"

Mia grinned.

"Yep."

She tilted her head.

"Scared she'll drug the housewife?"

His mind raced through endless possibilities. He had no idea what Eden was planning—unless she truly intended to drug Bella unconscious.

Jason's jaw tightened. "Why?"

"You look like you need sleep," she said, flicking the vape pen. "Do you ever sleep?"

"Where is she?" he said.

"Relax."

Mia brushed two fingers across his cheek before pulling her hand away.

He didn't move.

She smiled anyway.

"We should get going," Jason suggested.

"Why did Eden really want the drugs?" Jade asked sharply.

Mia laughed as she took a bite into a granola bar. "Eden has her ways of getting her points across," she replied casually. "I'm sure you've heard of me and Bryce being crackheads, but she was one too. She's someone you never want on your bad side."

"What do you think she'll do to Bella?" Jason asked quietly, his voice trailing off.

Mia didn't answer at first. She stared at the berry granola in her hand as if it had suddenly become the most interesting thing in the room.

Jason's stomach growled loudly. He hated that the food smelled so good. Hated even more that he hadn't found a way to bring food back to Simcoe.

"Yeah, we got food from the lake—I mean, River!" Mia laughed, nearly dropping her snack as she spoke. "He loaded up from the cottage."

Jason barely heard her. His mind was already somewhere else, trying to decide what he should do next.

"Which mission are you going to choose?" Nevaeh asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.

Bella could be unconscious.

Alone with Eden.

Jason closed his eyes.

No.

Driving around Simcoe in the dark wouldn't save her. It could get the three of them killed.

"Eden won't murder Bella," Mia interjected, her voice muffled as she shoved the rest of the granola bar into her mouth.

"Do you have any new information?" Jason inquired.

"No new freaks," Nevaeh replied, twisting a strand of her hair. "I'm guessing someone is hiding."

Well, that crossed off anyone from Uden developing powers. The whole situation was still confusing because the next step might be finding out who broke into The Bubble.

"I heard Cindy went to the island," Nevaeh added. "Someone saw Luke in town."

Jason's breath hitched.

He forgot Luke was one of Ashley's twisted followers.

"Why don't we just build snow forts? Something fun that saves the day," Mia sighed.

Jason didn't laugh.

He was so tired of leading.

He wasn't Greyson, who, would've known what to say.

Not everyone would believe Greyson.

Jason just wanted one moment where everything didn't rest on his shoulders.

"Let's go to Sunny's," he said finally, turning to James and Jade.

Nevaeh raised an eyebrow. "No saving the housewife?" she asked.

Jason swallowed hard. "We need to focus on Sunny's. Nobody knows where Bella is."

Even as he said the words, guilt twisted in his chest. But they couldn't afford to waste fuel driving aimlessly in the dark. They didn't have google maps. They didn't have electricity. If they got lost out there, they were dead.

"If you see Bella, let me know," Jason muttered.

Mia flashed a mischievous grin and lifted her shirt slightly, clearly trying to get a reaction.

"Just relax, bro."

Jason turned on his heel, neck feeling hot. "Okay, we're going."

"You should be smart if you go searching for your housewife," Mia started. "Eden might drug you."

Jason glanced back slightly, noticing that Mia had lowered her top. A sense of unease washed over him as her words echoed in his mind.

They walked through the dark hall toward the entrance.

"That's flashed twice now," Jade finally said.

'"We will focus on Sunny's," Jason said again, more to himself.

Once outside, they climbed back into the CRV. Jason slid into the passenger seat and leaned forward, pressing his forehead against the dashboard.

"I should have seen it coming," he muttered.

"Why does she always do that?" James mumbled under his breath, his face red.

"So, we go back to Sunny's. And then what?" Jade asked.

"Attempt some way to break the ice," Jason said, glancing around at the darkness beyond the windshield.

"You could burn it," Jade said.

"We need to find Divina," James added. "It will have information."

"It's hard when it pops up like a rabbit," Jade replied.

Divina is smart and cunning. It probably knows something about this person who's supposed to be extremely powerful. It could be a whole lot easier if the person showed up and cleared this darkness.

"We don't have much gas either," Jade pointed out. "We'd only have until Sunny's, and that's it."

"And gas pipes are frozen," James added . "Which means a gas shortage."

There were plenty's of automobiles.

The only problem is that most are damaged, frozen, or have no gas.

Jason felt a nagging question rising in the back of his mind. "Why was Eden admitted to Uden Academy?"

"Delinquent behaviour," Jade said. "She was one of the crackheads, known as the worst-behaved students at Uden Academy."

"She reformed last year," James stated.

"Bella might be in danger," Jade mumbled. "Eden's not as bad as Luke, but she's unpredictable."

Jason ran a hand over his face, feeling the weight of growing problems pressing down on him. The challenges seemed to multiply by the day, and he wanted just one moment to step away from all the problems.

With Uden Academy stealing food and the many still sick, Emma was at her breaking point. To complicate matters further, Nevaeh's been lingering around Uden lately, adding to the chaos.

"I can't lead these people," Jason murmured.

He couldn't keeping doing it. There was so much to do, and he didn't even know where to start in Simcoe. He's barely talked to Zane since he's been back, and Mark was apparently leading, but Jason hasn't heard much from him either.

"Do you just want to fix Sunny's? We'd need part of the fire station's help," James said.

"I can melt most of the snow, but we still need light. James can lift things, and you can slide things around," he groaned.

They needed light because of the storm, but Luke no longer gave them access for it to work. Well, it was more that he prevented them from ever using hydro again.

"Could we create it?" he suggested, holding up a hand.

He had never considered his power could be used as an actual light source other than using his own hands. If that were true, then they might be able to light at least part of the area.

"With your light? Well, we'd need some sort of storage box or receiver to keep the light in. You can focus on it not burning, right?" James inquired. "That'd be the best course of action."

The CRV jolted to a stop, its tires crunching loudly over frozen gravel.

Jason's seatbelt dug into his chest.

Ahead, a tall figure stood in the beam of their headlights.

Divina.

"God is quite scared," the illusion said, his voice rippling through the cold air. "This thing must be troublesome."

James leaned forward, breath fogging the glass. "Have you determined it?" he asked.

Divina smirked.

"It's human."

"Yet something grander. It was something conceived."

"Conceived?" James repeated, cheeks flushing in the light. "We were all conceived."

Divina's grin flickered, not quite human. "A new human," he said, and pointed at the snow between them. "A new creation."

Jason's pulse skipped. "A baby," he said before he could stop himself.

Divina's gaze snapped to him. "Yes," he breathed, almost gleefully. "A new creation that frightens God."

"Did the baby stop the storm?" Jason asked.

Divina furrowed his eyebrows. "You aren't having a baby, right?" he asked.

"No! No, no, no!" Jason exclaimed, his cheeks flushing.

"God," Divina repeated. "It fears what it cannot control. The child will be powerful, perhaps like me. I'll wait and watch it terrorize that thing, do the job I can't."

Jason swallowed hard. "Why would Ashley want it dead?"

Divina's smile sharpened. "Because it's afraid."

That was the core of Ashley's fear.

She didn't just want the child dead because it stopped the storm.

It was rooted in fear of a being who could be as powerful as Divina.

"Is the true terror the darkness or the child?" Jason asked.

"That's your own decision, but I'd protect that child. We can't have God killing that mutant child, especially since it could kill God. Don't spread the word because followers are always watching," Divina said before disappearing.

"Great," Jade remarked dryly. "Just when we thought the problems could get better."

Jason didn't want to think about that right now. Sunny's was already destroyed, and people needed shelter if they were going to survive.

"We'll focus on Sunny's first. Then we'll deal with the other problems," Jason said, loading back in.

He didn't want to think about or risk the other problems.

The baby was the biggest problem of all. They still had no information, but they knew it was going to be powerful.

"We'll clear some space and see what food is still good," Jason said. "Then we'll figure out the rest."

There weren't many people coughing in the infirmary, yet Ilya's mind still spun. It felt like she was falling into a deep, dark hole, clawing for something to pull herself back out.

She couldn't stay in the infirmary when all her children needed her. All of them were counting on her to be there and support them.

If only there were some type of medication she could take.

Ilya pushed herself upright. The room lurched sideways, and she caught herself against the nearest cot before the floor settled again. Black spots flickered at the edges of her vision, but she stayed on her feet.

She glanced toward the corner of the room, she noticed Hanna leaning against the wall, sound asleep. Emma was nowhere to be seen, and none of the people who brought out vomit buckets was nearby around.

Once she was standing, she felt like she'd collapse.

She picked her way through the maze of sick bodies, carefully stepping over people sprawled across the floor.

Her gaze drifted to the medication shelf.

She looked away.

Then back again.

She didn't need much.

Just enough to make it through the day.

After a brief moment of scanning the options, she grabbed a bottle of Advil and held it up. It would help ease her headaches, which could help her get through the next few hours.

With trembling hands, she tried to twist the cap open, but the effort only made her head spin harder.

She pressed down on the cap until it finally twisted open.

Yara's voice pierced through her thoughts. "Aren't you supposed to be lying down?"

"Hanna's sleeping," Ilya replied, trying to keep her tone steady. "And I have a headache."

"I think you're only allowed two, max," Yara said, grabbing two large buckets of vomit.

Ilya nodded with a smile.

She swallowed the two tablets dry. Her fingers hovered over the bottle.

Just a few extra.

Nobody would notice.

She tipped several into her palm and slid them into her coat pocket before she could change her mind.

Suddenly, she felt a firm grip on her wrist. Turning slightly, she saw Bryce standing there with his eyebrows raised and an amused smirk on his face.

"Last I heard, patients aren't supposed to play doctor," Bryce remarked with a hint of sarcasm.

"Oops," Ilya whispered.

Emma came walking over, glancing at Ilya with tired eyes. "You shouldn't be up," she murmured.

Ilya nodded and went to sit on her towel. As she sat down, the feeling hit hard—not exactly pain, but the need to know she could fix it if things got worse.

The pills hadn't erased her headache.

They hadn't stopped the shaking.

But they were in her pocket.

If something happened she'd be ready.

"I think I'm feeling better," she said, standing up unsteadily.

Hanna stirred and stared with narrowed eyes. "Sit down," she ordered.

They wouldn't let her go.

They were treating her like some kind of walking biohazard.

They didn't understand.

She was just trying to get back to normal to take care of the children.

"I'm fine, Hanna," Ilya said.

Hanna's jaw tightened. "You're not better, Ilya. You don't just take something and suddenly you're fine."

With her arms crossed, Ilya shook her head. "I's just Advil," she said. "I'm not abusing anything. I just need to look after the children."

Even though she desperately craved anything that would calm her pounding headache and gnawing anxiety, she'd be able to get through it.

Her priority was the children.

It always had been.

But every few seconds, her mind wandered back to the pills in her pocket.

Cindy appeared in front of the two with narrowed eyebrows. "I need some Advil," she stated plainly.

Ilya noticed how clean Cindy looked compared to everyone else.

Hanna poured two of the pain relievers into her palm and handed them to Cindy. Without a word of thanks, Cindy bopped away.

Ilya watched Hanna cross her arms tightly over her chest with her eyes narrowed.

"If you pass out again, or start shaking, I can't let you stay with them," Hanna warned.

Ilya's stomach dropped.

No.

Hanna couldn't take the children away from her.

"You can't," Ilya said, quieter now. "That's not fair."

"I can and will," Hanna spat, wiping vomit off the stained floor.

The words rose to her throat and died there. If she argued, she'd make things worse. If she stayed quiet, maybe Hanna would change her mind.

Ilya shook her head hard, like that alone could undo what Hanna had said. Panic clawed at her ribs, sharp and desperate.

She couldn't allow that to happen; being unable to help the children was not an option. She glanced around anxiously at Bryce and Emma, who were doing their own jobs.

Why did Hanna have to be the one giving her these rules? It felt wrong—she wasn't Ilya's mother or father, there to remind her about taking her medication on time.

"I'll let you go, but I'll take you out of there," Hanna said firmly.

Ilya stared blankly, her legs unsteady beneath her as she moved forward. In the pockets of her coat, she had stashed extra medication to help. It wasn't just the stress of managing food or water; it was the uncertainty of what would happen next that ate at her.

Ilya followed Hanna up the stairs, moving almost automatically as the pounding of her heartbeat echoed in her ears. She knew she had to maintain control over her actions; taking a pill right in front of Hanna would be disastrous.

She wasn't depending on pills.

She was depending on knowing they were there.

That was different.

Wasn't it?

"I'm going to ask your sister to watch you," Hanna stated firmly.

Ilya furrowed her eyebrows. Why did Layla have to watch her? After all, Layla is in the eighth grade, which means she should focus on other things, not babysitting Ilya.

"But I'm fine," Ilya mustered out, without her voice sounding needy.

Hanna glanced back at Ilya before turning back towards the door of the dark daycare. As the door opened, they could see the familiar play area dimly lit inside.

Just then, Layla appeared from the back room, walking towards them.

"You have to watch your sister from now on," Hanna started. "Your sister's addiction isn't healed. Don't let her touch any medication."

Some of the children ran up to Ilya, embracing her. "Are you feeling better?"

Ilya managed to force a smile and nod in response. Yes, she's fine to take care of her children because she has medication. It could last her a couple of days or at least hours. Something about it gave her a bit of motivation or energy, even with a pounding headache.

"I'm much better," Ilya said softly.

"Let's read a story," one child called.

Ilya picked up the nearest picture book before anyone noticed her shaking hands.

The children crowded against her shoulders.

For a few minutes, it worked. Their breathing slowed, their shoulders relaxed. Ilya focused on the page so she wouldn't have to focus on herself.

Deep in her pockets, she felt the familiar shape of the pills. Just knowing they were there slowed her breathing, like a promise she didn't have to cash in yet.

She reached the end of the page.

She had no memory of reading half of it.

The words blurred together until she blinked them back into focus.

She told herself it wasn't dangerous. She thought that before, too.

"And don't make excuses about injuries with the children," Hanna started. "Emma told me you used to do that frequently. If you do that again, you'll loose access to the infirmary."

"You can't do that!" she exclaimed.

"Emma and I are doing the best we can," Hanna said sharply. "We don't have real supplies. We can't just give stuff out whenever. Now start making better decisions."

She turned and walked away.

The children were already calling for another story.

Ilya slipped her hand in her pocket, her fingertips brushing the hidden pill.

She told herself she was making sure it was still there.

She didn't take one.

But she didn't let go, either.

Don't forget to comment and vote!
-Lexi