The Loric Games

Chapter 29: Reunion

Christina (Number Ten)'s POV

I back away from the bushes, the heat so intense that I feel like I'm suffocating. This was no accidental fire, it was deliberately set, which means we're all screwed if we can't escape.

I run back to the lake and slip behind the waterfall. All my supplies is there and it feels like coming home again. I know I'm safe for the moment. I may be able to avoid the flames, but not the heat. I can feel the cave becoming hotter and hotter. It's like slowly being roasted in an oven. At one point, I stick my head under the water. It does little to cool me very much, but provides temporary relief. When I pull my head out, I can see through the shimmering water the flames surrounding the entire lake. I feel little security, but the change in temperature is a small welcome change from the cold frigid nights I've had in the cave.

I go back to where I've set up a bed. I hope that the others are okay and safe. John, I'm sure is alright, this is his natural element, but Nine, Marina, my brother...

Aruvun. My precious brother, the only family I have left. I love him so much, despite the amount of time we spent apart. It breaks my heart that our families were divided and there was nothing, but hate.

There still is nothing, but hate. I'm the only one who seems to love Five in spite of all the things he's done. I can understand the other's objections, but none of us are perfect. We've all made stupid mistakes that either almost got us killed or in terrible danger. For One, it was getting arrested and having her scars photographed, Two, a post on the internet and Three, trying to hide his scars. For John it was trying to be normal and jumping out of a burning house. Six was responding to Two's post which led to her imprisonment and death of her Cepan. Marina drugging her Cepan to get her chest, Eight although always suspicious, was unable to convince his Cepan that his girlfriend was treacherous and for Nine, running away and trusting Madison, a girl he crushed on. In Madison's defense, she was desperate to save her parents, which resulted in all their deaths. For me, like John, I tried to be normal and let my pendant be shown in real life, which led to my discovery and Annie taking her own life.

I try to go into the meditated state again, try to get back to Ella, see if she's still stuck in a Ra made hell.

I shut my eyes and breath in the humid air. I go back into the blackness and try to reach out to Ella.

I'm suddenly in a white room with florescent lights that could blind someone. The floor is tiled and the walls seem like this inside of some kind of ship. I try to reach out and touch the wall, but my hand goes through it. I realize that this vision is like ones we've had before. We are merely ghosts in the vision, but I've never seen one so realistic before. The only other time was when I was in Ella's nightmare, helpless to help Six and Nine. Is this some kind of telepathy bonus?

I squint across the room and a lanky figure begins to materialize. I squint under the intense lights, but my jaw drops when I see who it is.

"John!!" I say, seeing him just across the room. I run towards him

"Christina" he says.

I reach my arms out to hug him and embrace him.

"I'm glad you're okay." he says returning my hug. "Are you doing this?"

"No...at least I don't think so. I was trying to get back to Ella."

"Do you think she's doing it?"

"Yes..." we hear a small voice.

We both turn to see Ella standing at what seems to be the door of the room. She's still quite petite and she looks a bit skinnier, but her auburn locks and small brown eyes are the same. Not the evil version in her nightmare.