The Unknown - Chapter 14g - by nova

Miller looked at me, shook his head, and walked away flashing hand signs to pull the security team in. I couldn't move. I was leaning against the side of the school building watching without watching. I couldn't focus, all I was able to do was observe. What was hovering around inside me was the desire to just drift off like a balloon. I knew I had felt this before, sometime, somewhere, I just couldn't remember where.

Miller had stopped. He was staring at me, then gesturing for me to move. It was time to go. I wasn't sure I wanted to. It wasn't fear or lassitude, it was the realization that if I moved, my world would move too. I wasn't sure how, I just knew it. I looked past Miller at the bus. Smoke was belching from the crude stack at the back as the wood fired engine came up to speed. Kat stood in the door, concern on her face. I knew any second she would be off the bus and running to me. From the windows I saw the faces, the faces of children, and so I moved.

In doing so something snapped inside of me. Clarity returned. The pain stayed but I could live with that for now. I jogged to the bus which began moving when I was within five paces of it. Kat was there to meet me as was Miller. I ignored her look of concern.

"Kat. I want an adult next to the windows and the kids next to them. Miller, space our people out between them. I want you and Rodriguez up front here with me, ready to go." The wood burning machinery took up all the space in the back so we had that working for us. I wanted to keep the ring of bodies around them for as long as possible.

The Barrett guy pushed pass Miller and Kat and told me, "Take a seat. Let's check out the damage." They had kept a seat open for me behind the driver. I sat down and he started peeling off the wound bandages. I looked down and saw the white of splintered bone. I looked away but not before seeing his eyes change. I knew. He knew. I would be lucky to have a stump left.