Part 28

"I know that my plan has holes, and the biggest is how we're gonna get out. But maybe something will come along that can help us," Alex stated. I seriously doubted that that was going to happen, but I decided not to focus on that. We needed to get outside, but there was no way to from our position. The only way was through the trapdoor, but it looked locked. And there was no way to open it from our end. We would need someone to open it for us, but then they would find us. So far, our only option was to wait down here until either someone found us, or until we died from starvation. And honestly, I'm a selfish person. I don't like the idea of dying, at least not at my age. I hated to do this, but I might have to use Alex to get my life back. We had been through a lot, and even though I called him my brother, I don't think I really meant it. He's just someone that I've been stuck with, and if I can get my old life back, with him out of it, then I would take it. But first, we needed a way into my house.

All of these thoughts flew through my mind at whatever speed is normal for "unusual thoughts that I'll entertain for the time being". I don't know if I wanted to keep Alex in my life, or if those thoughts from earlier were my real feelings. All I wanted was to have my normal life back, with no memory of what had happened over the last several days. And yet, I couldn't forget the kids being thrown into that white van, being taken god-knows-where and having god-knows-what done to them. I wasn't willing to acknowledge it before, but-

"Do you miss them?" Alex's sudden question cut my train of thought short, but at least we were thinking the same thing.

"I didn't know them as well as you did." I turned away from Alex, who had slumped against one of the rounded walls of the cavern. I couldn't bear to look at his face, as I was having a hard time keeping my face composed. Maybe I was just hungry. I hadn't eaten anything all day. And who knows what time it is now? Anyways, I wasn't going to face him when I wasn't in a good mood.

"What makes you think I know them that well?"

"Why wouldn't you? You said you had been going there for months. Last time I checked, that's more than the time I spent there." I still wouldn't face him, but I turned my head so that he could hear me clearly.

"Sure, I've been going for longer, but since I don't actually have powers, I never really connected with any of them. Not like you did.." There was a slight hint of jealousy in his voice, but it was uncalled for. I had been a loner, minus Kate. She was the one person I couldn't get rid of, no matter how hard I tried. So eventually, I had stopped giving up. But I had never really connected with anyone else. I couldn't deal with anyone long enough to become friends with them. Until this..

"Just because I have powers doesn't automatically mean that I can connect with any of them there." I walked over to the other wall and stared at a little rivet that wasn't immediately noticeable.

"Then what was going on with Eric?"

This made me turn around in shock. I could not believe him him right now. "You seriously think that there's anything going between us? I've never met the man before!" I was starting to get really frustrated. Even without Eric here, I could feel my own emotions rising. He had no right to accuse me of anything like that.

"The very first day you talked with him, you laughed."

"As if that means anything?!"

"Of COUSE it means something!!" By this time, Alex was on his feet, in a square stance. I realized that I was too. "We don't laugh with people that don't make us feel comfortable. So, what did he do to make you feel comfortable with him?"

"He was REAL!!!" I screeched. Alex's face lit up in delayed shock. I could feel tears starting to spill onto my cheeks. "He was the first person that I had met who hadn't tried anything with me. He was just honest." I was full on crying now. It was something I hadn't done in almost 10 years. Even when I allowed my tears to fall after I reached the cabin, that couldn't compare to the wave of tears that blinded me now.

"He was honest with me.." I croaked as I staggered back until I hit the wall and slid down. Normally, I would bury my head in my arms, but as I was feeling so much all at once, I threw my head against the wall. As soon as my head came into contact with the wall, I heard a series of clicks that ended in a musical note above my head. Before I could figure out what was going on, the wall behind me shuddered. I quickly scrambled away to see a piece of the wall slide backwards and then slide to my right. There was a smaller pathway than the one we had traveled, and at the end of what I could see was the bottom of a staircase.