Chapter 11
Arcadia
12•20•8993. 8:06.
Magnuson and I follow Jane as she follows the strange, mysterious woman.
"This isn't a good idea, Mag," I say under my breath.
"I know, but we need food, and we can't steal any without getting caught. There are too many people," he whispers, "and as much as you hate it-" he looks into my eyes warily, "-Jane might be right.
"Every instinct is telling me that-"
I suddenly collapse in the dirt with my head pulsing and throbbing.
Before my eyes, I see Magnuson, Jane, and I about to be hurt by a group of masked attackers in black.
I dry heave into the dirt. Lots of people are staring at me, but I have one thing on my mind.
"Run," I sputter.
Magnus, having been my best friend, knows what to do. He throws me over his shoulder. I wrap my legs and arms around his body and try to keep as much weight off of him as I can.
"Jane!" he shouts.
I see her whip around in my blurry peripheral vision.
She jogs toward us, nonchalant, not aware of what's about to happen.
Magnus grabs her arm and begins pulling her toward him, but she screams in pain.
"Jane..." I gasp.
I hand-shaped burn is on her wrist and blistering more and more by the minute.
Then I scream as I feel Magnus burn me under my left knee, where he keeps me on his back.
A seething fire enters my skin, like thousands of needles.
Is this what Jane felt?
Again, I see the attackers in front of us, merely an illusion. One of them takes off his mask to reveal black eyes.
"Mag-" I gasp, "-he's coming."
The world fades.
•••••••••••
Time moves fast. The Abyss comes and goes, but eventually, and forcefully, shoves me into another memory, one of Finnian.
I'm in a padded room with Finnian. He is tied up but I'm not; this was the moment where I saw him for the first time with his mind gone.
I see my younger self, from about a year ago, slowly step toward Finnian, only stepping closer because of his restraints.
"Finn-"
At the sound of her voice- my voice- he starts. "Get away from me. Get away!"
The Abyss Yanks we backward. I'm slammed into the padded wall and given the same restraints as Finnian.
I'm forced to watch in horror.
Finnian, within seconds, somehow cuts through his restraints with a piece of glass. He sprints forward, one arm still behind his back, and aims for the head of the younger me.
She jumps back just in time and Finnian misses.
I close my eyes, refusing to live out this betrayal again.
I hear a scream, a yell, crying, and the sound of skin being sliced.
It wasn't my fault.
It wasn't my fault.
It was- It was my fault.
I open an eye and see younger Arcadia on the floor in a puddle of blood that surrounds her head. She has a gash on the left side of her face, the place where I still have the healing scar.
I close my eyes and will myself out of the Abyss.
This time it works.
•••••••••••
"Arcadia!"
I shoot awake. "Don't touch me. Don't touch me! Don't touch me, Finn- Finnian," I begin crying uncontrollably.
Magnuson, Jane, and the woman selling the apples are all above me. The women are holding me down while Magnuson tries to console me.
"Let go," says Magnus. That's his second mistake.
I run out of the tent I was resting in and keep running until my legs are jelly and my lungs are popped balloons.
I collapse in the sand, crying.
Magnus comes and scoops me into his arms and my hands claw into his shoulders.
His gentle hand pets the back of my head, caressing my hair, and the other is wrapped around my waist protectively.
He whispers in my ear comfortingly, "you're okay. I'm here. You're okay."
I take deep breaths, something he taught me to do.
"You're okay," he murmurs with worry in his voice, "I'm here."
He lifts me and begins carrying me toward what I imagine is the tent I woke up in. My tears fall into his shirt.
I feel the cool shade as we enter the tent. Just before he puts me down, "Don't," I say, "I need you here."
"I'm here," he says, hugging me.
I fall asleep in his strong arms and dream blissfully.
12•20•8993. 8:06.
Magnuson and I follow Jane as she follows the strange, mysterious woman.
"This isn't a good idea, Mag," I say under my breath.
"I know, but we need food, and we can't steal any without getting caught. There are too many people," he whispers, "and as much as you hate it-" he looks into my eyes warily, "-Jane might be right.
"Every instinct is telling me that-"
I suddenly collapse in the dirt with my head pulsing and throbbing.
Before my eyes, I see Magnuson, Jane, and I about to be hurt by a group of masked attackers in black.
I dry heave into the dirt. Lots of people are staring at me, but I have one thing on my mind.
"Run," I sputter.
Magnus, having been my best friend, knows what to do. He throws me over his shoulder. I wrap my legs and arms around his body and try to keep as much weight off of him as I can.
"Jane!" he shouts.
I see her whip around in my blurry peripheral vision.
She jogs toward us, nonchalant, not aware of what's about to happen.
Magnus grabs her arm and begins pulling her toward him, but she screams in pain.
"Jane..." I gasp.
I hand-shaped burn is on her wrist and blistering more and more by the minute.
Then I scream as I feel Magnus burn me under my left knee, where he keeps me on his back.
A seething fire enters my skin, like thousands of needles.
Is this what Jane felt?
Again, I see the attackers in front of us, merely an illusion. One of them takes off his mask to reveal black eyes.
"Mag-" I gasp, "-he's coming."
The world fades.
•••••••••••
Time moves fast. The Abyss comes and goes, but eventually, and forcefully, shoves me into another memory, one of Finnian.
I'm in a padded room with Finnian. He is tied up but I'm not; this was the moment where I saw him for the first time with his mind gone.
I see my younger self, from about a year ago, slowly step toward Finnian, only stepping closer because of his restraints.
"Finn-"
At the sound of her voice- my voice- he starts. "Get away from me. Get away!"
The Abyss Yanks we backward. I'm slammed into the padded wall and given the same restraints as Finnian.
I'm forced to watch in horror.
Finnian, within seconds, somehow cuts through his restraints with a piece of glass. He sprints forward, one arm still behind his back, and aims for the head of the younger me.
She jumps back just in time and Finnian misses.
I close my eyes, refusing to live out this betrayal again.
I hear a scream, a yell, crying, and the sound of skin being sliced.
It wasn't my fault.
It wasn't my fault.
It was- It was my fault.
I open an eye and see younger Arcadia on the floor in a puddle of blood that surrounds her head. She has a gash on the left side of her face, the place where I still have the healing scar.
I close my eyes and will myself out of the Abyss.
This time it works.
•••••••••••
"Arcadia!"
I shoot awake. "Don't touch me. Don't touch me! Don't touch me, Finn- Finnian," I begin crying uncontrollably.
Magnuson, Jane, and the woman selling the apples are all above me. The women are holding me down while Magnuson tries to console me.
"Let go," says Magnus. That's his second mistake.
I run out of the tent I was resting in and keep running until my legs are jelly and my lungs are popped balloons.
I collapse in the sand, crying.
Magnus comes and scoops me into his arms and my hands claw into his shoulders.
His gentle hand pets the back of my head, caressing my hair, and the other is wrapped around my waist protectively.
He whispers in my ear comfortingly, "you're okay. I'm here. You're okay."
I take deep breaths, something he taught me to do.
"You're okay," he murmurs with worry in his voice, "I'm here."
He lifts me and begins carrying me toward what I imagine is the tent I woke up in. My tears fall into his shirt.
I feel the cool shade as we enter the tent. Just before he puts me down, "Don't," I say, "I need you here."
"I'm here," he says, hugging me.
I fall asleep in his strong arms and dream blissfully.
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