The Wastelands

Lilia took the elevator down into the bas.e.m.e.nt. It was out of the way and had a 'Not Working' sign to deter unwelcomed passengers. She walked inside and pushed the button. She counted the seconds while she wrapped her hands around the railing and closed her eyes.

The elevator jolted, and she bit her lip, hoping the pain would distract her from squealing like a little girl. Wishing not for the first time that there were stairs instead of this death trap.

Okay, she had to admit that she was deathly afraid of being trapped in a moving tin can. Give her open skies and walking with her own power any day of the week.

The elevator jolted to a stop, Lilia held her breath, waiting for the dinging sound. Soon after, she felt the doors whooshed open. Once she managed to pry her hands from the railing, Lilia couldn't get out fast enough.

Lilia breathed out and opened her eyes, relieved. It never gets easier.

Lilia walked down the all-too-familiar hallway. She brushed her hand against the wall. When she first arrived, she spends a lot of time in this part of the compound. It brought back a lot of memories. Good ones and bad.

"Oh man, that was tough," a male voice g.r.o.a.n.e.d out.

'Oh, great more people.'

"Yeah, the Headmistress is angry," another male voice replied. "After Mr. C.h.e.s.terfield came back with Bryson and Druid for the representative meeting. She was in a bad mood ever since. Must not like the information she received."

'Mr. C.h.e.s.terfield, I know that name.' Lilia had to think for a moment.

Wasn't he supposed to be Bryson and Druid's chaperone while they were off compound? Met him only a couple of times, didn't like him. Too smarmy.

The two men came into view. 'White coats!' Lilia couldn't help but shudder. She didn't like white coats. Brought back bad memories. They smell of chemicals. It inched her nose.

She adjusted her headphones and hugged the wall to get past.

"Kid, what are you doing here? This area is a restricted area." One of the white coats demanded.

She ignored them, turning a corner.

"Ha, wait."

"No man, I think she's one of the Headmistress's special kids."

"You mean the same as Bryson and Druid?"

"Yeah."

"Poor kid."

That was the last thing she heard before their voices faded away. She sighed, relieved. Placing her hand on a glass door. She looked up and gasped.

'White coats and now this! I went down the wrong hall!'

Through the glass door was a lab with ten feet tubes leaning against the door. The place was where Lilia had woken up into a nightmare four years ago. Where her life fell apart. Where she first met Headmistress Weatherly.

***

Four years ago.

It hurt, everything hurt. It felt like Lilia's skin was peeling off her bones. What happened? She couldn't remember. It was so dark.

I'm scared, it hurts. She wanted to scream out, but something was wrenched inside her mouth. Her throat choked up in a panic. She tried to tear that thing out, but something was restraining her hands. She couldn't move!!

Lilia's mind felt like it was breaking. This is a nightmare. I can't think. 'It hurts! IT HURTS!! Please make it stop. Mom!! Help me. HELP ME!'

She tugged at her restraints, pushing and pulling, struggling to get free, but it was useless and felt like she was fighting against jelly-everything was so slippery. She could not touch the floor with her feet. She couldn't get a good grip.

'NOTHING IS WORKING!!'

But beyond her frenzied mind, beyond the pain, she felt it. Movement beyond her prison. Not just that, but voices, as well. If she concentrated just a bit more...just a little, she would be able to pick up the sounds.

Focus Lilia...There.

"The kid's lighting up like a Christmas tree," a deep voice spoke up.

"If this goes on ... "He paused.

"There is a real chance that she might die."

"I don't care about that. If the little freak doesn't shut up, I'll shoot the kid in the head," another voice growled out.

"I will shoot YOU in the head." This time a female voice spoke, stern and with more authority. "If she dies, then you all will be following her soon after. I guarantee it."

The woman continued speaking, "Besides, she can hear you." That voice finished in a cold flat tone. Shivers ran down Lilia's spine. This was the woman who had been hurting her.

That voice… she'd heard it before coming out of the shadows. There was blood, so much blood. Her sister screaming; men in darkness, reaching hands. She hated that voice. She feared that voice. That voice had destroyed her world.

No! Her world was already destroyed. They came after the Ripples, she remembered, pulling her and her sister out. Taking them here. Where was here? Everything was so confusing; she could barely concentrate.

"You're projecting Lilia, you are going to be a great little telepath, aren't you?" that hateful voice said. It was closer, coming closer. Lilia's c.h.e.s.t tightened in fright.

'Stay away, please stay away.'

"Your mother destroyed your make-believe little world a long time ago."

'What did she mean? What did mom do? What does that mean? Where was she?'

"Your mother left a big mess before she disappeared," that voice continued. "Just think of me as the person who's cleaning that mess up."

'Disappeared!' Shock ran through her system. Her mother was gone. Lilia began to struggle again, needing to get free, needing to find her, needing to find Stella.

A pinging sound, like tapping on the glass, interrupted her thoughts. "Girl pay attention to me; this part is vital." Her voice hardened.

"You better fight for your life. If you don't, your precious little sister is useless to me." The woman paused, letting that statement sink in before continuing. "I heard that you are smart, so you should have figured out by now what I do with useless things…"

*You will kill her,* she couldn't help but think. *You will kill an eight-year-old girl!*

"In a second." That woman chuckled, like killing her sister, was nothing to her. "So, don't move around too much, don't panic. The process is almost finished. The pain is going to get a lot worse, but I think we understand each other, don't we?"

Lilia heard the cl.i.c.k.i.n.g of her heals going distant; she was moving further away. "Soon, you will be very useful to me, my special little butterfly."

That was what her mother called her, but those words coming out of that woman's mouth made her feel sick inside. For now, she had to let it go, her sister needed her more.

'I will live.' She clenched her teeth around the object wrenched in her mouth. She felt it welling up, the power of the pain, shaping her into something that shouldn't exist. She could feel it eating at her insides.

Lilia didn't care; she would sacrifice everything for her sister.

Pain shot out like lightning. It was horrible, a lot worse than before. She was grateful when darkness came.

***

Lilia tore herself away from memory of the door, forcing her legs to move forward. That place still gave her nightmares, and even now, Headmistress Weatherly's threats still haunted her. That woman terrified her to the very core.

She clutched her fist, breathing in and out. Trying to calm down.

The truth was Lilia would have died without Headmistress Weatherly. No matter what the headmistress's motive was.

It doesn't mean that the scars weren't real.