9 9. Breaking Poin

Chapter 9

"Let go of me! Let go of me right now!" Ryela screamed slamming her heal on a guards foot and then throwing a hard elbow to his head.

"Ah! You little pest!" the guard barked. Ryela started kicking and swinger here arms to get out of the guards reach.

"Put her in." a man command. The guards dragged her over to a tube-like machine and put her in. "Proceed with extermination."

Ryela kicking and punching as hard as she can and the glass started cracking. She then started expanding a force field from the inside to shatter it. The glass got closer and closer to busting, but Ryela slowly started to stop. She dropped down on her knees as blue and green gas filled the machine, and Ryela was coughing uncontrollably. When the gas settled, and the tube lifted, she was on the ground unconscious and pale.

-BOOM!-

"OWE!" Ryela whined. "Why did you push me off the bed!"

"I told you it would be hard to wake her up." Marly laughed helping her up.

Ryela got up and rubbed her sore head. "Was that really necessary though?"

"Yes." Marly laughed.

"Yeah, well, you kinda were mumbling in your sleep the whole night, and tossing and turning a lot too. Natalie admitted.

"Yeah you were did you have a nightmare or something." Marly threw a pillow at Ryela.

"Just another stupid dream, that's all." Ryela got up and walked to the bathroom to get ready. Then she walked into the room with a look of confusion. "Wait…" She paused, "That awful alarm didn't go off."

"I wish I could say that it will be this way forever, but nope. It's just because it's the weekend, so they give us a break to do whatever." Marly explained with a sigh.

"Nice,"Ryela agreed.

Marly looked up with a grin on her face. "Hey, guys...I got a great idea!"

●"{ --------------------◇--------------------"}●

"You want to go to Sanera Falls?" questioned Izon

"In or not?" Marly asked as she looked at the clock. "We're about to head out."

"Yeah definitely. Let me get ready." So the kids waited what seemed like hours -which was really only 20 minutes- as Izon got ready. When he came back out,

his backpack was bulging out with random things.

"What's that?" Natalie laughed.

"My travel kit. You never know what you may need."

"What we need, is enough energy to make it to Senera Falls. Which we won't have by caring your lazing butt." Marly joked.

Izon rolled his eyes and scoffed, "You won't need to carry me anywhere. Imma man and men are strong." he declared.

"Sure, sure, keep telling yourself that." Marly smirked, "If I remember right, who was the one to get all mad and everything because I beat your 'manly' attitude into the ground when playing football, hm?"

"Ha! You practically threw a hissy-fit." Natalie chimed in.

"The sun was in my eyes, Westfield." Izon protested glaring at Marly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know my amazing personality shines so bright?" Marly teased.

"I said the sun was in my eyes, Marly, not a black hole."

"Hey!" Marly yelled as she punched his arm. "You better take that back." she threatened, grabbing the collar of his jacket.

"Okay! That's enough," Natalie demanded, separating them. "Don't we have somewhere to be?"

"Oh, yeah. Let's hurry up before 'you know who' finds us." Marly cautioned.

The kids started sneaking off -trying to be as unnoticeable as possible; finally, they reached the back exit door.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" a voice rose up.

The kids sweat dripping down there neck they turn in hesitation.

"Oh, uh… Hey Gabe! So how's your morning treating you? Did you sleep well? We were, uh, just going for a walk." Natalie stammered.

"Where do you think you're going?" Gabe grinned. "Without me?"

"What?" Ryela questioned. You sure you wanna go? You could get in trouble for this."

"Eh, it's fine. If I remember right, the last time we went walking through the woods we found something pretty cool." Gabe smiled looking at Ryela.

"What's that?" She questioned.

"This arrowhead." The serious moment shuddered as he started pulling a necklace out from under his shirt. "I like how its crystal clear, and rough around the edges. Wanna see it?" he teased taking the necklace off and handing it to Ryela.

She chuckled as she picked up the rock and put it in the light. "It's pretty. I can't believe you found this," she muttered sarcastically.

"Can we leave now? It's way too boring for me here." Izon insisted, so soon the kids snuck out and were on there way.

●"{ --------------------◇--------------------"}●

The kids hiked through the woods with sweat dripping down there face. Taking step after step and trying to avoid the sun's hot rays. They made there way up around the path groaning every step.

"Are we almost there yet," Marly whined, grasping to a tree to keep her balance.

Ryela threw off her bag and plopped on the ground, and so did the rest of the kids. "You dragged us into this, so it's your fault." Izon instigated.

"Ha, ha, whatever."

"I'm about to just fly out of here." Izon insisted looking up.

"Not all of us can fly, you know." Ryela smarted picking up her bag.

The group took a quick water break and got ready to go. Ryela put her backpack on and walked over to Marly to help her up. After that, the kids get going up the trail, but it only took a few steps until they realized something was wrong. As they looked back Ryela was leaning over zoned out.

Gabe rushed over to her and grabbed her arm.

"Hey? Ryle's? Are you ok?" he worried lifting up her head. The kids rushed over and looked in her eyes. Ryela's eyes were darkened and she was fully out of it. In complete panic, Izon laid his hand to her cold head, but as he did; he flared his eyebrows and gave a worried look to Gabe.

"What's wrong, Izon! Is she okay?" Marly grabbed his arm.

"She feels weird, and her pulse is fast."

Gabe being surrounded by stress, he grabbed Ryela's arm. After only a few timing, he said, "She's scared." He explained, "Like s-"

Ryela snapped right out of it and jerked back painting really hard. She looked around fast to view her surroundings.

"It's ok! Ryela its ok." Marly reassured her, grabbing her hand, "Look at me, okay?"

The lost girl scared half out of her mind, strained her eyes to focus on Marly but she couldn't stop seeing the picture in her mind,

"Talk to me." Gabe comforted. "What happened? I could feel you were scared. So tell me."

"Its-" She stammered. "I-" ice cold tears rolled down her cheeks and dropped on the soft grass under her; the small spot the tear landed on, burned the beautiful green grass to a smoking grey. "It's fine." She huffed out.

"C'mon speak to me," begged Gabe as he took hold of her arms. "Are you okay?"

She jerked her arms free from worried Gabe's grasp and took another good look of her surroundings. "I'm… fine" she spit out.

"Oh thank goodness! I thought I lost my best friend." Marly shouted hugging Ryela.

After a few minutes, the kids got ready to go. "Let's get going before it gets too late," reassured Natalie walking fast down the path. The kids made there way up the path keeping a good lookout, but Gabe stopped Ryela as the rest of the kids got further and further up the path.

"No secrets." Gabe stopped giving a concerned look towards her.

Ryela gave a big huff, and looked away." What's there to tell?"

"The vision you saw." He snapped back, "I know you saw something."

"All I did was remember something. What's so bad about that?"

"Nothing. But when it affects someone I care about then it is."

Ryela rolled her eyes and scoffed, "'feelings'...that's a touchy subject right there." she said walking off.

"Why's that?" Gabe caught back up to her. But in return, she just gently shrugged.

"Friends tell each other things and watch out for each other. I'm your friend right? Or no?"

"Or no." She teased slipping around a tree up the trail. She kept walking faster and faster.

"Why do I feel like you're trying to avoid me?" Gabe questioned using his super speed to catch

up."

"Maybe 'cause I am." she laughed running further up the hill.

He caught up to her before they reached the top and stopped her. "Ryela. What's going on."

She contemplated for about five minutes and with a quiet response, she simply shrugged.

"Don't do this to me… I want to help you, Ryela. You can tell me anything. Just trust me….please..."

Those soft words hit hard on Ryela's broken heart, and she started to tear up. But like a switch that sadness turned into anger. "I've heard the words before…" she choked out with tears. "And the moment I did trust them… My life turned to hell…" painfully her voice cracked within each word she spat out.

"So now the truth comes out."

"What?"

"You have insecurity and trust issues… so you can't trust anyone." He explained in a soft manner, "That's why you're so closed up. How can I help you if you're so scared all the time?" He comforted.

"I don't need help. Can't you understand? No one can help me… it will only lead them to death." Her voice tightened sharp and she walked a little bit farther up the path and took a seat on the grass.

Gabe made his way to the top and sat down as well.

After examining herself and winding back in the things she has done in the past she questions painfully. "What is wrong with me?" she stammered.

Hot tears rolled down her cold cheeks causing them to slightly smoke.

"Nothing is…" Gabe sympathized.

"Then why can't I feel like myself, why can't I trust… why-" her voice broke and tears flowed faster down her face. "Why do I feel so… cold…" she dropped her heavy head into her hands in emotional pain from the realization of her life.

Gabe immediately swooped in and gave her a tight hug. "It's okay…" he comforted as he held the sobbing girl in his arms.

"How do you know." She sobbed.

"How could someone as pure as you be evil? Trust me I just know... I'm sure about it."

"I've killed people, Gabe... I am a murderer." She changed her perspective to her hands, "I've done things, I may not remember, but I just know. That's something I'm actually, sure about."

"You think you're the only monster of the group…?" He questioned looking down in grief.

Ryela gave a look of confusion as Gabe took a deep breath and continued. "Izon used to help in making new solutions for the scientist; Marly would train the new recruits to use their powers for awful things; Natalie would help camouflage the soldier when they went into the woods, and to make sure they got what they needed." His eye steered away from the girl as harsh memories taunted him.

"Wh-... what did you do during all of this?" she turned her head.

"The unthinkable…" memories came washing into his brain and all he could see was his past.

In comfort Ryela slowly moved her hand to him and gently placed it on his hand.

"I-" he hesitated. "At the end of all that...I would test the kids and see their strengths... Whoever couldn't pass….Would be put under."

"But that's nothing b-"

"No. I was the one to put them under... I was… I was the one...to make the choice of who stays and who's goes.. and not a lot of people stayed." his voice dropped low and so did his demeanor.

Ryela flared her eyebrows for she knew what that meant.

When kids get put under either their ability gets extracted-which most of the time the kids don't survive that-, they're tested and experimented on even more; they'll hyper-freeze them; or if they're not that powerful, then they'll just kill them.

Ryela stayed in deep thought for about 10 minutes and finally spoke up, "H-...how did you cope with it?"

"Hm?" He asked snapping out of his thought.

"How do you, just not care, about anything. All the bad things, the memories... the torture. You seem to be doing fine… so how?"

Gabe looked at Ryela then back at the ground.

"Well, the truth is." He stuttered, "That's just what I want people to see… but deep down in reality; we are all falling apart… Me, Marly, Izon, and Natalie... I have little things here and there remind me of my past...Every so often, I get nightmares… I try and push it over, but what really helps me through it all… is knowing I can trust my family."

In disbelief, Ryela turned her head in confusion.

It probably sounds weird to say because I don't have real blood family still alive, but the ones close to you can be your family ." He motioned toward his friends walking further up the path. "You see those idiots over there… that's my circle." He turned his view on Ryela, "We help each other out, and make sure that we can make it... just one more day… Who's your circle?" His bold eyes pierce Ryela's soul and those words went deep into her mind.

She pondered more and more on the question. After viewing her surrounding and giving a soft look at Gabe, she spoke: "I don't know yet.."

He put his hand on her shoulder and smiled softly. "And that's okay…. And if it's okay with you; I'd like to help you. Marly, Natalie, Izon, all of us." Gabe stood up and got ready to go. "But it comes with a catch… you have to learn how to trust. Not just yourself but everyone close to you." He gently stretched out his warm hand and with a compassion look he asked, "Deal?"

For what seemed like all of her life, she never trusted anyone. But it was different this time; she never felt so much love radiate off a single being. Her doubts and worries slipped away for just a second as she grabbed hold of his hand and stood how. And with just a hint of skepticism, she spoke: "Deal."

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Eventually, the group made their way through the path to the beautiful fall. They walked around a circle trail that leads up to the top, but they only went halfway up and stopped at a barrier.

"Wow, It's beautiful..." Ryela ran up to the water.

"Yup! We made it just in time for the sunlight to sparkle off the water." Explained Marly.

Natalie looked around and sighed, "I love this fall. I just wish no one found out about it." She explained pointing behind her.

The kids' wonderful view was interrupted as the looked back and saw a group of tourist. They were taking pictures, admiring the view, and exploring the woods.

"Was it not like this before?" Ryela faltered stepping behind the group to hide her face.

"No." Izon explained, "It used to be very quiet. No one ever passed through this side of the woods, but then some guy did and posted it all over the internet."

Gabe looked at the strangers then looked at the team, and he noticed Ryela in the back with her head down. "Well, let's not let these harmless tourist bother us." He continued. "We could go around the path, maybe hike to the top, take a swim in the river ne-"

"Jimmy!!!" A screeching scream shattered through the people, and silence immediately struck them.

Everyone looked to the lady who was screaming for dear life. She started running as fast as she could to the barrier.

"Get down now!" She yelled, "I'm giving you three seconds to come here back down, mister!"

Every eye looked at the very top of the fall. All the way at the top of Senera Falls stood a little boy laughing at the panicked woman; He started grabbing pebbles and throwing them down at the people. The boy kept on taunting the lady and jumping around; getting closer and closer to the edge.

"Oh, Jimmy! Please get down!" The lady pleaded.

The boy started taunting more and more. "Na, na, na… you can't touch me!" With every loud taunt, he yelled out of his mouth, the boy got closer and closer to the rushing water that flooded over the edge.

"We have to do something!" Ryela whispered to the group.

"Like what?! If we use our abilities people will notice!" Marly snapped back.

"But he could die!" Natalie begged, looking at Gabe.

The crowd began to worry and some people started calling the police. In a complete panic, the startled woman ran to the end of the barrier, and she began to claim to the top, but people ran up behind her and tried holding her back.

"You all look so tiny from up here!" The boy chanted. He started jumping up and down getting closer and closer. "Wow, I'm so close to the birds fl-"

His taunting was interrupted by the sound of splashing and a screeching scream.

"No!!" The woman yelled. She in fear dropped down in faint as the boy fell down the high fall.

-BOOM!-

A loud crack echoed through the trees as the boy hung there caught on a branch. A sound of relief was let out throughout the crowd.

Ryela looked back as did the rest of the kids and Natalie jerked her arm back in pain. Gabe ran up to her in fear. "What did you do?!"

"He was going to die, Gabe!" She argued.

"Yeah but now everyone saw that! Look at them! They're confused. What if someone saw that? What if someone was getting a video this whole time?!" He scolded. He took a deep breath and looked around. "I'm sorry for yelling, but we need to get going now. The fire department will take care of him."

The kids started sneaking away through the woods. Once they were clear of people they full sprint ran as far as possible, but after some time the kids stopped for a breath.

"Oh, God." Ryela painted. "Wh- what if people saw us? What if people are following us? Are we safe?" She started rambling on and on with questions.

"Wo, wait." Marly broke in. "Chill, breath. Yes, just breath." She comforted rubbing Ryela's back.

"You're ok, boo."

Ryela started looking around in fear, but she soon stopped panicking and zoned out for just a second. The kids backed off to give her some space.

"Ryles?" Izon faltered.

Ryela slowly pulled her head back, and with a shaking tone, she said only one word... "Run." She trembled, grabbing Gabe's hand.

"Wait. Why?" Gabe questioned stopping her.

Ryela's explanation was interrupted when the ground beneath the kids began slightly shaking, but it grew into a great rumble.

Trees from far off started snapping and echoing down the loan path.

"We have to go now!" Ryela yelled pushing the kids.

The kids started doing a light jog while looking back. As the sounds and snapping got louder, the kids got faster.

"What's going on Ryela!" Marly shouted dodging trees.

Before Ryela could answer huge camouflage trucks blasted over the hill. With soldiers running beside, and they were armed.

"This is what I was worried about! I could feel him!" Ryela shouted to the kids.

"They found us!" Natalie yelled.

The kids ran as fast as their ability would let them. With great force and effort, Natalie swished her hands in the air. Huge trees and comes moved in the way of the trucks, but the cars were reinforced with a shield so they blew right past them. The guards started shooting taser at them as they dodge through them trying their best not to get hit. The kids took a sharp turn down a hill and kept on going, but was interrupted by more trucks plowing through.

"Come on guys we're close!" Gabe yelled ducking under a bridge. The rest of the kids followed him.

"Where are we going?!" Marly questioned.

"Stay focused guys! They could come and close us in any second." Gabe commanded taking another sharp turn.

"I think th-"

-ZAP!-

Marly's plead was stopped and she dropped to the ground.

"Marly!" Izon yelled. "She was hit!" Izon pulled the taser off her arm and tried to shake her awake. "She's out cold!"

The kids stopped and ran to help.

"Natalie take care of the trucks!" Gabe commanded.

The trucks were not far behind so Natalie full sprint ran to them. She finally reached the trucks .and with no sweat, she touched the ground with her hand and huge waves of vines started ripping through and taking out the cars.

"Izon grab Marly and go north. You should be able to see RGST from high up." He demanded.

So Izon picked up Marly and shot forward in a bolt of wind into the sky. During this, Ryela was behind Gabe breathing hard. It looked like her eyes glazed over, and her body was filled with fear.

"Hey? You okay?" Gabe asked concerningly. "We have to go now okay?"

Ryela stood there lost of words.

"Ryela!"

Just then she jerked out of it and fell back. She immediately viewed her surroundings. "They know I'm here!"

"What?" Gabe questioned grabbing her hand and running.

"They were looking everywhere for me and now they found me! That's all they wanted. Just a simple out of the normal incident. He knew how wicked this world was and that we couldn't just watch something like that happen. He knew!" Ryela explained catching up to Gabe.

"Who knew?" He yelled back.

"Collins."

"I held them off long enough! This way." Natalie pleaded, dashing through a bush.

The kids dodge every tree and avoided every sound coming, and soon reached a huge rock drop off.

"Dead end? I thought you said you knew where we were going?" Ryela asked looking back.

"I'm here." Izon huffed dropping down with Marly in his arms.

Gabe walked up to the wall and felt around a little bit. Then he stopped and placed his hand on one spot. Suddenly, one section of the wall opened up and the kids sprinted in.