Chapter 49
“The Base? What’s the Base?” Esmie wanted to jump down and race around to understand for herself. Samson’s explanation was taking too long.
“I told you I come from a different place than Andloor. This is it. Over forty years ago, the world ended by a nuclear explosion.”
“Like the mayor said. I was too confused to really believe him,” Esmie interrupted.
“Unfortunately, he was right.” Samson sighed.
“The Base is a safe haven-built years before the bombs dropped, but only high-level personnel and their families could live here. After the world ended, the few people that survived by hiding here or in some type of shelter, emerged to find out the radiation changed us. We all developed superhuman ability such as slightly increased strength, speed, not needing as much food and water, and a special power ability unique to the individual. We call it a prominent power. Some people have the same prominent power, like here in the Medical Sector everyone has a healing power which is semi-common. More common powers are people who can create and manipulate fire, concrete, earth, and steel. My mother was a grower which is semi-common. She could grow anything within a matter of days, even from a nuclear torched seed.”
“Wait—so everyone here has powers? Like me?”
“Yes, and initially we thought we were the only place to have survived the nuclear bomb fallout. The Base took in anyone who wandered over and found this place. We created a new society, one that could sustain and flourish with life again to repopulate the earth but…better. Then we found Andloor.” Samson broke off, his gaze becoming distant as if remembering something.
“Is Andloor the first civilization you found?” Esmie’s head was spinning. She had so many questions but only the silly ones seemed to escape her lips.
Samson nodded. “Once we found you, we were amazed, and it took around two years to study your city. The mayor told you the truth. The city created the dome years before the first bombs dropped. You all were sheltered there for so long, it was easy for your government to hide the truth from you.”
Esmie pulled her hands from Samson’s. He frowned in response. She gripped her forehead with one hand, rubbing it to keep her brain from falling out. The world as she knew it was a lie. It didn’t exist.
“Have you found any other civilizations?” she finally managed to get out.
“Reconnaissance thinks they have found another preserved civilization, like yours, who are secluded and don’t know about what has happened to the world. Scouts need to be sent out still to check and study it to verify what is going on and what we’re up against.”
“Up against? What do you mean?”
“Well, we are trying to connect with other civilizations to form alliances and help if need be. For example, in Andloor, the citizens have no clue what is going on. If they were to somehow be able to get outside, or the dome failed, they would be killed because of their seclusion. Our people put out feelers to see if your government would be accepting of us helping. It was a fat no, which is where those missiles came into play.”
“How did you know that the government wouldn’t be accepting? Did you actually speak with them?” Esmie snapped. She felt herself getting frustrated with all of this new information and knew she was lashing out at Samson, but she didn’t care.
“Yes. I did.” Samson’s solemn expression revealed what Esmie was missing.
“You were the scout. You were the one sent to check on us.” Although the accusation was merely a whisper from her mouth, the pained look on Samson’s face told of its effect.
“I was a scout, which is why I infiltrated your Law Enforcement Division. I didn’t know how deep everything went and I didn’t anticipate meeting you.”
“Does Leo know about this?”
“No, not everything.”
“What’s your power?” The calm voice Esmie exuded didn’t match the turmoil she felt within.
“I’m considered a very rare shifter. Shifting ability is considered semi-common.
People who have the ability can change into anything or anyone.
Rare Shifters can even take on some of the powers of the person they shift to.
My ability is rarer as I don’t have to change into anyone.
I can just think of the ability and use it for a period of time. ”
“And what about your car? How did it magically get fixed? It was crushed with all of the windows shattered the last time I saw it.”
“When I finally got back, you both were gone. I tried to piece together what happened and saw the tracks in the mud. Using my own powers, the technology ones like you have, I listened in on a scanner and heard they took Leo but couldn’t get you.
I wasn’t sure where you were and I knew I needed to travel fast, so I used my powers to fix my car.
Just some metal manipulation. The glass was a little harder to replace as I had to use fire and wind abilities to mold it back together.
Took me the better part of the morning figuring it out, but it helped me check all of the security cameras to finally track you down and get to you. ”
Esmie nodded, then jumped down from the medical bed, avoiding Samson’s touch when he reached out for her.
“So, you’ve been lying to me this whole time.
When I asked you why you know so much about my powers, you said because you studied them.
But instead, it was because not only do you have them, but you live in a society where everyone has them. ”
“Esmie, please. I couldn’t tell you anything. I was on a secret assignment.” Samson dropped his hands by his sides.
“You knew what glass was, what it does. The antibiotics and radiation sickness cure you gave me, you created here, not with Leo in the lab.”
“I didn’t create it. Someone else did. I just perfected it to work for the people of Andloor. People who have never been exposed to radiation before, so they could survive.”
“I don’t care who created it, Samson.” Esmie threw her hands up in the air. “You lied to me, and you lied to Leo, your supposed best friend!”
“What was I supposed to say? Hey, nice to meet you. Did you know your world is a lie and the world outside your domed city is consumed with radiation that will kill you the moment you step outside your bubble? Oh, and check this out. I have powers!” Samson ran a hand through his wavy black hair.
“I would have crushed your world in one fell swoop when you were already drowning in the disaster you created.”
Esmie stepped back as if she had been slapped. “The disaster I created?”
“I-I didn’t mean it that way. I meant your world was crashing down on you and you were already overwhelmed.
I didn’t want to add to it.” Samson placed a hand out to reassure her, but Esmie pulled away from it as if it was diseased.
The hurt expression on Samson’s face pricked her heart but she hardly felt it as it was already swollen in pain from all of the lies she was learning about.
How could she have allowed herself to fall for someone who she knew had all these red flags?
She saw them and questioned them. From the beginning she could tell Samson was hiding something, but she allowed her feelings to get in the way of common sense.
Had she would have figured things out earlier, checked into his story, then she could have done something about it.
Done what exactly? Her heart whispered to her. She didn’t want to hear its ache-filled cry. Trusting Samson caused her to play the fool in his game. He was here on a mission and decided to have some fun in the meantime, with her heart being the prize.
“Esmie, please talk to me,” Samson’s voice broke.
“Why? So, you can tell me more lies? Or wait, maybe you’ll tell me more truths to the lies you’ve already told. I’m not some fun fling for you while you were working on your scouting mission. I have feelings too.” Esmie narrowed her eyes at him, balling up her hands into fists at her sides.
“My feelings for you were never a game. From the moment I saw you, I knew you were special and someone worth chancing my job on. I wasn’t supposed to have a relationship in the field, but I was willing to risk it for you.
” Samson’s level voice invaded her space.
She didn’t want to forgive him. Not just yet.
Esmie wanted him to suffer like she was.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but you need to come with me, please.” Dr. Anita’s kind face popped through the white curtains, but there was an urgency in her eyes. Esmie, glad for the distraction, nodded. She walked toward the doctor, without acknowledging Samson, who followed directly behind her.
Dr. Anita’s brisk walk across the floor, had Esmie almost jogging to keep up.
She entered into a stairwell through a set of heavy metal doors.
They walked up a few flights of concrete stairs that matched the walls, before walking into another area.
This one was even more sterilized than the floor below.
An open, large, circular desk sat in the middle with several nurses and doctors staring at monitors inside.
Several good-sized rooms lined the walls of the main area.
They skirted around the desk and Esmie peeked into the rooms where serious looking equipment sat.
This must be similar to the intensive care unit at the hospital in Andloor.
Almost all the rooms were empty, except two.
The first one they passed, Tessa lay inside of what appeared to be a large incubator, wrapped in blankets, like a newborn with only her face exposed.
Tubes ran into and out of the incubator and into and out of her.
Tessa’s eyes were closed with a tube in her mouth.
Her chest expanded and fell in slow exaggeration.
“Tessa,” Esmie said, stopping to enter the room. Dr. Anita wrapped a delicate hand around Esmie’s wrist.
“You can visit her next. You need to see your other friend first.” Dr. Anita waited for Esmie to nod in agreement, then led her to the next room a little farther down, while still holding onto Esmie’s wrist.
Mindy lay in the same incubator as Tessa, but she wasn’t wrapped in blankets. Her eyes were also closed with a tube in her mouth, but her breathing was sporadic and staccato. Dr. Anita released Esmie to allow her to run to the incubator, placing her hands on the plexiglass.
“Mindy! Can you hear me? I’m so sorry this happened to you.” Esmie turned to Dr. Anita. “Why is she breathing like that?”
“Mindy’s exposure is more severe than Tessa’s. Everyone’s body reacts to radiation differently, meaning it breaks down some people faster than others. We were able to stabilize Tessa, but unfortunately, we can’t with Mindy.” Dr. Anita’s voice was soothing, yet sad at the same time.
“What do you mean? Do that glowing hand thing of yours.” Tears formed in Esmie’s eyes, but she swiped them away. Dr. Anita’s lips formed a thin line.
“I’m sorry Esmie, it doesn’t always work that way. While I have the rare ability to bring someone from the brink of death, I can’t with everyone. Especially with people who haven’t been exposed to radiation. I can hurt her more if I invade too much.”
Esmie pushed past the doctor to Samson who stood in the doorway with his face down. “Then you do it. You heal her since you apparently can take on any type of power.”
Samson looked up, glanced at Dr. Anita, then back at Esmie and shook his head.
“Like I said, I can only take on certain abilities for a period of time. While I could heal maybe a cut or minor injury, even calm someone’s heartrate down, serious injuries are beyond my abilities.
Dr. Anita is the best and most powerful Healer here. If she can’t heal Mindy, no one can.”
“But what about the radiation cure? You gave it to me, just give it to her.”
“Again, it doesn’t work that way. Mindy is in the late stages of radiation and beyond saving with the cure. We can’t do anything no matter how much I wish we could.” Samson’s gaze filled with sorrow.
Tears streamed down Esmie’s face. “Please,” she pleaded.
“Please, I’ll do anything. Take my blood.
Use it to save her. Do something.” Esmie grabbed the sleeve of Dr. Anita’s coat.
Samson moved toward her, but Dr. Anita placed a hand up to Samson.
When he stopped, she placed that same hand on Esmie’s hands.
“I’m sorry, I wish it were that easy. We’re going to unplug the machines soon.
Keeping her alive is too much pain on her body.
She can still hear you. I brought you here to say goodbye.
” Dr. Anita guided Esmie’s quivering body to the incubator again.
Esmie wiped her nose with the sleeve of her jacket.
Then she placed her hands back on the incubator.
“Oh, Mindy. This is all my fault. I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.” Esmie sobbed, unable to continue. She didn’t want this to be true. Mindy needed to survive. She didn’t want to say goodbye to her oldest friend.
Mindy’s eyes fluttered open, the blue mischief in them all but faded. A single tear rolled out, and Esmie felt her knees buckle. One of her hands dragged forward. She pressed her thumb and pointer finger together, making their friendship symbol to each other. A heart. Esmie mimicked the gesture.
“Love you,” Esmie whispered. Mindy’s eyelids closed and the monitors stopped beeping. A long monotone pervaded, shattering Esmie’s heart.
“She’s gone.” Dr. Anita came behind Esmie and hugged her as Esmie cried out, crumpling to the floor.
Another pair of strong arms wrapped around Esmie. She knew it was Samson, but she didn’t care. Although she was still angry with him, sorrow overwhelmed every other emotion. Her world crumbled and the guilt over Mindy’s death consumed her. She lay crying in Samson’s arms until the world faded away.