Title: The Thing Inside

Author: Ariel Ezergailis (Me)

Warnings: Violence, Death

Summary: Felicia loves to swim and controls fire. Spring was almost killed by animals and can control them. Wes killed his parents and can heal any injury. Lief prefers to fix small things like computers and has uncontrolled speed and strength. Celeste was struck by lightning and can summon it on command. They've never been accepted by anyone but each other, and will die to save one another.

Felicia

"No! Stop! I'm sorry! Don't take me!"

I wake with a start, the nightmare still vivid in my head. Even though it's been three years since that day, it feels like it was yesterday. I can't shake the constant fear that one day, those people are going to come again and hurt me again, just like they hurt me then. 

 Sighing, I allow myself a few moments to wake up - and a few to get used to the cold - because, really, what human can get up right after they wake up? Spring probably can, but then again, she's Spring - and Spring can do anything. 

Finally, I get up and leave my small home, throwing on a coat overtop of my coat. I can tell it's going to be a cold day. Then again, it's always a cold day. Even though it's been three years, I'm still used to a warm climate - wait. 

I run outside, still in the process of putting on my gloves, shouting, "It's been three years! Three years! Guys, three years to the day!"

Immediately I'm tackled to the ground. The cold snow crunches against my weight, but I'm laughing, and I can hear Spring laughing, as well. "Hey," I say, turning around. Spring's dark hair falls around her shoulders and dances on my face, her brown eyes contrasting with the white landscape. "No fair. You took me by surprise."

"Well," she replies, her voice melodic, "I'll have to take that into consideration." She smiles, her eyes honest, and she leans down and kisses me. Her lips are chapped from the cold but they still feel soft, and I want to hold her closer, I want her to make me warm -

"Oh my god. Really? Get a room already."

Spring pulls away, getting off of me and letting me sit up. "Hi, Wes," she says, holding in her laughter. How she manages to be so happy in the situation we're in - that I've been in for three years now - amazes me. 

Wes just shakes his head. I can only see his eyes, because he's wrapped up his face so it doesn't freeze - something I should really do - but they sparkle with mischief. "Well, it's good to see that your relationship is going strong, I guess - but please. Don't do the kissing thing right in front of my room? Please? I just woke up, guys. Give me a break."

"Sorry, Wes," I say, shrugging and standing, brushing off snow. "But did you hear? It's been three years!"

"I did hear," he laughs. "It's what woke me up - and then I walked out to see you two kissing. Remember?"

"Damn, Wes, sorry my happiness causes you despair," Spring says, walking off. 

"That's my cue to go," I whisper. "You can sleep some more, if you want." Spring's disappeared from my view - something very hard to do here. 

"Uh-huh," he says. "Like I can in this cold. Happy third anniversary, Felicia." I flash him a smile, and then turn and follow Spring. I already know where she's going, so it's easy to find her seated on the edge of the ice block, her feet hanging above the ocean. Bits of ice float around us, but this one spot is the place that we can see the water clearly. It comforts and unsettles me at the same time. 

"Hey," I say, sitting down next to her. "I figured you'd lead me here."

She smiles and I take her hand in mine. "I just thought this was a special place to celebrate your anniversary."

"Yeah," I say, but I can't hide the frown that comes onto my face as I remember everything that's happened here. 

Spring looks over at me, expecting a smile, but when she sees my expression realization dawns on her face as well. "Oh, no, I'm sorry," she whispers. "I shouldn't have brought you here."

"No, really, it's okay," I say, nodding, as if to convince myself. "I - I can look at the water, and although I know how much I've lost, I also can realize just how much I've gained."

"Well, now you're starting to sound like me," Spring jokes. "Silver linings, and all." Spring's got this philosophy that everything, absolutely everything, has a silver lining. I don't doubt that it's true - but sometimes, it's just hard to see it. 

We sit in silence for a little while, feeling the cold wind against our faces, until Spring asks, "Do you...do you still miss it? The way you used to?"

"Not as much now," I reply. I know exactly what she's talking about, too. Before I came here - before I was forced to come here - I lived by a harbour, and I would swim every single day. My dad was a fisherman, and while he fished I'd swim. I got to be really good at it, until...until that day; the day that I still have nightmares about. 

"Can I see it?"

The question comes slightly out of the blue, but I nod, holding out the hand that isn't intertwined with hers. With only a slight push, a flame flickers onto my palm, dancing around in the wind. The cold weather threatens to put it out, but I keep it alive with just my willpower. Spring lets out a laugh. "I know you hate it," she says, "And I know it means you can't swim anymore, but - I love it. I think it's beautiful, and I'm sorry it hurts you."

I grin slightly at her before extinguishing the flame. "What about you? Does your - ability still hurt you?"

"Well, there's not much here for me to control," she points out. "Nothing really lives in the Arctic, right?"

"Except us," I say. 

"Except us," she agrees. 

"I wonder," I say, "if I could just swim anyway. I know that because of my ability, water hurts me, but - I wonder if I could just swim all the way off this island."

Spring's silent for a while. "I wish you could," she finally replies, "But the water would kill you."

"Yeah," I realize. "It was a hope."

"Well, remember," she says. "The silver lining - if none of this had happened, you never would've met me."

Spring had come here six months after me. I had been depressed that entire time - only Wes was here as well, and he was equally solemn. Every day, the whole day, I'd sit here by the water, wishing I could swim, thinking back to the day when I was brought here. But then Spring came, and somehow, her presence just snapped me out of it. 

Also - and I hate to admit this - it helped, both me and Wes, to realize that we weren't completely alone. Spring was just so happy that she had a cheerful aura about her that was impossible not to catch; she also had an ability to control animals - but she'd been bit by a swarm of escaped dogs when she was little, nearly killing her, and everytime she used her ability it brought back bad memories. It was the same for Wes - his parents had both died in surgery (after he had crashed the car that they were all in) and weeks later he developed the ability to heal people. Lief was the other person here. They were a complete nerd, working finely with computers, but then they had developed strength and speed abilities and fine-skilled work was impossible. We all hated our abilities. They were also the reason that we had been brought here in the first place. 

"I like that thinking," I say finally. "And I hope I always will."

*****

"Ship's coming!"

"Is it Saturday already?" I sigh, responding to Lief's call. Lief spent all day by the water (a little ways down from mine and Spring's spot) working on a boat, which they claimed would take us all off this island. I had no idea if they were right, but - we all had our hopes. Thing was, Lief's super speed and strength kept leading them to break all the pieces, as they hadn't really gotten a hang of their skill yet. But none of us ever told them that it wasn't going to work - we didn't have the heart.

But still, Lief was able to tell us when the supply ships were coming. After the government exiled us here, they sent a ship every Saturday bringing food, water, and anything we'd requested the week before that wasn't deemed as a "weapon." We'd all been brought on those supply ships - but Lief was the last person to arrive, and it had been almost a year since they'd been here. 

"Tell me they have chocolate," Spring yells from somewhere else in our small camp. She's probably just woken up. We all have our own little houses - sort of like igloos - and if you can't find Spring, chances are, she's sleeping in hers. 

Wes walks towards me and together, we find Lief by the sea. Spring bounds over and joins us as well. Lief's standing next to their half-constructed boat, but I can tell it's a long ways from being ready to set sail. A large freighter was nearing from the distance, the same one that came every week. "Where do you think the boat comes from?" I ask out of boredom. "They're here every week."

"It must be a boring job," Lief agrees. 

"They probably hate us, too," Spring laughs. "I mean, we've been exiled, right? They're probably scared, even."

"Scared of you?" Wes scoffs.

"Yeah!" Spring says, standing on her tip-toes and trying to tower over the significantly taller Wes. "I could be scary. You know. If I wanted to."

"Ah, so now the truth comes out," Wes replies, and he says more, but he's drowned out as the ship blasts its horn. We all stand in a row as wind throws our hair around. We wrap our faces - and our mouths, now - so the cold doesn't freeze our skin off, but it's still chilly. However cold you think the Arctic is, it's colder. 

Spring takes my hand - it always bothers the ship captain to see that we're happy and together - and the ship pulls in slowly. We wait as it docks and then the side ramp slowly comes down, latching itself onto the ice. One man walks down the ramp, his boots making echoing noises on the metal, and puts a crate down in front of us. "There are nutrition packets, water, and all the other miscellaneous items requested last time," he says. He keeps glancing sideways at us, like he's scared and annoyed at the same time. It makes me laugh. 

Spring immediately picks up the crate - and almost drops it, so Wes ends up holding most of the weight - and checks the contents. She lifts off her mouth covering and says, "There's no chocolate. I asked for chocolate."

"There was no room," the man admits. "We've got a new arrival, had to bring stuff for them."

As if on cue, another man comes down the ramp, holding a girl, about my age, by her arm. She's trying to pull away from him, but she looks weak, starved, and it's a useless battle. Grief tugs at my heart - I can't help but remember when I was in her position. As they reach us and the man lets her go, pushing her towards us, I reach out to her but she just stares at me, fear in her eyes. 

"Her name is Celeste," the man says, already turning around, "And she almost electrocuted a whole building of people. She's more dangerous than all of you combined."

"I doubt that," Spring says softly. Celeste gives her a look that almost appears as hopeful. I really admire how Spring can make anyone feel welcome. 

"Well, whatever," the first man says, and then they both turn around and leave, the boat pulling out only moments after the ramp is taken off the ice. We stand for a few moments, shivering in the wind, but then the noise dies down and the boat is disappearing from sight. 

"So," Spring says, taking Celeste's hand (which makes Wes carry the full weight of the crate), "Let's take you to your house."

Celeste blinks a few times, taken aback at the welcome. "There - There are houses?"

"Snow houses!" Spring says, laughing and nodding. "They're warmer than they sound, trust me. Oh - and we'll get your supplies out, whatever they gave you...oh. I'm Spring, by the way."

"I'm Felicia," I add. Spring's awesome, but her eagerness is a litte...intimidating, almost, to some people. "That's Wes, and that's Lief. Lief's been building a boat." Lief gives me a little high-five.

Wes lets out a grunt and the crate falls to the ground, probably breaking some things. "I'm out of shape," he sighs. "But yeah, one day, it'll take us out of here."

Celeste blinks again. I don't think she knows how to fully comprehend this, or us, either one. "A boat?" Lief gives a nod, but she says again, "He's been building a boat?"

I swallow a little, and Spring gives me a glance, but we wait for Lief to jump in when he's comfortable. "Actually," they say, biting their tongue softly, "I prefer to go by 'they' pronouns, actually, so...please, if you could use 'they' pronouns instead of 'he' ones." Lief had told us a long time ago, when they'd first come here, that he was designated male at birth, but he didn't agree with his gender assignment, and they pronouns were ones he preferred, rather than he pronouns.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Celeste says immediately. We all let out a breath we'd been holding. At least she wasn't an ignorant bitch. "That was my bad - but! They've been building a boat?"

"Yeah," Lief laughs. I think they're more relieved than anybody. 

"C'mon, Celeste," Wes grunts, picking up the crate again. It's obvious he's going to drop it so I hold one side for him. "Let's go. I'll tell you all the secrets of the land."

Celeste laughs, a short laugh, but she follows us as we walk away from the ocean. 

Even though I see it every day, it still hurts to know that I can never step foot in it again. 

*****

Wes

Six Months Later

Life continues, life goes on, blah blah blah. It's all crap, if you ask me. Before This, everyone always used to tell me "I'm sorry you killed your parents, Wes. Life goes on. Be strong. Be a fighter." Sure, I'm a fighter. But I don't want to be. The downside of being able to heal anybody is that, unless I die instantly, I heal myself. But I want out. I would've a long time ago. And that doesn't make me strong.

But I am here. I can't make the most of it like Spring, find true love like Felicia, focus my abilities elsewhere like Lief, or even adapt and at least pretend to be happy like Celeste. I'm just here. This is not what I planned at all for my life; but the night I realized I can heal people - just one week after my parents died - was pretty much the night all my plans went to shit. 

"Hey, everyone?" I hear Lief call from the ocean. They're off building their boat again. I'm just sitting outside my house. All of my skin is covered, but I shouldn't stay in one place too long because of frostbite. I sit anyways. Celeste sits across from me. Her thinking isn't far away from mine, that we're just here and we serve no purpose. She's a nice friend to talk to. Spring's too happy, Felicia's too hopeful, and Lief is too stubborn, really. 

"Yeah?" That's Spring, calling back. Felicia's with her, no doubt. Inseperable, those two. 

"Is it Saturday?"

We stop and pause. "Nobody knows but you," Celeste finally calls. 

"Well, that last supply ship was here two days ago, right? There's one here now."

That's enough to get us going. The routine never breaks, so if there's a ship, then...who knows?

Briefly I think that I'm getting out of here but that's never going to happen so it's embarrassing that I want to believe it. But where would I go?

At top speed, it doesn't take long for us to reach Lief. They're right - a ship's coming, heading for the normal spot that all supply ships do. "Maybe it's nothing?" I say, but I know it is. 

"Is your boat ready?" Celeste asks Lief, but they shake their head, and we're doomed. If we can't leave, then we just have to wait. We cover our mouths and faces as the wind from the incoming ship tries to bite at our skin, but instead of patiently waiting, we're all ready to run this time, our muscles ready to spring into action. 

But we're still not prepared. 

Because the boat docks, and a second after, three men jump off and land on the ice, holding things that look like guns. Before I can even say a witty remark (it helps me cope, okay) they're firing and we can't do anything about it. 

I hear Felicia cry out, and then a thud, before I'm turning around and running as fast as I can. Spring's next to me. She's turning around to try and reach Felicia, who I'm sure is gone, but I grab her hand and pull her with me. She starts screaming but I just take her hand and run. 

We're far enough away and I turn back. One of the men has got an unconscious Felicia and another's carrying Lief onto the boat. I have to wrap my arms around Spring's waist and plant my feet on the ice because she's trying to wrestle away from me, and I want to let her go, but it's too dangerous. If there was a way, I would go and heal them. I would. But I can't make it in time. 

The third man comes into view. He's holding Celeste, but she's struggling and screaming and so is Spring and I can't think, all I can hear is them screaming and it makes me scream myself. "Summon the animals," I cry to Spring. She does, I think, because a couple Arctic foxes spring out of the shadows, and a few hares, and they launch themselves at the men. 

There's a shot, a bang, and Celeste crumples. There's nothing we can do. My power to heal has never left me so powerless. 

All of the animals that Spring's called - and there are plenty - bite and shred the men, but more shots go off and some animals fall to the ground, dead or unconscious, I don't know. I don't know if Felicia, Lief, or Celeste are alive anymore. The men turn, and instead of being torn apart by the animals, they run onto the boat that's already pulling away. 

It happened too fast. I'm still not sure what's going on. The wind's picking up and I'm freezing but I don't move. I can't tell if three of my closest friends and allies are dead. Were the men here to kill us? If so, why aren't we dead? Why did they let us stay? I feel useless, like there's no reason for me to be here at all. 

Spring tries to bite me and rip my arm off, but anger and grief make her weak. I hold onto her, a single tear falling from my eye and catching on the cloth covering my face. 

The ice is stained red.