Sequel: Life After Death ›
Status: Sequel, Life After Death, is currently posted!
Accidents Can Happen
Chapter 34
The hallway ended in a storage closet. I kicked the light metal door in frustration. The rusted hinges creaked loudly before the door broke loose and fell to the ground. I leaned against the concrete wall to catch my breath. I ran the entire half of the hallway, which had to be about a quarter of a mile. The thought of going all the way back wasn’t very welcoming. My current breaths came as short raspy gasps. My throat itched each time I inhaled.
After I caught my breath I started back down the hallway. I tried to run faster but my legs refused to act accordingly. I jogged pass the still empty hallway and instead of turning left I went straight. It was just a hallway; no storage room or anything, just solid concrete walls lined with pipes and electrical wires. The hallway started to angle slightly upwards the farther I went. Then I saw light a few meters ahead. I heard something else too; voices and footsteps. I forced my legs to move faster. The bright morning sunlight blinded me when I walked out of the long hallway into a small clearing.
In the clearing were the escaped prisoners and a massive black helicopter. It wasn't a military aircraft, for it had no identification name or number painted on the side. The children were climbing into the passenger bay one by one. My mind started to wonder about who brought the helicopter when an unfamiliar voice echoed in my head. “Hello, Lorna.” Brain damage was the first thing that came to me. The amount of bleeding my head had endured must have been causing me to hallucinate. But the kind voice was too clear and unfamiliar to be a figment of my imagination. I did what most therapist advise you not to do; I acknowledged the voice in my head “Uh, hello.” I thought to myself; feeling completely idiotic.
“You're not crazy, Lorna. I'm telepathic. My name is Charles Xavier.” The voice was smooth and full of experience. I still doubted my sanity through. “Are you sure I’m not insane?” I asked the strange voice again. The voice of Charles Xavier gave a soft chuckle before saying, “No, Lorna. You are perfectly sane. Just look in front of you.” I took my eyes off the almost loaded helicopter and scanned the rest of the clearing. I didn't have to look far from the helicopter though. Walking towards me with a causal stroll was a man dressed in a neat but simple blue suit. The closer he got the more details I could make out. He looked to be in his early fifties and his head looked as through he was born without hair for the lack of it looked neither shaven nor natural. He had a smile that also looked like he was born with it and his skin had a slight pale tone to it. He held his hand out. I cautiously shook it.
“Uh, hi.” I said; unsure of how to continue the conversation. He didn't seem too concerned with my lack of talking. “I run a school in upstate New York. It's a school for people like you; for mutants. It's a safe place for young people like us. I not only offer an education but training to help you learn how to control your abilities better. My school is open to any mutant who wants to attend.” I hated myself for it but his speech reminded me of the one I heard two years. And frankly I was tired of all the special treatment. I just wanted to have normal life. I wanted to graduate from a regular high school and attend a public college. I didn't want to be separated from society just because some people might have problem with what I was.
“I'm sorry, Mr. Xavier, but I don't think right now it the perfect for me to go through any more dramatic changes. I'm already stressed out as it is because of all the near death experiences I've been through in the past two days. So thanks but no thanks.” I tired to explain myself in the more sincere way possible but I doubted that it came out that way. It if didn't, Xavier didn't seem offended in the least. “I understand. It's a standing invitation so if you change you mind our doors open. I wish you luck.” And with that he turned and headed back to the helicopter. I then turned to head back into the gloomy tunnel.
But as I turned I ran into something solid; another person. I jumped in fright and pushed myself away from the body. My heart still didn't return to its natural rhythm when I saw who it was. “God dammit, Remy! You scared me half to death.” Remy smiled though there was still a hint of worry in his eyes. “It's nice to know I have that effect on you. Where are the kids?” He asked looking at the helicopter that was just now taking off. “They'll be fine. Now let’s find Logan and get the hell out of here.” I said with relief settling in my stomach now that I didn't have to finish this by myself. “I do believe that is the smartest thing I've heard you say.”He said as we entered the tunnel together.
We backed tracked through the hallway and cell block until we passed through the large sliding doors and out of the building. The island looked different in the morning light than it did previous night. Large pieces of concrete and warped pieces of steel covered the ground. A dense cloud of tan dust still lingered low in the air. “What the hell happened out here?” I asked to no one in particular. “I think Logan happened. We should split up. I'll go this way.” And with that Remy took off running to the right. I wasn't happy around being left alone again but this way we would find Logan faster. I hoped at least as I went left. The side of the island Remy assigned to me was bare except for a small shed on the edge of the water. It was empty excepted for a few shoves, a toolbox and two fishing poles. I stared at the poles in amazement. Who would want to fish on the shore of a nuclear reactor? I wondered if they ever caught anything and if they did was it deformed. I thought about that for five minutes before I realized that I was wasting time
I looked around the shed before turning around and going in search of Remy and hopefully Logan. But of course it was only Remy who I saw running in my direction through the dust. He didn't slow down as he grabbed my arm and pulled me with him. “Where's Logan?” I asked struggling to keep up with him. “He said he'll find his own way off the island. He was very firm about it too.” I was concerned but Logan's demand didn't surprise me that much. He seemed to be a very independent person. I followed Remy as we crossed a maintenance bridge off the island. I could hear sirens coming from the east. At the end of the bridge, on the other side, was a small parking lot. It was empty except for a worn down truck and a newer looking blue BMW. I opened the passenger door, which was unlocked and jumped in the BMW as Remy did the same except on the driver’s side. The inside was sleek and still had a hint of new-car-smell. Everything looked to be in great condition except for the ignition, which was pulled apart to expose the multicolored wires.
“Nice car. Where’d you get it?” I asked holding back a smile. “I borrowed it.” Remy said, messing with the knot of wires. A second later the engine roared to life and Remy pealed out the parking lot causing the tires to squeal and leave burn marks on the asphalt. I pulled on my seat belt as we crossed another bridge and turned onto a main road. We drove west; away from the sirens. When I looked into the rear view mirror I saw a pillar of light smoke flowing into the air. When we were ten miles away, and the smoke was just a speck in the distance, Remy slowed the car to a legal speed. Only then did I lean comfortably back in the cushioned seat. My head pounded softly and my entire body ached but my arm more than anything else.
“So….Where do you wanna go?” Remy said casually through he was trying to hide his uncertainty of what to do next. I remained silent pretending to think about it. But the truth was I knew exactly where I wanted to go. The place I shouldn’t have left in the first place. Home. My home in Boston with parents, who I hoped had gotten over my death. I could go back. But I didn’t want to put my parents through that emotion rollercoaster again. Not when it was unnecessary. I would have to settle for the next best thing; my home in Philadelphia. The place where people knew me as Lorna Austin not Lorna Dane. It was good enough, for now at least. “You could take me home.” I said as if it was the only option I could think of. Remy seemed fine with the idea. “Which way?”
Two hours later Remy parked the stolen BMW in front of my apartment building, but he didn’t turn the car off. “You might wanna go to the hospital, Lorna. You look like crap.” Remy said boldly. I let a soft laugh escape me. “You sure do know how to charm a girl.” I joked. He smiled broadly. “It was nice seeing you again. It was even nicer not having you punch me in the face.” A small ball of guilt settled in my stomach. “Sorry about that.” I muttered. “It’s okay…….Good luck.” He said holding out his hand. I shook his hand through I was surprised that his hand was so much bigger than mine. “Yea, you too.” And with one last smile I opened the door and stepped onto the sidewalk. I didn’t look back as Remy drove away.
My apartment looked the same as when I left it. I avoided going near the bed. I knew that if I sat down I would never get back up. I pulled my grimy and bloody clothes off as I made my way to the bathroom. My coat fell to the ground with a loud thump. Only then did I remember that I still had Stryker’s gun in my coat pocket. I made a mental note to get rid of it as soon as possible. I turned the shower on; turning the water’s temperature all the way up. I spent about an hour in the shower continually washing the dried blood out of my hair and wondering if I should take Remy’s advice and go to the hospital and thinking of an excuse to tell Brittney and my other friends to explain my absence.
The End
After I caught my breath I started back down the hallway. I tried to run faster but my legs refused to act accordingly. I jogged pass the still empty hallway and instead of turning left I went straight. It was just a hallway; no storage room or anything, just solid concrete walls lined with pipes and electrical wires. The hallway started to angle slightly upwards the farther I went. Then I saw light a few meters ahead. I heard something else too; voices and footsteps. I forced my legs to move faster. The bright morning sunlight blinded me when I walked out of the long hallway into a small clearing.
In the clearing were the escaped prisoners and a massive black helicopter. It wasn't a military aircraft, for it had no identification name or number painted on the side. The children were climbing into the passenger bay one by one. My mind started to wonder about who brought the helicopter when an unfamiliar voice echoed in my head. “Hello, Lorna.” Brain damage was the first thing that came to me. The amount of bleeding my head had endured must have been causing me to hallucinate. But the kind voice was too clear and unfamiliar to be a figment of my imagination. I did what most therapist advise you not to do; I acknowledged the voice in my head “Uh, hello.” I thought to myself; feeling completely idiotic.
“You're not crazy, Lorna. I'm telepathic. My name is Charles Xavier.” The voice was smooth and full of experience. I still doubted my sanity through. “Are you sure I’m not insane?” I asked the strange voice again. The voice of Charles Xavier gave a soft chuckle before saying, “No, Lorna. You are perfectly sane. Just look in front of you.” I took my eyes off the almost loaded helicopter and scanned the rest of the clearing. I didn't have to look far from the helicopter though. Walking towards me with a causal stroll was a man dressed in a neat but simple blue suit. The closer he got the more details I could make out. He looked to be in his early fifties and his head looked as through he was born without hair for the lack of it looked neither shaven nor natural. He had a smile that also looked like he was born with it and his skin had a slight pale tone to it. He held his hand out. I cautiously shook it.
“Uh, hi.” I said; unsure of how to continue the conversation. He didn't seem too concerned with my lack of talking. “I run a school in upstate New York. It's a school for people like you; for mutants. It's a safe place for young people like us. I not only offer an education but training to help you learn how to control your abilities better. My school is open to any mutant who wants to attend.” I hated myself for it but his speech reminded me of the one I heard two years. And frankly I was tired of all the special treatment. I just wanted to have normal life. I wanted to graduate from a regular high school and attend a public college. I didn't want to be separated from society just because some people might have problem with what I was.
“I'm sorry, Mr. Xavier, but I don't think right now it the perfect for me to go through any more dramatic changes. I'm already stressed out as it is because of all the near death experiences I've been through in the past two days. So thanks but no thanks.” I tired to explain myself in the more sincere way possible but I doubted that it came out that way. It if didn't, Xavier didn't seem offended in the least. “I understand. It's a standing invitation so if you change you mind our doors open. I wish you luck.” And with that he turned and headed back to the helicopter. I then turned to head back into the gloomy tunnel.
But as I turned I ran into something solid; another person. I jumped in fright and pushed myself away from the body. My heart still didn't return to its natural rhythm when I saw who it was. “God dammit, Remy! You scared me half to death.” Remy smiled though there was still a hint of worry in his eyes. “It's nice to know I have that effect on you. Where are the kids?” He asked looking at the helicopter that was just now taking off. “They'll be fine. Now let’s find Logan and get the hell out of here.” I said with relief settling in my stomach now that I didn't have to finish this by myself. “I do believe that is the smartest thing I've heard you say.”He said as we entered the tunnel together.
We backed tracked through the hallway and cell block until we passed through the large sliding doors and out of the building. The island looked different in the morning light than it did previous night. Large pieces of concrete and warped pieces of steel covered the ground. A dense cloud of tan dust still lingered low in the air. “What the hell happened out here?” I asked to no one in particular. “I think Logan happened. We should split up. I'll go this way.” And with that Remy took off running to the right. I wasn't happy around being left alone again but this way we would find Logan faster. I hoped at least as I went left. The side of the island Remy assigned to me was bare except for a small shed on the edge of the water. It was empty excepted for a few shoves, a toolbox and two fishing poles. I stared at the poles in amazement. Who would want to fish on the shore of a nuclear reactor? I wondered if they ever caught anything and if they did was it deformed. I thought about that for five minutes before I realized that I was wasting time
I looked around the shed before turning around and going in search of Remy and hopefully Logan. But of course it was only Remy who I saw running in my direction through the dust. He didn't slow down as he grabbed my arm and pulled me with him. “Where's Logan?” I asked struggling to keep up with him. “He said he'll find his own way off the island. He was very firm about it too.” I was concerned but Logan's demand didn't surprise me that much. He seemed to be a very independent person. I followed Remy as we crossed a maintenance bridge off the island. I could hear sirens coming from the east. At the end of the bridge, on the other side, was a small parking lot. It was empty except for a worn down truck and a newer looking blue BMW. I opened the passenger door, which was unlocked and jumped in the BMW as Remy did the same except on the driver’s side. The inside was sleek and still had a hint of new-car-smell. Everything looked to be in great condition except for the ignition, which was pulled apart to expose the multicolored wires.
“Nice car. Where’d you get it?” I asked holding back a smile. “I borrowed it.” Remy said, messing with the knot of wires. A second later the engine roared to life and Remy pealed out the parking lot causing the tires to squeal and leave burn marks on the asphalt. I pulled on my seat belt as we crossed another bridge and turned onto a main road. We drove west; away from the sirens. When I looked into the rear view mirror I saw a pillar of light smoke flowing into the air. When we were ten miles away, and the smoke was just a speck in the distance, Remy slowed the car to a legal speed. Only then did I lean comfortably back in the cushioned seat. My head pounded softly and my entire body ached but my arm more than anything else.
“So….Where do you wanna go?” Remy said casually through he was trying to hide his uncertainty of what to do next. I remained silent pretending to think about it. But the truth was I knew exactly where I wanted to go. The place I shouldn’t have left in the first place. Home. My home in Boston with parents, who I hoped had gotten over my death. I could go back. But I didn’t want to put my parents through that emotion rollercoaster again. Not when it was unnecessary. I would have to settle for the next best thing; my home in Philadelphia. The place where people knew me as Lorna Austin not Lorna Dane. It was good enough, for now at least. “You could take me home.” I said as if it was the only option I could think of. Remy seemed fine with the idea. “Which way?”
Two hours later Remy parked the stolen BMW in front of my apartment building, but he didn’t turn the car off. “You might wanna go to the hospital, Lorna. You look like crap.” Remy said boldly. I let a soft laugh escape me. “You sure do know how to charm a girl.” I joked. He smiled broadly. “It was nice seeing you again. It was even nicer not having you punch me in the face.” A small ball of guilt settled in my stomach. “Sorry about that.” I muttered. “It’s okay…….Good luck.” He said holding out his hand. I shook his hand through I was surprised that his hand was so much bigger than mine. “Yea, you too.” And with one last smile I opened the door and stepped onto the sidewalk. I didn’t look back as Remy drove away.
My apartment looked the same as when I left it. I avoided going near the bed. I knew that if I sat down I would never get back up. I pulled my grimy and bloody clothes off as I made my way to the bathroom. My coat fell to the ground with a loud thump. Only then did I remember that I still had Stryker’s gun in my coat pocket. I made a mental note to get rid of it as soon as possible. I turned the shower on; turning the water’s temperature all the way up. I spent about an hour in the shower continually washing the dried blood out of my hair and wondering if I should take Remy’s advice and go to the hospital and thinking of an excuse to tell Brittney and my other friends to explain my absence.
The End
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Should I write a sequel or not?