****I struggled for this one you guys, so I'm sorry if its terrible*****

It's early in the morning when I finally collapse and don't get up. The water seeps into the earth when I am unable to keep up the connection. Aiden still doesn't stir. My body aches and shivers, but my back still doesn't hurt like it should. "I'll just close my eyes for a few minutes." I say to the darkened forest, "Just a few..."

I my mind drops and tumbles. My body jerks and thrashes and I open my eyes to see the betrayer's face. I'm not sure if I'm dreaming but my mind drops again and I forget the world.

"You're doing it again aren't you?" A man's voice fills my mind. The sound is familiar and comforting.

"Yes I am." The females' voice is light, like she's smiling when she says it.

The male sighs. "So what is it this time? Are we telling stories, singing to her, teaching her how to defend herself, or making sure she knows boys are evil?"

The female laughs, "Smart ass, I wish to show her where she can be safe."

There is silence, then, "That won't be easy. That sort of memory could...well...it's dangerous. If she were ever caught, if she were ever..." His voice cuts of and he takes a deep breath. The woman soothes him with her voice.

"I know." She assures him, "But what if she needs a safe haven?"

"She'll always need a safe haven, she's our daughter."

"Stop being an ass, you know what I mean."

Another sigh, "You better bury the memory deep then, so she'll find it only when she absolutely needs it."

The woman takes a deep breath, "Will you help me show her?"

"I'll do anything for you and our daughter, you know that."

"Yes I do."

They go silent and my head fills with pictures of green country sides and rolling hills. I see as if I am walking in fast motion over dozens of miles. Over rivers, through streams, and forests, and into the mountains where I travel up a steep gorge and along a mountain top until suddenly, I stand before a wooden cabin. The smell of wood smoke and pine trees fill my nose.

I jerk awake. My mind foggy and eyes water, I reach out with lead arms, confused of my surrounding. "Easy." My eyes focus on Aiden's face. I snap back to reality and jump up and punch him in the face. He cups his hand over his mouth and chin and jumps back.

"What was that for?" He demands, his voice muffled, his eyes watering. I take a few breaths and calm my heart.

"Don't ever do that again, I though you..." I shake my head, "I don't wake up well."

"I noticed thanks."He nurses his bloody lip.

I look around, we're somewhere in the woods, the sun is low in the horizon. "What time is it?"

Aiden shrugs, "The sun is setting, and I'm not sure."

"It's setting? How long have I been asleep for?"

Again she shrugs, "When I woke up you were out. I tried to wake you up but you wouldn't stir. So I did you the favor you did for me and I carried you." He goes and picks up a plastic bag, "I stole you some clothes that I think will better fit you, and some shoes." He puts them down between us and turns around.

I look in the bag and decide that it would be good to have something that fits me. I change quickly and slip the shoes on. Everything is a tad too big, but he managed to swipe a bra, even if it's a little tight I haven't felt this human in a long time.

"Thank you." I force the words out.

He turns and nods stiffly, "You're welcome." It sounds forced too.

Silence.

"Well goodbye then." I pick a random direction and start walking.Thirty steps later I realize I'm not alone. Aiden follows ten feet back, stepping quietly and carefully along the forest floor.

"I'm sorry...I'm not sure I was clear...I'm going alone."

He looks me in the eyes. "And I'm following you."

I turn around fully and face him, "Look. I don't like you. I actually wanted to bash your head in with a rock, but I didn't. But that's only because you've saved my life. You can turn around and walk the other direction and I won't harm, you, but I swear if you try to follow me then I will seriously hurt you."

"I'm not leaving." He plants his feet shoulder width apart and looks stubborn, "I appreciate you carrying me with you, and the fact that you have some sense of life debt. But don't, you can kill me anytime you wish, but I'm coming with you. It's the least I can do."

I raise my eyebrows, "The least you can do? What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means I want to help you reach you're potential."

I cross my arms, "So what, you don't value your own life? You don't care that at any minute I could snap and sent a shard of ice through your heart? Why? You were the Handlers little dog, why the sudden heartfelt loyalty?"

He sighs, "Things change."

"Yeah, this isn't happening."

"Then you'll have to kill me."

"Fine." And I run at him, I expect him to defend himself but he doesn't. My body slams into his and he falls back hard, his head grazes the side of a tree and he winces, but he doesn't move to defend. I put one hand around his throat and keep my other in a fist. I stare him in the eyes, searching, and he looks back.

There is no fear. His gaze is calm, and I know he won't change his mind, when he says he doesn't care if he dies....he means it. I knew that sort of resolve. I've been there. I tried to kill myself and someone else stopped me. He stopped me, so why should I give him the pleasure of dying when he didn't give it to me? I let go of his throat. "What did you mean when you said you wanted to help me reach my potential?"

"You're powerful, but you're untamed, wild, I can help you focus your connection."

I swallow. "Is that what they did for you?"

"...yes."

I stand up and steps back, he raises himself on his elbows. "How? They aren't Misfits. They don't' understand the connection, what it's like to feel the emotion of it all. How could they have trained you?"

Aiden raises two fingers and taps his head. "We're nothing more than scientific anomalies. The connection we share with water isn't magic, its science. People like us started popping up a hundred years ago, rare at first; our population grew, and then leveled out. It's genetic, but it has to do with something in our brains that allows us to connect to the water. In some ways we're telepathic. But that's just it, they can read brain waves with their machines. The technology for it grows every day and when they realized what was causing this connection, they started hunting for us." He lets out a deep breath, "That's when the government started spreading rumors of a virus, so they could flush out and collect these anomalies. They know which part of our brain controls the connection, they know that certain stimulations can trigger it and can turn it off. That's how they trained me, they used their machines, they read me, and then they improved me."

"But why?" I ask, my hands are shaking, I want to strangle Mr. Handler, but I'm also afraid. If they can disable my brain, then I'm nothing special, that scares me more than anything. If I'm not a Misfit then what am I? I'm an orphan, with nothing, completely alone.

"Why what?"

"Why wouldn't they just kill us? Why would they risk trying to train you? Look at you now, you were their dog but you turned and bit them, why would they risk that?"

He sighs, "You're asking questions that are not easily or shortly answered. There is a history that you know nothing about because you were shielded from it, hidden from it. But let me ask you something, have you ever wondered why almost all Misfits are orphans?"

"Our parents were killed by the virus." It's a knee jerk answer, because that's what I've been told my whole life. Aiden simply looks me in the eyes, and I stop and think aloud, "But you just said that the government made up the virus, as an excuse to expose people like us. So if the government tells us that our parents were killed by the virus, and they made the virus up then..." A shiver runs down my spine and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, "...then they killed them. They killed our parents..." The sound of a lullaby whispers through my mind but it's gone before I reach for it, and I have a sense that I'm forgetting something.

"Yes." He says, "Nineteen years ago the government started locking down on hunting Misfits. They organized and trained people who would know what to expect, people who were specialized on us, the Handlers. It was a purge, the biggest of them all. Under the very noses of its citizens; the government was at war with Misfits. They claimed that the virus had mutated and they used it as an excuse to murder and drag innocent people from their homes. Misfits tried to fight back, small groups came together and fought, they almost won too but the Handlers and soldiers were too many. We're not invincible, you know that, we get tired, we make mistakes. Our parents were killed fighting to keep their freedom, and their children, well the government knew it was genetic. Not all of us have the connection, sometimes it skips or just disappears but they knew they had to keep an eye on the children of known anomalies. So they stuffed us in orphanages, they gave us names, and they watched us, waiting for our brains to develop. Some people stayed hidden longer than others, but in the end, we were defeated.

"I'm telling you this so you'll understand. I am the result of war. The Handlers knew that if there was ever to be another, they needed to be prepared. They feared that they might not be able to win the next one. So they figured what better way to fight water, than with water? They figured that if they could tame the strongest orphans then they'd be prepared. I am not the only one, but I was among the first, and I am the strongest they had."

I sit down. Everything I've ever been told has been a lie. Everything I've seen has been an illusion. My world is shattering, it's falling to pieces and yet a new one is being built, a world of hard truth, but truth none the less. "Was I...?"

"Yes. When you fought me the first day you came, that was your test. They've done it to dozens of Misfits, but none of them came close to what you almost accomplished."

"And what's that?"

He gives me a hard half smile that doesn't have anything to do with humor. "Killing me...but I guess you were a little too strong. They didn't succeed in breaking your mind."

"They broke yours though...so how do I know you aren't still working for them? That this is just some...twisted torture?"

He stands up and brushes dirt off his pants. He touches the back of his head where it grazed the tree and it comes away red. But he doesn't say anything about it, he doesn't even look worried. He just drops his hand and looks at the sky. "Listen, this is wasting time. Either kill me or start walking. We could be here all week if you keep asking me questions."

I stand up, "I'll start walking once you answer my question. How do I know that you still aren't broken?"

We stare at each other, and he responds with something I don't have an answer to, "How do you know that you're not broken?"

In the end I let him live. I figure he might come in handy, and if what he says is true, then I haven't even reached my full potential, and I want to be ready when they come for me. Because I know they will come, and when they do, I want to destroy them.

I make Aiden walk at least fifteen feet behind me, and I tell him that he's not allowed to speak to me unless I ask him a question. I'm not sure how long I'll be able to handle seeing him not dead, but I tell myself that I have to try. Whether I like it or not, I do need help. Eventually I give up trying to make sense of any direction, I need to find a farm house, I need a map, and we need supplies. There is a part of me that is still playing with the idea of going home to find Henry and ask for his help. Home the word rings inside my head and holds a strange sense of longing. But when I try to elaborate on the word the only image that comes to mind is the farm, the sheep, and Jack. But I feel like I'm missing something.

I rub my head, it's been pounding for an hour, and it's begun to drive me insane. And even though I slept a day away I feel tired. I hear Aiden clear his throat from somewhere behind me. I ignore it. A few seconds later he does it again. "I thought I told you not to speak?"

"I wasn't speaking, I was clearing my throat. But now that you've asked me a direct question I'm going to suggest that we find a place to rest. You're back is still healing, and we're getting nowhere in the dark. I say we use the time to rest and once daylight comes, we should find some supplies and figure out where to go from there."He catches up to me quickly, his dark clothes blending in with the night, he's a shadow come to life.

"And how would you know anything about my back?" I demand, "It's my body."

"It is your body, but I was also the one who boosted the healing process, so I know what your body needs. And right now that doesn't include wandering around a dark forest."

I narrow my eyes, "What do you mean you boosted the healing process?"

He lets out a deep breath, "Again with the questions, listen Adie, it's like I told you before. You've only just started to tap into your potential. When you hone in your skills, you'll be amazed at the things you can do."

I remember the warm water running over my back in the dark cell. That had been him healing me? I sniff and turn away from him, "Fine, but find your own tree to sleep under." I move to small lower hanging tree and curl up underneath. I pull my hood over my head and close my eyes, keeping my hands inside my sleeves.

The forest sounds cascade over me and fill me with a sense of security. I hear Aiden somewhere off switching and moving and trying to get comfortable. I smile, because when I first learned to live our here I was the same way, and then I just accepted that I was never going to find a place to sleep without a root in my back.

"Good night." Aiden calls softly, I don't respond. I pretend that I'm already dead to the world and soak in the forest. When I wake up a few hours later the first rays of light are penetrating through the leaves of the trees and a crow is complaining loudly somewhere above my head.I uncurl myself and stretch my legs until I hear my lower back pop. I crawl out from under the tree and rub my eyes. My breath swirls out in front of me and I shiver. I feel as though I will never stay warm again.

"Aiden?" I look around but I don't see him curled up under any trees. "Hello?" I listen but there is nothing to be heard. So I start walking. I'm not sure when my body decided, but ten minutes later I realize I'm trying to give Aiden the slip, and that it might actually work.

I stay silent, I watch where I put my feet and I move like a ghost. The woods are a familiar comforting place, and I welcome its solitude. The sun raises further starts to warm my skin, but the air is still crisp in my lungs and against my nose.

After an hour I'm still alone, I stop every ten minutes and listen for sounds of pursuit, but there is nothing. After two hours I start to relax, and after three I stop watching where I put my feet, I just focus on keeping a steady pace. I find water collected on leaves or in rocks and drink happily. My stomach is empty and longing for food, but I push the thoughts aside. I will never want for drinking water, but food is another matter. Thirty minutes later, I finally come to a steady stream. I bend down and scoop handfuls of water to my face and then when I've had my full I put my hands into the water and close my eyes.

I feel my vision flip and I call to the water. I follow the streams currents and run with the water, for miles I follow the bends and sharp turns, but there is nothing but forest and trees and wild animals. So I pull myself back, and I go against the current. And a few miles down, the stream shows me images of a bridge. I pull my hands out of the water and my vision flips back. "Up stream it is then." Where there is a bridge, there is a road, where there is road there will eventually be some form of civilization, which means food.

My stomach rumbles and tightens. I rub it and keep walking.

The smell is almost too much for me to, but I grab fistfuls of dirt and force myself to stay where I am. The sun is getting lower in the sky. It took me a few hours to find a secluded house that would most likely have what I needed. Thunder rumbles in the distance, and I know that I only have an hour before I'll be soaked with a later season rain storm. I can smell it in the air and feel it in my bones. The water is coming.

The wind throws the smoke to my face again I have to swallow back the drool. Someone is roasting a chicken. The thunder rumbles in the distance and I know I have to move in before the rain comes. I need supplies before I get soaked again, I can always pull the water off my clothes and skin, but there is only so much I can do in the rain. I take a deep breath and sprint across the yard from the woods, when I reach the house I press my back against it and breathe deep. My heart is pounding. I used to steal from houses all the time, but this is different, I don't have time to wait for them to leave or wait to snag something off the clothes line.

I can hear their voices around the kitchen table, there are three of them, a teenager and two adults. Their voices are mumbled but their tones are light and happy. My vision flips, and I turn onto my tip toes and peek through the window. They sit as a family, laughing and eating, unaware of my presence.

I call to the water in their blood streams, my breath fogs the glass. I feel the water respond in each of them and then I pull it from their veins, fooling their bodies into thinking it's extremely dehydrated. Their eyes roll back into their heads and they pass out heads falling into their plates. I push the water back into their veins and then I walk to the back door. It's unlocked. The kitchen is warm and the smell of chicken fills my nose. I shut the door to keep the warm inside the house. "Remember to stay hydrated." I tell the family, "Otherwise you might pass out again."

It's a joke but I don't smile and I don't laugh. I don't like to mess with people. The teenager I'm glad to see, is around my height and size. I've gotten lucky. I find the hallway closet. jackets hang on hangers and shoes litter the ground. I pull out a pair of boots and look on the sole, it's a size too big but they lace past my ankles so it doesn't matter, they will stay on. I pull them out of the closet then I search for a jacket, I find a large weatherproof black ski jacket and put it next to the boots.

The teenager's room is upstairs and after using the bathroom I search through her closet and find a book bag with a broken front zipper. Her name is scribble on the tag with a sharpie, Isabel. "Thanks Isabel, I'm sure you won't really miss any of this, you're family can buy you more." I put on the new boots and jacket and put my old hoodie and shoes by the back door. I search the cupboards for canned goods that won't go bad and a bottle so I can keep water on me at all times without having to constantly look for it.

Before I leave I grab my hoodie and shoes from the back door, and a chicken leg from the platter in the center of the table. "Thank you." I say, and then I leave the house, and disappear into the forest.