James walked toward a large stone house. Someone had told him where Jason had been located after the incident at Uden. Knocking on the door, he just looked around the unfamiliar street. He had never lived in Simcoe before getting transferred, so it seemed oddly strange.

The door opened to reveal a slender girl with her bronzed hair done in a braid. She wore leggings and a purple blouse with light makeup and a golden necklace that said her name.

"Is Jason here?" he asked.

"Yes," Teagan finally said.

He entered the beautiful home, taking in the sights while holding his computer by his side. There was whispering when he spotted Esme rushing to the door, holding up a peace sign.

"Hey, James, did you finally leave Greyson and his losers?" She beamed.

James was the same age as Esme. She always had a lot of energy and enjoyed being seen with friends. He didn't exactly know her until he met her in the secret club, where the freaks started to form. The club of who actually had powers at Uden and how to use them. He didn't use his powers, though, since Greyson might get angry with him. James had been the one to document the information.

Scarlett knew, but he wasn't exactly sure how. Someone like him, who has been considered a geek, had superhuman strength throughout his whole body. Not like Devon, who can only do it with an arm that stays enhanced. His whole body becomes strong, and Scarlett could use that on him. That's why he'll do as she asks before May 18th.

"I need to talk to Jason about something," James said.

Esme looked back and forth between the computer and him for a moment before she clasped her hands together.

"Let's go!" she cheered, leading him into a long hallway with three doors before kicking open the end door.

James wandered in, seeing Jason flat on the queen-sized bed with wounds on his body. Greyson has really punished this guy a lot in the past two weeks.

"You have a visitor," Esme chimed.

"Why's James here?" Jason mumbled, dropping his head on the sheets.

"Information," Esme implied, jumping on the edge of the queen bed.

James set his computer on a black nightstand, pulling up the same graphic he had shown Greyson.

"These have been all the holes created," James said, facing the laptop toward Jason.

"That many?" Jason gasped, pulling an arm closer to the laptop.

"These are the major ones," James said, pointing toward the ones on the street and behind the daycare.

"Major?" Esme asked, staring with knitted eyebrows.

"Where most have died," James explained.

Esme appeared stunned. It had been a strange expression for her to wear, especially since she's normally someone who wants to take action without thinking of the consequences.

"Were all these created by Ashley?" Jason asked.

James zoomed up on one near the outskirts, toward Wasaga Beach. "Yes, because nobody has the supernatural ability to dig holes," he stated.

Jade had said Cindy would be here, but she wasn't. The only logical solution he could think of was to notify Jason. Even if Greyson wouldn't approve of his actions, he needed someone to do something about it.

"Why is she doing it?" Jason asked.

"Shouldn't you know the answer?" James asked, spotting the uncertainty in his eyes about something.

"It's meant to kill," Jason said.

"Kill people?" James asked.

"You can't tell Greyson this information," Esme implied, standing on her feet.

James pressed his lips together at both of their statements. Not telling Greyson felt wrong. Scarlett held onto his secret, which her finding out might mean she'd use against James.

"Please, James," Jason mustered out, using his hand to boost himself up.

James noticed the black and purple bruises on his side. He knew it was Luke's punishment when they got held hostage again.

"Okay..." James trailed off as Esme hugged him. With the close contact, it made his face feel hot. He wasn't used to getting physical contact from girls, except from Scarlett.

"We saw Ashley last night and Divina, who is the goddess," Jason said. "Divina isn't around here yet, but they're apparently coming to beat Ashley. It seems Ashley assumes Divina broke in."

"Divina?" James questioned.

Why did they choose such a name for themselves? Similar to Divine, it seems they do have an overall knowledge of what is actually happening around here. Had this meant his research connection between Ashley and God had actually been correct?

"It's a joint system for Ashley's followers," Jason explained.

"David had been in the system," Esme said.

Greyson told James that David's death was a suicide. Why would you join with someone who intends to kill people?

"We have to protect ourselves and make sure we don't vanish," Jason implied.

It wasn't just figuring out how to directly stop the vanishing, but this connection with Ashley and Divina.

"Does Divina seem powerful?" James asked.

"Extremely powerful, but they don't even have a real body; they take on different forms," Jason said.

"God chose Ashley as a host body," James gasped, looking at the two of them. It had to be the only logical explanation he could think of.

"It's not a demon or anything, but something different, like a monster," Esme said, moving her hands around in gestures.

"Maybe Ashley created this?" James muttered to himself, setting his computer on the nightstand, and looked around the room.

"Why create this? So Divina and Ashley can fight?" Jason asked.

"Probably before Divina breaks into this bubble. Didn't Ashley say she was hiding?" Esme inquired.

"From what we've seen and heard, Divina seems to taunt Ashley. Cindy told us the same thing," Jason said.

James sucked in a breath at the mention of Cindy's name. He should be there, explaining and having her tell him the information she heard.

"Divina's real form could go two ways: good or evil," James implied with a gulp.

Would they be good, like Jason or Esme? Maybe they'd be more like Greyson or Luke? If that's only half of their form, it means it's a question game. James doesn't want to have another Luke or even Greyson around to manage.

"What if they're good but still kill people?" Jason asked.

"It's bad to kill people, duh," Esme said, grinning and giving a thumbs-up.

The door swung open, startling James. Bella stood in the doorway, rubbing her eyes in comfy clothes. "Teagan made some breakfast," she implied, looking directly at James for a moment. "Isn't he with Greyson?"

"James had informed me of some new information," Jason remarked with a smile, looking directly at Bella. She pressed her lips together as he slowly climbed out of bed.

James moved to the side, grabbing his laptop. It surprised him that some people knew how to cook things. He walked behind Esme and looked around the house, which appeared fancy with its expensive furnishings. Uden may be a rich academy for the troubled, so seeing another fancy place seemed strange, especially for a house.

"Have you eaten yet?" Teagan's question startled him.

James nodded his head, sitting awkwardly across from Esme, who sat on the couch, staring at her scarred feet. "Emma could probably heal them," he said.

It felt strange not to be around Greyson or Scarlett. Even if Esme went to Uden, the two never talked much to each other.

"I've tried, but I always end up opening them," she groaned, setting her feet on the floor and putting her hair up in a ponytail.

"What's it like being with Uden people?" Bella asked while eating some fruit from a bowl.

"It's alright," James said, but he couldn't say anything else. He wasn't one to speak his mind, since research had been a passion of his.

"James is one of the hackers of Uden," Esme remarked, bouncing on her toes in her socks.

"They're evil people, James," Bella spat.

He didn't respond to her statement because the majority of the people at Uden were bullies. People bullied about other people's looks or how weak someone's strength was, especially when fights broke out in the halls.

"Uden Academy has been built on bullies. It wasn't some elementary school," Esme said, lying on her stomach on the black couch. "You could say Greyson was someone you didn't want to cross. I don't know if you'd consider Greyson or Luke worse, honestly."

In his opinion, Luke is worse than Greyson. Uden Academy did go up to grade twelve, but it was more common for delinquent behaviour to come from those older.

"Scarlett, you'd say, would be the girl you'd not want to cross. She's beautiful, but she's cruel," Esme sighed. "I'd be careful of all three, but maybe Eden too."

"The Catholic girl?" Bella asked.

"Yeah, haven't you heard some of the stories before? Well, I guess not, because she's reformed," Esme explained.

James knew exactly what Esme was talking about. He knew what that reformed girl could be capable of. There was the video everyone had seen throughout Uden that another hacker was capable of doing.

"Eden was sent to Uden Academy by the police," Esme said. "Technically, she isn't the only one, but she's one I know of."

"The police sent her to Uden? How does that work? Did she kill someone?" Jason rambled, but Esme shrugged.

James knew they would try to sway him toward Simcoe's side. James had a pit inside that made him want to join them. They didn't seem to give orders like Greyson did.

With Scarlett's orders still on his back, he could always tell her everything that was going on. Looking at the Microsoft document filled with information about this trapped place, he considered doing it.

Cindy had two things on her mind: the goddess and the kiss she accidentally witnessed. Emma mainly stayed at Uden but had come to the infirmary because of a broken leg injury. Cindy just sat on the cot, watching her heal his leg. Inside, she felt guilty for hiding what she witnessed.

Emma told her that she ended it, but from what she ended up seeing, Scarlett and Greyson were magnets. It wasn't a whim to have sex going into the eighth grade. They were her age when they did that. Cindy herself would never commit such an act at her age.

It had been strange how Scarlett phrased it—about people not making a big deal about kissing. One kiss is still a kiss. Unless that wasn't the first kiss after whatever happened between them.

Cindy disliked gossip, but there was something she needed to find out. It made her stand, making Emma jump back from the silence.

"Sorry, I have to do something," Cindy said, teleporting into the plaza.

Cindy's powers didn't exactly work to find where the person would be. From what she's discovered, if she thinks of the place, she'll end up there. Looking around, she spotted that the two boys from yesterday were no longer tied up. They had been tied up for the whole day without food or water. They were even being guarded by some, who could slap them if they asked.

It was cruel, but it wasn't right to take food away from the freaks. Cindy is no longer human but a freak. Melany couldn't teleport, but Emma is a freak too. She walked toward the mayor's office, which one could only assume Greyson would be in.

Knocking on the door, it opened automatically while Greyson sat at his desk. "Did you talk to James?" he asked.

"No..." Cindy trailed off; she noticed that his smirk turned into a frown in a matter of seconds. "I was looking for Scarlett."

From what Cindy has heard from Emma, Greyson wouldn't willingly spill the beans about what he's done with Scarlett.

"Scarlett? What do you need with her?" Greyson asked.

"I just need to talk to her," Cindy said.

"She should be watching James," he remarked, chewing on his pinky nail, now standing. "Bop around." She tried, but it wasn't the easiest with the number of people.

"Shouldn't you be with James?" She heard Scarlett's snide remark and stared at her.

"I need to know something," Cindy demanded.

She looked around and pulled her off toward a random house, shutting the door. Nobody appeared to be living inside, as she just stood with her arms crossed.

"That wasn't your first kiss with Greyson after you slept together, right?" Cindy wanted it to be false, but she spotted that a smirk had appeared on her lips.

"You're quite smart," Scarlett remarked, sitting down on a green couch.

Cindy could now add it all together in her head. If that wasn't the first time they slept together, it meant they had kissed when he had been dating Emma.

"That's cheating!" Cindy exclaimed.

"It isn't considered cheating if it isn't dating," Scarlett stated.

How is that not considered cheating? Melany's ex-boyfriend ended up cheating on her when he kissed another girl. Cindy understood the concept of cheating as such. You're supposed to be loyal to your partner.

"Do you really think Greyson would date someone insecure?" Scarlett inquired.

"You used her?" Cindy whispered.

"Yes," Scarlett confirmed, standing.

It's one thing to cheat, but to use someone? That's awful, and any person would be heartbroken knowing such information.

"You'll keep that our secret, right? Or I'll tell Jason about that little crush you have on him," Scarlett implied, winking at her.

How did she know of all people? Nevaeh and Melany only know that secret. Keeping this secret was much worse than a kiss. Maybe just tell her about the kiss, and that's it.

"Come, we have to find James. I've heard he went to Bella's," Scarlett said, holding out her hand. "See, all of us aren't nice, but I'll keep that secret."

They now stood in an empty, brown bedroom. Scarlett walked over toward the black nightstand, looking through it. In her hands, she had a package of pills, mascara, and mints.

"She'll notice!" Cindy whispered.

"Birth control," Scarlett implied, waving the rack in her hand and sliding it into her pocket.

They opened the white bedroom door and found themselves in a narrow hallway. They heard talking through a room nearby from a closed door. She knocked as Esme opened, confused with her sight.

"James is apparently supposed to talk to me?" Cindy asked.

"I—" James started with wide eyes.

"Have you told them yet?" Scarlett asked, but James shook his head various times, getting off the bed. "Come, James."

Cindy watched him obey Scarlett's orders. The three of them walked swiftly together, with James following behind. Her own body twisted with the secret deep in her mind. Did anyone else actually know about this secret? Emma had been used for personal benefit, it seemed.

While Emma thought she was dating Greyson, he seemed to be kissing Scarlett occasionally. It didn't exactly give the impression that they had been dating at all. Maybe it wasn't just kissing for seduction, but that they loved each other.

"Don't tell Greyson," James finally said.

"Of course not, but Cindy just needs to briefly overview us," Scarlett explained.

They walked into another abandoned house. There was red wallpaper when you walked into the small kitchen. Scarlett raided the bathroom before coming out with toothpaste, mouthwash, and body wash.

"I asked Jason about the holes, and he said they were designed to kill people," James said.

Cindy stared at James while Scarlett set all of her products into a reusable shopping bag. "What does she gain out of that?" Scarlett asked.

"So she has followers..." James trailed off.

Cindy herself had been confused. Followers? Similar to followers on Instagram or followers who obey orders?

"Divina apparently can beat Ashley," he said.

"Divina?" Scarlett inquired, her brows furrowed.

"Goddess," he corrected himself, rubbing his hands on the worn-out couch.

"Then where is Divina?" Scarlett asked, he shrugged his shoulders at her.

"It must be like how they had that leaf body..." Cindy trailed off.

"The main statements were to protect ourselves and not vanish," James implied.

Cindy couldn't figure out exactly how her mind would process this information. Was this important for the future that they may have? Or was she going to disappear at one point?

"You can tell Greyson the killing aspect," Scarlett remarked.

Had Scarlett been using James for personal reasons? If that's true, why would she? She didn't even want to ask, considering she had a secret over her that she didn't want to reveal.

"Don't worry, Cindy; I'll keep our secret," Scarlett said.

Liking Jason had to remain a secret, especially from Bella. It wasn't that she knew the girl well, but apparently they were dating.

Cindy teleported away to the church infirmary. Emma sat drinking some lemonade against the wall. Melany lay on one of the cots, reading another of the many disease books.

"How'd things go?" Emma asked.

"New information about Ashley has been discovered," Cindy stated.

She couldn't say she was hiding a massive secret from a friend who has slowly been gaining self-confidence. If she did, wouldn't she be hurting her?

"Emma!" Cindy started as she stood. "I need to tell you something."

She wouldn't tell her about being manipulated. That was one thing she could never tell anyone. Maybe Melany, but confronting wasn't right.

"I caught Greyson and Scarlett kissing," Cindy mustered out.

"I'm not surprised," Emma said, lips pressed together.

Cindy suspected that Emma would cry right on the spot. Didn't she just break it off herself a few days ago? Keeping eye contact with her, she smiled.

"It's in the past, so it shouldn't affect me," Emma said.

Cindy could tell from that smile that one part of Emma still felt deeply affected by the new information. Cindy herself may have never been kissed, but seeing one in action seemed strange.

Movies and television shows all seemed the same. In real life, kisses do have different meanings. One end could be genuine or fake. Cindy wasn't aware of Greyson and Scarlett's relationship status. One thing about that kiss was that it was in full public view for anyone to see. She could assume that Greyson might keep all that private. From the brief moment she had seen, they both kissed each other.

Is that how romantic relationships work? How Jason and Bella look out for each other, making sure the other is safe? Or like Greyson and Scarlett?

Jason and Bella seemed to be on the normal side, since Scarlett had pushed Greyson away when she appeared. Wasn't there a difference between dating for looks or personality traits?

Emma stood and looked at the two. "Gotta go to Uden," she remarked, walking up the stairs.

Cindy automatically grabbed Melany by the wrist, pulling her toward the back of the room. "I need to get this off my chest," she started, looking around. "You can't tell anyone this, but Greyson used Emma. Her dating him wasn't about feelings at all. And that kissing incident wasn't the first."

Melany covered her mouth with her hand. Cindy felt bad for telling someone about it, but Melany would keep it secret. She knew about her liking Jason before Scarlett probably knew.

"Scarlett told me, and she knew about my crush..." Cindy trailed off.

Melany looked uneasy about all the information being spilled. Melany would know how it feels to be hurt over something like that.

"Keeping the secret does more harm than good. I don't know Scarlett well enough to assume what she'd do. I won't say anything, and remember not to think about it," Melany said.

It was stressful enough not to talk about it. Every time she thought about it, it twisted something in her stomach. Emma was being used by them this entire time, and she could do nothing about it.

"Using, on the other hand, is heinous. You really caught them kissing?" Melany asked.

Cindy looked toward the stairs, still speaking in a whisper. "Yeah, it's a strange relationship." She spotted Ilya walking into the infirmary alone.

"Do you have an injury?" Melany asked, walking toward the two and smiling.

"Do you have these antidepressants?" Ilya asked as she held out an empty bottle of Zoloft.

Melany went to search for it in the small pill rack. "Does it have to be that brand?" she asked.

"I think I should be fine with a different brand," Ilya said.

Melany handed her a small amount in her palm. "We have to save some for others," she stated.

Cindy wasn't quite sure how antidepressants worked at all. Melany explained that they help alleviate depressive or anxiety symptoms.

"Thank you," Ilya said, walking out and sliding the small amount of pills into her pocket. Climbing up the stairs, Melany let out a sigh.

"She comes here a decent amount," Melany implied, who normally stays the most in the infirmary. "I hope she isn't taking them all at the same time."

Emma helped with the wounds, while Melany directed medicine that could help. It had just been the normal headaches or upset stomachs, mostly from missing parents.

"Does she have depression?" Cindy questioned.

She didn't exactly understand true depression. All she knew was that they were normally sad for a long time. Melany informed her that sometimes people stop eating or enjoying their favourite activities.

In the bubble, it might be possible that someone is going through that. She missed her parents, but Cindy wanted to focus on helping others.

Cindy stood and leaned on the wall. "I still don't get what happened to Ashley," Melany remarked.

It wasn't that she had a clue about any of the situations. It seemed that the purple substance that entered her knee allowed the creation of something that wasn't human or even a freak like her now.

Melany's ranking seemed to be none. Even testing anything seemed to indicate she had no crazy powers. Would she be treated differently now that she has become a freak?

People at Uden Academy had already tried starving them, resulting in public humiliation. Cindy wasn't one to side with punishment, but that's just wrong. Nobody should be starved because of their own powers.

"Probably from the substance," Cindy said. She played with her silver charm bracelet, which had four charms of different flowers around it, all shaded pink.

Melany had the matching one in blue but stopped wearing it because of injuries. Their mother had given it to them last Christmas. It was something both of them wanted from Pandora, which had been a fancy jewellery brand.

"I have a feeling something bad is going to happen," Cindy heard the unease in Melany's voice.

Cindy had the gut feeling that Greyson would plan something. Even though finding information became just for the benefit of being helpful, Uden may have something planned up their sleeve. Luke's arm had been cut off, which could result in revenge.

"And I've seen a vision... I don't know if it's a mutant power or déjà vu, but there's this girl. She's about my age, with bright blue eyes and dark hair. She's holding her hand out with a glowing white light, floating in the air."

If Melany could see visions, that might predict the outcome of this situation. Yet, if this was someone they didn't know or an unknown mutant person Uden is hiding, it might change many things.

"Do you think it could be Divina?" Cindy asked.

"It could be possible, but since there are abnormalities occurring, I'm guessing it's someone we don't know."

Feeling chills run through her body, Cindy pressed her lips together. Melany ran a hand through her shoulder-length hair. Neither would be ready if some attack happened, but fighting shouldn't be happening; they should be working together. If Simcoe and Uden are two separate sides, Cindy could only feel the worst had just begun.

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-Lexi