Henry didn't want to drive with some kid named Devon. He was one of the battered passengers, jumping in his seat. Stick sat in front, his eyes directed toward the ground. Since the incident that killed Vickie, Stick hasn't been himself. He has frequently isolated himself and drank excessively.

Stick wasn't exactly one to drink a lot of bottles of beer in a single sitting. Seeing his friend act like this made him annoyed but slightly concerned. It wasn't that he'd call him out for his crime. This place didn't seem to care that much on Greyson's side anyway.

"I can't wait!" Devon exclaimed.

"Shut up, kid," Henry barked.

Greyson had told them to bring him to Burger King and to make sure nobody saw them. Doing this would result in them being in the prewar, before Greyson and Jason fought. If he ends up being in the prewar with Finn, Stick, and even Maverick, it would be a cool experience. Henry would be glad when Jason got kicked to the curb.

They pulled up behind Burger King. Devon got out, while Henry grabbed his pistol. Stick came out slowly, his gaze fixed on the ground, his hair covering his eyes.

The back door had been open, and they crept in behind it, where there were two white doors on the wall. They both had grey handles for a freezer and a fridge, storing whatever drinks and food were still there. There was a green rack that had different containers for storing food, like chopped lettuce. It didn't seem like there had been anyone around except for the sizzling of the food in the fryer.

"This feels wrong," Stick mumbled.

"We get something out of it, dude," Henry said. "I get that the Vickie event is rattling, but don't let it get to you. It's a girl we barely knew in our class."

Devon opened the large fridge door, peering inside, where two long racks settled on the opposite side. One rack had drinks such as water bottles, apple juice, and orange juice. On the other side, there were boxes of ingredients, such as lettuce, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese, that were wrapped in plastic wrap.

"We need the actual frozen stuff," Henry said.

"Watch!" Devon gloated, lifting his arm back and smashing a hole in the wall. On the other side were boxes with freezing air flowing inside and ice on the walls. He made multiple holes, looking around at the many brown boxes that were stacked on top of each other. "Uh, what are we looking for?"

"Stick, you need to lift those boxes of whopper patties," Henry said.

All the boxes were stored on the top shelf. He stared at the box before lifting it down and dropping it onto the slippery ground.

"We have to put it in the SUV, Stick. Do you want to be tortured again?" Henry pestered.

Luke's punishment wasn't something he wanted to go through again. It wasn't just that, but Greyson's punishment could be worse. Devon wasn't healed from the previous night; he was still wobbly at times.

Henry had to take orders from Greyson, but it's better than siding with what Jason did before. It's not just focusing on the aspect but also receiving minor punishments for wrongdoings.

"It's freezing," Devon said, shivering in his shirt and shorts.

The temperature hasn't been chaotic or anything, but rather neutral. Pushing open the freezer door, he tripped, crashing against the cream wall. The juice landed with a thump before meeting eyes with Nelson. In his hand, he held a large kitchen knife, staring at the three.

"Put it back." Nelson's tone was reasonable.

He was dressed in a grey Burger King uniform with black sweatpants, and his brown hair was pulled back into a man bun.

"Why?" Devon snarled, holding a box of packaged frozen fries in his hand.

"Burger King is my business," Nelson said. "Thieves aren't allowed in the store."

Henry noticed that Stick had his box on the floor already. How did the guy who never let anything hurt him become a coward with such simple words? Nothing could get past him back then, when it had just been school. Why was he acting this way? Had it been because of what happened to Vickie?

"I'm not doing it," Stick murmured, lowering his head.

"You're going to get beat up by Greyson!" Devon freaked out.

Stick turned, heading to push open the back door, and left with the door slamming behind.

Henry didn't say anything to him. For some strange reason, Vickie's death had been taking a toll on him. He wasn't the one driving, but he had seen it all happen in a matter of seconds. The only reason he suggested throwing her into the ditch was so they wouldn't get caught.

This wasn't the real world anymore, but freedom. It had devolved into sides, each with their own set of leaders.

"You can keep the Whoppers," Henry harshly said, rushing out with what he did have.

If they didn't get all the food, Henry could always just say it was Devon's fault. Since Stick wasn't going to revert to himself, Henry had to become their leader. If he had a choice, Devon could be the one he'd store in a freezer.

Devon, too, was a freak, who is definitely annoying for a child. Henry shut the door behind him, placing the food in the backseat. Going into the driver's seat, he glanced toward Stick.

"Let's go to my place for drinks," Henry suggested.

Starting the SUV, he made his way down the road. It felt similar to those race car games at an arcade, trying not to hit anything. Pulling into the small driveway, he slammed on the brakes. His mother had been at work, leaving the house all for him.

Henry opened the screen door as he went toward the table. During the week, he had gathered what he could find. It wasn't that he had been the only one who drank. Sitting at the wooden table, he opened a beer. Stick sat across, nearly finishing the bottle in five minutes.

"How did I go from being the golden boy into a murderer?" Stick mumbled as he twisted the glass bottle around in his hands.

Stick had always thought highly of himself, shining with confidence, but not anymore. He usually won awards in sports and got a scholarship that could guarantee a university spot. Now, tears slid down his cheeks as he opened his third bottle, while Henry still hadn't finished his own.

"No soccer team will want a killer on their team," Stick murmured. "No more scholarships for me."

"Just try to ignore it by thinking of something else," Henry said.

"I can't," Stick mumbled, shaking his head.

Stick needed to get his head back into the game, if he still wanted to help on Greyson's side. Soon enough, he may end up being killed by Luke.

Henry wanted to run things his own way, but that could only happen with Greyson. The door opened to Finn, who had a red mark across his cheek. Vickie's death affected him for a few days, but he got past it. There were other worries than just the girl who died. After Jason and Greyson disappear, it will be him at the end of May.

It wasn't that he missed his mom and his older brother Tyler; it just came with that freedom. Doing whatever now with a mix of rules and punishments.

"Did you bring Devon back?" Finn asked breathlessly, freckles covering his face.

"We left him there," Henry stated.

Finn seemed to panic at that line. Maybe it wasn't his smartest idea, but he wanted to follow his own orders.

"Aren't you supposed to be on highway security?" Henry asked.

Finn nodded, looking around his house. The fifth grader had become part of his circle, along with the witness to the murder.

Finn hasn't been punished by Luke and Greyson yet, knowing everything that could happen. Bending down, he went to tie his shoelaces. The shoes had already been tied, but he retied them.

"Apparently, Devon has been going on a rampage," Finn said.

Why should he care about some freak who has been going crazy? Burger King did have good food, but they had to obtain the vegetables they put on the sandwiches. Isn't he some freak messing up the town?

"Just leave him," Henry remarked.

Henry wasn't doing that dirty work. Greyson told them to follow orders and that being by his side was enough. Why even bother with some kid who thinks he's the best?

"Luke can deal with him," Henry spat. If anything, Luke will still find a way with one arm. Henry didn't want to end up dying because of that crazy guy.

Lying on the couch, Jason stared at the dark screen of a TV. His side still ached, and James's information was still running through his head. Knowing the number of holes created and even the people who died seemed insane. How could one detect all of those holes in total? Even Zane didn't know about all of them.

Bella sat in a chair across from him with her eyes closed. It was best decided that they shouldn't get involved in whatever shambles had been going on. Between Greyson and him, having a war or the wonders of reckless behaviour, it has been a rare sighting of someone who hasn't engaged in reckless behaviour.

Hearing a knock, he gripped the couch armrest and slowly stood. He shuffled toward the door, opening it to meet Mark's brown eyes. It had been awhile since he had talked to or even seen him. The last time was the incident at Uden, where he never truly got an explanation of what happened.

"Can we talk, bro?" Mark asked.

Jason nodded, stepping outside and closing the door behind him. He didn't know what to say because he had never given an explanation of why he chose to help Greyson and them.

"Sorry 'bout what I did. I thought Scarlett would give me information."

It's been a strange change from being fed information after information. He wasn't sure if he expected to get an apology from him at all, but they were friends.

"I forgive you," Jason said, grinning as they shook hands.

"It's got some pretty threatening people. I've never crossed paths with Greyson or Luke," Mark implied, handing him a chocolate bar in his hand.

"I don't think they'll notice," Jason laughed.

"I think they're planning something," Mark said.

"Greyson wants to fight me," Jason sighed. "How did we go from fishing every weekend to trying to avoid getting beat up?"

"You mean you getting beat up?" Mark said.

Greyson's hatred reached a point where he discovered his brother may harbour deep resentment. Aggressive could be a term their mother used to describe his domineering brother. Who wouldn't be after being thrown away so simply? It made matters worse when she got remarried and had another child.

"I've heard stuff about the war, but this is different." Mark's words left an uneasy feeling inside Jason, since it wasn't just the two of them fighting each other.

They could start an attack on anything since this wasn't a normal society. There would be no teacher coming out and telling them to stop. The police wouldn't come into the downtown plaza and tell two boys with supernatural powers to stop fighting. Humans weren't supposed to have powers in the first place.

Did people go to jail for fights or get tickets? Either way, it might be considered a crime. Something Jason hadn't thought about since the start.

"Nevaeh heard bits and pieces, but nothing concrete," Jason said. He opened the door to Bella's house. It made her look up from the chair before looking between the two.

"You finally made up?" Bella asked with a small smile.

Jason nodded, rushing to help Bella, who stood wobbly. She gripped his shoulder and stood with a smile. He was vanishing in three days with his brother. It seemed like James and Scarlett knew something but kept it secret from those around them.

Scarlett had asked if James had told them something. Did that mean he would or wouldn't tell him? Either way, it seemed like a difficult situation to think of.

"Someone found a body at Uden also, according to Tumbles. Preston oftentimes gives her the news, since she can barely stand," Mark implied.

Has Ashley been creating holes near Uden now? They do have a decent number of people at the school, but she's only done it inside the building. Ashley did always have a bad sense of direction at times.

"Nevaeh said it was David," Mark said.

Jason couldn't remember anyone named David. Wasn't he the one when they first met with Esme? They were the two guarding the outside when they were leaving for town to find some of the purple substance.

"Apparently it was suicide," he implied.

People thought about killing themselves here. It had been troublesome without their parents, but any day they might be able to see them again.

"I think someone found him and put him in there. You don't see many Uden students go to Simcoe," Mark said.

Jason wondered if that meant something. There had been those pulling security against Greyson's orders. The only ones who came willingly were Esme and James, mainly. Emma had been in Simcoe, but ever since the arm incident with Luke, she has gone back to Uden.

Suddenly, there was a loud slamming at the front door. Mark opened it, revealing Ashley. She was holding her boot in hand while she was still wearing the opposite one. She was filthy with her hair knotted, one lens of her glasses cracked, and dirt covered her entire body.

"Where is Divina?" Her voice was slow.

One of the first things he noticed was that her eyes were no longer green. They were the exact purple colour that the substance had been from the ditch. She didn't seem to care much for her appearance, which was something she used to be extremely insecure about.

"Isn't it just grass?" Bella asked.

Ashley gritted her teeth, her face filling with rage. The only time he ever saw Ashley this angry was when he left her iPad charger at a hotel and claimed he grabbed it when they were staying overnight for a volleyball tournament.

"No, they're somewhere," Ashley spat, her fists clenched. It seemed like a game of hide-and-seek. They could find a form of Divina, but not whatever they were.

In their mockery, they could be fish. Maybe even a flower or weed in the garden. If Divina actually ended up being human, walking around without even knowing it could cause harm. From what he could detect, Scarlett's rank system might put Divina at a high rank. The only high ranks here were Greyson and himself.

"Shouldn't you just be checking the water?" Bella's remark came off as blunt but true.

This comment made Ashley walk toward her, a glare settling on her face. Jason held his hands up in front of the short girl, who stood in front of Bella.

"Let me pass," she demanded, her voice dark with determination.

It then made Ashley look over her shoulder toward Mark, who had knitted eyebrows. Looking back and forth, she sensed something—but not just the appearance of Mark being inside the house.

Ashley let out a bloody scream and covered her ears. Her face had been drained of colour, and her eyes were closed with her head in her hands. Jason didn't want to stick around and find out what was happening, but Ashley eyed them again.

"Stop being a coward!" Ashley shouted, looking around at the cream ceiling.

"We need to leave," Jason rushed, causing them to open the door. Before they could leave for the door, he felt the weight collapse under him.

"Who is it?" Ashley's voice was stern, holding a hand out.

"Someone."

Jason heard the voice echo inside his mind. Ashley had let them go, holding a hand to her mouth. Mark opened the door quickly, running out. Jason pulled Bella out, rushing down the street.

"Who spoke inside my mind?" Mark asked while they stopped in front of a brick house.

"Goddess," Jason breathed, still holding Bella's hand. "It's a powerful thing."

"And Ashley is crazy?" Mark asked.

"Yup," Jason said.

Jason looked around the neighbourhood. The houses were only a few inches apart and had oak trees on their front lawns. Bella's house seemed out of sorts in comparison to the average housing around them, since it was a lot bigger than the others.

"Isn't the person I knew," Jason sighed. He couldn't bring himself to say it, but the bonding feeling between them had gone. After the twin reveal, his family life didn't seem normal.

At that moment, Jason spotted Mark looking toward the houses behind him. Looking back, dark smoke began to billow through Bella's house. All three stayed still for a moment before setting off in a panic.

"That's my house!" she yelled, running back toward the house.

"Get the fire department!" Jason yelled at Mark, trying to calm Bella.

Now reaching the burning roof, he looked around to see other houses in flames. Bella went to open the door, but Jason yanked her wrist back.

"I need to save pictures!" Bella exclaimed, her eyes watery and her shoulders trembling.

Looking around, he spotted a gardening hose next door. Grabbing it, he tried to think about how this worked. Did it just shoot water when you lifted it?

"Put it in the spigot," Bella said, pointing at the tap attached to the side of the house.

He twisted it on, but the fire seemed to be spreading. There were parts of the triangular roof that were starting to collapse, with the shingles starting to melt away. It was spreading along the right side of the house, causing the houses nearby to slowly begin to catch fire.

Jason didn't even notice when Zane came with Yara and Esme. The sound of the hose from Zane came, aiming around the house. Jason used his finger to make the impact of the hose stronger, but it didn't do much. If he even used his powers to try and put out the fire, it might make it spread more.

Esme came speeding past him, grabbing the black gardening hose from his hands. She started aiming it around wildly at the fire, trying to combine it with the water from Zane's hose, but it was barely working.

The water pressure from the fire hose began to slowly reduce the flames in the other four houses. One house had the white siding reduced to ash, but Bella's house took most of the damage. From being a once beautiful home to a house that had all of the upstairs mainly burned. The small fire still glowed in the middle of the house, but barely.

Bella just stood on the road, stunned by what had happened. Jason walked toward her, seeing the tears rolling down her cheeks. He couldn't recall if they had anything on or what was considered a fire hazard. He grabbed Bella's hand and drew her into his chest.

Already feeling her tremble didn't make the feeling any better. The only water they could ever get came from lakes or taps. Nobody could spray water out of their hands, stopping the flow with ease. His power could burn anything between someone's fingers or even half an arm.

Jade could use ice, but it's only good for cooling a surface area. He remembered that one science experiment they got to do in class was testing the vaporization of ice and fire from a Bunsen burner. It was stated that the fire would just melt the ice instead of putting it out.

"This is the best we can do. What started the fire?" Zane asked.

Most of the fire had been put out, which now showed the end results. Yara was still blasting the fire from the hose, but there were the small fires, or pieces of siding that had fallen to the ground. In the case of Bella's house, most of the house was completely burned down.

"We don't really know. Ashley came to the house looking for Divina," Jason said.

"Remember how Divina said Ashley is trying to kill people?" Zane inquired. "Maybe it's not limited to creating holes. We've had to deal with a lot of fires today already, and people say they saw Ashley too."

Ashley must be determined to find Divina. The thing said that they weren't here yet but could speak inside their minds. Maybe it could be worse, and Divina is actually the real monster here. With the power impact from yesterday, it wasn't an easy concept.

"First holes, now fires? Is Ashley expecting to kill us all?" Bella's voice was weak, with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"What is Ashley's power? Scarlett can rank and tell some abilities," Jason said.

"Pretty sure Scarlett doesn't know either," Mark implied, looking toward them. "All she knew was her previous rank."

No conclusion seemed to add up. Cindy had said Greyson had been the closest of them all. He didn't understand how, because half the time, he's been sending people to do his dirty work.

"If Ashley's overall goal is to kill all of us, shouldn't we find a way to stop her before you vanish?" Bella asked faintly.

How could they even stop Ashley? God or whoever they are. There are only three days that remain before he and Greyson disappear.

James told them the incidents and locations of those dying off like flies. Zane and others have helped, but it isn't exactly the easiest thing. Devon seemed to side with Greyson, and nobody else could lift heavy objects. Esme could help rescue those from the holes, but her feet get blisters from her shoes getting destroyed.

"We need to figure out some method. Any weaknesses you know?" Zane asked.

Jason tried to think of one, but it was no use. Other than being dyslexic, she limited her reading and writing. This wasn't school, but it literally created chaos.

"Wouldn't it just be smarter to kill her?" Yara said it with a wet shirt and arms.

"How do you stop someone who can melt?" Zane asked.

"Jade," Jason said. "She has ice powers, which can be harder to melt."

"I could try and get her help, but I don't think it will work," Esme implied, bouncing on her toes with the hose still flowing.

"Ice can't hold it forever, bro. It's always sunny," Mark said.

May temperatures aren't always hot and cold. It does get warmer near the end, but that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

"We aren't in Florida," Esme said, placing the hose on her running shoes. "It doesn't break easily. Plus, it only works as flooring. I'll go speeding around and find her."

She took off, running down the street at a fast pace. The gardening hose was now on the street, and water was flowing around. Hopefully she could find Jade, but he wasn't exactly sure if the girl would help.

"Jade could maybe stall her, but there is still Greyson," Zane implied.

"I'm fighting Greyson on our birthday. Keep spreading the word about the Ashley situation. We can't have more people getting killed," Jason said.

Looking at Bella's burned house, he knew they needed to find a better place. Staying at his own house wasn't an option anymore, since Ashley would be able to find them quickly.

"I'm gonna help gather blankets for the daycare," Mark stated.

It felt good to be able to talk to him normally. There was no tension between him being used, but reconnections have happened in the bubble.

"Where do you think you will go?" Bella inquired, her blue eyes bloodshot.

"It could either mean we'll vanish from the bubble or completely," Jason said, smiling at Bella. "I won't leave, though."

Bella leaned up and kissed him, tears streaming down her cheeks. Jason wasn't completely sure if that could be possible.

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-Lexi