Chereads / The Secrets We Hide / Chapter 19 - A Chance (Part One)

Chapter 19 - A Chance (Part One)

My eyes open groggily. I'm not dead?

I look up slowly, seeing the top of the cliff. It's so far away. There's no way I survived that fall.

I groan as I pull my hand up to touch my forehead. I can feel the blood. I can feel it dripping down my face like sweat and soaking my fingertips as I touch where I was shot. I survived being shot in the head, and falling who knows how far? How did I manage that?

I look around a bit more. I see the bright colors of the sunrise. I've been out here for a while. I need to leave. I need to get up and leave. I can't stay here. I try sitting up but I'm in too much pain to move. I help my hand lay by my side. I don't know if I'll be able to get up. I might still die.

I take a deep breath, wincing at the feeling of bruised ribs, most likely even broken. The entire left side of my body is in excruciating pain. If I knew enough about my robotic abilities, I might be able to leave.

I should have stayed with Vincent longer. Enough time to learn more about myself. The things that I can do. All I know so far is that I can be strong. I can defend myself and yield weapons that I can materialize out of my right arm.

After a few minutes I decide to try and get up again. This time I get myself sat up. I take deep breaths to deal with the pain. I look around again. The sun is now up. In front of me is the cliff. The one with the goat trail that zig-zags up the front. To my left is a road which leads to the top of the cliff and to my right is the direction of town. That's the way my friends went. Maybe-once I'm able to walk-I'll head that way.

I set my hands on my lap as my body relaxes into a hunched over position. My skin is torn, but i don't see any deeper wounds. The right side of my body is brightly lit up with those blue lines. I can see them healing the real side of my body. My robotic half is saving the real half of me. I raise my right hand again and touch my forehead. The blood has started to dry, and the hole is no longer there.

I take a deep breath. I'm going to survive this. I'm going to live.

I sit and watch the cuts and bruises disappear. Returning to normal. I feel a bit stronger as the minutes pass. And finally I'm able to get onto my feet.

So, if I can heal myself, and my clothing-which I've just noticed has also been repaired-then I can do other things, right?

I look down at myself. My night gown. I'm going to be a target if I head into town looking like this. I need to change what I'm wearing. Either I steal clothes, or...

I make myself focus on what I want to see. A long sleeved black shirt, black leggings and black Vans. My eyes widen, surprised when my clothing changes. It changes exactly into what I wanted it to.

I pull a handful of my hair in front of me. Brown. My hair is now brown which makes me smile. I can disguise myself. Maybe I can make it so that Vincent won't find me.

I begin walking towards town. My left hand touching and probing my right arm. Vincent has a screen that appears out of his arm, maybe I have something similar. I feel a tingle run through my spine into my arm, and a screen projects off my arm.

Perfect! Who knew I could be so clever? I think proudly to myself.

"Now to find out a little bit about these abilities," I say to myself, using my finger to scroll through what look like settings in a phone. I press one called 'Brainwashing'. And I'm extremely intrigued by what I read. I can reprogram people's memories, in a way I can add myself into their lives. I can tell this will come in handy. I'll be able to make my own family.

I look ahead of myself, seeing the town draw a bit closer as I'm walking quickly. I can't wait to be on my own. I feel free. I've never felt this free.