Marked

by Penelope Scott

  "You don't think Lys likes Echo, do you, Bold?" Shy gasped excitedly. "I knew it! They'd be just so cute together, don't you think?"

  "Shy..." Echo said with a bluch.

  "Don't be like that, Echo. You don't have to be embarrassed about Lys liking you. You like him too, don't you?"

  Echo blushed even redder but tried not to let it show. Mostly she was just embarrassed because Bold was right there, glowering at his sister. For a pair of twins who were practically inseparable, Shy sure was clueless.

  "Leave her alone, Shy!" Bold snapped at his sister, who stopped chattering immediately and stared at him with disbelief. "What's wrong with you, Bold? You've been acting real off lately, I can't read you at all."

  "That's because I've been blocking you." Bold countered.

  Blocking? Echo wondered curiously. Was this some insight into the twins' uniqueness that caused them to be chosen?

  "What! Why?!"

  "That's not the point." Bold said, reverting back to his normal quiet tone. "You shouldn't egg Echo on like that when you already know that Ro..."

  "Hey, what are you guys fighting about now?" Lys asked, suddenly materializing behind them. He looked at Shy, who was angry, Bold who seemed very furious, and Ehco, who was blushing madly, and decided that he'd better not ask. "Well...who wants a candy apple?" He grinned, holding up the four apples for them.

  Thank God for Lys' good timing. Echo sighed with relief. Still, she almost wished that Bold had been allowed to finish his sentence. What was he about to say about Ro? And what did he mean when he'd said he'd been 'blocking' Shy? There were so many things they weren't telling her, Echo had a hard time keeping them all straight.

  "Let's go check out the band!" Lys suggested, feigning excitement to get the others' mins off whatever argument they'd just had. "They sounded pretty good so we'd better hurry up before they bring out the folk dancers."

  "What makes you think they'd have folk dancers?" Echo wondered, scrunching up her face in distaste.

  "These things always have folk dancers." Lys explained. "C'mon!" He ran ahead, making the others run to keep sight of him. But Echo, at least, was happy that he was trying to get over Remus' death and the incident with Romulus as well. She followed the group to the small stage that had been set up, where a small local band was playing the last of their set. She found a seat on the grass next to Lys and happily bit into her candy apple. She certainly was glad that Maddox had called this break. It felt good to just relax for a change. She could see the Ferris wheel from where she was sitting, and noted that Athena was just getting her turn on the popular ride.

  Unfortunately, just as they Ferris wheel started to go, thunderclouds rolled in overhead and darkened the sky to black. Thunder cracked in the distance and the sudden change in the weather made Echo a bit nervous. Soon however, the feelings of nervousness intensified and she jumped to her feet, Shy, Lys, and Bold following suit.

  "We need to find shelter, right now." Shy said with fear clear in her voice.

  The others nodded in agreement and started to move through the crowd of unconcerned people toward the small building that contained the bathrooms. Behind them, Echo heard the man in control of the Ferris wheel saying that he would run this last ride and then stop the wheel until the rain cleared.

  "You can't do that!" Maddox was screaming at him. "You stop this ride right now and let those people off!"

  "Sir, there's no need for panic," The man said impatiently.

  "There is too! If lightning hits that thing, they're all fried! You want that on your conscience?"

  On the ride, Athena was beginning to cry, while Ro sat next to her, holding her tightly.

  "We should help him out," Echo said, looking at Maddox still arguing with the Ferris wheel operator.

  "Nah," Lys said, glancing back, "he's winning this fight." And sure enough, a few other people were starting to insist that the ride be stopped, as Maddox's ranting had succeeded in making them nervous. The ride was stopped and the riders were beginning to be unloaded. Echo prayed that Athena and Ro would be let off quickly and they could find shelter before whatever it was that was going to happen, happened.

  Almost as soon as she'd turned away from Maddox, there was another clap of thunder and a raindrop fell on her sleeve. Echo would have ignored it if it weren't for the sizzling sound that came next. She looked down and saw that the raindrop was burning a hole through her shirt! "Oh shit..." She muttered as another drop fell on her nose and her skin started to itch and burn.

  Somewhere in the distance, a woman screamed and chaos followed. "Run!" Lys shouted. He grabbed Echo's arm with one hand and Bold's with the other and took off running. Bold grabbed his sister in turn and the four ran towards the bathrooms, which were currently being rushed by dozens of other panicked people.

  Echo kept up rather easily, but Bold lagged behind and stumbled. "Bold! Shy!" Echo shouted at them. Echo tried to turn back and Lys, with force that she'd never seen him use before, pushed her forward towards the small building. She was slammed against the wall so hard that it winded her, and she looked up at Lys in question, but he was already running back for the twins.

  The inside of the building was already overflowing with people so she huddled underneath the overhang of the roof and tried to protect herself as more people slammed up against the building, pressing against her and jostling her for a place in the sheltered area. Soon that small strip of ground under the overhang was crowded as well and people larger than her began trying to shove her out into the rain to save themselves. Echo was reminded immediately of her dream and began to cry.

  A rather muscular man with his eye already bleeding, came up to her and grabbed her arm, attempting to throw her out of her spot and take it for himself. Echo sobbed because he was much stronger than she was and once she was out, she knew she would not be able to get back under.

  "You leave her alone!" Someone roared. Echo glanced up just in time to see Lys slam his fist into the man's nose, breaking it with a loud crunch. The man fell backwards into the rain and screamed in pain as the acidic droplets burned through his skin. Lys didn't even say anything until he'd pushed her back up against the wall, pulling the two twins in next to her.

  "You okay?" He asked as he stepped in front of her, placing his hands on either side of her and moving in close until there was barely more than an inch of space between them.

  "Yeah," Echo answered breathlessly. "Where are Maddox and the others?"

  "Don't worry about him." Lys answered. "I saw him take Ro and Thena and hide under a table under one of the tents. It'll last until this damned rain stops."

  "And Irvine?"

  "I'm pretty sure I saw him get back to the van, but we won't know for sure until it's over."

  Echo nodded and chewed her lip anxiously, she was busy worrying about Irvine when she heard Lys hiss in pain. "Lys, what...?" She looked over and saw that Lys was not completely under the overhang. His back was being pelted with the lethal raindrops. They'd already burned a huge hole in his shirt and were eating away at his skin.

  "Shit Lys! Your back!" She cried. Without a thought she grabbed his shirt and yanked him in closer, pulling him under until their bodies were pressed together as closely as they would go. Lys had to move his legs so that one was between hers and his face was hanging over her shoulder, his labored breathing tickling her ear. Echo kept her death grip on his shirt, her knuckles turning white with the effort of clutching it and because of the cool breeze. Fear and the sudden chill made her shiver and she leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes, praying for it to be over.

  "You're an idiot, Lys," She said after a moment.

  "Why's that?"

  "Running around out there, saving people, not even one thought about yourself!"

  "Funny, I thought they used to call that sort of blatant disregard for one's own safety 'heroic'." Lys chuckled.

  "Not me! Now your back's all messed up and you didn't even say anything! Why didn't you say you we
ren't under? Why the hell didn't you move closer?"

  He turned her face a bit to look at her and she did the same. "I thought maybe you'd be a bit uncomfortable," He grinned, even as their noses touch and Echo had to force herself to stop blushing and continue looking angry.

  "You idiot!" She groaned, "You're so stupid!" She dropped her head back against the wall again and watched the rain fall beyond them. Lys was still getting splashed a bit, she could see the marks on his back from where she was. "Oh Lys," She sighed. She put her arms around him and pulled her hands into her sleeves. She then crossed them over his back to protect him as much as she could.

  "What are you doing?" He asked.

  "Saving you from having your back scarred permanently." She answered. "It will be a while before the rain eats through my sleeves, and it's the least I can do after you saved me."

  "Hey, that was nothing. You would have done the same for you"

  "I am doing the same for you. So shut up and don't complain."

  "Who's complaining?" He grinned.

  The rain picked up and soon there were sheets of it, pounding against the fairgrounds. The rides started to crumble and fell to the ground. A few unfortunates who had been hiding behind the Ferris wheel were crushed. The tents melted away and soon even the overhang was crumbling at the ends. Echo was starting to get nervous that it would go on forever and eat through their shelter. The skin on her arms was burning like mad and she wanted nothing more than to pull them out of the rain, but she didn't. She kept them over Lys and occasionally tried to pull him even closer, even though they were practically one body as it was.

  After half an hour of rain, it finally slowed down and eventually stopped, and Echo let out her breath with a heavy sigh. "Thank God!" She groaned. It took some effort, but she managed to move her arms off Lys' back and he stepped away from her. Echo suddenly missed the warmth his body offered when a blast of cold air hit her.

  "Let me see those arms," Lys said. He turned her arms and shook his head. "Who's the idiot now?" He joked, looking at the damage. Her forearms were badly burned all the way around, as well as the outsides of her hands and upper arms. Echo didn't reply and cast her eyes over the crowds of people tentatively heading out of their shelters. Bold and Shy stepped out and Echo was relieved to see that they were both unharmed.

  "There's Ro, Thena and Maddox!" Lys said, pointing, and then wincing when the movement hurt his badly burned back. Echo followed his finger and sure enough, Maddox and Ro were heading towards them, with Athena securely wrapped up in Maddox's jackets and being carried in his arms.

  "Are you guys all okay?" Echo called, running to meet them. "We're all fi-Holy shit girl, what happened to your arms!" He cried. Echo blushed and held her arms out a bit for him to see. "I was covering Lys and well, the rain..." She tried to explain but she was so tired and dizzy with pain. Maddox, fortunately, took one look at Lys' back where it was badly damaged except for an x-shape where Echo's arms had been and figured out the story for himself.

  "We need to get you two some medical attention." Ro said. "There a first aid kit in the van." So the group hurried down to the van, jumping over puddles of acidic water and trying not to look at the mangled corpses of those who had not been able to find shelter. Al though there were not many who had been killed, those who had been were so badly damaged that dental records would be needed to identify them. A lot had been killed in the rioting and had simply been left out there to die. A countless number of others survived but only barely, and they lay on the ground moaning, waiting for the emergencies crews to arrive with help and blessed morphine.

  It didn't take long for the ambulances to get there, and the paramedics hurried straight to those barely alive, helping those whom they could save and simply administering painkillers to those they could not. It was too sick to watch, so Echo kept her eyes glued in front of her and tried to keep her mind off the pain in her arms.

  Irvine lived as well; he had remained inside the van with Andrew because the baby was being fussy, and so was already sheltered when the rain started. He had also invited several others nearby in as well. "What was I supposed to do, let them burn?" He asked when Maddox scolded him for letting strangers into his van. "Never mind that now," Ro insisted, "Lys and Echo are both burned pretty badly, we need the first aid kit."

  "What? Let me take a look." He grabbed Echo's arm, which made her yelp in pain. Bold came to her rescue and shoved Irvine off her. "Hey, careful man!" He snapped.

  "Sorry kid," Irvine blushed, he looked at her wounds and whistled lowly. "That's going to scar." He promised her, and Echo felt her heart frop. She didn't want to be scarred forever because of this.

  "You should have let me take it," Lys said to her. "I don't mind if my back is all messed up."

  "I'll be fine, Lys," Echo promised, although she admitted to herself that she could have planned that one better. How was she supposed to do anything if her arms were going to be out of commission for the next week or however long it took for the burns to stop hurting?

  "Well, let's get to work then." Irvine sighed, "Anyone have first aid training?"

  "I do," Ro said softly, "But only a bit."

  "Course I do," Maddox growled, "I was in the navy, it's a mandatory skill."

  "Sure thing, Captain," Irvine rolled his eyes. "You take care of Lys, then, Ro and I will see to Echo."

  "I'm the boss. I say I'll patch up Lys and you two take care of Echo."

  "That's what I-"

  Ro shook her head at Irvine in warning and he sighed and did as he was told. Echo's sleeves were cut of, her arms were smeared in some kind of cream, and then wrapped in bandages up to her elbows. It was nearly impossible for her to move her arms after wards, but the cream soother her burning flesh and she sighed with relief when the painkillers Ro gave her started to kick in.

  Lys had bandages all around his torso, and Irvine joked that together the two of them would make a good mummy. "Enough with the bad jokes, please!" Shy groaned. "It's been a real eventful day, but I vote that we get out of here before the acidic rain eats through the tires."

  "I'll second that." Lys mumbled as he lowered himself onto his stomach on the floor. "How about we stay in a motel somewhere?" Lys suggested. "I managed to swipe eighty bucks off the guy cowering next to us under the overhang.

  "Lys!" Echo scolded.

  His only response was to chuckle and dig the money out of his pocket. Thankfully it was unharmed by the rain. "I'm all for it," Maddox said, "We can rent a room or two for the night and use the leftover money for food and medical supplies for the two morons who had to play hero." He shot a glare in the rearview mirror at Lys and Echo, who just grinned at each other in reply.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The Twins

  The plump woman who operated the motel the group found was so shocked and devastated when she saw Echo's bandaged arms that she insisted that she give them a second room for free. And Maddox couldn't possibly turn down a deal like that. After all, money was tight these days. They paid the twenty dollars for the rooms and started delegating whom would sleep where. Eventually it was decided that Echo, Lys, Ro and Athena would take one room, and the rest would share the other.

  For twenty bucks, the rooms actually weren't so bad. Each had two queen-sized beds, a dresser and TV, phone and small bathroom. They were clean at least, and Echo groaned with pleasure as she dropped down onto a real bed for the first time in what seemed like weeks. Lys rolled his stiff muscles and headed into the bathroom and started to fill the tub with cold water.

  "What are you doing, Lys?" Ro questioned, staring at him incredulously.

  "My back is all burnt up," He explained, "I'm going to sit in this cold tub no matter how much it hurts. Tell Echo she can stick her arms in if she wants."

  Ro shrugged and headed back into the room, where Athena had switched on the TV and let it stay on the news station instead of looking for cartoons. Curiously, Ro sat on the edge of her bed next to her sister and listen the rep
orter on the screen.

  "In a bizarre attack of nature, more than thirty people were killed throughout the region by the baffling acidic rain that fell from the sky earlier this afternoon. Although the rain was only mildly acidic, those who could not find shelter were pelted for nearly half an hour with the deadly beads of water."

  Echo opened her eyes and sat up to listen to the report. Even Lys lingered in the doorway of the bathroom to watch.

  "The thirty-five deaths and countless injuries that occurred as a result are still being counted and treated." The reported paused and touched her ear lightly, "I'm getting word that we do have some video footage of the devastating effects of the acid rain. Now, I must warn you that what we are about to show is extremely disturbing." The shot of the reporter cut to a view of the fairgrounds where the group had been earlier. Bodies were still lying on the ground, burnt beyond recognition and looking like something that had just crawled out of a horror movie. The grass had been fried to a sickly yellow color, and the trees were nearly naked and the bark was eaten away.

  "The devastation continues like this throughout the region. People literally trampled and fought each other for a place to hide from the rain. Scientists around the world are baffled, but local air and water pollution may be to blame. As environmentalist Eric Robertson says, it may be too late to start thinking about the health of our planet, and such distastrous situations may continue..." Lys flicked the channel to some sitcom.

  "Hey! We were watching that!" Ro protested.

  "We don't need to see that," Lys sighed, "Echo, you'd better soak those arms before they start to peel and swell."

  "Yeah, I guess so," Echo sighed, following Lys into the bathroom, where he painfully peeled off his shirt and stepped into the tub, almost completely clothed. Echo resisted the urge to laugh at the wince on his face when his damaged back hit the icy water. "Don't you laugh at me," He warned, "It hurts like hell and you have to put your arms in."