16 Chapter 15

Carla's POV

"Hey Carter. You feeling better?" I asked in a weak voice. It was good to see him up and moving since the last time I saw him I was dying. In a flash of lightning he was at my bedside hugging me.

He pulled away and started to talk but I interrupted, "Hold on."

I pulled my legs so the were dangling off the side of the bed and reached a hand out to Carter. He gently held onto my hand.

My hand started to glow yellow and I was quickly starting to feel myself. Carter looked terrified.

"There," I said with a smile as I stood up and ripped the liquid drip needle out of my arm. The hole quickly healed.

"I didn't do that," Carter said dumbfounded at what just happened.

"I know," I smiled, "I did."

"But how?" Carter asked, "You gave me your powers."

"I gave you ninety-five percent of my main power and all the ones I copied, that five percent I didn't give you still let's me take powers."

"How did you know how to do that?" Carter asked.

"Have you spoke to Hannah lately?" I asked, it technically wasnt changing the subject.

"Yeah why?"

"Because she has laser vision and I wasn't sure if she told you guys that I gave her Valerie's first power," I explained, "She knew the risks of the test but she still wanted to see if it worked."

"So Hannah is like us?" Carter asked.

I nodded.

"I gave you all my healing powers and my strength," I explained, "That's why I blacked out and was too weak to breathe."

"How did you-"

"I could hear you guys," I answered.

"Oh," Carter quietly said.

"I wanna meet the little girl who wants to grow up to be like me," I added.

Liam opened the door and poked his head in, "Good to see you on your feet, you're being asked to talk to the entirety of our community this afternoon when you're up for it."

"Why me?"

"Because the people want to see our leader is alive and well," Liam said before stepping out and shutting the door.

"Leader?" I asked out loud then looked at Carter.

He shrugged, "Don't be surprised if people start calling you Queen or President Carla, there were some petitions going around to make you the leader and they were arguing on what to call you."

"Neither, they can call me Carla, I'm not above anyone in any way. Why wasn't it explained that we have a council?"

"Because number one, the new people look up to you like you would a Queen. And their 'Queen'" Carter did air quotes, "Being on the verge of death made it easier for them to adjust to the new conditions."

"That literally makes no sense," I laughed.

"That's what I thought but I've barely left this room in the past week," Carter explained.

"Well I need to speak with our people, now. I need to straighten some stuff out," I declared as I walked over to the door. Carter grabbed my arm and stopped me from going out the door.

"What?" I asked as he pulled me back in front of me.

He pulled me into a hug, "Thank you for saving me."

He released me from his hug and I smiled up at him, "If we keep dying like this then we might give eachother emotional issues." I laughed as he followed me out the door.

"You say might like you didnt just burn down a city," Carter laughed from behind me as we walked down the stairs.

"Shut up," I playfully responded.

"Carla!" Ryder yelled as I reached the bottom of the stairs. He ran full speed at me and hugged me.

"Are you feeling better?" He asked as he took a step back and looked me up and down to see if I was okay.

"Much better, thank you," I smiled. Sage and Sarah came running to hug me next and then Axel.

Before long everyone that lived in the house had me in the center of a big group hug.

"We were so scared for you," Sage enthusiastically said, "I'm so glad you're feeling better."

Everyone backed up and I looked at my friends around me, I was surrounded by family and all I could do was smile. Carter's radio broke the smiley silence.

"Everyone's gathered in the center of town," Liam's voice said over the radio, "They're excited to see their leader."

"That's your cue," Carter said.

I looked at him and then gave him a hug. As I walked out of the door by friends were wishing me good luck.

I walked down the now paved street that led to the center of town. Everything was decorated much better, hundreds of tents pelted the field and a lot of houses were being built. The center of town was marked by a new fountain. Hundreds of people sat on the pavement surrounding the fountain and a lot of people stood up when they saw me. I noticed Liam standing on a platform and walked over to him. The platform was a tall as me so I walked up the steps that I saw to get on it.

Liam rigged a radio looking earpiece onto my face and then told me to say test.

"Test," I said into the radio earpiece. My voice blasted through two boxes on the platform. I covered the mic.

"Did Nathan make new tech?" I asked.

"Its called a microphone and speakers, they had them at the city," Liam stated before helping me walk to the center of the platform.

"Hello," I said into the microphone.

A lot of people started cheering. It kind of scared me. I wasn't used to this many people.

After the crowd died down I started talking again, "As you can see, I'm alive. I'd like to thank everyone who came to visit me while I was healing, you guys are so sweet and I appreciate your worry for me."

"I have some things to explain to you guys," I continued, "I am not your leader. I am one of them, but not the only one. We will have a council up and running where Liam, Carter, Kathy, Madelyn, Paige, Hannah, Ryder, Sarah, and Myself. The nine of us will debate vote on issues to make decisions on how to handle things. Although I appreciate some of the things you guys have called me, I am no more important than any of you."

I smiled really big, "If any of you guys need help with anything or just want to speak with me just ask. Thank you for your time."

I stepped off the platform and instantly got surrounded by people.

"How did you save Carter?"

"Why aren't you the leader?"

"Is Valerie still alive?"

"Guys I'll answer your questions when I actually have answers for them. Write down your questions and put them in the empty flower pot infront of the cabin," I announced.

I felt a little tug on the bottom back of my shirt. I turned to see a little red headed girl who's shoulders stopped at my waist height. I crouched down to be eye level with her, she had very soft facial features and a little button nose.

"Hi honey," I greeted with a smile, "What's your name."

"Layna," she squeaked. She quickly flung herself into my arms and wrapped her arms around my neck in a hug. I hugged her back.

"That's a very pretty name," I responded with a smile. She let go of the hug and gave me a big cheesy smile that showed she was missing a front tooth.

She violently coughed a few times before smiling at me again.

"Honey are you sick?" I asked.

She nodded.

"Oh here," I said as I put my hand on her forehead and gave her some of my healing antibodies to rapidly heal her little body. When I removed my hand she didn't seem as pale as before.

"Thank you Miss Carla, I want to be as awesome as you when I grow up," She giggled. The sound of her laugh made me smile bigger than I think I have ever smiled.

"Anytime Miss Layna," I responded as I stood up and started walking to the cabin. Everyone had dispersed back to their own thing. I walked through the front door of the cabin and was greeted by Catalina, who had gotten much bigger.

"Hi babygirl, how're you doing," I joyfully said.

"Carla are you back?" Nathan's voice echoed from the kitchen.

"Yup I just came in," I called back.

He rounded the corner into view and gave me a smile, "You have two very special gifts that you received while you were healing."

"What're they?" I asked as I wiped my hand on my pants and picked up a spare radio from the table; clipping onto my waistband.

Carter peaked his head around the corner, "An adorable puppy and your very own horse."

"Really?" I asked. I had felt as giddy as a child on Christmas morning. I walked to Carter and tapped his shoulder as I walked by, "Guess I should die more often if I'm getting rewarded with puppies."

"No," he responded in a deep tone, his voice was laced with how serious he was being, "You're not allowed to die anymore, it's illegal now." He turned to Nathan, "Right that down as law number one, Carla's not allowed to die anymore."

"We should make the punishment death," Nathan laughed.

"Carla has proven twice now that she can't die, I think we'll be okay," Madelyn's voice said over the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Were we being that loud?" Carter asked.

"Yeah, the floor is thin," Madelyn laughed.

Carter smiled when he realized she wasn't angry.

We were happy, I was happy.

For the first time in a while I could smile and actually mean it. As if a switch was flipped in my head, my mood changed. So much for being happy.

"Hey guys?" I asked.

"Yeah?" They all simultaneously answered in unison.

"What happened to Valerie?"