Chapter 13 The Drive

"You're not going fast enough…" Iris complained. She could already feel the shard's vibes escape further away from her. Very soon she would be unable to sense them.

"I can't go faster than that. This is the speed limit he– Wha!"

Iris didn't wait for him to finish. Her powers lashed out, propelling the car forward, faster than ever. The tiny pieces of shard on her arm glowed a bright orange. She felt a vein pop out at the side of her forehead, pounding so hard it made her head spin. The car wobbled to one side, then to the other. Edward held onto his seat belt, clutching it like his life depended on it.

The street lights passed by almost too quickly like tiny dots blinking away in a blur. A cat meowed and rushed for its life, jumping out of the way just in time.

"Stop! You're going to kill somebody!" Edward shouted, kicking the breaks hard but they didn't budge. Iris had full control of the car.

"I can't stop now… or else I'm dead," she whispered to herself.

Sweat piled up the side of her neck, dripping all the way from her forehead. The car was heating up. She could hear the tires screech for their lives.

"Look, you don't know what you're doing. At this rate… Hey!"

Iris's head was bursting with pain, as if it would explode from the inside. She clapped her hands onto her head to hold it steady otherwise it wouldn't stop spinning. Edward shook her shoulders, yelling at her, making it all worse. Her vision blurred and she made a sharp turn, almost crashing into a mailbox.

"See there is a reason they have speed limits!"

The constant shouting did not cease until suddenly, a loud thud over the roof made them both jump. Iris looked up to see a huge dent in the ceiling.

"It's you… but how?" she whispered.

The car was released from her grasp. Edward quickly took the wheel, slamming his foot down on the breaks. The car skidded and screeched so loud it felt like the tires would burst any second.

All of a sudden, a black smoke blew in from the back, engulfing the car all around. The windscreen turned black, blanketed by a thin layer of shadow.

"What is happening?" Edward cried out.

He looked around in a panic and then fiddled around with the buttons till the vipers went up. When that did nothing, he just looked at Iris for help.

"It's okay. He's here to help," she told him.

The tires let out muffled screams. Edward squinted his eyes shut to brace for impact. The car slowly came to a stop. Edward looked around in disbelief, breathing his lungs out.

Much was silent outside. For a moment Iris remained very still, listening to the sound of the person's energy.

"There's two of them…" she murmured to herself.

The sound of heavy footsteps escalated towards the front of the car. The person suddenly jumped down, crouching onto the hood in front of them.

He looked up.

.

"Dixon…" the words escaped Edward's mouth. He looked pale as a ghost. I wouldn't blame him. At the speed he was at, if Damon hadn't jumped in, the car might have crumbled to bits.

"Dixon, what… what're you doing here?"

Damon ignored him and looked at the little girl with large blue eyes and silver hair that fell all the way into her lap. She stared back, seeming out of breath.

"You are…" he started, sensing recognition.

"I'm Iris," she responded with a nod.

Both of them reeked of sweat and blood. Damon noticed the bloody hand, seemingly broken. Edward had been driving with an injury like that. Iris just looked tired. She kept trying to squint and then blink as if trying to focus her eyes.

"Look, I wasn't chasing after you or anything," Edward began nervously. "I was just trying to find this girl's house." He pointed at Iris. "She says she lives near here but I really think she's lost."

Damon paused to take in all the information, then took out his head, stretching towards the road, while still sitting on the hood. A small shadow with wings that looked like a bird of some sort, flew out of his hand.

"Go," he said to Edward who just blinked at him blankly. "Follow it."

He then jumped back onto the roof of the car. There was a thud as he sat back down where the dent had appeared.

Edward stared at the floating bird-like creature, waiting for him on the road.

"I'm just supposed to follow it?" he said to himself, sighed, and then reignited the car. It started up on the first try, and they were off. The bird flew ahead, then made a complete u-turn, and headed in the opposite direction.

"Wa- wait for me at least!" Edward yelled at it, turning the wheel with all the strength he could muster. He clenched his teeth as a series of pain shot through his hand. Taking deep breaths, he managed to overcome it.

Iris closed her eyes, tilting her head a little to the side door of the car. All she could feel was the pounding inside her head. There was constant noise from above the car. She squinted and covered her ears to drown it out.

"They're arguing now…" she whispered in annoyance.

'You do realize you could've just gotten into the car with them,' I pointed out.

"It felt unnecessary. I am perfectly comfortable here," Damon replied, sitting cross legged on top of a moving vehicle, with his back straightened to maintain proper posture.

'I wasn't talking about your comfort. I look like an idiot over here.'

Damon paused for a moment, as if actually contemplating the fact, till he finally answered.

"I don't understand."

I sighed heavily, sitting alone in the darkness, watching the world from inside while having no control over anything. I watched the little bird guide the way through town, appearing black as a shadow as it flew under the street lights. It was hard to follow, with such a tiny figure, small as a baby chick, with wings twice the size. I wasn't surprised, though, that Edward managed to stay on its tail, knowing his powers.

We slowed down near Ricky's house. I noticed the porch light was on, as if expecting us. It wasn't on when I'd left. Had he noticed? The bird swooped back into Damon's hand, disappearing into his sleeve. He jumped off the car, right in front of the house.

Edward got out, very gently closing the door. I saw Iris asleep in the car, with her head resting on her side of the door.

"So, where are we?" he asked, rubbing his arms a little as a cold winter breeze blew by. He shivered a little. To my surprise, Ricky opened the door of the house in a rushed, panicky motion, breathing hard.

"Dixon!" he spoke, out of breath, eyes wide with surprise. His curly hair was even more disheveled than usual. It was as if he'd been running around the house, searching for someone. He looked at me from head to toe, searching for the burn marks on my skin that seemed to have magically disappeared.

Iris gasped suddenly, snapping out of her sleep. Noticing that the car had stopped, she quickly got out. Ricky noticed the little girl with long silver hair very cautiously walk over to Damon's side.

"They need help," Damon announced.

'I would've added a few more words into that. You just summarize everything I tell you,' I told him.

Ricky frowned at him, then his eyes wandered over to the injuries on Edward's hand. He then looked at Iris, with dirt smudged over her face and clothes. There were some rips and tears on her knees. He held the door open, the frown never leaving his face, and waited for everyone to enter.

.

Inside the house, Edward sat at the kitchen slab while Ricky's father took out the first aid box and his mom took little Iris into the bathroom to get her washed. This was my first time seeing them properly. The mom had dark eyes, and straight dark hair while the dad had curly, bronze red hair, with a few white strands visible.

Damon sat at the small round table with four chairs scattered around it, next to the kitchen slab. Ricky rushed from person to person, to make sure everything was okay. He seemed more active than usual, jumpy really, as if driven by adrenaline. I watched him rub his eyes in tiredness. I knew he hadn't slept a wink. He looked at Damon and finally walked over, with a very confused look on his face.

'You're too sleepy to understand anything right now,' was what I said.

"Go to sleep," was what Damon blurted out as if giving an order.

I felt like banging my head on some invisible wall somewhere.

Ricky frowned at him, taking a seat opposite to him from the table.

"I know I'm tired… but are you feeling alright? An hour ago you were… and now you're…" he shook his head, feeling lost for words.

'It's a long story,' I began, 'This is all temporary skin. As I heal, my body is in control of the person whose powers I'm borrowing. So basically, you're talking to Damon right now.'

"I'm Damon. I control this person right now," was what he said.

I took a pause, holding back my urge to punch through something.

'You know what, why don't you show him. He's smart. He'll figure it out.'

Damon nodded.

"Watch," he said. I braced for it, preparing myself for the excruciating pain to take over any part of my body any second. Ricky's eyes widened as he watched the left side of my face peel away. The skin blackened into a shadow, cracks emerged from the edges, retreating into my neck. The pieces broke off, turning to ashes, disappearing into the air to unveil the skin underneath.

I blinked with the one eye that was in my control. It didn't hurt as much as last time. In fact, I could only feel a little itchy around the cheeks. Damon retreated more of his skin, till it uncovered my entire face.

"Dixon…" Ricky gasped, mouth gaping open slightly.

"Does it look that bad?" I finally spoke, feeling relieved to be in control again, even if it was for a short while.

He shook his head, "No, It's almost recovered. All the blisters are gone. It's just pink now."

Damon's ghostly black head popped out from the side of my neck as he looked at me, as if inspecting it. I almost jumped my heart out, except my body was still not in my control yet. I realized Edward and Ricky's dad were both gaping at me silently. Edward's hand hovered in the air, halfway between a bandage, paused just to look at me.

Ricky put a hand over his mouth, trying to absorb what he was seeing. He still couldn't believe it.

"This is Damon, my shadow," I explained, tilting my head to point at him. "It's his powers that are helping me recover. So, for a while, just bear with him."

Then my eyes met his father.

"After that, I will find Cheryl and bring her back… as promised."

His surprised eyes suddenly watered and he pressed his lips in a tight line to keep from crying. His mouth trembled as he nodded and looked away quickly.

I then nodded at Damon, signaling to merge back. He tilted his ghostly head back into my face. A cold sensation washed over my skin like it was dipped in ice. By the time I shuddered, I realized I was no longer in control. All had gone numb once again.

'How much longer do I have to wait?' I asked.

"It should be over soon."

Those words brought a little relief to me. It had only been an hour and I was already feeling agitated, like I was running out of time. I watched as Edward finished wrapping the bandage over his broken hand. He had placed a thick wooden plank in between to keep his hand from moving much.

"So, you say you work with Dixon? At the nightforce?" Ricky turned his head towards him.

"Yeah, I was sent to bring him back. I was on my way when I found this little girl in my car."

He held up his hand. "Some power she has… this was all her you know… by accident, of course," he quickly corrected.

"I… did say I was sorry for that." Iris's voice echoed from behind him in the hallway. All heads turned towards her as she entered with Ricky's mom following closely behind.

"Mom, is that… Cheryl's?" Ricky inquired, pointing at the ribbons in Iris's newly made hairstyle. There were two buns on either side of her head wrapped in pink ribbons each. His mom smiled slightly, a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"Yes dear. Even the clothes. I bought new ones for Cheryl each year, picturing how tall she would've grown, in case… you know… she came back," she fumbled the last words out in a rush, feeling her voice fade away. Ricky's father gave her a light, supportive hug, whispering something to her. She then looked at Damon and smiled politely. I assumed she was thankful.

Iris wore a light pink, full sleeves T-Shirt with white stripes on it, and light blue pajamas. There was no longer any dirt on her face and her cheeks turned a bit rosy as everyone looked at her. She slowly strode over to Damon and sat beside him.

Ricky now turned towards her, and with a more polite voice, he spoke.

"So what about you? Do you know where you live? Your parents? Anyone?"

Iris shook her head and sighed.

"She told me about Cheryl. How a tall lady one day took her away," she said.

"It turns out our baby wasn't the only one," Ricky's mom continued. Ricky looked at her and then back at Iris with surprise.

"I was taken when I was five."

It was those words that shook them. Each of them exchanged looks in astonishment. Ricky's father raised his eyebrows in disbelief at his wife. She nodded as if confirming that it's the truth.

"I escaped but they're looking for me," Iris told them.

"Who are they?" Damon asked.

"The same people who took your Cheryl. She's with them now, I'm sure."

"They took her? Is she hurt?" Ricky blurted anxiously.

Iris just looked at him, reading his face, feeling his heartbeat rise. She glanced at Damon as if unsure if she should say, and then back at him.

"They won't hurt her…. As long as she does what they ask."

"I don't believe this..." Ricky was talking to himself now. He stared down at his hands, balled them to fists.

'And you, kid? You okay?' I asked. To my surprise, before Damon could repeat my words, she looked at him sideways and nodded slightly.

"It appears she can hear us," Damon commented.

'So how did you escape from them?' I asked her.

"As soon as there was a commotion, I took my chance."

Iris spoke, squinting at the table and then shook her head. She placed a hand on the side of her temple.

"Where are your manners," Ricky's mom interrupted, quickly rushing towards the refrigerator to take out a box of juice. "The child has obviously had a difficult journey and all of you keep pressing her for answers."

She poured a glass full of orange juice and placed it on the table in front of Iris. She looked up at her in surprise.

"Drink this while I fix you some food," she smiled at her and then to the rest of us, "Now stop bothering the guests, all of you. You can all chat after everyone's rested."

She then hurried back into the kitchen to heat up some food for everyone. Ricky got up, rubbing his tired eyes and politely smiled down at Iris. He patted her head before heading off into the hallway.

"I'm going to set up a room for you to stay in. Stay with us for now, for as long as you want," he told her and then to Edward, "You can share the room with Dixon."

He left after that.