Archive of Our Own

She’d known this feeling before. Drifting, weightless, hung in suspended animation. Drowning. The burning in her lungs. Surge remembered the feeling of drowning, because it was the same feeling of falling asleep, of slipping into darkness, the light a place beyond her reach.

She was enveloped on all sides by darkness and water. Was it sleep, or drowning? The girl opened her eyes, then flailed spastically, bubbles escaping her open mouth. She realized this wasn’t a dream. This was real, and she was drowning.

Surge was swept into the water’s current, her hands grasping at nothing but the murky water surrounding her at all sides. She craned her head back to see faint ripples of light on the surface. Rubble and debris floated past her, bumping and scraping into her as together they were whisked away. She grabbed whatever she could, but none of it could help her reach the surface. Kicking her legs, the girl rolled in a somersault, sinking deeper into the water. The back of her head bumped onto the concrete bottom. Eyes fixated on the faint light above, lungs burning for air, Surge floated there. She fought him— that much she remembered. There was a crash, and she had fallen deep into the darkness.

All of this, she thought to herself with sarcastic bite, all of this just to end up drowning.

She had never learned how to swim, despite Starline’s constant efforts. She didn’t know why. It was as though it was ingrained in her, a part of this altered body, her simulated DNA.

Of all the stupid ways to die, she mused. It has to be like this.

The girl was pushed along the the water’s current, drifting along wherever it took her.

She knew the moment she opened her mouth to take in a gulp of air, her lungs would fill with water. There would be pain like fire burning the inside of her lungs, and then darkness. Except this time, no one would be here to pull her out of the water. She prepared herself for the inevitable, but in that instant she recalled her fight. She saw Sonic flash across her memory, how easily he had outmaneuvered her, zipping past her with a wink and a grin.

Surge’s eyes shot open. She kicked off the bottom of the canal, reaching out to grab hold of something, anything, to keep her afloat. Debris and rubble, plastic and metal floated by, moving too fast for her to keep hold. Her shoulder slammed against the canal’s wall. Face scrunched in pain, she dragged her nails along the wall, trying to find something to hold onto, to keep her from floating away any farther.

I can’t die, she said to herself. I can’t die I can’t die I can’t die, until her hand brushed against a steel ladder bolted to the canal wall. She grabbed it, her body dragging along with the water’s current as she held on for dear life. A mass of metal rushed towards her, smacking her in the jaw. She cringed, bubbles billowing from her nose and mouth as the impact put stars in her eyes. Twisting herself around, the girl grabbed hold of the ladder with both hands and fought against the current. She was nearly finished— she couldn’t hold her breath any longer, but before her lungs gave up, she broke the water’s surface. She inhaled a gasping breath, spluttering water against her face as she took breath after deep breath. She wrapped the crook of her arm around the ladder, keeping her head just above water as she regained her breath. When she could feel her heart regain its rhythm, her breath resume its steady flow, she hauled herself up. Finally, soaking wet, body bruised and battered from the fall, Surge reached the top, dragging herself onto the sewer's walkway. She coughed and hacked, spitting up the last of the water. Her jaw felt stuck from where the debris had hit her, so she rotated her jaw until she could feel it click back into place. Arms shaking, she collapsed onto the damp cobblestone ground. She laid there on her stomach, taking short shallow breaths. The fall had taken her into the underbelly of Eggman’s fortress, a sewage system that reeked of mildew and neglect. A low rumble echoed above her head. The fortress was falling apart and time was not on her side, but she didn’t get up.

Her eyelids drooped, and she thought how nice it would be if she could just fall asleep, if maybe she could go to that dark unknown place and wake up forgetting any of this had happened—

Her eyes snapped open and her lips pulled back in a snarl. She lifted herself onto her hands and knees and slammed her fist against the ground.

No, she said to herself. Going to sleep, waking up and forgetting. That’s all I knew. That’s what Starline did to me.

I will never, never forget again.

Surge lifted herself up, sitting back on her heels. She reached behind her head to undo the metal enhancer from her quills. It unfastened with a click, and her green quills fell down past her shoulders. She shook her head like a dog, sending water in scattered directions, then gathered the quills into both hands and fastened them secure once more.

She scratched her head, looking all around her.

“How do I get out of here...?” she muttered.

It was dark, the only light coming from a gaping hole above where the ceiling had collapsed. The sound of rushing water flowed beside her, along with metal grating metal as it was carried away in the rapid current. Above, the devastation of Eggman’s fortress groaned, the structure still in the process of collapsing on itself. It wouldn’t hold much longer. Surge dropped to her hands, leaning forward to look down into the dark waters below. The water could lead her to an escape route, but...

She clenched her jaw and swallowed.

That would mean swimming, and she hadn’t exactly mastered that.

Surge leaned back on her heels with a sigh. She ran her fingers through her scalp, then dragged her nails down her face.

Her body felt like it had been wrung out, stomped on, bulldozed, and flattened by a steam roller. Nothing felt like it was broken. Despite Starline’s hypnosis, she still had the faint memory of broken bones from all her failed trials and tests. The pain, however, ached as a dull throb, from the tip of her ears down to her toes. She felt it in her gut, her face, in flesh and muscle, and there, on her arm, was a pain that burned like fire.

Surge blinked. She looked down, examining her arm, and realized the stinging pain came from a long, deep gash on her arm. It pulsed hot, dripping blood that cooled against her skin.

It wasn’t the fight that had battered her like this. That much she knew. This was from the fall.

Staring at the wound, Surge plopped onto her backside, stretching her legs out in front of her.

Is this—?

She touched the wound, staining her fingertips in a sheen of bright red blood.

So this is blood.

She narrowed her eyes.

And pain.

“Why aren’t I healing?” she asked aloud.

An echo of voices came from the end of the tunnel. Surge scrambled to her feet, looking all around her for a place to hide, or an escape. Backed into a dead end, she swiped her hand down her arm, splattering blood droplets onto the ground. She wiped the back of her hand across her forehead, smearing blood across her face. Taking a deep breath through her nose and exhaling out her mouth, she forced herself to stand her ground despite the pain. Whatever came around that corner, she would be ready to fight.

Six glowing eyes approached. The entourage of robots followed beside a tall figure, who griped and huffed his frustration at the day’s events.

“Sir, are you sure we should be down here?” Orbot asked. “The fortress is threatening to collapse at any moment.”

“It was such a nice fortress,” Cubot chimed in. “I especially liked the cappuccino machine in the break room. She was a lovely lady.”

“Shut up, both of you,” Eggman said. “I had to see for myself if that pathetic excuse for a doctor survived. As you know, slime has a tendency to slip through the cracks.”

“Kind of like how Sonic managed to escape again?” Cubot asked.

Eggman glowered at him, a growl emanating from the back of his throat. Cubot shrunk in on himself, going silent.

As they approached closer, Surge could make out the details of the group. The two lackey robots weren’t a threat, she estimated, but lo and behold, that metal imposter was with them. Surge’s heart skipped a beat. Of course Sonic’s robotic look-alike would be repaired. Its speed and strength outmatched any of Eggman’s other creations.

The doctor himself she would deal with later. She rolled her tongue, gathering blood in her mouth to spit it to the side.

Eggman halted when he saw the tenrec. The three robots halted beside him. A few moments of silence passed between the two opposing sides. Between them, a single ray of light shone from the crumbling ceiling above.

“Well, well.”

Eggman adjusted his glasses.

“Look at what’s in my sewer.”

Surge glared him down.

“Come any closer and I’ll roast you,” she said.

Eggman waved his hand with a scoff.

“Please. You’re hardly worth my time.” He paused, looking the girl up and down. “But I’m correct in saying you are Starline’s experiment?” He chuckled. “Or should I say, you were Starline’s experiment.”

He ran his thumb and forefinger across his mustache.

“It would be interesting to know what components he used to create you.”

Surge widened her stance, balling her hands into fists as she powered up. Electricity sparked around her, rebounding off the sewer walls, leaping and scattering across the damp ground like glowing raindrops hitting pavement. She stared him down, breathing hard, then blurt out, “Where is he?”

“Who?”

“That blue rat.”

She cracked her knuckles.

“I’ve still got a bone to pick with him.”

“Hmph,” Eggman admonished. “He and his little friends managed to escape. If I recall, they were toting your pathetic excuse of a sidekick with them.”

Surge swallowed. The blood from her wound rolled down her arm, gathering at her elbow before falling. Its electric heat sizzled against the cold damp ground, the sound of water reminding her of who she had fought alongside with, who had been by her side all throughout this sick and twisted existence forged by Dr. Starline.

Kit.

She glanced to the side, losing her fighter’s stance.

No, she told herself, tightening her balled fists. Why are you reacting like this? He was just some stupid whiny kid, always clinging and crying…

An image of Kit, an anxious smile on his face, flashed across her mind. Her electricity stuttered, her heart tugging in two directions. To fight, and disregard all sentiment, or to call it a temporary truce, run away, and find that annoying kid. She didn’t need him— but, there in her heart she heard a little flicker whisper: But he needs you.

Too bad, she thought. She straightened herself, taking a step forward, electricity crackling under the soles of her boot. The only reason Kit thinks he needs me is because Starline brainwashed him into thinking that. Maybe some time apart will do him good.

She approached Eggman, stating, “Get out of my way. I’m leaving.”

She smacked her palms together, sending a scattered display of electricity around her as though to make her point.

Eggman grasped his hands behind his back.

“What’s the matter?” he asked. “Weren’t you designed to destroy me?”

Surge clicked her tongue, rolling her eyes.

“I’ve got bigger fish to fry. I’ll fight you some other time.”

Eggman did not move, watching the small tenrec come near him, edging along the wall to avoid his robots. He had enough on his plate as it was, what with the destruction Starline’s scheme had caused. He didn’t have time for this nuisance, this wretch of a girl. He peered at her, lifting a brow in curiosity.

But then again, Starline had used his metal virus to transform this girl. It would be interesting to see exactly what she was made of.

“Metal Sonic,” he declared. “Capture her.”

Surge jerked her head up, halting mid-step. She bared her teeth, pounding her fists together in a burst of electric shock as she prepared for the attack.

However, the robot did not move. Eggman startled.

“Did you not hear me? I said capture her.”

Metal Sonic looked at Eggman, then at Surge. He took a step back, hiding behind Eggman.

“What is wrong with you, you infernal contraption! Are your wires crossed?!”

Surge chuckled, then burst into a laugh. She powered down, the electricity lessening into little sparks rolling down her arms.

“What?” Eggman asked. “I would love to know what’s so hilarious.”

Shaking her head, Surge answered, “He’s scared.” She crossed her arms, a sharp-toothed grin stretching across her face. “It’s alright. I wouldn’t want to fight me either, especially if I knew who was gonna win.”

Eggman sneered. He looked from Metal Sonic, to Surge, then back to Metal Sonic. The robot shifted from one mechanical foot to the other, his gears creaking uncomfortably.

“Bah!” Eggman spat. “Egotistical brat. I don’t want you in my company anyways. Besides, you’re only a cheap impression of my rival Sonic. Certainly not worth my time. ”

He waved for his robots, turning around.

“Let’s go. There’s work to be done—”

“Say that again.”

Eggman halted. He looked over his shoulder. Surge the Tenrec faced the ground, her shoulders hunched and hands balled into tight fists.

Eggman tutted his tongue.

“My, my. Did I strike a nerve?”

Surge sprung forward. In the blink of an eye she was on Eggman, but before she could land an electric punch on his smug face, Metal Sonic blocked her, deflecting her with a swift kick.

Surge fell to the wayside, rolling along the ground until she was right on the edge of the walkway. Below her, the rising sewage waters rushed. Surge tried to get up, but gasped, the wound on her arm flowing fresh blood from the attack. She lifted herself onto her knees, then folded over, clutching her arm close to her chest.

Eggman approached her, his hands behind his back.

“Oh dear,” he said. He adjusted his glasses, examining the girl. “It looks like Starline’s little experiment is failing.”

“Watch who you’re talking to,” Surge spat. Her face was wrenched in wrath, but tears shined in her eyes. Through gritted teeth she declared, “I won’t fail. I will kill Sonic. I’ll kill Starline.” Her voice was a guttural growl. “And I’ll kill you. I swear it.”

Eggman straightened. He smiled, answering, “Okay. When that time comes, I’ll be waiting.”

He lifted his head, gazing out at the rushing waters of the canal. Tapping a finger against his chin, he said, “Now, let me think. If you really possess elements of Sonic’s DNA, then…”

He looked down at her, a devilish grin on his face, exposing straight white teeth behind a bushy mustache.

“Let’s see if you can survive this.”

He nudged Surge with the toe of his boot. Surge gasped, scrambling at the ledge as she fell over. She tried to grab on, but her wounded arm failed her. She fell over the edge and into the water below. The last thing she saw was Eggman’s looming silhouette, his wicked grin, the glowing red eyes of Metal Sonic, and the two robot lackeys watching with tilted heads.

She fell into the water with a sickening splash. It enveloped her completely, dragging her down into its depths, sweeping her away in its powerful current.

Eggman huffed through his nose, dusting his hands together as though he’d just taken out the trash.

“You see,” he said to Metal Sonic. “That abomination isn’t worth our time. With Sonic, there’s a certain artistry to our battle.” He glared at the water. “Defective creatures like that should be eradicated as soon as you get the chance.” He waved. “Come along.”

Metal Sonic began to follow, but paused. His red glowing eyes looked down into the dark waters. His eyes focused so intently that he glitched for a moment, before returning his attention to Eggman. With marching steps, he followed behind the doctor.

Eggman paused. His attention was drawn to the blood droplets on the ground.

“Hmm?” he said. “What’s this?”

He leaned down, one finger across his mouth as he studied the blood.

His mustache raised in a smirk.

“I wonder…”

He straightened, snapping his fingers.

“Cubot. Gather samples of this blood. If it belongs to who I think, then I may be in luck.”

He chuckled, the dim light from above glinting against his glasses.

With a devilish grin, he mused, “Let’s see what makes you tick, imposter hedgehog.”

———————————

Each time she tried to break free, the torrential current dragged her down. Surge flailed in the canal’s water, taking quick bursts of air whenever her mouth was above the surface. It wasn’t enough. Before she could get a lungful of air, the water rushed over her once more. She was losing oxygen fast. Little black dots blotted her vision. Her arms grew tired; her legs numbed. The water swept her outside the fortress, where she plunged down a waterfall. She tumbled below into a speeding river.

Her head bobbed above the surface long enough to see purple twilight, the first faint stars of the night twinkling in the sky. She caught only a glimpse of the full moon, fogged over by passing clouds, before the river dipped down, and she sank beneath its surface.

She kicked— that was the first step in swimming, right?— but found she was unable to move. Surge peered over her shoulder. Her shirt was caught in the splintered pipe of one of Eggman’s broken robots. Her eyes widened as she tugged at her shirt. It refused to break free.

Sinking deeper into the water, Surge looked in one direction, then the other. The robot sunk to the bottom of the river, taking Surge with it. She panicked, kicking and paddling, and with each passing moment, her lungs constricted tighter and tighter for lack of oxygen.

The fractured memories of doing this before came to her. Hundreds of Starline’s tests, some of them involving water. And if she fell in, she would sink to the bottom. She remembered looking up at the surface, at the light so close yet still out of reach. There would be a struggle, flailing and fighting the water’s hold on her, but she couldn’t get out. And then, after the initial struggle… darkness.

When she woke up, Starline had two fingers on her wrist, telling her not to move as he checked her pulse.

Surge squeezed her eyes shut, the river’s sediment scratching against her skin as it rushed by her. This time, there was no one to stop the experiment. No one was going to revive her.

I can’t believe it, she thought. I’m… I’m going to die.

She couldn’t hold her breath any longer. She took a gasping breath, her lungs filling with water. It was as though she’d been branded by a hot iron, and immediately her throat closed, refusing to let any more water pass into her lungs. And just like, she couldn’t breathe anymore.

Now she remembered. At first there was panic. And then, there was peace. Surge’s body went limp, the darkness overtaking her. She floated to the river’s bottom, bubbles escaping her open mouth.

In a last ditch effort, not knowing if it would end her or save her, and unsure if she cared at that point, Surge pressed her hands together, and produced an electrical charge. There was a flash of white light, and then the river became not water but a zapping current, an electrical eel alive and wired with white, crackling energy. Steam exploded into the night air. Lightning sprung into the sky.

In the distance, the explosive sound and the flash of lightning grabbed the attention of a certain passerby.

“What in the world?” he whispered.

He hauled his backpack closer over his shoulder, then set off in the direction of the strange phenomenon.

———————————

Surge opened her eyes, awake to the soft yellow glow of a lamp.

She rolled her head, mumbling, “Wah… Where…?”

“She’s awake! Dad, dad, she’s awake!”

Surge’s vision went in and out of focus. A bear cub darted from the room, his footsteps trailing down a hallway as he shouted, “She’s awake! Let’s talk to her!”

Surge’s brow knit together. Her eyes roamed her surroundings. As consciousness returned to her, she realized she was in a room, laying in a bed. A quaint decorative quilt was spread across her. The walls were made of honey-colored planks of wood, and the smell of hearth and cinnamon wafted through the air. She was definitely in a log cabin, but where, and why?

Surge groaned, clutching at her head. Her entire body felt like it had been fried—

Wait.

Her eyes widened. She lifted her hands in front of her face. They were wrapped tightly in bandages.

“Alright, settle down.”

The door opened fully to reveal a large bear, his fur gathered in a beard around his stern face. His expression softened into concern when he approached Surge. She scrambled back, kicking at the quilt to get away.

The bear went still, lifting his hand.

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You’re safe here.”

Surge’s eyes widened, her chest rising and falling in shallow breaths. She sat up, tense to his every movement.

He pulled a wicker chair from the corner of the room, turning it around and taking a seat by the bedside.

“You had quite the close call, but luck must have been on your side.”

Surge grasped at her head.

“Wh- How—?”

“We found you by the river,” he explained, leaning forward with interlaced hands. “There was some kind of explosion. A heap of Eggman’s robots were laying around.” He shook his head, troubled by the implication. “There’s no telling what caused that explosion. I’m just glad I found a survivor.”

Surge blinked, rubbing at her eyes. She looked around her. The room was bare and plain. The only furniture besides the bed was a desk, a nightstand, the wicker chair, and a lamp that gave off a soft yellow glow. A large map of the Forest Ridge Zone was pinned to the wall.

“Where am I ?” she asked.

“My cabin,” the bear answered. “My name is Bernt.” He corralled the bear cub by his side, clamping a hand on his shoulder. “And this is my son Ashe.” He chuckled. “You’ll have to excuse his excitement. We don’t usually have visitors.”

A red wisp floated beside the boy, then perched on his shoulder.

Ashe said, “And this is Red Hot. He helped too, but he was awfully sorry about what happened to your hands—”

“That’s enough,” Bernt said under his breath. “Give me a moment to talk to her, okay?”

Ashe nodded. He left the room, the red wisp following behind him. He caught a glimpse of the strange tenrec before shutting the door.

Surge caught her spinning head in her hand. She looked down, and saw she was still wearing her usual clothes, but the fabric had been torn and singed black at the edges. She winced, her eyes trailing down her arm to see it was bandaged, the linen wrapped tightly around the wound.

Bernt said, “How’s that feel?”

“Sore.”

“Hmm.”

He studied her carefully. Surge’s blue eyes flitted side to side. In the course of a few seconds, she devised a plan of escape. As long as she could still use her power, then it wasn’t like this forest-dwelling Nobody could stop her. She didn’t care if she was losing the ability to heal. All that mattered was getting to Sonic. Finishing that fight, even if it meant she’d destroy herself in the process.

“You’ve been asleep for almost 21 hours. I wanted to talk first before I called a hospital—”

“No!”

He startled. Surge threw off the bedcovers.

“No hospitals,” she asserted. Swiping her hand through the air she said, “No doctors, or weirdos, or anyone touching me. I’m—”

She stopped, jerking her head to look away.

I’m through being someone’s science experiment.

Concern etched Bernt’s expression. “Okay. I won’t call the hospital. Do you have family?”

“No.”

“No one? Not even a friend?”

“I’m alone.”

Bernt leaned back in the chair, running his hand through his beard in thought. After a few moments he asked, “What’s your name?”

Surge glanced at him.

“I don’t have one.”

They stared at each other. Bernt pursed his mouth in a tight line, then said, “Right.”

He leaned forward, lowering his voice.

“Are you in trouble?”

Gesturing at her bandaged wound, he added, “Is someone trying to hurt you?”

Surge swung her legs over the side of the bed, her breath hitching at the movement. It wasn’t just the wound on her arm, or the fact her hands felt like they’d been dipped in acid— her entire body ached, as though she’d been pummeled with stone.

She smirked. She had been pummeled with stone, and a dunk in the river had only made the aftermath of her fall that much worse.

It didn’t matter though. Nothing mattered except finishing what she had started.

“I’m not staying here any longer.”

She stood. The blood rushed from her head, darkening her vision.

Bernt reached out a hand as the girl swayed on her feet.

“The wound on your arm wasn’t your only injury. You had several bruises, and your hands—”

Surge stumbled past him, meandering into the dark hallway. Her shoulder smacked against the wall, and she slid along the wall, dragging her feet. The dizziness worsened, her breath coming in shallow pants. A sickening hollowness carved out her stomach. Surge paused, wrapping her arm around her torso.

Bernt trailed behind, reaching out to her.

“If you’re in trouble, I can help—”

“Get away from me,” she muttered. “I’m… I’m…”

The girl turned her head to see her reflection in a mirror. A cut colored her bottom lip red. A purple bruise darkened her left eye, and a worsened black bruise painted her jaw. The edge of her ear was torn, the missing flesh crusted with dried blood. She narrowed her eyes, looking back at a person she did not recognize.

“I look like shit,” she mumbled, before blacking out and collapsing to the ground.

———————————

This time when Surge regained consciousness, she kept her eyes closed. She would never admit it to anyone, but in this moment, she liked being in a warm comfortable bed. The blanket was soft. The pillow cradled her head gently. For just a brief moment, she could forget everything that had happened, everything done to her, and what she had done in return. What if she could stay in this bed forever? Forget Sonic, forget Starline. Forget this fake world, this never-ending battle between good and evil that had resulted in her creation.

There was no past— only the flash of lightning, quick and immediate, that struck without mercy.

The peace passed, and Surge cracked her eyes open. She turned her head to see the bear named Bernt sitting on the wicker chair, his head lolled, eyes half-closed. He blinked, then roused himself.

“Ah, you’re awake,” he said. He ran his hand down his face, rubbing the sleepiness from his eyes. “You fainted. Don’t worry, I think it was just from overexertion. Please try to rest.”

Surge lifted her hand, touching the damp cooled washcloth laid over her forehead. She pulled it off and set it aside on the bed.

“I have to leave.”

Bernt furrowed his brow. Surge sat up, intent on getting out of bed, to make her exit a second time, but her body protested. The bruises smarted at the slightest touch, her muscles straining with the effort it took to sit up. Her arms were shaking. Holding her breath, she elbowed the pillow against the headboard, then plopped back down with a sigh.

Her eyes stayed fixated on the ceiling. For the first time in her memory, she was exhausted. Did Sonic ever get tired? She wrinkled her nose at the thought, scowling at the possibility that Eggman had been right. Maybe her body was failing. Maybe, whatever Sonic was made of, couldn’t be replicated. Science could only go so far— even Starline had overlooked the fact that Surge and Kit weren’t machines that could be predicted and programmed. They were living beings whose personalities could be altered but never eradicated. Could it be that—?

Surge placed her hand over her heart.

Could it be something in the spirit? Something test tubes and syringes and carefully calculated formulas couldn’t reproduce? She had pieces of Sonic’s DNA, but beyond that, who was she?

Bernt picked up a plate off the nightstand. He pulled back the aluminum foil covering it, revealing a plate of mashed potatoes and string beans.

“I brought you leftovers from dinner.”

He set the plate back on the nightstand, adjusting the fork stuck in the mashed potatoes. A glass of water was set beside it. “I wasn’t sure if you’d be hungry or not, but it’s here if you are.”

Surge looked from him, to the food, then back to him. Confusion marred her face.

“Why are you being nice to me?” she asked.

Bernt raised his brow at the question.

“Well,” he said with a chuckle, “I want to help people.”

“But… why? You don’t know me.”

Bernt leaned back in the chair, crossing his arms. He nodded, then answered, “It doesn’t matter. I can’t turn my back on those in need.” He gave another chuckle, shaking his head. “It’s one of the reasons I became a park ranger. It comes with the territory.”

Surge stiffened. Grinding her back teeth, she glanced at the map of the Forest Ridge Zone tacked on the wall, then back to the park ranger.

No, she thought. Surely he doesn’t know...

A cold sweat prickled down her spine.

There’s no way he knows I’m the one who started that forest fire, right?

Surge fiddled with her hands, tracing her fingertips across the bandages.

Bernt said, “I did the best first aid I could for the time being. Do you remember what happened to cause those injuries?”

“No,” she lied, turning her head to face the opposite direction. “It was a waste of your time anyways. You should have left me at the river.”

“I disagree.”

Surge jerked her head at him, her upper lip curled to reveal a sharp tooth.

“What was your name?” she spat. “Bernt? Listen. I’m not your problem.” She gestured at the plate of food. “Thanks for the soggy potatoes and whatever that green stuff is, but I don’t need your charity.”

She grit her teeth in determination, yanking the quilt off and bringing her legs over the side of the bed.

“The problem with people,” she huffed, her voice tight with pain, “is that they make other people their problem. Then the problems just never freakin’ end.”

She pushed herself up by her elbow, and an involuntarily yelp escaped her throat. Her wounds told her to stay down, to rest. Bernt echoed what her body was trying to tell her.

“I won’t force you to do anything,” he said, reaching out his hand. “But please. At least rest for tonight. The weather station is calling for a thunderstorm. It’s heading this way now, and it’s going to be a strong one.”

Surge went still. Her chest rose and fell in labored breaths. She uttered a noise of frustration, then plopped back down in the bed. What she would give in this moment to heal quickly, immune to the consequences of injury.

“Still shouldn’t have made me your problem,” she said, pointing a finger at him.

Bernt chuckled through his nose.

“It’s part of the job.” He recrossed his arms, eyeing the ceiling in thought. “I was reminded of that recently. The forests surrounding my campground caught fire. But there were people there who helped. We all worked together to keep it under control.”

He shook his head with a small smile.

“That kind of courage… it reminded me of why I became a park ranger in the first place.”

Surge glanced at the quilt covering her. She picked at a piece of loose thread.

“Do you know what started the fire?” she mumbled.

The bear shook his head with a sigh.

“We’ve done some investigating. It definitely wasn’t natural causes. Someone started the fire on purpose.”

Surge’s heart skipped a beat, her breath quickening.

She spat, “I bet whoever they are, they’re a rotten person who should be locked away forever.” She grabbed the blanket, pulling it closer as she rolled onto her side. Facing the wall, her face contorted in anger, then sadness. Quickly she wiped at her eyes.

Bernt chuckled.

“I don’t know about that. Sometimes, people just get mixed up inside because they’re hurting.”

Surge’s ear rotated slightly.

“What if,” she said, cautiously, slowly, “what if the person who started it… what if they wanted to do it?”

“Then I would forgive them.”

Surge flipped over, throwing the quilt off. Her mouth was open in shock, face scrunched in disbelief.

“Forgive them?” she demanded. “What? Why?”

“Because people change,” Bernt answered. “Forgiveness can change people.”

Surge scoffed, blinking slowly.

“What a load of— What if she—”

She stopped, flitting her eyes side to side. Clearing her throat, she continued, “What if that person can’t change? Hmm? What then?”

Bernt leaned back in the chair. He crossed one leg over the other, stroking his beard in thought. After a few moments he said, “Then I figure the world will move on without them.”

Surge’s shoulders sunk, her expression crestfallen. Bitterness churned in her stomach.

She turned over once more, laying down to face the wall.

“What would you know?” she muttered. “You’re just a park ranger.”

Bernt barked a bellyful laugh. He smacked his thigh in jest, quipping, “You’ve got a point there. I’m no professor or philosopher. But—”

His laugh quieted into a chuckle.

“You learn alot just being out in nature. If you open yourself up to listen, then nature will talk to you, and you’ll realize that all the answers you need are already inside you.”

“And what about the parts of nature people are afraid of?” Surge grumbled, her mouth muffled by the pillow. “What about that storm coming this way? Thunder scares people. Lightning scares people too.”

Bernt was quiet, then said, “I think we learn the most from what we’re afraid of.”

Surge heard the wicker chair creak, then footsteps trailing towards the door.

“That forest fire scared my campers, but if it wasn’t for the fire, we wouldn’t have found out how strong we are when we work together.”

Surge peeked over her shoulder. Bernt was standing in the doorway. He checked his wristwatch, noting, “It’s getting late. I’ll leave you to rest.” He nodded his chin at the food on the nightstand. “You’re welcome to eat if you want to.” He trailed into the hallway, saying, “If you need me, I’ll be in my office next door.”

He stepped away, but paused.

“I won’t pretend like I know your situation,” he said. “But I’ll give you an old bear’s advice. I don’t know if people should get what they deserve, but I do know deep in my gut that the most we can do is help each other. We’ve all been in the same sinking boat.”

Surge did not answer, turning over on her side to face the wall once more. She flicked her torn ear from an itch, as though to dismiss what he said.

Bernt left the room and closed the door shut behind him.

Surge scowled at the shut door before pushing herself to sit up, propping the pillow behind her for support. A dull heat pulsed under her bandaged arm, radiating from the center of the wound. She pressed a finger to it, then peered at the plate of food on the nightstand beside her. Her stomach growled, and she dove forward, grabbing the plate. She plunged the fork into the food and ate ravenously, making a face at the saltiness of the potatoes and the string beans. She ate without stopping, and by the time the plate was cleaned she was panting for air. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, smearing food on the bandages, then took the glass of water and downed it until it was empty. Setting the glass back on the nightstand, Surge laid down on her back, staring at the ceiling.

Under any other circumstance, she would have made her exit the moment she woke up. But—

The tenrec lifted her hands in front of her.

What did that kid mean when he said something happened to my hands?

Surge sucked at a piece of string bean stuck between her teeth. She unfastened the clip holding together the bandages, and piece by piece unwound them from her right hand.

A patch of black, charred skin revealed itself. Surge stopped unraveling the bandage.

“Whoa,” she said aloud. She brought her hand closer to her face, examining the skin along her finger that had been electrocuted to a crisp. Her enhancement rings were still on. She tugged at them, but they did not move. To her surprise, they had melted to her skin.

The girl barked a laugh.

If Starline saw this, he would lose his marbles. I guess that’s what I get for using my power underwater.

Her laughter wobbled into a chuckle, then her expression crumpled, the corners of her mouth trembling into a frown.

If Starline was here, he’d fix this, but erase my memory of it ever happening.

Tears formed in her eyes. The memory of her fight with Sonic came to her, the blue blur of his speed, his hand extended out to her as she dangled over the edge of the precipice, nothing but a long, dark fall below her.

She could hear Bernt the park ranger’s words:

Forgiveness can change people.

And Sonic, speaking from on high,

I’ve made peace with enough enemies to know there is a better way.

“What would you know?” she grumbled. She turned her hand over, the bandage slipping off to reveal more black, charred skin.

“I’m the one who’s free. No moral code, no responsibility for anyone or anything. I don’t have to try to be anything except destruction itself.” She smirked. “A force of Nature. That’s all it is. A little lightning to make people shut up.”

The tears in her eyes wouldn’t go away. Surge rolled onto her side, clutching the quilt over her shoulder. A hard lump formed in her throat and the tears burned in her eyes. She held her breath, her face going red with the anger, the confusion and fear, and the sadness that refused to go away. She thought once she had faced Sonic she would understand exactly what she was supposed to do, but now—

She furiously wiped at her eyes.

Now, alone and washed up in some stranger’s home, she was more confused than ever. She was never going back to Starline, and there was no going back to the old life she had before losing her memories. She brought her hands together, as though to capture the lamp light in her palms like golden water.

The girl’s stare darkened.

All the more reason to create havoc, incite destruction. Wipe the board clean with nothing to lose, nothing to gain.

She closed her hands into fists, the wrinkled charred skin raw and unnatural. She tucked her knees to her chest, curling into a ball.

There was always a blank space whenever the tears came, unhinged and unbearable, fretful sobs that ended as soon as they started. Laying there in bed, Surge realized that she was never given the chance to cry. Starline had taken that from her.

And now, as the tears came forth beyond her control, Surge realized she couldn’t stop. She sobbed deep, painful gasps of air, her eyes and nose running, her heart constricting with each wave of grief. She cried so hard that she wasn’t even sure what she was crying about— only that the faucet had been turned on after months of drought, and at last, without Starline’s hypnosis, she could cry without interference.

Clutching the quilt tightly in her hands, she buried her face into the pillow, stifling her sniffles.

Why am I crying? Stupid, stupid—

No.

Surge lifted her eyes from the pillow. The blue iris of her eyes crackled with tendrils of electricity.

Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Stop crying.

End this.

End Sonic.

The electricity crackled along her skin, quickening her breath, drying her tears. The lamp in the room dimmed, then brightened, disturbed by the current of electricity roiling along her body.

Kill him. Kill him. That’s all there is to it.

It was him giving everyone second chances that made me like this.

She thought of Starline, their therapy sessions, how she had been made to hate him, that blue hedgehog who, much to her frustration, could keep up with her speed. She thought of his smile, his confidence as he stated everyone has a right to freedom.

“This is my freedom,” she whispered under her breath. “I don’t care who gets in my way. My freedom is destroying this world.”

The thoughts fired pulses through her head, electric neurons moving faster than the speed of light, a rush of everything she had known and been manipulated into thinking crashing together like a train running off its rails.

It crawled up her spine, creeping up the back of her neck: Have you ever thought—

If I don’t hate Sonic, then… who am I?

Surge dug her nails under her eyes, staring widely at the wall.

If I let go of this, then what if there’s nothing else? What if I let go of my hatred only to find out I’m empty inside?

She squeezed her eyes shut, swallowing thickly.

She remembered Starline guiding her into the therapy room. She went in there thinking that she was supposed to talk about her feelings, but she always ended up talking about how much she wanted to destroy Sonic. Why? She knew why. But why couldn’t she get past it?

Just get over it.

Surge took a deep breath, pretending she could see a wide open field. No fences. No barriers. Nothing to stop her from running forever.

If I don’t get a past, then none of them get a future.

No one tried to save me from Starline. Whoever I was before must have been a terrible person. And if I wasn’t a terrible person before, then I’ve become one now.

I have no past. I have no future.

I just want to see this world crash and burn.

Surge threw the covers off. Ignoring the pain, she rolled over and sat up, swinging her legs over the bedside. Hastily she rewrapped the bandages, clipping them secure as she stood. The girl winced, gnashing her teeth from the effort, her arm wrapped around her torso. Her boots were set by the door. She shoved her feet into them, then carefully opened the door, peeking her head out and looking from one end of the hallway to the other. The coast was clear. She slipped into the dark hallway and stepped lightly towards the front door. The wood floor creaked under her foot, and she stopped, one eye closed. She took another step, and the floor creaked again.

“Oh, c’mon,” she muttered.

“Hey.”

Surge whipped her head around. The bear cub named Ashe was behind her, the red wisp he kept as a companion hovering by his shoulder. In the dark, the wisp glowed like a nightlight.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

Surge glanced to the side. She straightened, hiding her hands behind her back with a sly grin.

“I was thirsty, so I came out here for a glass of water.”

“Oh,” Ashe said. “I can get it for you.” He trailed to the left, passing into the kitchen.

Surge stepped backwards, inching closer towards the front door. Her hand flitted through the air in search of the door handle. Before she could grasp it, Ashe returned holding a glass of water.

He handed it to her with a smile. Surge mirrored his smile, although hers did not reach her eyes. She took the glass and sipped at it.

Ashe fidgeted, wringing out the ends of his shirt. He couldn’t contain his excitement anymore as he blurted, “Can I show you something?”

Surge eyed the door behind her, then back down at the hopeful joy in the bear cub’s eyes.

“Er…sure…”

Ashe took her by the hand, leading her down the hallway and into the room at the end. He clicked on a lamp, illuminating the room in a homely yellow glow. Drawn to the light, his companion Red Hot perched on the lampshade, watching with curious eyes. The walls were painted dark blue, and several movie posters decorated the space. A mobile airplane hung from the ceiling, and figurines of model trucks, trains, and racecars stood in a row on the bookshelf. The window showed the dark night outside. Faint raindrops tapped against it, and a low rumble of thunder announced the storm’s approach.

Surge scratched at her head, looking all around the boy’s room as he began rummaging through a bin. He pulled out a portable CD player, compact and shaped like a pancake, and a pair of headphones.

“I found this in my dad’s box of old things,” Ashe said. “The CD was already inside.”

He handed it to Surge. She took it, turning it front and back to examine it.

“What am I supposed to do with this?” she said.

Ashe giggled. He took her by her wrist and led her to sit on his bed.

“Here,” he instructed. He set the CD player between them, then placed the headphones over her ears. He pressed the PLAY button, and Surge’s eyes went wide, her head filled with the beginning of a song whose sound immediately grabbed the attention of her heartbeat.

Ashe said something she couldn’t hear. She lifted one headphone from her ear as the bear cub repeated, “Isn’t it cool?”

“Yeah,” Surge said. Her fingers tapped against her thigh, matching the beat. The song picked up speed, and her head began nodding along.

“This,” she said, a genuine smile spreading across her face, “this is really cool.” She laughed, closing her eyes. “Dr. Starline never let me listen to music. He said it was—” she made air quotes around the words— “‘too distracting’.”

“Who’s Dr. Starline?”

Surge opened one eye. Ashe tilted his head, perplexed.

She waved her hand, dismissing what she had said.

“Nobody,” she answered. “A whackjob with too much time on his hands.”

She placed the headphone back over her ear, immersing herself completely in the music. The melody drowned out the entire world, silencing her persistent thoughts of revenge, easing the wounds she had received from her tired body. Surge bobbed her head along. She picked up the CD player and stood from the bed, unable to help the song urging her to dance along. The song spoke to her and she moved beyond her control, shimmying her body to and fro, swaying along to its call. The synth reminded her of the crackle of electricity, the rush of breaking free and running without apology or restraint. She had always liked to beat Starline’s tests, not for his approval, but because her love for dominating the playing field was overwhelming. Why couldn’t other people recognize her greatness? It was the least they could do. Surge jumped up and down, head-banging and spinning along the floor. She thought about how great it had felt to tear up Central City. She had been a one-girl army, marching to the rhythm of her own drum, and now here she was, dancing to a song that felt like it’d been made to shock her back to life.

Ashe’s grin widened in excitement. He stood on his bed, jumping up and down. Even though he wasn’t listening to the music, he wanted to share this joy, this freeing of inhibition with the girl. The wisp Red Hot floated into the air, whizzing about the bear cub in delight.

The song changed chords, and Surge spun midair, tucking her knees to her chest as she jumped. The rain hit the window harder, but she didn’t notice. The chorus reached out to her. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her power crackled to life. She felt like screaming, laughing, bursting out of her skin all at the same time.

At the exact moment a boom of thunder erupted, shaking the whole house, Surge spun on her heel, and punched her fist straight through the wall. The punch sent a bolt of electricity through the house’s power circuits. The lightbulb in the lamp exploded, sending an eruption of sparks. The sound of the house powering down whirred into silence.

A few seconds of silence passed in the sudden darkness before Ashe exclaimed, “What was that?!”

Surge turned her head. She was breathing hard. Her eyes glowed blue in the dark.

In the office down the hall, Bernt the park ranger was sitting at his computer when the boom of thunder shook the house, immediately followed by the power going out. The computer screen went black, as well as the light in the room. He leaned back in his chair with a disgruntled sigh, then reached into his desk drawer, searching for a flashlight.

Back in Ashe’s bedroom, Surge was pulling her hand out of the wall as Ashe stared at her, eyes wide and mouth open.

“That was crazy!” he exclaimed.

Surge shook her hand, freeing it of the wood splinters. The song had ended. She yanked the headphones off and set the CD player on the nightstand.

“How did you do that?!”

She turned on him, shushing him sharply. She brought her finger to her mouth, signaling him to be quiet, but the boy couldn’t help it.

“What was that?” he persisted. He plopped down on the bed, lifting himself onto his knees. “Was that… that looked like Sonic’s power!”

“Be quiet,” Surge hissed. She forced herself not to make a threat, or raise her fist at the boy. “Don’t say anything. Don’t tell your dad, or anyone about this.” She ran her hand through her scalp, smoothing down the prickly quills.

“What just happened is my cue to get out of here. So bye.”

She turned towards the door, but was stopped when Ashe called out, “Are you a hero?”

Surge’s upper lip curled in confusion, one eye squinted as she turned back around.

“Wah—?”

“Like Sonic!” Ashe exclaimed. He stood up on the bed, curling his skinny arms like a make-believe superman. “Can you run like him?”

Surge blew air through her lips, crossing her arms with an eye roll. Waving her hand in the air she said, “I could run circles around that chump.” She lowered her voice, pointing at the boy. “And I am not a hero.”

Once more she intended to leave, but Ashe piped up, “What… what about the wall?”

“What about it?”

Ashe fidgeted with his hands. His companion wisp draped over his shoulder, eyes filled with worry, its red color glowing in the dark. He answered quietly, “Dad’s gonna be really mad if he sees it.”

Surge stared at him. He looked so small, unsure and guilty. It reminded her of Kit, and she felt a tug in her chest, an urge to tell him to quit your whining, don’t worry about it, I’ll take care of it.

With an annoyed sigh she sat down on the floor cross-legged, propping her elbow on her knee. She leaned her chin into her hand, blowing a loose quill from her face.

“Just cover it with a poster or something. That’s what I used to do in my old room.”

Ashe’s face brightened in a smile before he laughed.

“You used to punch your wall? Why?”

Surge raised one brow. Leaning her head into her hand, she flicked a wood splinter from her knee.

She rapped her knuckles against her head and said, “Something’s wrong with me.”

“What do you mean?”

Surge blinked at the question. Why had she punched the wall? She thought what she was feeling while listening to the music was an abandonment of feeling, but—

It had been a surge of emotion, not just joy but anger too. Why had the two emotions crossed paths?

“I guess I have a short fuse,” she answered. She twirled her finger next to her head, crossing her eyes. “My brain’s made of scrambled eggs.”

Ashe giggled. He reached behind him, stroking Red Hot’s head.

“My dad says it’s okay to feel angry sometimes. But he says it’s what you do when you’re angry that matters.”

Surge barked a laugh.

“Your dad is a living fortune cookie.” She stood up, brushing the dust from her pants. “You can tell him I said that.”

She stepped back, crossing her arms.

“I don’t do goodbyes, but uh, thanks for letting me listen to that song. I really liked it.”

Ashe stood.

“What's your name?”

Figuring she would never see the bear cub again, Surge waved her hand, answering, “Name’s Surge. See ya.”

He blurted, “Wait! I could show you another song.”

Surge shook her head, sighing, “Kid, I don’t have time—”

Ashe slipped by her, opening the door.

“I’m sure my dad has more CDs in the garage. I’ll go get them.”

Surge frowned, glancing to the side.

Just before he left, he looked over his shoulder and smiled. In one swoop he lunged forward and wrapped his arms around Surge in a hug.

She stiffened, lifting her hands in the air.

“Uh, what are—”

“I like you,” Ashe said, pressing the side of his face to her stomach. “You’re cool.”

Surge’s mouth trembled in a smile. She cleared her throat, prying the kid’s arms off her until she regained space between them.

“Yeah, I know,” she sniffed, wiping her finger across her nose. “I am pretty awesome.”

“Will you stay?”

“What?”

“You could stay, and live here with me and my dad. We could go to school together, and in the summer we could go to the campground, and I could show you my favorite places and—”

“I’m not staying.”

Surge crossed her arms, averting her eyes from the bear cub. Without even looking at him, she knew he was on the verge of tears. Quickly she faced him and said, “Go and find those CDs. I’ll listen to one more song.”

Ashe gave a small smile. He stepped out the room and down the hall, disappearing into the darkness. Surge watched him go. With a deep breath, she turned her head towards the window. Rain pelted it, streaking the glass in flowing rivulets.

Bernt was in the garage, shining a flashlight at the breaker box. He tried one switch, then another. He shook his head, muttering to himself, unsure why the power still wasn’t working. There must be a downed line, or—

His walkie-talkie emitted static, followed by a voice calling his name.

Bernt lifted it, saying, “I’m here. How’s it on your end?”

The voice on the line answered, “Hey Bernt. Just checking in with you. Storm’s pretty rough, but we’ve still got power.”

“Heh,” Bernt replied. “Lucky for you. Power’s down at my house, but I’m not exactly sure why. Any downed lines?”

“Nope.”

“Hmm.”

He scratched at his head, then spoke into the walkie-talkie once more.

“How’s the wildfire investigation going?”

“Yeah, that’s why I reached out to you. We tested those samples you gave us and made a pretty interesting discovery. DNA came back as tenrec.”

Bernt’s ears flicked upright. He narrowed his eyes, asking, “Did you say tenrec?”

“Yep. It’s a clear match.”

The park ranger lowered the walkie-talkie. He looked over his shoulder towards the door connecting the house to the garage.

“I’ll have to call you back,” he said before securing the walkie-talkie to his belt buckle. He marched towards the cracked door. On the other side, Ashe watched through the door’s crack with one eye. He scrambled back, bolting down the hall and into his bedroom.

“Surge—!”

The room was empty. The window was open, and the curtains rustled in the wind, blowing rain into the room. Ashe lifted his hand, covering his face from the storm’s intensity. A flash of lightning cracked, filling the sky in a jagged ray of light. He jumped, startled by the sound, then backed out of the room. He darted down the hall, evading his father by a mere fraction of a second, then opened the front door. The wisp Red Hot followed close behind as the bear cub ran across the field, his eyes set on the lone figure in the distance, illuminated only by the hazy light of a full moon hidden behind the rain clouds.

Surge made her way up the hill, pelted by rain and wind. She shielded her eyes with her hand as she trudged up the hill, her boots sliding under the muck. She recognized this area. Scorched trees stood as tall scraggly shadows in the dark, their limbs bare of any leaf or life. This was where she had started the fire, but it had changed. The ground was no longer covered in ash or cinder, but a field of never-ending pink wildflowers. Her brow furrowed in confusion as she stepped through the field, her ankles brushing past the soft petals, her boots stomping down a path as she went. The ground beneath the flowers had turned to muck from the rain.

“Wait!”

The voice called out from behind, but she ignored it.

Clutching Red Hot close to his chest, Ashe clambered up the hill, his feet sliding in the mud. Out of breath, he panted, “Wait! Where— Where are you going!”

Surge threw out her hand, yelling, “Leave me alone!”

“But—”

Surge jerked around, nearly losing her footing. Her eyes were wide, lips pulled back to expose sharp teeth.

“Stop following me!” she screamed, rain spluttering against her mouth. She bared her teeth, fury in her eyes. “Can you do that? Go home!”

Ashe blanched at her outburst. The rain drenched him, flattening his soaked fur.

“But I—I—”

Ashe lowered his head, fumbling through his words.

“I don’t want you to go.”

Tears brimmed his eyes, threatening to fall down his wet face. His voice quaked as he said, “I’ve always wanted a big sister, and—”

He hiccuped, bringing the back of his hand to his cheek. His shoulders shook as he cried.

Surge looked down at him. The rain filled the silence like static white noise, a song which had no change in tune, no hope of ever transforming the moment into something new. It drowned out all sound. A low grumble of thunder rolled across the night sky.

Surge threw back her head with an exasperated sigh. Facing the boy once more, she trudged downhill through the flowers.

“Kid, listen.”

She stopped in front of him, then bent down to one knee so that she was eye-level with the boy. Ashe’s bottom lip trembled, his hands mussing the tears on his face.

“Hey,” Surge said. She tilted her head to the side, then tapped him under his chin. Ashe looked up, his face crumpled.

“I’m not the kind of person who can be your sister. I can’t even be a friend. I’m not who you think I am, and I will never be what you want me to be. Got it?”

Ashe’s brow creased in confusion. It was only a passing moment, small as a droplet in an ocean of memory, but Surge’s face softened in sympathy. She pulled a flower from the ground and handed it to him.

“Forget about me,” she said. “I mean it.”

Ashe hiccuped, swallowing down his tears. He took the flower into his hand, turning it on its stem.

“My dad calls these fire followers,” he said.

“Followers?”

He nodded, adding, “He said they only bloom after a forest fire. He says it’s because life always finds a way.”

Surge blinked, lowering her gaze. She brushed her bandaged hand over the pink flower tops. The petals were soft, shaped like little stars spread over the blackened earth. Raindrops pattered against them, catching their notes like a song without design.

She looked around, at the fields covered in these flowers, amazed that the destruction she caused could create something so beautiful.

She stood, placing her hand on top of Ashe’s head before slipping away. He watched her go up the hill. The storm clouds thinned, allowing a faint sliver of moonlight to shine down.

Above the falling rain, Ashe called out, “But where will you go?”

Surge glanced over her shoulder. Rain flowed down her face, her bandaged hands, soaking her shirt and jeans. The wind swept past her, sending a spray of raindrops through the air. The tenrec balled her hands into fists, standing tall in the pouring rain.

She grinned, exposing a row of sharp teeth. With a shrug she answered, “All I know is I have a score to settle.”

She faced ahead, to the wide open fields blanketed by flowers. In one sweeping motion, she disappeared in a flash of blue light.

Ashe’s eyes widened in amazement. A boom of thunder shook the earth, jolting him out of his trance. Behind him, his father rushed across the field, calling out for his son. Ashe turned on his heel, holding Red Hot and the flower close to his chest as they escaped the pouring rain.

Surge sped through the field, tearing earth and flowers beneath her footfall. Rain pelted across her face like pins and needles. She scrunched her face, squeezing her eyes shut, susceptible to the pain of her injured body. She couldn’t get rid of the memory of that bear cub’s face, not when he looked so much like Kit.

I’ve never had a big sister.

I would do anything for you Surge.

Surge ran faster, the pain tightening in her chest to the point that she couldn’t breathe. Thunder crashed above, and the pain erupted in a scream. She leapt forward and in the same instant a bolt of lightning struck her, its white-hot fractals leaping and bounding from her to the surrounding field, then back into the sky in a flash of blinding light.

Where she was going, she did not know exactly, but it was east, in the direction of the sun that would surely rise by morning. Yet here, in the dark of night, she ran as though she could turn the earth and make the morning come sooner. She was gone, too fast for anyone to see. All she left behind were the black imprints of her boots, the crushed flowers sizzling with smoke that extinguished in the rain.