Atlanta - A Cry for Help (Madison)

[Aubrie Carpathia]

Aubrie didn't really know how much time had passed.

She simply floated above her body, looking down at her broken, bleeding form feeling a curious sense of detachment. She knew that she was no longer bound to that body, though it still lived and breathed--if barely. Still, she had no desire to move on from this plane of existence, despite all of the pain and suffering she'd been through in her life. Aubrie was certain this meant that she was a coward, too afraid to die even though, in death, she'd most certainly find the peace that she'd been unable to attain in life.

So, rather than move on, she lingered, watching over her body but unable to return to it. Throughout her life, Aubrie had at times been able to perform feats of astral projection, though nothing quite as powerful as this current out of body experience. It was much the same, though, and with a bit of concentration, she found that she was able to not only control her spectral form, but to create an illusory body for herself as well, complete with clothing and everything, and convincing enough that any who saw or touched her would, in fact, think she was a physical object.

With that accomplished, she turned her mind to what exactly she should do about her body, lying beaten in a pool of its own blood at her feet. She closed her eyes and expanded her thought, seeking out anyone nearby to whom she could go for help. There was no one. Focusing more, she sent her mind's eye into the city itself, some distance away, and sought out one that she trusted, and that she knew had the ability to help her.

Aubrie found Madison some time later, and with a single thought her illusory body blinked into existence inside the hospital room where Madison slept. Her brother Justin--who had hardly left her side during the days she'd spent here--had left the room for a brief moment to get a bite to eat and to stretch his legs, though he remained close enough for Aubrie to sense his thoughts and tumultuous emotions.

Stepping lightly forward, Aubrie looked down upon Madison and frowned. It was obvious that Darian had succeeded in getting his hands on her, though the fact that she was alive boded well. Injured as Madison was, Aubrie wondered if her coming here was such a good idea. But what other choice did she have? What doctor, besides Madison, would ever believe what Aubrie had to say, that she was merely the thought-form of a badly injured woman, who lay unconscious in a house several miles outside of town?

No, there was no one else.

Hesitantly, Aubrie reached out and laid her hand on Madison's shoulder, shaking gently and marveling at the complete lack of psychic backlash that accompanied such an act. It seemed that her uncontrollable, unpredictable touch-reading was tied to her body, and this thought-form was completely free of its effects. It was actually quite a pleasant surprise.

"Madison?" she said softly, knowing that even though her lips moved as she spoke, the words could only be heard within the doctor's mind. With the lack of a true physical form came the lack of a voice, after all. "Please, Madison, wake up. I need you..."

[madison]

Madison was grateful that Justin was with her. Especially since Florian couldn't be. Her leg was healing up well enough, but the nightmares were hard to fight alone. Justin wasn't Sastre. His arms didn't push them back, but his protective embrace brought her back to reality. It reassured her when she was awake.

It didn't go pass Madison that Justin was neglecting himself. She felt awful enough as it was that it had been her fault Justin had been in jail. He had only just gotten out and he was taking care of her. Madison should have been the one taking care of him, making sure he was all right after his ordeal.

Most of the bruises were fading, but the doctors wanted to keep her a while longer. Especially since they were her colleagues. There was also a possibility that someone would recognize Justin, but they had conjured a story that he was Madison's cousin. He looked almost identical to Justin, which, while rare had been known to happen.

It took a small argument, but in the Madison had won out and Justin had left the room to stretch his legs and get something to eat. The battered doctor hadn't meant to fall asleep, but it came so easily.

When she heard a voice, Madison jerked awake, startled. It was familiar, but she couldn't place it. Help...someone needed help. Looking around the room, she saw no one. She began to chalk it up to the medication when she heard the voice again.

"Is someone there?" She asked into the empty room. Her heart rate sped up a bit, the monitors beeping a bit faster because of it. Madison knew that just because you couldn't see something, didn't mean it wasn't there. Suddenly, she wished Justin was still in the room.

[Aubrie Carpathia]

Aubrie breathed a sigh of relief when Madison awoke, or would have if she'd had a body.

Unfortunately, it seemed that the illusory shell that she'd tried to create for herself wasn't as powerful as she'd hoped, for the young doctor glanced about the room uncertainly, having heard Aubrie but not having been able to see her. The psychic frowned, realizing that her power was draining quickly, probably in relation to her body's rapidly declining health. That meant she had precious little time.

Focusing her remaining energy as best she could, Aubrie once again visualized a body for herself, feeling the power rushing around her thought-form, generating an illusion powerful enough for Madison not only to see and hear, but to touch and interact with as well. It was exhausting, and required a great deal of her remaining strength. Finally, though, a fully realized, vibrant illusion of Aubrie stood at Madison's bed side, one hand resting lightly on the doctor's shoulder.

"Madison," she said softly, her voice still ringing in the woman's mind though her lips moved as if actually speaking. "Madison, I need you. It's Darian... He tried to kill me, and if I can't get help soon, then he'll have succeeded..."

As if to accompany that thought, a sudden wave of agony washed through Aubrie's projection, a very real, very physical pain that no doubt originated from her dying body. Doubled over, Aubrie pulled away from Madison and staggered back several feet, her steps making no sound, as she had no real body. Her mouth twisted into a silent cry, and she wrapped her arms around herself, trembling until the pain finally subsided.

After a moment of silence, during which her illusion wavered and flickered before becoming seemingly solid again, Aubrie spoke once more, her mental voice sounding weak and distant, "Please, Madison... Help me..."

[madison]

When Aubrie appeared, Madison gasped. For a moment or two she thought that maybe the painkillers were playing tricks on her, but Aubrie's fear seemed very, very real. Even if the image of her was not. Aubrie had an array of powers, though Madison didn't know the full extent of them. Either way, something told Madison that this was very, very real.

Aubrie stumbled back, and Madison swung her legs over the side. It was awkward since her right leg was still in a cast and would be for some time. She was also sore having sustained several, for the most part superficial injuries. It didn't stop her as the doctor mode kicked in. She stumbled out of bed towards Aubrie, trying to reach out and watching as she faded again.

"Aubrie!" Madison's face was shrill with fear for the woman. She had been fool to try and help Darian with the girl. Madison felt bad for Darian's young ward, but Aubrie should have known the danger involved.

"I'll help you." She hobbled closer, the pressure on her leg sending a jolt of pain through her. "Tell me where you are Aubrie. I'll come and get you."

Of course that meant she's have to sign herself out of that hospital. Justin wasn't going to be happy. He didn't like that Madison was lost in this world. He was overprotective and stubborn. He always had been, ever since they were children, but Madison couldn't stand by while Aubrie was hurt. She had to find her.

"Please Aubrie, just tell me where you are!"

[Aubrie Carpathia]

Aubrie stepped forward and slipped a steadying arm around Madison.

It felt strange to her, to be able to touch someone like this with no reaction from her gift, and momentarily she was tempted to try and find some way to just stay like this. But no, that would be far too dangerous, as her body was bound to die off eventually--sooner rather than later--and she had no idea what would happen if she was absent from it when it did.

Would she become an earthbound spirit? A ghost, to be hunted?

She was burning an absurd amount of energy to keep up this illusion, and to keep it strong enough to be able to physically interact with things. Such a task required a tremendous display of psychic force, and Aubrie knew that had her life not been in danger, she never would have been able to do such a thing. It was true, it seemed, that in moments of extreme duress, a human beings mind was capable of miraculous acts just as the body had been known to be.

"I can show you," Aubrie "said" as she continued to steady Madison as best she could. "But we have to leave now. I don't have much time, and I'm not sure how much longer I can keep this projection up..."

As if her words had been some signal, Aubrie felt a major slip in her power, and for a moment her thoughtform lost its illusion of a body, though she maintained an iron grip on the solidity of it, managing to help hold Madison up despite having gone completely invisible for a moment. The mental pain that accompanied this act was staggering, and Aubrie was unsure whether or not she'd be able to return to visibility.

"We need... hurry," she repeated, her voice wavering as her illusory-body began to flicker back into view, though it appeared ghostly and spectral. "You have a car? It's a couple... hours outside of the city..."

[madison]

When Aubrie grabbed hold of Madison, the injured doctor was shocked to say the least. It still surprised her, the supernatural, and she doubted she would ever truly know all of it's secrets. Honestly, that was fine with her. Madison preferred to stay away from the supernatural aspect of things. She was a healer. A doctor who helped those who fought against it, but she herself was not a fighter.

It was obvious the woman was having issues holding onto enough power to stay visible and corporeal. Madison bit her lip. She was on painkillers. There was no way she could drive. Certainly not several hours outside of the city. Justin could though. If Aubrie would just give Madison the address she could send an ambulance and have Aubrie brought to her.

There was the sound of a paper cup hitting the floor. Madison turned to see Justin standing there. He had dropped his cup of coffee and was staring at the astral projection of Aubrie that was holding Madison as best she could while in solid form.

Madison had turned too quickly. Dizziness washed over her and she slumped. Justin was there immediately, wrapping his arms around her. Madison leaned against him heavily thankful for something truly solid.

"It's okay, Justin. Aubrie's a friend." Whether Justin had met or remembered Aubrie, Madison wasn't sure. "I need you to drive me to her. She's going to show us."

"Mads, you're in no condition--"

"I'll be fine." Her gaze went back to Aubrie's flickering form. "She's the one who needs help."

"Then give us the address," Justin said, pulling Madison even closer, trying to be the protective big brother. "We'll send help."

Madison put a hand to his chest. "Justin, trust me." She smiled up at him. "Please."

Justin didn't look pleased, but he swept his sister up in his arms, giving Aubrie a very unpleasant look before carrying Madison to the car.

[Aubrie Carpathia]

Aubrie knew Madison's brother, even if he didn't know her.

Several months earlier, Aubrie had performed a touch-reading on Madison, and as such, she still retained much of the information she'd received from that reading, though much had faded with time as well. From the visions she'd seen, Aubrie knew that Justin could be trusted, and that he loved his sister very much. He was also by nature suspicious, especially now that his eyes had been opened, so to speak. Still, since there was no way that Aubrie could really harm Madison right now, she figured things would turn out okay.

Letting her visible illusion fade, Aubrie followed the siblings out, gently resting a hand on Madison's shoulder to let the doctor know she was still here. Justin kept a fast pace, and floating as she was, Aubrie was able to keep up, so they reached the parking lot and the car fairly quickly.

While Justin gently helped his sister into the car, Aubrie simply phased through the door and settled into the back seat. Spending a bit of her ever-decreasing power, Aubrie showed herself once more, knowing that many people could become uncomfortable speaking to a disembodied voice. Once Justin and Madison were both in the car, they pulled out of the lot and onto the street.

"Head north, out of town," Aubrie's thought-voice said. She blinked, surprised at how distant and weak that voice sounded. Her energy was rapidly running out... "About... an hour or two out of town... you'll... find a... an old farmhouse... It's right off the side of the high... way..."

As her "voice" began to cut in and out, Aubrie felt fear well up within her. What if they were too late?