Chapter 3 - Searching Deeper

Ash and Xiang walked for hours until they thought they were far enough away from the crash sight. Then they finally stopped to make a camp. Xiang stayed up while Ash got to rest.
She laid there and just looked at the stars. It was beginning to get dark now.
“I can’t escape this rage,” she said, almost talking to herself but hoping that Xiang heard her. “I’ve tried so many times Xiang. I wish someone would just help me through this nightmare because if I don’t get help I won’t be able to control myself.”
Xiang looked over to her.
“I’m here for you. We can get through this together. It’s both of our nightmares,” he said.
His words touched Ash’s heart.
“You have no idea how much that means to me,” she said. “My sister was always the one to save me when I was in trouble, to make me feel better when I felt like I had been slapped by a rancor.”
“Didn’t that happen once?” Xiang asked.
“Shut up,” Ash replied. Xiang smiled.
“Well, I can’t replace your sister. I could never do that and I would never want to. But if you need a shoulder to cry on, I’m here.”
Ash leaned up on one shoulder and looked over to him. The moonlight shown perfectly on him. His long black hair back in a loose pony tail glittered in the light and he looked strong even though Ash knew he was killing himself inside for not getting to Echo fast enough, he just didn’t want to show it in front of Ash.
“If you ever need a shoulder, I’m here too. I can’t give you the love and attention that I’m sure Echo did, but I can at least help you feel not so alone.”
“Thanks,” he said. “Now get some rest. We need to be at our peak of energy tomorrow.”
Ash nodded and laid back now and closed her eyes. She was asleep before she knew it. She tried to just close off her mind from thinking of Echo…but every time she did she felt guilty for not thinking about her.
So she tried thinking about Kiro. He was still alive.. She could feel him in the back of her head. Their bond wasn’t as strong, but she could still feel him.
A few days ago she had told him that she didn’t love him. Now she knew that wasn’t true. She wanted him more than ever now. She needed someone to really comfort her, someone who she could actually hug, maybe even get a comforting kiss from, and not feel weird about it. She just couldn’t be the same with Xiang. They didn’t click like her and Kiro. She still liked Xiang. He was a nice guy. But he wasn’t her guy. And of course Echo was always there for her and she could always cry on her shoulder, but it seemed like in the past few years they had become a little more distant. She wished they could mend the scars of their broken relationship…but now…that wouldn’t be possible. She felt so bad that Echo died probably thinking that she loved Kiro more than her…which wasn’t true.
She searched deeper into Kiro’s thoughts, which were filled with sadness, anxiety, and he felt like he was alone. But there was something that filled his thoughts too.
Echo.
There isn’t anywhere I can’t look where it doesn’t remind me of Echo, is there?
She tried to back away from his mind, but then she was hit with a Force presence as strong as Xiang next to her. Except it wasn’t Xiang, or Kiro.
It was Echo.
“ECHO!!!” she gasps, screamed, and woke up. She was breathing so heavy she thought her lungs might burst, but she felt the smile slowly creep up on her face. She looked over to Xiang. He was backed-up against a tree and had a freaked out look on his face.
“What in BLAZES!! You freaked me out you crazed maniac!” he said
“It’s Echo!! She’s alive!!” Ash said.
“That’s not nice! Don’t be trying to play tricks on me! We both felt her die! Besides, you were probably just dreaming.”
“She’s alive Xiang! Search your feelings, reach deep into the Force. Search for Echo. She’s alive. I can sense her.”
Xiang backed away from the tree and closed his eyes. Ash could feel him searching for Echo. Then she heard him gasp.
“Your right,” he said with a single tear in his eye. “She’s alive.”
Ash smiled, but she also felt the tears of hope falling down her face. She got up and walked towards Xiang.
“Come on, we need to leave. Now that she’s not dead, we have to hurry more than ever. If she was that close to death before, she still may be. But at least this time we might have a chance to save her.”
“Okay,” Xiang said. He was already on his feet and starting to run. He didn’t get far. He stopped about 10 meters away from her.
“Do you have any idea where to go?”
“Actually, I do genius,” she said and started giggling. “Now that I can actually sense my sister, her presence will lead me to her. We’re actually supposed to go back the way we came,” she pointed behind her.
Xiang had an embarrassed smile on his face.
“You might want to tell me that next time,” he said walked back towards her. As he walked by Ash patted him on the shoulder.
“Maybe,” Ash said. “Just be happy I told you at all. It was pretty funny too me.”

You are not authorized to comment here. Your must be registered and logged in to comment