Chapter Twenty-Three: The Talk

        Sam and Aries walked for a couple of minutes without saying a word. When all of a sudden Aries stopped.
"Hey Sam listen I really don't know how to say this." Sam got closer looking confused.
"I-I have feelings for you." Sam looks at Aries for a while not believing what he just said. Year ago all that Sam wanted was for Aries to like her back. But did she want that now?
"It's okay if you don't feel the same way. I just had to tell you, I couldn't hold it in. All I ever think about is you."
"We have some history Aries."
"Look I was an idiot for breaking our friendship for popularity. The truth is I've had feelings for you since the beginning. Since before we were friends. I was afraid you wouldn't feel the same so I thought that leaving would be the right thing."
"Aries I've always liked you." Aries quietly looks at Sam not breaking eye contact.
"Liked?" He whispers getting closer to her. At that point Sam froze and she had no idea what to do or what to say. As Aries gets closer she suddenly feels her heart racing very fast. She hadn't realized she still had feelings for him. She liked him more than she thought. But how could she resist? He was so caring, sweet and handsome. Everything a girl would ever want. Aries gently brushes his thumb over Sam's cheek making her crave his touch. His touch was soft and gentle Sam couldn't resist.
"So do you think there could ever be an "us"?" He smiles knowing the way he makes Sam feel.
"This is really bad timing Aries. We are trying to save humanity."
"Exactly so why wait?" Sam thought Aries had a very good point and she nodded. But Marvin crossed her mind. Why was she thinking about him? Their lips almost touched when they hear Dessi shout: " Aries, Sam come back right now. It's an emergency." The quickly pretend like nothing happened and go back to their tents. What was the emergency?

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Desert

               It was hard for them to believe Aries actually used his strength to move a mountain. But what they saw on the other side was not what they expected. It was the desert. There was no sign of any living creature, no water, and nothing to hunt. At first everyone was alarmed and scared but they all decided to keep walking before it got dark.
"Okay we have enough food for about two more days. But the water supply is running very low." Dessi explains.
"Where are we going to find water out here. Incase you haven't noticed we are in the middle of the desert." Marvin laughs. It seemed like the walked for hours. It was too hot to think or even breathe but they had no choice.
"This really isn't funny Marvin." Aries complains. "What I don't understand is how is it possible for us to be in a forest and the next minute we are in the desert." Out of nowhere Aries pointed towards something in the distance.
"I see something out there." Sam says running towards it. They all follow her and see a lake in the middle of the desert.
"This is insane. A lake in the middle of the desert? This is impossible and where did it even come from?" Dessi asks.
"Right now I am too thirsty to think about anything else." Marvin smiles while quickly drinking some water.
"Are you sure its not poisoned?" Aries asks.
"Well I'm drinking it and I'm not dead so." Marvin answers still drinking. "We should just rest here tonight it's getting pretty dark." They all surprisingly agreed with Marvin's idea and decided to set up the tents once again.
"Hey Sam do you mind if we have a walk? I want to talk to you about something." Aries asks.
"You want to have a walk in the desert?" Marvin chuckles.
"You're not Sam."
"Um sure we can talk." Sam responds while getting up. What did Aries want to talk about? I guess she just had to wait and find out.

Chapter Twenty-one : Moving A Mountain

        "You guys I'm getting really tired." Dessi complained.
"Don't be such a big baby." Marvin laughed. "This is nothing. We've been walking for only two hours."
"Only two hours! Are you insane!"
"Guys, guys there is a red dot very close by." Sam stops. They all look at each other knowing that meant it was the first obstacle. How deadly was this obstacle going to be? The had no idea. Sam starts walking slower and slower.
"Guys look" Aries points in the distance. They all turn to see something very unexpected. A huge mountain was standing between them and the other side.
"Are we expected to move this mountain?" Dessi laughs not believing.
"Not you guys, just me." Marvin answers.
"Marvin that's impossible." Aries looks at him.
"Not with my quality I can do it." He actually thinks he can move a mountain? Sam thought. There was nothing normal about that. But then again everything that was happening to them was weird. They all looked closely at Marvin as he started pushing the mountain. To their shock it was actually moving. They could see Aries' struggle but it was working.
"Aries you're doing it!" Sam yells happily. They all start cheering him on. He actually moved a mountain.

Chapter Twenty : The next morning

        The next morning Sam woke up with a feeling of emptiness inside. After she read that letter from her mom everything was different. She realized that all her life was just a big lie. And instead of her mom telling her the truth she kept it all a secret. But at the same time she understood how hard it must have been for her mom all those years. All she wanted know was to find her and let her explain everything face to face.
"Everyone out of their tents! Randi sent us a message." Dessi yelled from outside. Sam and the others quickly gathered around Dessi to listen to Randi's video message.
"Hello everybody. I hope you had a good rest. Today you will go through the first obstacle. On this high technology iPad I will send you all a map of your journey. Follow it very carefully and beware of the red points on the map. That's where there's danger. Also remember to just keep going. It's all for a greater purpose, we believe in you." Randi's voice slowly trailed off. There was nothing but silence for a couple of minutes. That silence was broken when Aries got up and said:
"Okay I guess we better start getting ready. Everyone get dressed and start packing up the tents." They all did that. The tents were easy to pack so that was a plus.
"Who will be holding the map?" Marvin asked
"I think Sam should. I mean she has all of the qualities after all." Aries smiled. Sam agreed and gently grabbed the map. She had never seen a map like that. But somehow she knew how to read it and she had no idea why. It was definitely because of her qualities. She never realized that before, how interesting the qualities were. Mainly because she always viewed them as being something negative, but maybe they were actually not that bad.

Chapter Nineteen: With love, mom

       Dear Samantha,

You will probably read this letter when you are older. I truly hope you will never have to read this letter you don't deserve what you are going through. But this is your destiny. We ll have our own destiny. The truth is in this letter and the answers to most of your questions. I knew about your qualities and I knew you were chosen. I just never found the right time to tell you this. When I married your father I knew he was different. He believed in the RLE and I just thought he was crazy. When you were born we were both incredibly happy. But even the doctors noticed something special about you. You were stronger, smarter than many people. Your dad was convinced you were one of the chosen ones. He researched day and night to find out about the RLE, your qualities and if he could cure you. He became so obsessed with everything that it scared me. He stopped helping me with your brother and he neglected his family. I guess he thought he was doing the right thing. He was right about everything. The RLE, your qualities but I called him crazy and I made him feel crazy. I didn't know what to do so I left. I wanted to give you and your brother a normal life. But I don't think it will be normal for much longer. I'm sorry for hiding all of this from you. I hope you will forgive me. Now go out there and defeat them. Make me proud. I know you have it in you. Don't underestimate yourself, you are stronger than you think. You are my daughter after all.

                                                                                                                 Love, Mom.

Chapter Eighteen: The Letter

        "Sam wait up before you leave I need to give you something." Mr. Anderson called. Sam stopped walking and walked towards him.
"Look I know you hate me but this letter is very important. I want you to open it when you get to the oak tree where you guys will rest. Please this is all I ask from you." Sam just nodded and left before she said anything wrong. She kept wondering what the letter was about and who it was from. The four of them made their way out of the building starting the long awaited mission.
"I will hold the device with the map." Marvin stated. Everyone seemed to be okay with that. On that device Reldi would tell them where to head to.
"Are you alright?" Aries asked.
"I'm trying to be." Sam answered. She noticed Dessi walking further away leaving the two of them alone.
"I heard about Mr. Anderson being your dad."
"Wow does everyone know?"
"I won't say anything. You know you can trust me right?" Could she? They continued walking in silence. The roads were empty it was like no one was ever there. The houses around them were completely ruined and empty. The world was empty. It was getting dark so they decided to camp out under the oak tree Mr. Anderson told Sam about. They took out the two tents and arranged them. Sam tried falling asleep but she remembered the letter. She left the tent and sat down beneath the oak tree. Sam took a flashlight out of her bag and opened the letter.

                                                             

Chapter Seventeen: The Thoughts

Sam's point of view.
        I'm very scared. But I guess that's pretty normal right? I mean I am going on this mission that I might not even survive. The only thing that keeps me going is saving my family and friends and doing something good for the world. But knowing that so many people are counting on you makes you doubt yourself. It makes you question if you really are capable of achieving your goal. What will they think if you fail? What will they do if you fail? Knowing that you have the power to impact so many people's lives is a really scary thing. Power is a scary thing. This whole terrible incident could've been avoided if power was not this important to many people. Thinking about it makes me understand this is not just an incident it's something more. It's war. It's a war between people who crave power, that will hurt anything or anyone to get it and people like you and I who are just bystanders to this whole mess. If we were not chosen then what would've happened to the RLE? What would've happened to the world? There's no time for questions right now. It's time to find answers. I'm tired of asking and I'm ready to be the one answering. If you asked me one month ago what I see myself doing in a couple of weeks I would've never guessed this. Going on a mission to stop a power craving society that want to own the world. But hey life is very unexpected and we sometimes don't realize how important it is. I guess all I'm trying to say is to enjoy the life and freedom you have because once it's gone you will have nothing and that's when life will have no meaning.