Odyssey Of Survival-Chapter 55 Internal Conflicts

Madison’s breath caught in her throat as Bella’s words echoed in her mind. "Nate is alive." She leaned closer to Bella, her voice trembling with urgency.

"What do you mean? How do you know he’s alive?" Madison asked, her hands gripping Bella’s shoulders.

But before Bella could respond, her body went limp again, her eyes closing.

"Bella!" Madison exclaimed, her heart pounding. She looked up at Evelyn, panic etched on her face.

Evelyn quickly checked Bella’s pulse and breathing, then turned to Madison and Ryder with a calm expression. "She’s fine. She’s just sleeping. Whatever she experienced drained her completely. The best thing we can do now is let her rest."

Madison let out a shaky breath, her mind racing. Ryder placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Let’s step out and give her some space," he suggested.

Reluctantly, Madison nodded and followed Ryder out of the healthcare area. The moment they were outside, Madison quickened her pace, heading straight for her room. Ryder noticed her hurried steps and frowned.

"Madison, wait—"

She didn’t stop. By the time Ryder caught up to her, she was already inside her room, hastily throwing items into a small bag. Ryder entered and closed the door behind him, watching her with concern.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his voice firm.

Madison didn’t answer. She continued packing, her movements frantic.

"Madison," Ryder said again, stepping closer. "Don’t be reckless."

Her hands froze mid-motion. She turned to him, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Reckless? Did you not hear what Bella just said? Nate is alive!"

Ryder sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I heard her. But Bella’s exhausted, Madison. She’s been through a lot. She could’ve been hallucinating or mistaken—"

"Hallucinating?" Madison interrupted, her voice rising. "She wasn’t hallucinating! She looked me in the eye and said he’s alive. Why are we not gathering everyone right now? Why are we not planning to rescue him? We have more people with powers now! We can do this!"

Ryder stepped forward and grabbed the bag from her hands.

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"Give that back!" Madison shouted, trying to snatch it back.

"No," Ryder said firmly. "You’re not thinking straight. Marching into danger based on a hunch isn’t a plan—it’s suicide!"

Madison stared at him, her chest heaving. "A hunch? Are you serious? Ryder, I’m telling you, Nate is alive. Bella said it, and I believe her!"

Ryder shook his head. "Why? Why are you so certain? Why do you believe Bella can somehow know if Nate is alive or not?"

Madison hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath. "You don’t know this, Ryder, but when we were in that cave, Nate... he was able to find her. He said he could feel her location in his head. What if it’s happening again? What if Bella felt him the same way?"

Ryder’s eyes narrowed. "Nate told me about that too. But Madison, even he wasn’t sure how it worked. He said it might’ve been pure luck. You’re basing all of this on a ’maybe.’"

"It’s not a maybe!" Madison insisted, her voice breaking.

Ryder sighed deeply, his expression softening slightly. "I understand what you’re feeling, Madison. I do. But we can’t act on emotions alone. If we rush into this without proof, we’ll lose more lives. I’m sorry, but I don’t believe Bella knows if he’s alive or not."

Madison straightened her posture, her voice steady yet filled with icy resolve. "Fine," she said coldly, her words cutting through the tension in the room. "I’m not requesting for people to follow me. All I need is my bag, and I’ll go alone."

Ryder’s expression darkened, his grip tightening around the bag she had been packing. "No, Madison. You’re too important to us. I won’t let you sacrifice your life like this."

She glared at him, her eyes blazing with anger and frustration. "Don’t act like I’m important, Ryder. I’m not important to anyone here. Only my powers are." Her voice cracked slightly, but she pushed forward, stepping closer to him. "For twenty days, I sat alone, broken, on that tree outside. Every single day, from sunrise to sunset, I waited for someone to care. To ask how I was holding up. And nobody came. Nobody cared. And now that I have hope—just a sliver of hope—you’re trying to take that away from me?"

Ryder’s jaw clenched. He looked down at the bag, then back at her. "You shouldn’t talk like that, Madison," he said quietly. "Everybody is important here."

Her bitter laugh echoed sharply, a sound filled with years of suppressed hurt. "Important?" she spat, the word tasting sour on her tongue. She tilted her head, crossing her arms as her expression hardened. "Then tell me this, Ryder. Name one person in this camp who doesn’t have an ability. Just one."

Ryder opened his mouth to respond but found no words. His hesitation stretched into silence, and his failure to answer was louder than anything he could have said.

Madison stepped forward, her hand shooting out to grab the bag from his grip. She yanked it back with more force than necessary, slinging it over her shoulder as her piercing gaze locked onto his. "You can’t, can you?"

Ryder hesitated, his lips parting as if to protest, but nothing came out.

She shook her head, her voice softer now but laced with disappointment. "That’s what I thought."

Turning on her heel, she walked toward the door. At the threshold, she paused, glancing back over her shoulder. Her expression was a mixture of anger, sadness, and determination.

"You know," she said slowly, her tone biting, "this group might look like it’s in union on the surface. But in reality, we’re in constant fight. And maybe, just maybe, it’s time you told the people with powers to stop treating those without them like trash."

Ryder flinched at her words, his shoulders sagging under the weight of the truth she had just thrown at him.

Without waiting for a response, Madison stepped out of the room, her footsteps echoing faintly as she walked away.

But she didn’t head directly to the camp’s entrance. Her stride slowed as she approached another part of the cave, her mind racing. There was still one more thing she needed to do before she left.

Madison walked past the rows of dimly glowing rooms, her movements deliberate and purposeful. She glanced at the faint light radiating from the containers of glowing insects in the walls, the soft hum of life inside a stark contrast to the turmoil in her heart. Her steps led her to a secluded area of the cave where she knew someone would be.

She stood in front of the wooden door. She hesitated for a moment, her knuckles hovering over the surface. Finally, she took a deep breath and knocked firmly.

The sound echoed faintly in the dim hallway, and for a moment, there was no response. Then, soft footsteps approached from the other side. The door creaked open, revealing Alice.

Madison blinked, momentarily caught off guard. Alice’s hair, once a deep shade of brown, was now stark white. For a second, Madison thought it might have been dyed, but the closer she looked, the more she realized it wasn’t. The strands shimmered faintly in the dim light, almost glowing, as if they had been transformed by her ice powers.

Alice raised an eyebrow at Madison’s expression. "What?" she asked, her tone sharp, though there was an edge of exhaustion behind it.

Madison quickly shook her head, snapping out of her thoughts. "Nothing," she said briskly. "Pack your bag."

Alice frowned, folding her arms across her chest. "What are you talking about?"

Madison stepped forward, her eyes fierce. "Don’t ask questions. Just do it. Pack your bag and follow me."

Alice’s frown deepened, her skepticism clear. "And why exactly should I do that?"

"Because I’m going to find Nate," Madison said firmly, her voice unwavering. "And I need who knows where he is to come with me."

For a moment, Alice just stared at her, the weight of Madison’s words hanging heavily in the air.