Xandra stayed far enough ahead with Azad that I couldn't ask her any questions, like what the whole deal with the skin-cocoon was.

  She seemed stronger and able to move with a deft ease despite carrying Azad in her arms. I hobbled after them for a half hour before frustration got the better of me. Xandra had stopped at a fork in the road boarded by tall trees. A signpost read: Sisterswater Lake, in one direction. And Noxdale National Park in the other.

  Huffing, and sweating, I yelled out, "Hey! Can you stop for a damn second!"

  Xandra turned back to me and again I saw she had a wary look on her face, but one tinged with a slight mischievous smile. Azad looked to be asleep in her arms until I limped within reaching distance of them both, then his eyes weakly opened.

  "Azad says he knows a spot we can stay," said Xandra.

  "Okay," I said, "But why are you rushing ahead?"

  "I'm not," said Xandra, keeping her carefree tone, "You're just lagging behind."

  I clenched my teeth, trying to decide whether or not I wanted to give Xandra a piece of my mind.

  "It's close," said Azad in a raspy whisper, "It won't be easy to find us."

  "Okay," said Xandra.

  She shot me a look, "That okay with you, B?"

  I thought about it for a second and then nodded.

  With our course agreed on we headed for Sisterswater Lake. The path we had found ourselves on appeared to be a popular tourist destination for scenic walks. As much as I wanted to appreciate the lush greenery all around me, my mind was doing the best it could to simply stay awake and keep moving. I was cold, not having the use of the power to help deal with it like I had gotten used to doing. The shredded remains of my clothes draped off me, protecting my modesty but otherwise leaving me exposed to the breezy morning air.

  Xandra continued on ahead with Azad. I couldn't make out if she was saying much to Azad, since I couldn't muster enough willpower to heighten my hearing.

  We left the main path and headed into the forestation to our left. It became a downhill walk.

  More than once I lost my footing and almost went tumbling down. The numerous thick tree roots, dips in the ground, and large fallen tree branches, on top of the steep decline was the cherry on top of the cake to work me into a very cranky mood.

  A thin stream came into view as we reached the bottom of the forest decline. Without any hesitation I hurried to the stream, got on my knees, and cupped handfuls of the icy-cold water and slurped. It tasted incredible to my parched lips, and made me aware of how sore my throat was. The more I drank, the more I realised how thirsty I was. The invigoration brought about by the water, in turn, caused a horrible shiver to run up my spine. Like when I had been in the sunburnt state after the treadmill torment, my body was in an utterly worn out state that would probably be life or death for a non-powered person. The hydration returned feeling to my body, just enough for me to understand just how much I hurt all over.

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  Xandra set Azad down gently, and then, to my surprise, she brought the water cupped in her hands to Azad's mouth. He drank timidly at first, but grew eager for more with each successful sip.

  Ah, I thought as I watched Xandra giving Azad more water to drink, I'm feeling jealous.

  I sighed, sat back, and winced from the knot in my back. I started to chuckle to myself.

  Xandra looked over her shoulder. She was smiling too, though mostly because she was bemused as to what it was that was making me chuckle in the first place.

  I just waved feebly, as if to wave away any possible concern Xandra might have.

  She turned her attention back to Azad for a moment and said, "I'll be back in a minute, you rest."

  Azad nodded and lay on the softer forest soil, eyes closed, hardly moving except for the slow rise and fall of his chest.

  Xandra stood and made her way over to me and sat down.

  "Hey," she said.

  "Hey," I said.

  Xandra's large eyes searched the stream, then fixed on me. Up close, I was sure that her eyes were that little bit larger than before, and the black of her irises were also larger too.

  "Thanks for coming to save me," she said, "I want you to know it means a lot to me that you didn't just leave me to die."

  "I'd never do that," I said.

  "I didn't think you would," she said, "But now I know for sure."

  I looked away from her, the memory of becoming the hulking beast flashing in my mind. Breaking bones. Tasting flesh. The Peepers screaming.

  "What's wrong?" said Xandra.

  I just stared vacantly at the stream.

  "Burgess?" she said.

  "It's fine," I said, "Just leave it."

  "Is it because you lost control?" she said.

  "Can we talk about it another time?" I said, "I appreciate you asking, I just can't talk about it right now."

  Xandra studied me, perhaps wondering if she should push the subject, but then decided to do things my way.

  It was then my stomach gave a very loud whine.

  "Man I'm hungry," I said, putting a hand to my stomach.

  "Yeah," said Xandra, "I could eat a cow."

  "C'mon," she said, standing up and then offering me her hand, "The sooner we get to the hiding spot, the sooner I can go find us something to eat."

  I didn't like the idea of her going off on her own, but I didn't have it in me to argue with her. I took her hand and she helped me to my feet.

  It was the instant I touched her hand I noticed it felt strangely rubbery, and smooth.

  "You turned your skin to rubber?" I said, before I could think to stop myself.

  Xandra put her hands to the small of her back.

  "It's not only rubber," she said, "But I could see why you would think that. I just decided that, if I was going to heal myself anyway, why not grow back better?"

  Xandra wrapped her right hand around her left index finger and tugged on it. For a moment nothing happened, but then her finger stretched. She let go, and the finger snapped back to normal.

  "This way," she said, "I'll be tougher, quicker, better."

  I continued to watch, amazed at the uncanny sight of seeing someone manipulate their hand as if it were some stretchy toy.

  Xandra, seeming to enjoy my look of awe, took the same finger and bent it backwards. Where it should have broken, instead the finger gave to the backwards bending, the fingernail resting against the base knuckle. She let go, and the finger snapped back again.

  "It's just the start," said Xandra, closing one eye and acting too-cool-for-school.

  I was left speechless. A whole range of different thoughts flooded into my head. Some good, thinking that she was extremely cool for having figured out a way to gain elastic powers. The other was one of concern; how far would she take this power? What would be the cost?

  Before I could say anything Xandra turned with a playful swish and walked back to Azad. She muttered that she was about to pick him up and, after nodding that he was ready for her to do so, she hoisted him up again.