Shutdown (Glitch)

everyone else. “And make sure the newest arrivals are familiar with the evacuation plan, just in case.”
    City threw her hands in the air, and spun, walking away from the group crowded around us.
    I bit down on my cheek hard to help me keep my face a blank mask. Guilt nibbled me raw from the inside out, but I couldn’t show it right now. I was supposed to be a leader. But as I watched City’s retreating form, I realized that soon it might be in the best interest of everyone if someone else took charge. I swallowed hard as the realization struck me.
    I needed to leave.
    It was so obvious. As much as I might not want to admit it, this had been an accident waiting to happen. My power had continued increasing in the past few months. I’d hoped that eventually it would even out and I’d reach a point of equilibrium. But it hadn’t. And every day that my power morphed and developed, I was putting the people around me at risk.
    I stood up ramrod straight. Cole might think we needed hearts of flesh, but flesh was weak. It was not made for war. Right now I needed to be stone. Or even better, steel. I envisioned molten steel slowly coating my spine and then radiating outward until it seeped over all of my skin, covering my body head to toe. I couldn’t feel the sting of hurt at knowing the best way to keep the people I loved safe was to leave them behind. No, emotion could not touch me.
    I closed my eyes for a second to steady myself, then turned to the gathered crowd. “Let’s start setting up beds on the floor in here.” I looked out across the wide low space of the training room. “It might be uncomfortable for a few days while we make sure the support struts in the corridors that lead to the dorms haven’t been too damaged. For all we know, they could still collapse completely. Everyone must stay in the areas we know are safe until we can determine the extent of the damage.”
    The crowd of refugees grumbled assent. Some had cowed shoulders, as if another disaster or more promised discomfort was no less than they expected. Others looked angry, their bodies taut.
    “We make the best of a bad situation,” I said. “Now let’s work together until everyone is settled in again for the night.”
    We all worked steadily for the next couple of hours. I held the ceiling up over the damaged corridors with my telek while Xona ventured through to retrieve bedding and other basic personal items. Finally, everyone was settled in.
    I was tired, more in soul than in body, as I walked down the east corridor. Imagining myself as steel had gotten me through the past couple hours, but now that I was finally alone again, the reality of what had happened, and what it meant, came crashing back in.
    As I passed the Caf, I saw a section of the east hallway that was almost completely caved in. I knew if I backtracked a little, I could go around and enter the Med Center from the west corridor entrance, but I went closer to inspect the damage anyway. This was because of me. The least I could do was start cleaning it up. It was four in the morning, but I certainly wasn’t going to risk sleeping any more tonight. I sighed and started pulling away the collapsed steel beams with my telek.
    *   *   *
    The next day we continued cleaning up. The whole east wing was trashed. After we’d made it out last night, the other support struts had failed and caved in a long portion of hallway.
    “But all my things!” Ginni cried when Jilia told us. “I was starting this new dress design; it was really going to be something special. I can’t just leave it—”
    “I’m sure we’ll be able to get through to get your things,” Jilia said, then paused. “Eventually. But in the meantime, we’ll have to triple up in the dorms that are cleared. All boys in one dorm room, girls in the other.”
    “Max Jr. and I will not share a room with her .”
    I didn’t look up. I was tired of Molla’s accusing eyes, and frankly, I was afraid I’d say something I regretted if I looked back at her. It wasn’t like I’d meant to bring the shunting mountain down on us! Guilt followed. It didn’t matter if I meant to. I’d done it anyway.
    “You and the baby can sleep in the Med Center,” Jilia said, always conciliatory. I didn’t know how she managed sometimes, putting up with all of us. While I was officially in charge, she was the one people looked to for internal disputes.
    “Eli, Wytt, and I will start clearing the debris,” said Cole.
    I