Free Transcending the Legacy by Venessa Kimball

that the average civilian did not respond to the Copula devices as we have.”
    Concerned, Jake asks, “What? How did they respond?”
    Daniel, “It did not heighten any abilities within them. No supernatural speed or strength either.”
    “They could breathe, that is something,” says Siobhan.
    Nick snickers, “You mean they didn’t have my hot ability?”
    Elisha rolls her eyes an d maintains her focus on Daniel. “He means the metaphysical stuff, like reading minds?”
    Daniel shakes his head . “No Pyrokenesis, Telekinesis, Lactrosis was evident.”
    Daniel looks at Sebastian and Ezra and says, “ Just another reason why I Believe the unique abilities each of us possess rose from our bloodline, our link to the legacy. The Copula just amplified their strength within us.”
    The more he explains to us about how the device is working within the average civilians, the more evident it is that we are unique anomalies forging through the evolving world.
    Daniel carries on, “Knitted within the many facilities our fellowship had generated, among colonies spawned on their own, pockets of resourceful, revolutionaries surfaced. They knew there would be a risk, the Dwellers’ attacks, but they knew that survival was only possible with that risk. These pockets were developing everywhere, just like ours in the Etowah Mound facility. These groups of people were working together as a colony. Soon, the colonies began connecting, combining resources, working together.”
    Strangely, an image of the little black beings moving along, adapting, surviving in the ant farm flashes in my mind.
    We were the ants now.
    “They went underground because of the Dwellers?” asks Corinna.
    Daniel answers, “They had a pattern of attack. Night was when they were most active.” Daniel points upward. “Due to the intersection of our galaxy and Andromeda, days are longer up there. The colonies do most of their interaction, communicating during the daylight.”
    Nick asks, “So, how do they communicate? I mean, you said that the average human hasn’t gained any special abilities like telepathy so how do they work together, colony to colony?”
    Daniel explains, “In any given colony you can find all walks of life, all professions. Mechanics, newscasters, doctors, school teachers, housewives, chefs, police force, military. On top of that, a mixture of the implanted average citizen, Sondians, and Dobrians. Among them, they found a way to connect with others out there, other colonies...Resilience.”
    I look at the soldiers and Briggs. They look worn, veteraned, from what this transformed world has doled out to them for the past year. I haven’t taken the time to acknowledge them, their fight in all of this for us. “How many are here in your colony?”
    Briggs’ e yes lock with mine. “There were two hundred this morning.”
    His words are a reminder of the lives lost during our arrival. My chest constricts remembering the feeling of loss of one of your own. “I’m sorry for your losses.”
    Briggs shakes his head and shifts the weight of his rifle on his shoulder. “Don’t be. They are free. They are the lucky ones. Just a shame that they missed third Tuesday.”
    I shake my head, confused, “What is that?”
    Elisha, “You said that earlier when we were coming into the compound. What does that mean? The third Tuesday?”
    One of the soldiers clears his throat. “Third Tuesday is burn day. We have to burn the corpses to prevent disease and illness.”
    Nick gags audibly, “That was the smell when we got off the plane?”
    Briggs, “Yeah. It’s about ten times better than the smell of rot and decomposition.”
    I start getting images in my head of what the rot would look like. I close my eyes and swallow down the bile bubbling up in my throat. Daniel’s timing to change the subject is the perfect distraction from the images. “Due to the pattern of attacks by the Dwellers being mostly at night, we are on an obvious