Eight divided by two

Part 8, For better or for evil?
I was lying in bed that night wondering what I should do; not about my new situation with the ooze, but more about what would happen if anybody else knew about it. Every time I thought about it my mind kept going back to the same people over and over again. First to Carolyn, then it went to Emma, then Joe, then Jeff, Holden, Ryan and Willie. Then it went to my family, mom, dad, Steph, the animals. I thought "What would happen if I left?" and every single time that I thought the question I always imagined everybody much better off. Always happier, and always care-free. Making big changes in their lives, doing the impossible. Being successful, achieving their dreams. I thought, and thought and thought and thought and every thought eventually led to Carolyn. I thought and thought. Growing up happy and careless. Thought and thought. Job of her dreams, man of her dreams. Thought and thought, and thought, and thought. Cried. Thought. Sleep. Thought. Dream. Thought..... dream.... Dream for the future, dream for the past, dream for the present, dream for those in last. A poem that my mother had made up, I never quite understood what it meant, but I think I'm starting to grasp the meaning. When I realized I was awake I took a quick look around my surroundings, making sure I hadn't done anything stupid in my sleep I felt something was amiss. I looked up, looked around, window closed, door closed, fan off, TV off. I got up as quietly as I could, no thanks to my bed of a thousand years, I woke up my cat as well as the dogs; luckily thats all that stirred. I went and went sneaking around the room. It took me a small while, but I realized that I was not wearing the pants that I went to bed in, although normally pantsless, I knew something was wrong. I checked my sisters room, the loft, under my bed, downstairs living room, kitchen, master bed, restroom, office, garage. Nothing. I went back to bed. I was sitting up in bed, looked at the clock. 2:00 am. Sighed, laid down. Covered with blankets, curtains flowing in the wind... I stared at the curtains, stared, wondering what was different, what changed? Then I realized. "The window is open!"
I quickly got up, not caring if the animals made noise, looked at the window, the screen had been knocked out and into the backyard. Looked out, looked up, barely saw what appeared to be the top of a head retreating over the roof just as I came into view, I muttered, "Got you now!" I leaned at the edge of my window sill, grabbed the edge of the gutter and hoisted myself up. I jumped onto the roof and only saw a silhouette, about my height and weight, probably stronger and more agile. I said "Who are you?" The shadow said nothing, just stood there, then bent over. There was something on his back, something odd. I thought "No way..." As he spread his wings and began to fly away. I stood and watched, I thought "He's flying really low, and probably slower than he can go... He wants me to follow him!" As soon as I realized this I started sprinting toward the edge of the house and when I hit the end of the roof I leaned forward, put my feet on the wall and pushed as hard as possible. I jumped to the other house but barely missed the landing, stumbling to my feet I thought to myself, "Can't Screw up now." I continued running, still making a few mistakes here and there, but increasing skill each time. We ran all the way to downtown San Diego, when I thought to myself, "Where is he taking me?" I continued running and he landed on the roof of a large almost industrial-like building. I jumped up to the roof, stopped in front of him. I said "Just... Who are you?" he turned his wings outstretched, his eyes glowing pure white, wings reaching at least 20 feet. Curved at the top, as well as the bottom, both curving the same way with little talons on the bottom of the edge. He said in a voice so ominous that it gave me chills, "Who am I?" "I should be asking you." "So... Who are you?" "Who am I?" "Simple..." I stared for a bit, waiting to hear what else he would say. "You... are me." And with that he turned back around and flew off, so fast I couldn't even see him afterwards. I thought to myself, "Well that makes a lot of sense." And quickly started running home. Went to bed, fell asleep, woke up, got ready, went to school. I was heading out of class at the end of the day and noticed that all of my friends were in one big group facing me, from left to right, Willie, Emma, Jeffrey, Carolyn, Joe, Holden, and Ryan. Carolyn (apparently the one elected to tell me whatever it was they wanted to say) walked up to me and said "Tim, we need to talk to you where we can speak freely." I could tell this was serious so I went and followed. As we were walking towards the dog park I couldn't help but notice that they all stayed together, as if they were keeping something from me. I walked behind them, they stepped in sync, they stopped, I stopped. They turned around, Carolyn came up to me and said "What happened the other day?" I thought for a moment, I wanted to say that I knew what happened but I didn't. So I told them the truth. "I don't know what happened, I just woke up one morning and there it was." Glad that they knew what I meant by "it", they continued to talk to me about the situation. Emma came up next and Carolyn stepped back, she turned around and sat on the bench with her head down. "We- we think that you should... lay low for a while..." Emma said. "Lay low?" I pondered stupidly. I could tell why they were telling me to "lay low" but I couldn't understand why it was such a big deal to them. "We think you could be- a..... a target, for some people." she continued. I thought about this and simply said "I see." She stepped back and joined Carolyn on the bench, she held her head up. Joe was next, he walked up. "You need to keep this a secret or else something bad could happen. Not just to you, but to all of us. To everybody. To Carolyn. As soon as he said this my eyes immediatley went to her. She had her hands on her face, like she was hiding, hiding from something, hiding something in itself, hiding her emotions. Jeffery came up, "You need to make a decision by the end of the week." Now I could tell, I see what happened. I said to the lot of them, "You guys told someone didn't you?" They all stared blankley at me, except for Carolyn who just got up and walked off in the other direction. "I see........" I looked at Carolyn, started to walk after her, but stopped. I turned around, looked at each one of them. I tried as hard as possible to remember their faces, their names, them. Emma, Joe, Jeffrey, Holden, Ryan, Willie. The only thing I said after that was something that I can never take back, something I can never make false, something that had to stay true and with me for the rest of my life. "I'll miss you all, I'll be at Oakbridge." I started to walk away, I could hear them sobbing, consoling, wondering if they did the right thing. I realized I could hear their thoughts. Joe, "I just one of my best friends.", Ryan "I wish there was another way.", Emma, "I'm sorry.", Holden and Willie said nothing. Then as I walked past the parking lot, past the street lamps, I heard "I love you." I turned around quickly, they were gone, just Carolyn, sitting on the bench. I thought to myself "Carolyn..." She looked up, but I was already gone.