Sadly, once I left the closet things didn't magically become simpler. To say that there was chaos in the halls of the school would be an understatement.
As I stepped out of the closet I was struck by just how lucky I was all things considered. Outside most of the lockers were toppled and opened. Their contents spilled out like the guts of your classic 80’s horror movie victim. The lights in the hall flickered and sparked; some of them actually hanging haphazardly from the ceiling. The few kids in the hall were obviously terrified. Guys in letterman jackets holding each other, freshmen sobbing in the corners. A group of kids stayed huddled together even after the rumbling had stopped.
With the chaos I couldn't really tell if I was the only one that felt the time stoppage, but frankly at this point it didn't really matter. The issue of the day was clearly the earthquake and all the damage it seemed to cause. It seemed to do a little bit more damage than I expected considering how short it was, but it's not as if I have an intimate enough knowledge on earthquakes to really judge.
“Hey there no signal!” Some kid down the hall yelled.
This caused even more chaos as others started to frantically check their phones, searching for a signal.
I held up my own phone, not surprised at this point in the lack of a signal. Cell towers must be out.
“I need all of you to follow me if you can.” An authoritarian voice called out from down the hall. I look away from my phone to see Ms Crain; the school's librarian, standing at the end of the hall. Dressed in a long gray and black dress, sensible shoes, and a big cross. Her usually perfectly flattened white hair stood unusually frazzled and wild. She stood at the end of the hallway directing students from a room toward the gym. Behind her one of the gym teachers helped a hurt guy in a “Rock on '' shirt walk. More and more people started to fill the hall as classrooms were empty out on the realization that whatever happened has obviously ended.
I stood in front of the janitor's closet for probably longer than I should have just looking at the destruction that the earthquake had caused. I read somewhere that earthquakes can last as long as 15s. The school is mainly concrete and steel. Something most kids would call the bane of their existence due to the shitty cell service received here but that i recognize probably saved us a lot more in injuries. I rub my hand against the wall next to the door, feeling the small crack that ran from the ceiling halfway down. Evidence of the unknown danger I could have been in.
Suddenly down the hall I hear my name in a squeaky but ultimately familiar voice from the other side of the hall.
“Rami!”
I turned a smile appearing on my face by pure habit. Running carrying what could only be described as a ridiculous amount of books was my best friend Lincoln Wib.
Short, Hispanic with wild curly hair, Lincoln stood out in the hall by being the only person who seemingly did not notice the catastrophe surrounding us. He had on tan khaki, a green plaid shirt over a green lantern shirt. He shuffled past the crowd expertly dodging the other students and debris struggling to carry his stacks of books that he refuses to put in a locker.
“Lincoln,” I said, nearly laughing at his arrival. “God man are you ok?” I grabbed half of the books from his hand as he panted and leaned over.
“All …..good….man” he panted leaning over. “Just… a little …winded.”
I nod my head not saying anything. Last year my locker was broken a number of times. To the point where I kept everything in my bag at all times including my books. Despite me not wanting to, Linc in solidarity started to carry his stuff too. Despite being a foot smaller than me and having spent more time in the comic store than the gym. It was a nice gesture and one of the few that Lincoln could do. Linc was the farthest thing from physically threatening. The few fights he's been in couldn't even really been called fights by any stretch of the word. Bobby couldn't really touch Lincoln due to Lincoln parents being business partners with RaySong Industry; the company run by Bobby’s Family. It gave Lincoln a little bit of protection, protection he had tried to use on me to no avail last year.
“A little winded? Why didn't you drop your books? I'm pretty sure that classes are canceled for the day?” I said lightly kicking a piece of ceiling tile with my foot.
Lincoln opened his mouth to respond but stopped and looked at my hands and then at his hands. Raising my eyebrow I unceremoniously drop the books next to one of the opened lockers. Lincoln followed my suit, sighing loudly.
“Okay so grabbing all my books might not have been the smartest play but come on there was a literal nature disaster happening. My instinct went on overdrive and I grabbed my books to come find you.”
I laugh a little while spinning my phone in my hands. “Thanks. I really appreciate the thought.” And I did. I didn't even think about Lincoln during all of this. Or my dad.
The room suddenly goes cold. All jokes and thoughts of how weird the earthquake was stopped as a wave of panic went through me. My breath halted and I stopped. What if he fell? What if he was driving when it hit? What if he tried to call me?
I tried to breathe but the air got caught in my lungs. I pressed my hand against the cool metal door of a locker as I started panting. Lincoln was saying something but I couldn't really hear it. I scrambled with one hand to put in my passcode and look for any messages. It took three tries before I got it right. I felt cool. My face fell and I looked back down at my phone hoping to see some message from my Dad saying he was fine. Nothing.
I feel a slight pressure on my shoulder. I shrug it off. Another instinct of mine.
Lincoln's face suddenly enters my field of vision, close but not to close.
“Rami. Are you ok?”
Looking at him shakes something in me. Suddenly I realize that I'm not alone. I can feel the eyes of everyone around me, judging and categorizing my weakness to next use against me. I take a deep breath and force myself to stand straighter.
“I'm fine. Just… worried.” I tell him, taking the moment to look him in the eye, ignoring the onlookers. I glance back at my phone but force myself to ignore the feeling of dread that it gives me.
Lincoln reaches to place a hand on my shoulder but awkwardly stops and puts it in his pocket. “Your Dad is probably fine.”
“How would you know? Look at this place.” I said my voice cracking. “This was the earthquake at a couple seconds. Can you imagine if it was longer?
Lincoln looked at me confused . “Hey man, are you sure you're okay?”
“Well I have no idea if my dad is, or even if he's alive right now. So no, I'm not ok.”
“No, I mean did you hit your head or something?”
I look at him confused. “No, Why?”
“Cause I'm pretty sure that we just experienced the longest earthquake in history. It was more than five minutes of pure shaking horror. You don't remember that?”
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7 minutes 7 seconds. After talking to Lincoln, I immediately went to talk to other students. I finally found someone who was recording on their phone when it happened. From the first shake to the last was 7 minutes and 7 seconds.
That's not what it felt like to me.
After Lincoln told me that, I went quiet. I know what I felt. It was short. The time between the earthquake and when it stopped felt like seconds not minutes. How did i miss a good seven minutes of unadulterated terror.
Time wasn't the only thing that went weird during the earthquake. Even now my head still feels weird. More energetic, more raw. My sudden panic attack was evidence of that at least. Even more confusing, I felt like I was missing something. Ever since the earthquake ended. In the back of my head just off center of everything else, there was a thought. I knew what it was on some instinctive level, even if I couldn't put it into words.
Lincoln followed beside me, not really talking, sensing that something was up. Lincoln knows me. He knows when I'm ready to talk and when I'm not. A true testament to how worried he must have been about me since Lincoln never stops talking.
We made it to the gym, unsurprising the least affected part of the school. The normal lights didn't seem to work, but the jumbotrons on either side of the gym did, leaving a slightly creepy red glow to surround the gym. The bleachers were already out, a sharp bright red with yellow sides to match the school colors. The crowd of students made the gym bustling with noise.
The teachers stood in the center of the gym disheveled and barely holding it together. Principal Lockhart stood his toupee missing, his tie undone, his hands shaking as Ms Dell, one of the science teachers and Coach Overch stood next to him speaking in a frantic but low whisper. I couldn't hear the conversation but it didn't take a genius to figure out the context.
By the time we got there; all the seats were taken. Lincoln and I had to slink into the side with the rest of the kids lacking in friends high enough in popularity to demand bleacher seating. We shuffled into a good spot on the right side of the bleachers next to the boys locker room. We had to stand and it smelt like gym socks, but we got a good view of everything.
“So. You feel up to talking? Or do I have to stand here in more abject silence?”
A smile breaks out, my thoughts interrupted. “No. Yes? I really don't know. All I know is that whatever else that earthquake was, it was not a normal earthquake.”
Lincoln raised one eyebrow to me incredulously. “ Yeah I kind of figured that after the first minute of shaking.”
“No, I don't just mean that. Something happened to me.”
Lincoln looked at me oddly. I looked away, unable to answer the questions that I could see in his eyes. I could feel Lincoln take a step toward me. I could feel how close his hand came to touching my shoulder and shifted to avoid it. It all happened in a couple of seconds.
It took even less than that for me to realize how weird that all was. Did I just sense him? The feeling was gone now, disappeared as fast as it appeared. Leaving me with more questions than answers. What is happening to me?
Lincoln suddenly jumps a little. He rushes from the wall we were standing next to and races to a tall girl with dark skin and pink dreads. Anne Marie Westfall, Lincoln's girlfriend.
Despite Lincoln being a short Hispanic kid, with mousy hair, zero game, and an encyclopedic knowledge of all things Superheroes; He is the first one of us to get a girlfriend. I know shocker.
Anne Marie, his girlfriend, and me have actually known each other for most of our lives. Next door neighbors, our backyards have been connected ever since lightning struck the tree in my backyard when we were 6 and destroyed the fence. Hell for a couple of years our parents were convinced that animosity toward one another was just a sign of our eventual torrid romance. Luckily neither Anne Marie nor I were interested in that.
Lincoln ran up to Anne Marie, almost tackling her with his hug. I walked up slowly up to them looking Anne Marie up and down for harm. Anne Marie was the definition of a wild child. Her pink dreadlocks being the most tame thing about Anne Marie wore. Fishnet stocking over the shortest pair of checkered red and black skirt the school would allow. Under a black jacket she wore a black and purple bizarro t-shirt that Lincoln had got her tied to reveal most of her stomach. Out of all of use she had the most style. Hell compared to matching color scheme Lincoln, and me with the grey to black t-shirt arrangement.
I watched them, staying back feeling like I was intruding on something personal. They got together during the bad year. Lincoln was at my house a lot, and despite everything Anne Marie knew my mom and wanted to be there for me. They got together and my lack of caring about Anne Marie dating life combined with my genuine happiness for my best friend made it an okay adjustment. I mean Lincoln's happy and if a couple awkward moments is the price i have to pay so what.
Watching them hug and talk, Telling each other every detail of the insane day they just had just made me feel empty inside. I looked down at my phone, still no message. I look out into the crowd. I see the teacher stumbling over what to say to us, the students who have converged here because it felt natural. They still, even now, thought that the adults in the room would somehow be able to fix this. That's why so many of them converged here. Hell, I came here for the same reason, but I know something more is at work here.
My heart pounds harder as I look around and see nothing being done. Everyone is just talking and whispering. Trying to come up with a single viable plan that they can act on that somehow makes everything the way it was.
Taking another second to look at my friend and his girlfriend I turn and head to the boys locker room. Part of the reason that I came to the gym in the first place. There is a back exit in the boys locker room that leads to the football field. I couldn't stay here and just talk while my dad might be hurt. I could talk to Lincoln later about all the other weird things happening, but right now getting out of here is more important.
I step into the locker room, the mood changing sharply with now working lights. More than anywhere else; this place seemed to be least affected by the earthquake. A single locker was tipped over but beside that it looked the same. Same glistening marble floor. Same state of the art sauna. Same newly renovated private gym that was completely needed instead of new computers for the school. I felt the bile in the back of my throat as I thought of the amount of money spent in this room.
I wanted to do something about it. Hell, I did do something about it last year. One article, written by a freshman who caught a lucky break hearing a conversation between the old principal and the school administration. A week later I found my passion and inadvertently started a war between me and the head jock, Bobby Miles. He beat the shit out of me, humiliated me, even locked me in a storage closet for the weekend one time. All this and I still survived, albeit at a cost.
Now, after all this time. My skin is hardened steel, unflinching to the strangers who harassed me in the hall. My eyes are stone, unblinking in the face of all that was said by everyone who told me I was wrong. I even learned to breathe fire, burning all who decided to fuck with me. I was not the same person I was a year and a half ago.
People have noticed, Lincoln noticed. He hasn't said anything yet but I know and he knows. We don't talk about it and I much rather put it in the box. I keep all the other things I much rather not think about.
I walk through the locker room reminiscing the way things had gone. I stop in front of a particular locker. Decorated with red 3’s on jerseys, pictures of a blonde girl in a cheerleader outfit in a variety of “sexy” poses, and shiny dollar store stars. On top of it all is a name that I personally hate even the sound.
“What are you doing here?” A deep southern voice scowled from behind me. As if summoned by the gods of F.U. I turned to see Robert “Bobby” Miles standing in the doorframe leading to the coaches office. Dressed in gym shorts and a tank top I once again wish that he was ugly, if for no other reason than it would make me feel better. Standing tall at 6’3 Bobby was sadly an example of peak fitness. His legs were toned, his arms rock hard, his body perfectly sculpted. hell had abs despite being my age and even the normal teenage acne didn't seem to do much to ruin his looks. He wasn't the star football player for shits and giggles.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
“I asked you a question, Runny.” He said standing up straighter. “Or did that earthquake scramble your brain?”
“Technically you asked me two questions.’ I said stepping away from the locker “The answer to the first one is ‘Fuck you.’ The answer to the second one is also ‘Fuck You’ with added I’d ask you the same but that would require you having more than two brain cells to scramble. Now if we're done with this pissing contest I have somewhere to be.”
I started walking toward the exit, Determined not to let him distract me from what needed to be done. Bobby's face twisted to a scowl and stepped in front of me.
“So that's how you want to do this.” His voice changed from that of a prick to that of a prick putting on the charm. “Our first conversation since last year and you're already antagonistic toward me. I should really get one of the teachers and tell them about this.” He says feigning concern.
I rolled my eyes and continued walking to the door, intent on ignoring him. I turned, my eyes leaving Bobby for a second. Suddenly I felt air on my back and knew Bobby’s hands were inches from me. I moved to the side trying to avoid it. Instead of a full force push into the wall he knocked me unbalanced and I stumbled into one of the lockers.
I faced him, my face showing nothing but slight annoyance akin to missing your bus. Bobby stood in front of me with a scowl on his face clearly annoyed. I stood back up and headed for the door again. Bobby Miles hates to be ignored, and since I could never beat the living shit out of him, ignoring him is the biggest blow I could deliver.
He blocked my path again. “I mean seriously I'm going to start thinking you have a problem with me. This borderline bully even.”
I scoffed, unable to stop myself. I saw through his-
Suddenly Bobby rams his fist into my stomach. The air went out of my lungs and the pain had me bent over. Bent over I felt Bobby move but could do nothing to stop his knee from connecting with my nose.
Crack
I feel my nose break and fall to the ground in pain. I groan and roll over, feeling the floor get wet as my blood soaked the floor.
“You really should have remembered what I said about laughing at me. I mean I thought you were smart.”
“You're the one trying to pick a fight with a guy in the middle of a disaster.” I shout back my voice stuffy from the broken nose. I reach to touch it and pull back, definitely broken. I look at Bobby again and I see him working up the courage to beat the shit out of me. Just like old times I guess.
Then I looked at Bobby, Like really looked at him. In the face of everything else that happened today he felt … inconsequential. Something was happening to me. I experienced a completely different earthquake compared to everyone else and despite my willingness to ignore it, something was different. Something was different about me. I looked at Bobby and saw a kid holding onto a grudge. A grudge that I no longer felt I should have to deal with.
That thought made me angry. Angrier than I ever thought I'd be. I looked at Bobby and realized that he planned to beat the shit out of me, and that made me angry. I didn't have time for this. I had dealt with this. A year and half spent adapting and changing because of him and now. In the face of a disaster that was far from simple and I'm back to this. Cowering to this asshole, waiting for a beating that I'll claim I won the moral victory of. I Was. Done.
Moving faster than I thought I could, I rammed into him, surprising him for a second before he reacted. He smashed his elbow into my back. I held onto punched him in his side getting a couple hits in before he retaliated. He smashes his elbow into my back again, this time making me let him go. He pushes me off of him and we stare each other down. His lip went up the slightest bit and I lost it again. Roaring I throw myself at him, my entire body slams him into the wall leaving him dazed for a second.
Taking the moment I step back and punch him. I hit him and he just looked at me. I go to hit him again and he grabs me, pulling me off balance before throwing me into one of the bathroom stalls. I slam into and crumple to the ground. The pain of the fight is getting to me now that I wasn't just taking the hits.
“You know what. Finally, I thought you would never throw a punch. I do get tired of just beating your ass without a fight.” Bobby says the smirk on his face saying it all. He looked better than me at the moment, my punch doing seemingly nothing to him.
Panting I get onto one knee, my shirt is ripped and soaked with my own blood. I start to stand up when Bobby grabs my neck. He pulls me up till we are eye to eye, smirking the entire way the win already he'll tell his friends already in his eye. I look at him feeling something different this time. Something familiar.
“You know this really is your fault. You kept your mouth shut, I wouldn't have to make you keep it shut.” Bobby starts to explain.
My mind elsewhere as something impossible started to happen. Slow at first like trickles of rain before a storm. I looked down at Bobby’s hand and saw a Golden glow flow from me to him. Small motes at first, barely even visible, but then it picks up. Faster and faster the trickle turns into a downpour as golden light flows from me to Bobby. Bobby continues talking not noticing; or unable to notice, the light that flew from his arm, to his shoulders, his chest before stopping at his head.
“Are you even listening to me, you freak? I might have to stop being so nice if you're going to keep ignoring me.” He said oblivious as the final motes flew into his head and appeared in his eyes as a glint of gold before returning to his normal green.
I opened my mouth to try and say something, anything. Before I can, in the milliseconds after the gold disappears from his eyes, my mind awakens.
Suddenly my vision doubled. There was the sight of Bobby holding me by my neck, smiling like a creep. Then there was the other sight. The one that showed a dark skin boy with short hair and a bloody nose staring down at the person looking down at him. I blinked, wanting it gone, the second the thought went into my head all i saw was Bobby in front of me.
Bobby threw me to the ground and started kicking me, though I barely noticed. . At that point though I wasn't really paying attention. Not to that at least. From me to Bobby there was a near invisible golden cord. Though I couId barely see it, I could feel it. I mentally reached for it and it sparked to life.
My eyes shut on reflex at the major influx of information that suddenly slammed into my head.
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I was at a birthday party sitting in a red fire truck honking the horn in excitement as my mom set down a gift for me. A red and white striped box is set in front of me. I rip the top off excited. In it is a football jersey and new cleats. I show everyone my amazing gift.
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I was running. I feel the gravel kick up behind me. From the corner of my eye I could see the other team reach for me and miss. Ball in my hand, they couldn't touch me. I was lighter than air, completely untouchable. By the time I reached the end zone everyone in this school knew. I was the king.
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My hand hurt as it slammed into the face of the sneak. I was angry. Furious. I was supposed to come here with the all-star team. Win state every year with a jacket any college would be insane to turn down. But fucking Rami Kane and his article ruined that. Five star players expelled, a season ruined before it even started. I slammed my fist into his face again wanting it to bleed.
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My eyes fly open. My eyes this time, not Bobby's. The golden cord still stood in between us, though Bobby was no longer standing. Now he was on the floor sweating wide eyed; looking at me for the first time with fear in his eyes. Good.
The last memory I saw still rang in my head. It was perfectly clear, burned into my head. All the memories I glimpse when I touch the cord were there. Though it wasn't just a cord. Touching it felt like the shock you get when you brush against metal wearing socks. Like lightning.
My mind felt clearer. Like I had been dreaming and had just now awoken. I started to stand up. Despite the shock, and flash of hurt that I felt when I first touched the lightning I felt better, refreshed. I took a second to look at the cord between us.
As I focused on it got clearer. A thin barrier of light. A perfect cylinder that flowed between me and Bobby. Inside it was a single strand of golden lightning that sparked my curiosity.
Now standing, realizing I wasn't hurt anymore. Bobby kicked me multiple times during our fight, but somehow now I feel like I could do cart wheels. Bobby grunted as he stood masking but in pain. I looked down at my stomach and back him. Did I somehow give him the bruises and probable broken ribs that he would have given me. I took a step forward smiling. Good
“What the fuck was that? Fuck. Did you freaking drug me you fucking freak.” Bobby snarled walking toward me ready to throw down.
Suddenly the lightning sparked and hit the cord. What followed was sharp and clear. Fear. Confusion. Anger
I could feel his emotions? I paused expecting more but none came. It came with the lightning
Taking a swing at something, I tried to make the lightning pulse like before again.
More lighting sparked from the center bolt hitting the sides of the cords pulsing in my direction stronger than ever.
Confusion. Worry, Fear of having under estimated someone.
Those feelings washed over me like they were my own. Mingling with my own apprehension and curiosity. They burrowed into me like the memories and I felt my heart start to beat faster, I started breathing heavier. Closing my eyes I try to stop the emotions from overcoming me. Suddenly I felt a separation between his emotions and mine. The lightning hitting the cord lessoned; still hitting it and transferring emotions to me. At least now they were dulled.
I open my eyes pleased with myself only to see Bobby's fist heading right toward my head. I move to dodge, and the lightning pulses on instinct.
To both of our surprise Bobby misses me completely. Moving faster than either one of us thought possible, I slide just out of the reach of Bobby's fist. Even without looking at it I can feel inside the cord connecting me and him. inside another, smaller bolt of lightning branching off in my directions. Different than the one sharing his emotions; this one I could feel was more stable, more under my control. It even felt different compared to the original part of lightning that it came from, this lightning felt more... abstract.
Bobby didn't exactly let me contemplate the new nature of my reality. He went for another hit, and another, and another.
"How are you doing this?" he asked as he tried to hit me for a right hook to my face. I said nothing as I spun around his punch, sliding across his back. He turned frantically face red. The grin on my face only gets bigger.
Speed. That's what this was. I was using whatever connection I had created between the two of us to make myself faster.
Bobby stood a few feet away from me now. Distracted by my power I hadn't noticed him slowly back up. Sometime during this fight he realized that this wasn't a fight he couldn't win. He wanted to call it quicks and walk away with his dignity still intact.
Unluckily for him. I wasn't done with him yet.
I could feel that the speed that I took was diminishing, The branched lightning was dissipating and when it was gone I got the feeling I was no longer fast. Thinking fast I will myself to have more speed. Bolts of lighting escaped the main bolt hitting the branched one energizing me. Making me faster.
I need to test the limits of this power.
Bobby's face started to sweat; he could feel what I was doing. He looked at me and took a step back. "What are you doing to me?" He asked, grabbing hold to the stall to stop from falling.
I closed my eyes, ignoring him. I had to go deeper and deeper into the main lightning to pull more speed. The more I pulled the less stable the main lightning became, till eventually I had to let it go.
I opened my eyes and to a world of wonder. Down my arms and legs tracing my entire body, lightning crackled, and flashed. It threatened to escape with any movement. I raised my hand and a bolt of lightning crackled up hitting the ceiling. Bobby screamed and I laughed. I felt pure exhilaration.
I took a step toward Bobby's direction with a smile on my face wanting to shove in his face this new power of mine. My foot hit the ground and this time the world broke. There was a sudden boom and all the glass in the bathroom broke as lighting showered the room. At the same time the world shifted around me and I was hit with both a wave of dizziness and weakness. All the speed I had taken was gone, but now I was directly in front of the now terrified bobby.
Teleportation? The question ran through my mind.
Questions later.
Now I had to teach Bobby a lesson.
“How does it feel? Bobby.” I said leaning against the stall door. The speed was gone; used up in my avarice, but that didn't matter. Staring at Bobby it became clear that had done something. Head down He was pale, paler than he had any right to be. He laid on the floor of the bathroom stall back against the wall, barely able to lean against the toilet.
This close up I notice something. Just under his skin nowhere near my level lightning flitted across. Not the golden lightning I used, but a sickly black and silver lightning. I took another step toward him and he tried to push himself further from me.
Try being the operating word. Bobby tried to move and the lightning under his skin pulsed slowing his movement to a crawl.
Did I do this?
I closed my eyes, pushing the unwanted question down.
I walk up closer to Bobby and grab his shirt collar. He tries to stop me but the lightning keeps him slow.
Calling lightning again, a bolt connects to the cord and I feel myself get stronger. This close to him I can feel the negative part of the lighting flow into him. A cost to power.
Bobby finally managed to grip his hands around mine, but at this point me ripping them off me was child's play.
"You know I thought this would be harder.” I tell him, almost laughing. “I thought that the great Robert Miles, The great Bobby would put up more of a fight. But then I guess even you know when you're beat. When you're facing someone stronger than you?" My voice reverberated off the walls. Lightning flickered from me to him causing him to jolt from the pain. Still holding him I pulled more strength from him; lifting him higher until we're eye to eye "Better than you in an infinite amount of ways." He started to fight against me, but it was impossible. I was stronger. I was faster, I was better.
I could stop. I had other things to do and time wasn't exactly on my side, But i didn't want to. Something new was created during the earthquake. I had felt it in the back of my head ever since it ended. Now., standing over the asshole who had made it his mission to ruin my life with power beyond my understanding. Why shouldn't I have a little fun?
I smiled ear to ear as I looked at him; enthralled by the possibility of what I could do. Then I felt it. It ran through my spine like ice on a near frozen river.
Fear
I dropped Bobby on the floor and took a step back. Fear but not my own. In my reverie, I hadn't noticed the growing cracks in the wall I put between his emotions and my own. Like a damn overflowing his emotions spilled out of me one by one.
Fear. Fear. Fear of dying.
He was afraid of me, scared of what I might do.
I tried to control it. I Used my power to fill in the cracks, but I was tired. Adrenaline fading, the energy I used to make myself faster and stronger had drained me more than I realized. I was mentally on fumes, like I had decided to do advanced calculus by hand.
Panic. Confusion.
He felt tired, confused. Scared. By the time the dam broke I was on the verge of throwing up. He didn't know what the hell was happening and I was scaring the shit out of him. I was using a power I barely understood myself.
Terror
I took another step back as Bobby looked at me eyes wide with fear. What did he see?
My power, like it had done multiple times in the last ten minutes, activated with my thought.
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Standing a few feet away, towering over me was A dark skin guy with short black hair. Skinny mostly skin and bones with a golden chain around his neck he should have been ,mundanely uninteresting
But he wasn't. A god in human form stood barely looking at me. I couldn't move. He had frozen me with his gaze. His eyes shone brighter than the sun. Lightning golden as the sun struggles to escape.
I was going to die. He was going to kill me.
He was going to kill me.
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I broke away from the visual, my stomach turning. I took another step back, my eyes darting around for a way out.
I looked at myself through his eyes and felt sick. I didn't see the rebellious eyes of teenagers, the stone eyes of a survivor, or even the terrible mundane brown eyes of one Rami Kane a mere day ago.
No, I saw the eyes of a mad man. a lunatic.
A bully.
I felt disgusted with myself. A little power and I start playing doctor Frankenstein on another kid in the boys locker room. What if someone had come in? What if I had really hurt him? God what if I killed him.
I rushed to the door ready to leave and pretend that none of this happened. I made it to the door frame when the logical part of my brain reminded me of an important detail I had forgotten.
Bobby.
I turned around, not surprised to see Bobby huddled out of the stall as far away from me as possible. he looked at me fear in his eyes, deliberating avoiding looking me in the eye
“What.... What are you?” Bobby said barely above a whisper. The terror he had of me made my skin crawl. Though that wasn't all underneath the terror there was something else. Something familiar that I could; for obvious reason., not deal with now.
I looked at Bobby, hoping to see the monster that he had become in my head.
But I didn't see a monster. All I saw was a kid my age terrified of something he couldn't hope to even begin to understand.
I open my mouth to say something but close it as words die in my throat. I looked down, seeing a piece of class that I had shattered teleporting. I see myself in the reflection. Lightning no longer rolled off my skin and my eyes had stopped glowing. I looked back at Bobby and spoke the truth.
"I don't know. I have a myriad of questions running through my head and absolutely no answers. This shouldn't have happened to you. You're an asshole but this wasn't right. I'm going to look for an answer but you. Honestly you probably best just to Forget."
At my last word I snapped the connection between us. Willing the cord to break like everything else with the power my will was followed by action. I felt a sharp pain in my head before I felt the connection break. I saw their cord dissipate in the air and I walked out of the bathroom.
I left with a million questions in my head and a pit of guilt in my stomach. One question appeared in my head over and over again.
What the hell happened to me?