Chapter 7: Cracks in the Calm
The abandoned lot had become their refuge, a place forgotten by the city of Galewood, where crumbling buildings and overgrown weeds hid them from the prying eyes of the world. It was a part of the city most people avoided—too run-down to bother with, too quiet to feel worth fixing. And that suited Levi and Jake just fine.
It was mid-afternoon, and the sun hung low in the hazy sky, casting long shadows over the cracked pavement and rusting metal debris. Levi sat on an old, faded bench that had long since lost its color, his eyes half-closed as he let the warmth of the day wash over him. There was something timeless about this spot, as if the world paused here, caught in a space between the bustle of Galewood’s streets and the distant hum of life beyond.
Next to him, Jake was pacing, restless energy radiating off him. His sneakers scuffed against the ground as he walked, his hands flexing and twitching as though they could barely contain what was roiling beneath the surface. Levi didn’t need his powers to know what was going through Jake’s mind—he’d seen this look before, felt this tension growing in him for weeks now.
“Man, I’ve got it,” Jake muttered, almost to himself. His voice was low, but there was an edge to it, a spark of excitement that Levi didn’t like. “I’ve got so much control now, you have no idea.”
Levi opened his eyes and glanced over at his friend, frowning slightly. He’d been trying to ignore the gnawing feeling in his gut, that creeping sense of unease that always came when Jake talked like this. It wasn’t the first time Jake had said something like that, but lately, it was getting more frequent. More intense.
“You’ve been practicing again,” Levi said, his tone more statement than question. He didn’t need Jake to confirm it; he could feel the lingering tension in the air around him, the faint charge that always came when Jake pushed himself too far.
Jake grinned, though there was something wild in his eyes. “Hell yeah, I’ve been practicing. You wouldn’t believe what I can do now.”
Levi sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Jake, maybe you should—”
“Come on, man, don’t start,” Jake interrupted, shaking his head. “I’m fine. I know what I’m doing. You worry too much.”
Levi bit his tongue, but the feeling didn’t go away. He watched as Jake moved to the middle of the lot, his movements sharp, as if he couldn’t wait to show off. Levi felt the familiar flicker of energy in the air, a low hum that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He knew Jake’s powers had grown stronger—he’d seen the little displays of it over the past few weeks—but that was exactly what worried him.
“You don’t have to keep pushing yourself, you know,” Levi said quietly, standing up from the bench. “What if something goes wrong?”
Jake scoffed, rolling his eyes as he crouched near a cluster of broken-down street lamps. “Nothing’s gonna go wrong, Levi. I’ve got this under control.”
The street lamps had been dead for years, their bulbs cracked and dark, but Levi felt the shift in the air the moment Jake extended his hand toward them. There was a brief moment of stillness, a pause as Jake closed his eyes and took a slow breath. Then, a soft crackling sound filled the air, like static electricity in the atmosphere. Levi watched as thin tendrils of light flickered between Jake’s fingers, faint at first, but growing brighter, more solid.
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
“See?” Jake said, his voice barely above a whisper as his eyes opened. He was grinning now, his hand steady as the energy flowed from him into the broken lamps. “I’m just pulling a little charge, nothing big.”
Levi felt the energy surge through the air, a ripple that spread out from Jake like the first wave of a coming storm. The lamps flickered to life, their dim bulbs glowing faintly, and for a moment, Levi almost believed Jake. Almost believed that maybe he did have it under control.
But then the ground beneath their feet vibrated, just a slight tremor, and Levi’s heart skipped a beat.
“Jake…” Levi’s voice was tense, though he tried to keep it steady. “Maybe that’s enough for today.”
Jake didn’t respond right away. He was staring at the lamps, his eyes wide with that same wild excitement, his fingers twitching as more energy pulsed through them. The lamps glowed brighter, casting long, eerie shadows over the lot as the hum in the air grew louder.
“I’m not even close to done,” Jake muttered, his voice distant, like he was talking more to himself than to Levi. “I can feel it, Levi. I can pull more. A lot more.”
Levi swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the emotions swirling around them. He could sense the eagerness in Jake, the thrill of pushing his limits, but there was something else too—fear. Beneath the excitement, buried deep, Levi could feel Jake’s fear that maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t as in control as he wanted to be.
“Jake, stop,” Levi said, stepping forward, his own voice sharper now. “Seriously. You’re pulling too much.”
But Jake didn’t stop. His hand clenched into a fist, and the ground trembled again, harder this time. The lamps flared to life, bright and violent, their bulbs shattering with a loud crack. Levi flinched as shards of glass scattered across the ground, but his eyes stayed on Jake.
“Shit,” Jake whispered, blinking in surprise. For a second, it looked like he might pull back, but then Levi saw that flicker of defiance, that stubborn refusal to admit that he might be losing control.
Before Levi could say anything else, a faint wail of sirens echoed in the distance. It was far off, barely audible over the hum of energy in the air, but it was enough to make Levi’s stomach twist.
“Jake, we need to go,” Levi urged, his voice low but urgent. “Someone’s coming.”
Jake hesitated, his eyes flicking toward the horizon where the sound of the sirens was growing louder. Levi could feel the conflict in him, the battle between his desire to keep going and the realization that they were running out of time.
“Jake!” Levi snapped, stepping forward and grabbing his arm. The contact sent a jolt of energy through Levi, like static electricity snapping between them, but he ignored it. “We have to go. Now.”
Jake finally tore his gaze away from the broken lamps, his expression unreadable. For a moment, he stood there, his chest rising and falling with quick, shallow breaths. Then, with a low growl of frustration, he unclenched his fist, and the hum in the air slowly began to fade.
“Fine,” Jake muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets. But Levi didn’t miss the way his fingers twitched, the way his body still hummed with barely contained energy. Even though Jake had stopped, Levi knew that it wasn’t over—not for Jake, and not for them.
They turned and started walking toward the edge of the lot, their footsteps echoing in the silence that followed. The sirens were getting closer now, and Levi’s mind raced, trying to figure out what they were going to do. They couldn’t be caught—not like this. Not with Jake on the verge of losing control.
As they neared the street, Levi glanced at Jake, his stomach twisting with worry. He could feel the tension in his friend, the way Jake’s powers seemed to pulse just beneath the surface, ready to break free at any moment.
“You okay?” Levi asked quietly, his voice barely audible over the sound of their footsteps.
Jake didn’t look at him. “Yeah,” he muttered, though the tightness in his voice told Levi otherwise. “Just… too much, I guess.”
Levi wanted to say more, wanted to tell Jake that he didn’t have to push himself like this, that he didn’t have to prove anything. But the words stuck in his throat, and all he could do was nod, even though he knew Jake couldn’t see it.
As they reached the edge of the lot, the sirens were close enough now that Levi could see the flash of red and blue lights reflecting off the nearby buildings. He swallowed hard, his heart pounding in his chest. They didn’t have much time.
“Let’s go,” Levi said, his voice tight as he grabbed Jake’s arm again, pulling him away from the street and into the shadows of an alleyway.
Jake didn’t resist this time, but Levi could feel the frustration radiating off him, the disappointment in himself that he hadn’t been able to keep going. Levi didn’t say anything, though—he knew that Jake was already beating himself up enough for the both of them.
As they ducked into the alley, the sound of the sirens finally reached a crescendo, and Levi’s pulse quickened. He didn’t know how much time they had before the authorities found them, but he felt that it wouldn’t be long.