Their massive car skidded across the highway, the brakes on all in an effort to save the guy who was going to kill them without a blink of their eyes. Maybe Jackie’s dad was too good.

Eventually, they stopped, causing Jackie to slam into the door before jerked back into her seat. Surprising to her—despite being thrown, getting hit by piece of a street, and/or getting stomped out by a giant monster, the car accident really, really hurt. Her brain spun, hitting against her skull.

Once again, she had to use siVis to guide her feeble human body—which felt worse than the possible head trauma she just suffered. The pieces defined themselves, up her neck that spread to the back of her head, making herself turn to peer out of the window.

She found her eyes—namely the eyelids—shut on their own as the light continued to shine. In a panic, she felt them—and felt ridges. siVis use—automatic siVis use? Of course, she was deeply confused over this until it hit her.

It was that damn light symbol user from the week before.

So not only did the bastard get away—they’re purposefully using their powers on a place that requires eyesight.

Jackie felt her expression fold and settle into a cold, visceral formation. There is no plausibility or excuse in this.

As soon as the light disappears—she was going to pummel the fucker until their body matched the road.

Even from the siVis-enhanced eyelids, she saw the light source dim down against them.

Opening her eyes, she scanned the environment.

They were at the left side of the highway, as the rain steadily poured down. A bunch of cars formed into a improvised cul-de-sac, with the user in the center of it.

The man looked like he just got out of work.

Standing in the pouring rain, his cornflower blue dress shirt and black dress pants were soaked, the dark coloration “stopping” at near bottom of his tucked in shirt. His reddish short hair was a mess, as he looked up in the air, unfastening tie, in content.

Jackie had to be careful, in wrapping her two fingers, pinching the lock mechanism and pulling it up—unlocking the car door.

But before she could open the door, a groan brought her tumbling back down into reality. A reality that people like that light user aim to constantly destroy, and yet Jackie is too fucking weak to protect.

She looked over her shoulder. Her eyes when shiny and wide.

Her father, a strong man that survived war, survived serving man. And here he was, slumped over and holding his head with both hands. Powerless to stop what was happening.

The adverse effect that the Noumena holds over simple man. If you aren’t some siVis enlightened or dedicated yourself to brave the sensory disturbances—there was exposure. The closer one got, the more the body realizes that nothing about this environment—the certain person that somehow alights themselves on fire and is flying around—the public suffers from their minds trying it’s damnest to adjust.

This claimed lives. This is why Jackie and the others pushed themselves, and got themselves into this mess to begin with.

And for these “people”… It’s just fun?

“No.”

Jackie slammed the door open, walked out into the cold rain.

“No.”

She found herself just prowling towards the user, who know just turned his head towards her.

“No.”

He was suddenly so scared—frighten for the first time in his life. Judging by his raised hands, his ability has some cool down to it.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Didn’t really matter.

Jackie grabbed him by the shirt, and just started pummeling him. Hoping in her enraged, broken mind that her fists could hit his face faster than the rain.

Said rain was getting so cold, it was the point she felt the heat being sapped away from her, and thus the energy leaving as well. Good. It means if she does use her ability, it won’t kill him—just maim him.

She could’ve been here, doing this, for what felt like five minutes. Or ten. Either way, it was getting to the point that her knuckles were opened up again, and his skin was beginning to swell up.

Dropping him onto the ground, she was glaring at him while barely moving a muscle on her face.

“Tell me why you did this.”

The entire bottom right of his face was swollen up to the point of tearing. Sparks flowing from his damaged face.

“I-I-I—”

“Tell me. Or I make sure that you won’t speak ever again.”

“OKAY IT WAS JUST DICKING AROUND—I JUST GOT THE THING SO I NEEDED A BREAK—I ONLY HAVE A 9-TO-7, YOU GET WHY—”

Jackie shot down to him, as he whimpered as she was crouched over—yet still beaming over him.

“No, I fucking don’t understand you—any of you pathetic smears of shit you call yourselves ‘human’—in fact no—you fucking don’t like you’re Nathan Fuuki, but guess what? He would’ve killed you instantly—and he wouldn’t have cared or looked at you, he would just continue to walk down the highway. BOREDOM?! THAT’S YOUR FUCKING EXCUSE?! YOU MIGHT HAVE KILLED PEOPLE HERE! AND YOU’RE ALRIGHT WITH THAT?!”

Jackie suddenly jumped up, wiping her face free of rain as she screamed.

“FUCK—ALL OF YOU—FOR FUCKING EXISTING! DO US A FAVOR—FIND A HOLE, STUFF YOURSELVES IN IT, AND LEAVE ALL OF US ALONE!”

She began to ready her fist, as it glowed with the light blue.

But it was looking at that light blue—that she rendered herself a complete hypocrite.

The thought cancelled the effect. The thought made her cripplingly self-conscious, as she looked around.

Injured people. Fleeing people. People with families. Just people, looked at her. Waiting to see what her next move was, as they peered from their cars.

Jackie turned around, and saw her father exit the car, holding onto his head. Trying his best to be there, even if it would possibly kill him.

Her tears began to flow. And somehow, was thicker than the rain.

“Baby girl—” Jack Snr. tried to reach out, both hands out.

Jackie just shook her head. Not only is she not that anymore, she doesn’t deserve it, either.

She ran forward, ran away, causally hopping over the cars so she can run the rest of the highway.

She couldn’t help but to look back. Jack was there, along with the rest of the humans, just standing there with a devastated look on his worn, middle-aged face.

It’s a practice, a safety precaution. Chasing a siVictim is the least smartest thing one could do, because who knows what could happen? Even the user doesn’t know.

And as she can still see despite gaining such ground, she could see her father fighting everything not to stand there.

Great. She failed him too.

It turned into a mindless run. There was no designation, there was no look out for routes or turns. All she did was look directly at the ground in front of her, just moving.

At some point, she leaned to the right, running down the ramp that led into some part of the city. Buildings, stores. Maybe it was Steppe Ave—and despite the road stretching across the island, she doubts that it was it.

Her hands hit at her coat’s pockets. She had her phone, keys, all sorts of things on her.

Then she looked at the back of her wrapped hand, as it still had siVis residue all over it. Hers. His. Did it really matter at this point?

She wasn’t supposed to be like this. Someone like that. This anger, this paranoia, this dread… It’s all infected her.

Jackie Jackson, all she wanted to do, was good. She only worked out because she hated her lanky body. And she kept it going because it was self-discipline, it made her more alert, and it made her mindful. She could learn more about history. She could improve her math. She never wanted to punch a head off—she wanted to outsmart one and protect if THEY were the ones that resorted to violence.

Not her. Never her. Should’ve continued being her.

But even before siVis—she chewed out her parents for only doing what they could have. Burnt her friendships. Moved away—didn’t even bother to… Go out and know where Davenport’s libraries were. All she need was absorb all that Noumena talk. Let that influence her head.

Caused her to fuck her life up in the first place. She didn’t need this! Any of it! It served no purpose in her former life and yet she caved! Caved into the worry, the suspicion—

And if she did died—during what happened all those months ago—at least she would’ve been her! Who she still should be! And now she’s going to fall apart one day or become the next greatest threat on the list!

Jackie had to grab her head, as she thought about the entire last part. She was unravelling. She can’t unravel because that solves nothing…

But at least she deserves something like that to happen to her.

Jackie just stopped, in the middle of the street.

She felt her pieces—everything that made her “her”—pop, unjoin—then rejoin and shift.

She had a hood on her raincoat, but there’s nothing to hide at this point. She made this choice. And like the other ones she made, she just has to step and sleep in it.

Her hands, as they turned into themselves—turning and tossing—pulled out her smashed up, but still operating phone.

Then, she fished out the headphones, as the tips of her fingers coiled and writhed.

Connecting the two, and selecting her music library, True Faith’s first notes boomed within her ears.

The girl who was a living puzzle, walked into the dying world of man, listening to music as she passed buildings that were once modern, beginning to fall away into the era of insanity she’s growing up in. Maybe not for long.