--A few days later—
Upend was kept in a very tight security lockdown…where a large high-tech machine was holding her…keeping her from using her powers…she was to be kept there until further interrogation and counselling.
The head of the security department was on a phone call with the superhero that brought her in…
"…nice work Jay. That's why you're the off the charts."
"Ahhh…wasn't anything ya know. Just work that's all."
"That…that wasn't work. That strong guy of yours…it was like he was lifting 500 pounds of meat."
He chuckled over the call and the officer laughed. Jay coughed a little and he moaned a little in pain…holding his ribs.
"You okay there champ?"
"Yah…yah I'm good man…"
"Hey now listen…I know about the side effects…that kind of run could kill you…you're gonna have to relax on it a bit."
"Arhh don't worry about me. It's been a while since I use that ting eh! Psss…after that then I'm not gonna do that again…"
"Loud and clear Sir." The officer teased, and he laughed.
"Okay I'm going to have to go. Still at work."
"Sure Sir. Peace out!"
Call ended.
He just sat on his comfortable sofa…worrying about his health and the future ahead of him…
~
Weeks passed as the destruction that Upend caused was built up in no time. Several news stations reported that the children who were captured had been returned safely. They were also given the privacy from journalist to not interrogate them as they are still recovering from post-traumatic experiences.
They went to have a chat with the principal, alongside staff and law enforcers later on…assessing how they were feeling…and asking them more details about their capture…they told them everything…but not everything.
Other friends in the school passed by them to just to say a hello or to just tease them from what they experienced. It was on social media that they were safely returned. The parents and loved ones of the group were also glad that they were back…they were all very worried.
Tobias' Aunt was also so relieved that his blood flow was okay now. She asked him how did it come back to normal…and he just told her the hospital worked on it for him…she felt great hearing that.
Wu on the other hand didn't get a hearing from her parents as she kept on calling and calling them. She was kind of hurt…but she just thought that they were busy…as always so they would call back soon. She messaged her sister about it…but she wasn't available at that time too…
For some time…the group became a little bit close to each other…
Friends of Tobias became friends of Wu. The gang were kind of looking out for each other…It was later on Tobias found out that Kenisha and Fabulous were in the same room with Wu all this time…so it was even easier for Tobias to pay a visit to them once in a while.
They had to watch for each other…because they were still being haunted down by authorities. They were all even surprised that no one have been able to trace them for this long. They were easy bait. But they just thanked God for everyone being safe and sound…
--Sunday,7:09 pm—
It was drizzling. The weather was cool for the night.
The two of them were at the front door of the church. They knew it was opened but they were…standing there and wondering what to say to her.
"Do you sincerely know she would be here at this time?" Wu asked.
"Someone told me she would be around at night today…and this time I asked him if he was sure…and he said yes"
"If you say so."
Then they both entered the building…looking for her. She was speaking to someone on the phone. When she was done with her call she sat down, took her notepad and started writing down some notes.
When they were getting close to her…she noticed their presence.
"Hey Guys! Ouu you guys are looking wonderful." She complemented.
"Thanks…Sister Melissa." Tobias said.
"You're most welcome…brother Tobias and Sister…"
"Wu…just…just Wu is fine."
They both laughed a bit about what she said.
"Yeah how are you doing? I've missed you guys."
"But its been a week the last time we saw you."
"A week?" She placed a finger on a cheek…thinking about it. Then she smiled at them. "It felt like it was forever."
"I think I saw you at the right side…like…you were sitting over there…during service…" Tobias said.
"Oh okay I see…" She nodded listening to Tobias.
"So I saw you but you…probably didn't see me."
"Ooh but you could have done anything to draw my attention."
He sighed. "Yeah you're right I should have…"
"So that's why we came to see you." Wu cut in to support Tobias.
"Oh alright that's lovely of you both."
Wu and Tobias smirked at each other and chuckled at what she said.
"Let's talk let's talk…have a seat…you wanted to see me right?...So…let's chat!" She said excitingly. They found a nice place to sit.
"So how has your week been? School…assignments…projects and all…you guys are having fun? Meeting new people?"
They both looked at each other briefly.
"Uhm…its been…cool for me…nothing really so…new." Tobias lied to her about it.
"Oh okay wonderful. We thank God for that. And Wu? What about you please?"
"School has been very stressful and annoying."
"Aww." She laughed. "I totally understand you guys. First year of college is pretty intense."
"Honestly!" Tobias agreed.
"The higher the level…the harder the course." Wu added.
"Exactly!" Tobias said.
She laughed at how they were tired about it. "Don't worry…you will enjoy it…apart from the load of work you do…college is really fun."
"You're done with it?" Tobias asked.
"Yeah quite a while back…my experience was so…so interesting. I actually remember when I was in first year…I was like the smartest student in the class."
"Whoa really?" Tobias chuckled.
"Yeah…I was doing electrical engineering. And we were like…45 or 52 in the class…I turned out to be the person who actually knew almost all the answers to the questions my lecturer would throw at us. Maybe when it comes to quizzes and some assignments I wasn't all that good…but a lot of people from my class would come…to me especially for help …because they knew how good I was. But it was really tough for me you know…because as much as I was helping people…I wasn't really helping myself. I was kind of like…the student who was smart but not really…sociable…I didn't have friends to be with…I wasn't really into any sports or parties…I kind of liked to stay away from the crowd…the places I would go to would always be the…"
"Library?" Wu asked.
"Yeah the Library…going out wasn't my thing…being enclosed and absorbing data and facts was my thing...and I was doing that for a long time and…I was not going anywhere…the only thing I was doing well with was my grades…I didn't get to hear from my parents often…its only when I have helped the school win on some programming competition or so essay competition that they would call up and check on me. And that sums up my first year first semester experience."
Wu looked at her with so much curiosity and focused at everything she said. She might have turned out to find someone who actually understands her after all.
"…until I met Josephine. She was my roommate when we came back from the break. She could really draw so well…and her variety in art was so creative I wasn't even able to understand how she did it. From music to poetry to stories to dance…and even sports too. And she was lively too. After I got to know her for a long time…she shared with me something…when I asked her how she was so creative about all these things…she said she was bored of being creative…she just felt like doing stuff that would surprise her. When she told me that…honestly I didn't understand what she meant. But when she invited me over for her group presentation…she used rap music to actually present her idea to the whole class…and trust me I have never seen that before…everybody in the class was amazed…and then…and then I finally understood what she meant. So, I started doing things…eating foods I've never tried before…watching movies I've not seen before…playing games I've never played before…I made sure that I 'did' something. That I just 'do' things to surprise myself…because one day I know I would reminisce about my story and about my future…and just know that yeah …did I actually do this?...Yeah…I 'did do this'."
Tobias and Wu didn't really understand how far she was going but they had an idea of what she meant.
"So…where is she now?" Tobias asked.
"Oh so right now…uhm…I'm really not sure…the last time I saw her was at third year…she left school and went to Turkey. Her parents thought that it wasn't safe for her to be at school".
"Safe for her to…Why?" Wu asked.
Melissa took a deep breath. "She got corrupted."
It was like both Tobias and Wu's heart skipped a beat.
"How…"
"I really didn't know…she went out for a party with one of her friends because her friend was doing a vlog…I didn't go…I was just researching on some work I had to do…and…the next thing I know was that she was gone missing."
The two of them looked at each other.
"I was so worried…I thought she was kidnapped and someone might have probably…" She sighed. "But it wasn't long that they found her…she was shivering when I met her at the hospital. Then she told me she could imagine things…and they would come to life just like the rest of them…she didn't tell anyone about it…she only tole me because she trusted me on it…and I made sure no one else got to know. So, when she was cleared up…she was ready to come back to school."
"What happened then?" Tobias asked.
"Well…things became a bit infuriating for her…she would imagine things that she never actually wanted to imagine…but she couldn't control them…so most of the time she would go to the washroom and…either vomit or cry all day about what she did…and I had to go and comfort her every time. She couldn't sleep at all…her mind was just so turned off by anything people would say. It was becoming too much for her so I told her maybe she should just let the authorities know so they could help…but she said no…it was what she wanted…something new…something different…I thought she had become a psychopath when she said that but when I looked at her she was very serious about it."
"So what was she doing then?" Tobias kept on being inquisitive.
"She…coped…with it. And that is probably one of the reasons why I loved her the more. She looked messed up…tired…disturbed…and frightened…but she didn't let some power that was ruining her life…stop her from achieving what she wanted…she just kept on going…she even used it to her advantage…she would imagine some bizarre thing…like the principal dancing in front of the school…and just like that it happened…and the students would see it and laugh and enjoy themselves...she did a whole lot for the school…but she didn't want the recognition…she just knew that she had done something in the school that…even if she leaves…she is still remembered…maybe not by face…but by her actions. She enjoyed it that way…she loved it…sometimes she hated it…sometimes she wished it stayed…sometimes she wished it would go way…she would share with me all these things…but one thing that made her kept on going…was that she needed to feel accomplished…and she did."
"Wow…" Wu was…surprised. Tobias was too…but even more...
He got up from his seat. "I'm just going to use the washroom real quick."
"Oh okay uhm…just go outside…and look to your right you would see the washroom…"
"Right…thanks."
He got out off the place…but he didn't want to use the washroom. He walked out of the place and got to the sidewalk…he just wanted to take a walk…take a breather…he just…he just needed time to think…he just needed time to process things…so he took a walk.
~
--9: 39 pm—
Chilly night. Busy street. Flying cars, electric trucks and bicycles. People walking and running to get back home. Restaurants and barber shops, and street lights with neon signboards were brightening the place.
Tobias was still on the sidewalk…he didn't realize he could walk this far. He realized he had a lot of missed calls and…text messages he had to reply to. But he switched his phone off. He just needed peace for a while…
He enjoyed the smell of food from the fast foods…the merchandises clothing shops were selling…the aquarium another shop was selling…it was beautiful for him…he was trying to find the peace…within the noise.
He was watching other teens like him just partying and drinking and hanging out. Night clubs. He wasn't so much unto them.
Sometimes seeing and experiencing something new calms the mind…and that's what was helping him…he was probably thinking about how exposed he is…he was being hunted down…because of the crime he supported…he might never know…maybe there could be more people like Upend who is going to come after him…or even worse…23 lives?! All because he was trying to help his friend? Oh, damn then there is going to be a whole squad after him. Because of this he could put everyone else he knows and loves at risk. 23 is the number that would probably hunt him for the rest of his life.
But…he just wanted to forget about it for a while…he was alive…and well…by God's grace…and everyone else too.
Then he felt a drop of water on his nose. He heard the thunder rumble the clouds.
It was about to rain.
He was quickly looking for a place where there is shade. He wanted to enter the shops but they were closed. It started raining. He didn't
He saw an alleyway to his left. He took a turn to that side.
He didn't like the idea of going into alleyways…especially around this time. He saw a black cat just hoping about edges of buildings. He saw a lady and a man walking together…dressed in a very thug way. Saw some people smoking along the way…but he passed by them.
At some point, the path didn't have any turns, it was just straight. There was still no shade for him to block himself from the rain so he had to move quickly. It was dark…and he was feeling really uncomfortable.
Then he heard footsteps behind him. He turned around…and no one was behind him. Oh no! He was losing it. He started walking really fast this time. He didn't want any confrontation what so ever. He kept on walking and walking…and he was just hearing different sounds each time he took a step…and it was frightening him.
Then his phone started vibrating.
What?! How?! It wasn't his mind. It was actually real. He had switched it off, how is it vibrating. He stopped and took his phone out. The phone was vibrating…but the screen was black. He didn't understand. He was hallucinating. He had to leave now!
Then immediately he heard the sound of running footsteps behind him again. He quickly tried to turn to see who it was…
But it was too late.
A huge metal bar…way bigger than him…came out of nowhere and slammed his face so heavy that his head bounced on the wall next to him.
He fell on the ground.
Then the dark figure was not done yet…he slammed his head with the metal bar not once…not twice…multiple times…the sound of his swing even got louder after every hit.
And there was blood gushing out from the back of his skull…