The city was dead quiet as Jared made his way through the narrow alleyways, his footsteps soft on the cracked pavement. The shadows of the tall buildings loomed over him, casting the world in shades of black and gray. His body, once sluggish and slow, moved with a new sense of purpose. The anger that had simmered under his skin since his encounter with Miss Vang pushed him forward. He could still hear her mocking voice in his head...*"Become the strongest."*
He would.
Jared's destination loomed ahead, a small, privately owned gym nestled between two larger buildings. The sign above was old and faded, and the glass front reflected the flickering streetlights. It was late, long after hours, and the gym was closed. But that wasn't going to stop him.
Grabbing a metal pipe from the ground, he paused only for a moment before he swung it hard at the front window. The glass shattered with a satisfying crash, the sound echoing down the empty streets. Without hesitation, Jared stepped through the broken frame, careful not to cut himself on the jagged shards.
Inside, the gym was dimly lit by the emergency lights. The smell of sweat and rubber filled the air, familiar and strangely comforting. Jared surveyed the equipment rows of weights, treadmills, punching bags, and training machines. He took a deep breath, his hands balling into fists.
This was where it would start.
The nights bled into days, and Jared trained with a desperation that bordered on madness. Every moment, every second was spent pushing his body to its limits, testing his endurance, his strength. He lifted weights far beyond what he'd ever imagined possible, the strain in his muscles a constant, burning reminder that he was transforming.
He punched the bags until his knuckles were raw and bleeding, sweat pouring down his face in rivers. He ran on the treadmills, faster and faster until his legs threatened to give out. He pushed, and pushed, and pushed, ignoring the pain, ignoring the fatigue, ignoring the voice in his head that sometimes told him to stop.
Each day, he grew stronger. His once soft and heavy frame hardened, his fat burning away to reveal thick, powerful muscles beneath. His reflection in the gym's mirrors began to change slowly at first, but then with startling speed. The pale, doughy Jared was fading, replaced by something new.
Days turned to nights, and nights turned to days again, but Jared didn't stop. He couldn't stop. He could feel the power building inside him, his anger fueling each movement, each punch, each lift.
The sun had barely risen when the gym door clicked open, and the soft jingle of keys echoed through the space. Jared was still there, in the corner, finishing a set of pull-ups. His shirt was drenched with sweat, his chest heaving as he completed his workout. He didn't hear the door at first, too focused on the burn in his arms.
But then, a voice. small, surprised, and on the edge of panic.
"What the fuck?!"
Jared turned, dropping to the floor, his eyes landing on the girl standing at the entrance. She couldn't have been older than seventeen, with bright pink hair that framed her face in loose curls, wide green eyes staring at him in shock. She was dressed in workout clothes, clearly here to open up the gym for the day.
Her hand darted to her bag, pulling out a small, handheld taser. The electric current crackled menacingly as she held it out toward him, her hands trembling slightly.
"Who the hell are you?" she demanded, her voice wavering. "What are you doing in here? How did you even get in?!"
Jared wiped the sweat from his brow, breathing heavily. Despite the threat in her voice, he could tell she was scared. He raised his hands slowly, trying to appear non-threatening.
"I'm not going to hurt you," Jared said, his voice calm but deep.
The girl's eyes narrowed, her grip tightening on the taser. "Yeah, that's what thoose Fuckers outside says. Stay back!"
She said as he dashed towards him with the tazer, ready in hand, But she wasn't quick enough.
In a flash of movement so fast it was almost impossible to track, Jared dodged to the side. His body seemed to move on its own, faster than he'd ever moved before. The air itself seemed to bend around him, like he was using it as a ramp, launching himself up and away from the girl with a fluid, almost unnatural grace. He landed several feet away, his feet barely making a sound as they hit the floor.
The girl's jaw dropped. She had never seen anything like it before. This massive guy moving like a blur, as though gravity itself was bending to his will. Her hand shook, but she kept the taser pointed at him.
"What was that?!" she shouted, her voice rising in panic. "Who are you?!"
Jared took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice steady. "Look, I don't want any trouble. I just needed a place to train."
"Train?" she echoed, incredulous. "You broke in here! IDIOT! You destroyed the window!"
"I didn't have a choice," Jared said, his voice quieter now. "I… I need to get stronger. This was the only place I could go."
She hesitated, her eyes flicking between the broken window and Jared's intense gaze. "That doesn't explain how you just moved like that. People don't move like that."
Jared sighed. "I'm...I don't know! But one thing's certain; I need to get strong."
Her hand wavered for a moment, but she didn't lower the taser. "Who are you? And why should I believe anything your nonsense mouth are saying?"
Jared's mind raced. He hadn't expected to be caught, much less by some kid. But he could see the determination in her eyes, she wasn't just going to let him walk out of here. He needed her to understand.
"My name's Jared," he said slowly. "I… I'm trying to become a villain. Not because I want to hurt people, but because it's the only way I can survive now. I need to get stronger… or I won't make it."
The girl's expression remained tense, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "A villain? That's supposed to make me feel better? That's even worst deepshit!"
Jared stepped forward cautiously, his eyes locked on hers. "I didn't come here to hurt anyone. I came here because I have to. You don't understand what I've been through."
She still didn't lower the taser, but the confusion on her face was clear. She didn't know what to make of him. And Jared couldn't blame her.
The gym was silent for a long moment, the tension thick between them. Finally, the girl spoke again, her voice soft but firm.
"I don't trust you, oh yeah!. maybe because you're a stranger!" she said sarcastically, her eyes narrowing. "But I'm not letting you go until I get some answers buff guy."
Jared met her gaze, his expression worried. "Then I'll give you answers. But first, put down the taser. Jeez. It's not high noon."
The girl didn't move, but her stance softened slightly. The crackle of the taser was still audible in the air, the sharp sound cutting through the silence as they stood there, facing each other in the broken gym.
And as the morning light streamed through the shattered window, the tension between them thickened, both uncertain of what came next.