The world was ending, or so it seemed. The skyscraper, my constant, was gone. Flames instigated by the extreme earthquake danced where streets had been. And then, my aunt's voice, raw with terror, barked out to my mom, 'I told you, she's a monster!' As they fled, leaving me in the ruins, I finally grasped the truth of what I was.
It had all started on my seventeenth birthday. I had a screaming match with Dad, and I was out, adrift in the city's neon hum. Behind a toy shop window peaked the latest frozen toy collection that drew me in. The world felt distant, unreal. The receptionist, though, she was sharp, real. Her gaze, a constant, prickly weight. Then, her words, cutting through the haze: 'You're not welcome here.'
My head spun. 'I just wanted to check this out,' I whispered. But the words were lost in a rising panic. Then, a terrible, instinctive movement. My hand, acting on its own, sent her hurtling through the glass. The sound of shattering echoed in my ears.
The morning news brought the horrifying truth: she was dead, her body found miles away from the toy store, a six hours ride if we took my father's truck , a testament to my unknown power. And a old woman, a silent witness, her life extinguished by the shock.
At seventeen, I took two lives. The investigators were stunned by the CCTV footage, which showed the woman flying backward the instant I raised my hand. After that, everything changed. My friends shunned me, avoiding me like a contagion. School became a desolate landscape. And now, I'd committed an even greater atrocity. This time, it hadn't only been a rude receptionist and a toy store. It had been the whole world crumbling before me by just a mere shove of my hand and my mom peeling away from me to escape my destruction while regarding me through those cold scrutiny.
They all left me alone in the apocalypse I unleashed, to save themselves from my destruction. Yet, I wasn't left to face the ruins alone. Thankfully. Even though he was a pain in the ass.
"Hey! Hurry up, bampot. We've got to leave the clearing by dusk!"
Arsehole.
"You are not even going to help me out? This rocks' bloody steep!" My voice echoed back, struggling with the treacherous terrain.
"Help yourself! It's a world you created."
"Arsehole." I muttered underneath my breath but, he caught it.
"I heard that," he said, his voice low and even, "Now, hurry up before the wolves come for us!"
I vaulted onto the hood of a dusty, abandoned car, using it as a stepping stone to climb onto the ravaged bridge. The destruction stretched out before me like a twisted canvas - vehicles dived into the bridge, cars abandoned by people who had fled for their lives - a stark reminder of my handiwork. Six months of walking, and yet we'd barely left the surface of the desolate world I'd created. The scale of the devastation was humbling, reminding me of the power I'd unleashed.
"Do you think we might have taken a wrong turn somewhere?" I approached my step brother, a hint of concern etched on my face.
"I took this route when I sort out for you. I'm certain we are unto the right part." Kitan replies, a strand from his dark brown off part middle centre hairstyle effortlessly falling into his view.
Kitan was the last person I wanted to admit it to, but he was undeniably stunning. His chiseled jawline, athletic build, and full, crimson lips made him a magnet for attention. Before the apocalypse, girls would fawn over him, their eyes glued to his every move. Even now, amidst the ruins of our world, his rugged beauty remained, like a stark distraction to the devastation surrounding us.
When Kitan arrived after three weeks of solitude in my post-apocalyptic world, I launched myself at him, expecting the rest of our family to follow. But he shook his head, his eyes locked on mine. "It's just me," he said, his voice low and rough. Yet, instead of feeling disappointment, a wave of gratitude washed over me. Someone had cared enough to brave the treacherous landscape, to trek for weeks, all to reach me. The knowledge that I wouldn't be alone in this desolate world was a gift, one that filled me with a sense of hope and belonging.
With a playful whoop, I launched myself at Kitan, tackling him to the ground as we wrestled across the deserted bridge. He grunted, struggling to break free from my grasp, but I held tight, determined to pin him down. For a moment, we were lost in the joy of the struggle, the desolate landscape around us fading into the background.
⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆
Our footsteps were silent and deliberate, a calculated dance through the deserted driveway. Dusk had fallen, and with it, the shadows came alive. Attackers lurked behind, waiting to strike. Kitan's grip on my hand was firm, his eyes scanning our surroundings as he led me through the echoing stillness of the driveway. Then, the unmistakable whir of a helicopter pierced the air, growing louder by the second. Panic set in, and we sprinted down the driveway, our feet pounding the pavement in a frantic bid for cover. My heart racing, I pushed myself to keep up with Kitan, my legs burning beneath me. The helicopter's rotors whirled closer, the sound deafening, and I dug deep, finding a last burst of energy to keep running, my sneakers slapping the ground in a desperate rhythm.
We spot a part way that led to an abandoned building and we immediately darted into it, panic rising even more when a flash from the helicopter rested on our shadow. Panicking, Kitan tries to find any hiding spot that'd keep us away from the sight of the people coming after us in the helicopter.
We couldn't stay in the abandoned building - it was too exposed, too vulnerable. If those people started patrolling, we'd be caught in no time. Kitan grabbed my arm, his grip tight, and yanked me into a narrow corner behind a crumbling pillar. I collided with the wall, my heart racing. Suddenly, faint footsteps echoed through the deserted hall, growing louder with each passing second. A blinding flashlight beam sliced through the darkness, illuminating our hiding spot. I froze, my back pressed against the pillar, as the light danced mere inches from our faces.
The footsteps closed in, deliberate and measured, each step echoing with an unnerving precision. It was unmistakable - one of the wolves was stalking us, their calculated tread sending a shiver down my spine.
"Stay here, don't move," Kitan whispered, his voice barely audible. But before he could slip away, I grasped his arm, pulling him back into the shadows. "What if they catch you?" I asked, my voice trembling with fear. Kitan's eyes locked onto mine, his gaze steady. "If we stay here, they'll find us both," he whispered back, his words laced with urgency. Then, in a flash, he broke free and sprinted out of our hiding place.
My chest heaved with panic as the sound of Kitan's struggles pierced through the air. My hands trembled at my sides, helpless and frozen. Kitan's powers still had its flaws. It was untested and unrefined. He had mastered the art of concealing his powers, but the skill to unleash his full force eluded him - and now, it might be too late.
The struggles persisted, grunts and groans that were mostly Kitan's feeling the air, the whirring of the helicopter getting louder, swallowing it whole.
A gunshot suddenly shattered the air, and Kitan suddenly darted to grip my arm. He yanked me into a frantic sprint, but we were barely halfway out of the building when a voice bellowed from the helicopter, "Target acquired! Target acquired!" The words were lost in the deafening whir of the rotors, but their intent was clear. Three men dropped from the helicopter, their rifles at the ready, and began to close in on us. Panic set in, my heart racing like a wild animal as I realized we were surrounded.
I clenched my fist, and Kitan's eyes snapped to mine, dictating my next move. His hand shot out, wrapping around my wrist like a vice. "Don't even think about it," he growled, his dark gaze burning with intensity as he glared at the armed men closing in on us. I tried to shake him off, but his grip only tightened. "Kitan, we're running out of options," I warned, my voice low and urgent, as I prepared to twist free and unleash my power.
"You know you can't control your powers, Nex," Kitan warned, his voice low and urgent.
"Once you unleash them, there's no stopping the destruction. You'll put everyone here in harm's way. Including you and I."
I tried to protest, but my tongue is tied.
"Think about the consequences, Nex," Kitan pleaded. "If a careless twist of your wrist could cause this much destruction we are currently stuck in, a deliberate release would definitely be catastrophic."
I knew he was right, but desperation tightened my throat. "We have no other choice, Kitan!" I hissed, just as a voice crackled over the walkie-talkie of the armed men. "Prepare to fire on the targets!" The men responded in unison, their rifles trained on us with deadly precision.
"Kitan!"
"Fire!"
However, the expected gunfire never came. Instead, a chilling symphony of cracks echoed through the air - bones shattering, limbs snapping, spinal cords splintering. The armed men crumpled to the ground, their bodies contorted in unnatural poses, as if manipulated by an invisible force. The air was heavy with the sound of cracking bone, a gruesome serenade that seemed to come from all directions.
The armed men had their bones cracking one after the other and they dropped dead - each and everyone of them - until there was none left.
Then, a low, smooth voice cut through the carnage, "Those bullet paralysis and kills in an instance. How did you plan to live by just watching?" The voice dripped with sarcasm, each word laced with disdain. We spun around, our eyes locking onto a tall, imposing figure ambling towards us with an air of confident nonchalance.
He methodically checked the men's pulses, ensuring they were all deceased, before turning to leave.
Kitan and I watched him, our eyes drawn to his imposing figure. His raven-black hair was pulled into a tight bun, revealing a strong, angular face. His mud-stained white t-shirt clung to his muscular physique, hinting at a rugged power beneath.
Just as he was about to disappear into the shadows, he spun back around, his piercing gaze locking onto us. "Well, are you coming or not?" he growled, his thick British accent dripping with impatience. "These lots are just the vanguard. There's at least 50 more where they came from, and they won't be so easy to take down. You two look like you could use a hand staying alive."
Kitan grasped my hand, pulling me close as we followed the mysterious stranger down the staircase.
"Who are you?" Kitan asked, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.
The stranger flashed a wry smile. "Someone who just saved your skin, perhaps?"
He led us deeper into the stairwell, his pace quickening.
Kitan pressed on, his questions tumbling out in rapid succession. "Are you one of us?"
The stranger halted, his eyebrows shooting up in amusement. "One of you? As in...?"
I intervened, my voice rising above the din of the approaching helicopter. 'Do you possess the doom power like us? Stop playing dumb!"
The stranger's gaze flicked to me, a hint of surprise dancing in his eyes. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't," he said, his tone low and even.
The sounds of shouting men and pounding footsteps echoed through the building, growing louder by the second. "They're closing in!" one of the men bellowed over the helicopter's whir.
"Search the area, now!"
The stranger's eyes locked onto ours, his expression grim. "Save the questions for later, if you want to live."
With a swift motion, he pressed a hidden button on the wall, and a concealed door slid open, revealing a narrow escape route. We darted through the opening just as our pursuers burst into the stairwell, their footsteps thundering behind us.
The door sealed shut behind us, enveloping us in an eerie silence. We stepped deeper into the passage, the dimly lit walls revealing the remnants of a factory.
"Where are we?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "And how did this place escape the destruction?"
The stranger's response was immediate - and deadly. The unmistakable click of a gun's safety being released froze us in our tracks. We spun around, and I felt a jolt of terror as the stranger trained his gun on us. "Your worries are just beginning," he sneered, a cold glint in his eye. "Welcome home." With a swift pull of the trigger, Kitan crumpled to the ground, a crimson bloom spreading from the wound on his arm. Before I could react, the gun swung towards me, and I felt a searing pain in my stomach as the bullet tore through my flesh. My vision blurred, and I collapsed beside Kitan, my consciousness slipping away into darkness.