MacabreOfWriting
Role Play (: => Fanbased RP => Static Shock => Topic started by: Raijuta Ochoa on October 29, 2015, 05:20:17 pm
-
The officer allowed Hanini to sit in the front seat of the patrol car, wanting Hanini to understand that he wasn't in any sort of trouble. But that wouldn't stop the word from spreading around the school like wildfire!
"A cop took that swimmer kid Hanini away!"
"I heard he got caught trying to rob someone!"
"I heard he was a ring leader in the riots the other day!"
"He's probably one of those mutant freaks from the Big Bang!"
Of course, Hanini wouldn't be around to hear any of the vicious things being said about him. He was in for something far more difficult. He and Officer Charles approached the coroners office, Hanini's heartbeat slowing with every pace. By the time they arrived through the door, it had all but stopped.
Sensing Hanini's hesitation, Officer Charles placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "It's going to be alright." He said, trying his best to be empathetic. He opened the door and walked through first, flashing his badge to the attendant.
In the examination room they entered, were two tables with cloths covering the bodies that lay on them. Hanini was certain he knew the identities of both of the people hidden underneath. But even if he had been bold enough to speak, his nerves had locked his voice away in the compounds of his throat, and seemingly thrown away the key. It was Charles who spoke up first.
"Can you confirm that this indididual is Kalea Mahoe?" He asked as he pulled back the first cloth, revealing Hanini's mother. The slashes over her body had been treated, but her beautiful skin had been damaged from being left underwater for who knows how long. Hanini's chest collapsed when he looked at her, the very air around him forming a vicegrip around his lungs, and forbidding him to breathe in her presence. He didn't deserve to...
"That's her..." He barely managed to whisper. He turned away from his mother, and faced the other corpse, knowing what was coming next.
Sensing the boy's pain, Officer Charles covered her body once more. He hated this part of the job. No child should have to bury his parent. "Who is this one?" Hanini asked, eyes now settled on the other table.
The officer sighed, and walked over to the table.
"We found your in the kitchen of your home, having been slashed to death. This is the an we believe to be her assailant." He pulled The sheet back, and surely enough, it was him; The boy who Hanini had drowned. "We found him only a few feet away from your mother. We were hoping you would be able to help us I.D him as well."
When they had encountered each other the first time, Hanini was driven by terror and fear. Adrenaline ruled his movements. But now that he was calm, he could make out features in the boy that he hadn't before. His facial features suggested some sort of Latin background. His hair was dyed a faint shade of purple. And, like his mother, his skin appeared bleached after sitting underwater for hours. "What happened to their skin?" Hanini asked.
"Your kitchen was flooded when we found them." The officer explained. The age lines on his forehead grew more pronounced as he appeared to share in Hanini's grief. "Your mother had likely passed before it happened. But this guy's cause of death was apparently by drowning."
Hanini knew what that meant. It was unlikely that he killed Kalea and then drowned on his own. The police would be considering his death a homicide as well, and looking for potential suspects.
"Have you ever seen him before?" The Officer asked. After looking at the boy's face for a few seconds, Hanini shook his head. "I don't think he went to my school." He said, cleverly dodging the question."
"I understand." The officer said, covering up the second body. Hanini hoped that would be the end of his interactions with the Officer, but there was still one thing left to deal with. "Do you have any family that you can stay with?" The officer asked.
Dammit.
"Yeah." Hanini said, eyes fixed on the ground. "I'll go pack up some clothes and go to my aunts house. He started on the way out the door when Charles caught up. "I'll give you a ride. It's not safe out there anymore..." It wouldn't have been wise for Hanini to object, so he got in the car once more.
The streets were quiet, but not as quiet as the inside of the patrol car. Officer Charles seemed like a good guy. He was clearly searching for some sort of words to comfort the boy, who had now lost both of his parents. But his mind gave him no words of condolence to offer, so like Hanini, all he could do was watch the ghostly empty roads. The idea of mutants wandering the streets must have scared everyone into hiding.
When they pulled up to the little blue house, Hanini looked up at it, knowing no one would be there to greet him. "Thanks..." He said.
But Charles wasn't done yet. "Are you going to be alright? I can give you a ride to your Aunt's if you want..."
"No. I've got it. It's not that far a walk."
"Alright. Take care of yourself, Hanini."
Hanini had a feeling that wouldn't be his last time dealing with Officer Charles. But for now, he was glad to be rid of him. He approached his house, and prepared himself to face the ghosts that lie within.
-
The boy was able to be talked down, but his condition still worried her. Like the rest of them, he was a ticking bomb. After Hanini talked him down, he left, finally giving the two of them a chance to speak privately.
She rubbed her arms. A deep chill had settled in her bones and it was one that had nothing to do with the external temperature of the room.
"Hanini, I-"
The principal's voice came on over the speakers within the pool area, interrupting her. Gale's lips parted, but the plea for him to stay, died on her tongue as he turned and left. The echoes of the footsteps trailed after him, quickly dissolving in the pit of silence that surrounded her.
Opening the door upon his exit had allowed in stray tendrils of light that filtered in from the hallway, momentarily blinding her. Then, all too soon the door was shut, throwing her into a prison of nothingness.
Gale hated darkness. The idea of losing her visual sense was terrifying. She found herself out of options. It was either stay here or suffer the agony the sunlight caused her.
-
There was nothing like being seeing yourself on television with the caption, 'THE CONTAMINATED MAY BE DANGEROUS' scrawled on the bottom of the screen, in obnoxious, red letters. She was fortunate that she had had the forethought to wear a hood over head. The picture they showed on WB News, was only a shot of her side, sporting a jacket and a pair of jeans with the back pocket patched up. It was a terrible patch job; a testament to her poor sewing skills.
But her sewing adroitness was not up for discussion, but the safety of others around her was.
"Can't believe this."
Gale glanced up and saw two women there, watching the same television in the storefront window as she was. They were older than her, probably middle aged she guessed.
"Won't be able to get an ounce of sleep with those freaks out on the streets," the other said, with a shake of her head, as they walked away.
She stuffed her hands in her pockets and lowered her head. Maybe she was dangerous.
Her jaw tensed at the thought. She surely did not feel dangerous.
With a sigh, she turned from the television, wondering if Hanini had seen it yet, and walked right into a strong pair of arms. A gloved hand muffled the sound of her cry for help.
-
[The day of the Big Bang]
See the man. He is sturdy and strong-legged, he wears a uniform of midnight blue. He is in a rage, like a fire full of wrath. His voice dominates the vast docks, but when Synn opens her auburn eyes to look for the man in her head, all she sees, for the first few seconds at least, is white. Heaven perhaps? Or a blank sheet of paper. And it only took a moment for her peripheral to be taken by waves; light waves. Sugared lilac, cyan, muted limes, even spring rose. All the colors she knew, and yet she wasn’t painting. Was she? Raising her hand to her head, she rubs her temple, before extending it out.
Red.
On the tips of her fingers. Maybe she was painting after all. Or was it blood? A headache comes with the revelation, cursing herself silently for figuring it out and birthing a migraine, paired with the most annoying sound she had ever had the pleasure of hearing, like static, in her ears. She cradles her head in her arms until she can no longer hear it until everything is silent. A couple walk by, too distraught to notice her before she pulls herself off the ground. The sand, from where she was standing, looked like diamond, it distracts her from the ringing in her head.
Just as she begins to walk off, there is a moment of clarity, pulling her back to her spot, and when she looks down at her bag, she scoffs, cursing herself once more.
Dimwit.
[Current day]
Three days. No school. Constant ringing. No appointments.
Her anxiety had peaked to new lengths since that day, and she had noticed a slight change in her vision. Crystal clear. Everything was so defined, and she hadn’t adjusted yet, causing migraines that wouldn’t still for days. It was all very exhausting and had rendered her mind speechless; the voices weren’t as active, she wasn’t as active. No food also, and it was beginning to take it’s toll on her. The heavy bags beneath her eyes darkened each day; maybe she was an owl.
Synn, the nocturnal owl.
What was happening to her?
-
It took several minutes to calm the boy down, and return the effects of gravity to normal. Once Hanini was able to stand again, he was unsure what to do. His opportunity to speak with Gale openly faded the second someone else walked in. He was trying to make up his mind when the intercom went off.
"Hanini Mahoe, please report to Principal Spencer's office, Hanini Mahoe, report to Principal Spencer's office."
Hanini let out a sigh. There was no way he was getting called to the office about not returning to class quickly enough. They would only be calling him about one thing...
"I'll see you later, Gale." He said, offering the boy a nod before leaving the pool area and making his way to the office.
His heart raced with every step he took. The white, spotted tiles on the ground seemed to warp, getting smaller and larger in sequence, until he stood at the door. What would he say? He couldn't give them any reason to investigate him, or anyone near him. He took a deep breath, and made his way through the door, where there was a police officer standing in front of the Principal's desk. "Have a seat, Hanini." The principal said, seated in his chair as always. Fat bastard never got out of his chair. Hanini couldn't think of a single time he had seen the balding man in the halls.
The boy's heart was now pounding as he took a seat, and his gaze shifted from the Officer to the Principal. "What is it?" He asked, as if he didn't already know.
The officer continued to lean against the desk as he spoke. He was no better than Spencer... "I'm officer Charles, and I'd like to ask you a few questions." He opened a pad and took out a pen. "When is the last time you spoke to your mother?" The officer asked. So he was the one in charge. Hanini thought of Gale, and how she had composed herself when it all went down. He needed to be like her. "Before the riots." Hanini answered calmly.
This seemed to catch the Officer's suspicion, as he stood up straight, and looked down at the boy. "You haven't contacted your mom in three days with everything that's going on?"
Hanini shook his head "It's not that I haven't tried. I went home after school Friday, and she told me to go to the store. But I got caught in the rain and..."
He decided it was best not to tell them he was staying at a friend's house. They would surely want to question that friend.
"When I saw the riots on the news, I rushed home. I looked for my mom, but she wasn't home. I figured she had gotten away, so I found somewhere safe to stay for the weekend I've been calling the house ever since but she hasn't picked up." In the end, there was no way around it. "Are you here because she's looking for me? I was going to go home right after school today. With everything that's been going on, they cancelled after school activities."
The suspicion on the officer's face turned to sorrow as he heard Hanini's story. It seemed he had hit all the right buttons. Gale would be proud. "Hanini, I'm afraid your mother has been killed."
Hanini didn't have to fake the sadness upon hearing the news. He was still fighting with the reality of having lost both his parents. "Are you sure?" He asked. His mind and heart begged his mother to forgive him.
"That's why I'm here." Charles stated. "We need a family member to confirm the identity." Hanini didn't want to go. He didn't want to look at his mother's mangled body again. But it wasn't like he could refuse. "I also want to ask you a few more questions. Where did you stay after you left your home?" He asked.
Hanini shook his head. "I can't tell you that." He said. "They'd get in trouble if their parents found out I was over while they were away." He intentionally avoided confirming whether the home he stayed in belonged to a boy or a girl. Even whether it was one or multiple friends was ambiguous. And the story about protecting them from getting in trouble was easy to understand.
"I see..." Officer Charles said, taking a note in his pad. Hanini had a feeling that if nothing else, he had successfully protected Liz and Gale... A few more questions, and he was getting this things, and on his way out the door behind the Officer. Just in time for class change. Surely the rumors would be flying in no time....
-
Gale was baffled by his change of behavior. He moved to sit on the opposite end of the pool, clearly avoiding her. After a few moments of reflective silence, he reminded her that he was dealing with consequences of the newly found powers as well.
She nodded.
Of course she knew. Although he appeared to be taking it all in stride, she understood that it was still difficult. Staring down at the ripples that marred the water's otherwise smooth, mirrored surface, she sighed. All they could do was play the hand they got dealt. Before she could break the silence, he shattered with a farewell.
Her brows wrinkled in confusion. Did he really think that was what she wanted? To be alone. She recounted her words, wondering if she had said something that could have been misconstrued. They had been uttered with bitterness, something she instantly regretted now that the headache had resided and pain no longer ebbed away at her nerves.
"Hanini, wait-" she started.
Galvin burst through the doors. He was having a meltdown, clearly upset by th we same thing they were going through. Palms pushed down against the pool, propelling her to her feet. She had made it to his side before an invisible weight pressed heavily upon her, keeping her in place.
"Galvin," she murmured, having recognized him from the start. "We have the same thing. Let us talk to you to explain."
The lights creaked beneath the weight, making her nervous. Her lips pursed as her eyes turned upward. They were directly below the lights. If they fell, they would not have to he concerned about the gravity issue for long.
-
It was now clear that Gale was intentionally trying to keep her distance from him. For one reason or another she didn't want to be near him at school. Coming to this realization, he made his way to the opposite side of the pool. "I can't go back yet." He told her. "I feel like I've spent a week in the desert." He really wanted to strip down and jump in the pool, but since he had taken it upon himself to drag Gale here, that wasn't an option. And there was also the incident from the last time he got in the water. Instead, he rolled his pants up, and dipped his feet in the pool.
The satisfaction was immediate, washing away the insufferable thirst that ruled him throughout the day. But no matter how much he tried to maintain his form, he still watched his submerged feet turn to mush in the water. "There's a side effect to my powers as well, you know..." He said. his voice was low and quiet, but it still echoed through the room well enough to carry. After ensuring that his feet wouldn't completely melt away, he pulled his feet out of the water, watching them return to normal, before dipping them in once again. How annoying that the thing he craved most also caused his body to wither...
Once he was satisfied though, he prepared to go. "This should last me a while. I'll leave you alone now." He said. But before he could move an inch, another boy busted into the room and fell forward. Without warning, Hanini's whole body began to feel heavy. There was no doubt about it. This guy was like them. As everything in the room began to be affected by the change in gravity, the pool began to take damage. Strange, before the water level even began draining, Hanini could feel the water leaving the pool. Of all the places to go and break things, he would choose this room... "Calm down!" Hanini called to the boy. He recognized his face but didn't know his name. "Take a deep breath or something, or you're going to crush us all!"
-
Galvin looked at his hands in disbelief from the even that just happen .Everyone started to whisper under there breath or to other classmates . Not knowing what they where saying would slowly drive him into a stressful panic . Galvin didn't know what to do but run . He ran through the locker room into the pool area .
While running Galvin looked back constantly to make sure no one was chasing him . Because he wasn't looking where he was going he trip over the pole and fell. He fell pretty hard on the pavement but what happen next sacred him . When he tryed to get up he couldn't move . He felt like the earths gravity was keeping him down . The lights that hang above the pool area begin to straighten downward . The diving boards begin to arch downward into the pool . The plates under the pool made a large crack that cause the water to escape .
Galvin still couldn't move and had no clue what was going on ..
-
To her surprise, Hanini grabbed her by the wrist, stopping her. They were in the hallway with no one else around, fortunately. She had heard a crazy rumor about a kid destroyed the gym floor with a basketball during P.E. and now she was dealing with the pain she had been experiencing since the incident. Only today, it was a lot more intense. What was happening to everyone? Hydro caught onto what was happening and directed her to the pool area.
"Yes," she replied, rubbing her temples.
The room was veiled in darkness, yet she could still detect small traces of light that reflected against the water's surface. Even that bothered her, but it was nothing like it had been. Tears surfaced in her frustration, but she held them back and shook her head defiantly. What did this mean? Would she ever be able to stand in the sun again without feeling like her head was about to split in half? She had had her entire life mapped out. Normality was what she had been chasing only to be thrown back into a world far from it. But she knew that Hydro was going through the same thing though. Unlike her, he appeared to be taking it in stride. Although, he could still act normal.
"Thanks," she said, lamely, taking a seat on the floor by the water. "Better get back to class before you get into trouble."
Dark hair fell over her shoulders, concealing her expression from him, but the tone of her voice had deepened slightly.
-
School the next day was quite the experience. As expected, there were instances all over the school of strange things happening. A boy dunked a basketball clear through the ground, A girl set the chemistry lab on fire... While taking a quiz! And then there was Gale
Hanini had spent the grand majority of the day looking for Gale, but had been unable to find her! Usually he would have crossed paths with her at least once in the day! Now lunch was coming up and he hadn't even caught wind of her!
But then, just as the thought crossed his mind, he looked out the open door of the classroom to see Gale walk by! She was clearly in pain. He immediately raised his hand. "Can I go to the restroom please!?" He got up and ran out of the classroom before waiting for an answer. He ran to catch up with Gale, and grabbed her wrist. "Come this way." He told her, leading her to the pool area. "They don't turn the lights on in here unless we're practicing or having a meet. It's probably the darkest place in the school. he explained. The tiny amount of light that permeated the room was just enough to make the water in the pool visible, and the sound of the water filtration system was the only thing that could be heard, until class got out and the hallways filled with students again.
"Is that a bit better?" He asked. Obviously it wouldn't be a permanent fix. But hopefully it would at least help for now.
-
Galvin was in gym class enjoying a game of basketball with sonme of his classmates . As usual he was always picked first for the simple fact he was the only one that could dunk in his class. If that was there reason he was fine but he sometime wonder if it that's all they seen in him ..The game justed stared and they where already up by 5 points . This would be a easy win but a boring one nothing less. All they did was pass Galvin the ball and let him do what he wanted to the opposing team .. Last point and guess whi they where giving it to ? Thats rght Galvin. The whole game he hasnt even attempted to dunk and everyone wanted to see it . He could see it in there eyes .
"I guess I give them what they wanted "
He thought to hisself while posting up on the defender while maintaing control of the ball . He spin , Knock the guard off him and making him lose his balence in the process and took off . While rising He felt a wierd present in his hands . He couldnt shake it off but continue the dunking process . "Boom ! the sound of the rim rattle when he made contact then the sound of wood split under him . As he hung on the rim he look down . He couldn't believe his eyes . the ball went through the wooden floor . His fellow classmates where in just much surprise as Galvin was . He finaly game down and landed on his feet . Galvin stared at the hole in the ground and the students that where staring through the hole under him
-
Gale replied with a shake of her head, beckoning the conversation to a close. His disagreement was not offensive, but she was too confused to speak on the matter. There were so many questions swarming her mind. It was not possible to look this stuff up on an internet search engine. They had to figure it out alone.
The drive to her house was short. She instructed him to stay in the car as she went and got her things. Her foster parents' home was nestled in a bad neighborhood, but nothing exciting would be likely to take place in broad daylight.
After a few minutes, she returned with her things. She put the car in drive and started down the street. She attempted to hide her discomfort, but the sun was too bright and there was no cloud cover. Her head throbbed.
"Back to Liz's then?" she asked as the car came to a stop at an intersection.
-
Monday came all too fast. Gale went to school that morning with a fierce migraine. She was not about to miss class and risk her perfect gpa.
At school, she made sure to keep away from Hydro. It was not exactly a common thing for an athelete to associate with someone from the West end of town. She would hate to hurt his reputation.
As the day progressed, the pain increased. She was in homeroom when it reached its climax. Gale bent over her desk, pretending to be napping with her arms shielding her face. Someone said they thought they had seen something move; maybe a cat, they reasoned. Then, a girl screamed out and her scream was followed by a chorus of ruckus. Gale glanced up and saw nothing but darkness.
The shadows clung to her as she stood up. It took a moment to figure out how to rein them in and when she did, she saw the entire class staring at her, mouths agape and eyes wide. Without a word, she grabbed her things and left.
She did not know where to go, only that she needed to hide and get out of the sun.
-
Hanini could understand Gale's frustration, as well as her desire to have all remnants of the Big Bang removed. But still. "That's not realistic..." He was looking off in the other direction, as if he was trying to convince himself moreso than Gale. It was true, however. Doctors were theorizing that the gas had been affecting their very DNA, and that was where their powers were coming from. If that was the case, it wasn't something that would just go away. It was something they had to live with forever, and if that was the case, it would be even more of a burden if they didn't come to understand how their bodies were changing. It may even make it harder to survive. But Hanini didn't want to argue. He kept his thoughts to himself as Gale said she needed some air. He was prepared for her to step outside. Instead, however, she said she needed to gather some things. She offered Hanini the chance to ride along, to which he wanted to decline. However, he wasn't at liberty to. This wasn't his home and he didn't feel comfortable staying alone while Liz slept. So he nodded his head and prepared to follow Gale out the door.
-
Gale was frowning as he spoke of the darkness from the day before. She hated the dark, how could that be her power?
"I don't care to learn about controlling it," she replied, shaking her head. "I just want it gone."
Why did he seem so okay with it all? Did he not realize that they would forever be outcasts?
She had spent her life being different. After high school, she planned on going to Yale for a law degree and traveling. She had plans that involved blending in and just focusing on herself. Now, her powers threatened everything.
Gale had not realized that she was trembling. She glanced down at her hands and balled them into fists, willing herself to calm down. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on her breathing that had gotten more ragged.
"I just need some air," she said, without thinking before speaking.
When she reopened her eyes, she stared at the floor. This was the last thing she wanted to think about. Mike had been murdered by the same toxins that coursed through her blood. It just didn't seem fair for her to have supernatural powers whereas he was dead.
"I need to run home and get some stuff," she said, clearly finished talking about the powers for the moment. "You can ride along if you want."
-
When Gale entered the kitchen, Hanini opened the blinds, allowing a flood of light into the room. When Gale inevitably expressed her displeasure, he would closer them once more. "I thought so...." he said, turning to face her. "My powers come with an unfortunate side effect. But i far yours may be even harder to deal with."
Sure, Hanini had to struggle to keep hydrated, but Gale was negatively effected by sunlight; something essential to life! And there was no telling if these effects would be permanent! "I think the darkness that scared you yesterday was your own power. He formed some of the washer running from the sink into a ball and hovered it over his hand. "Maybe if you learn to control it you can use it to protect you against the sun..."
-
She chewed on her lower lip as she thought.
"By staying away, we may just be incriminating yourself even worse," she murmured, moreso to herself than him. "We need to decide a plan of action."
However, he left the room in search of water. Liz glanced at Gale and then sat beside her on the couch.
"My father has connections down at the station," she offered, but Gale was not too keen on putting her friend through that. Besides, her parents already did not care for her.
"No, thanks though," Gale replied.
Liz sighed and stood. "I'm sorry, Gale, I'm exhausted. I'll see you all this afternoons. Car is out front if you need it."
Gale nodded and thanked her.
Once she had left, Gale put her head in her hands. The headache was just getting worse. After a moment, she forced herself up and into the kitchen where Hanini was hunched over the sink. She did not speak as she watched him.
It was crazy to think that they could possibly harbor powers of some type. What would that mean for their future?
Letting the thought drop, she glanced at good job clock. She needed to run by the foster house and pick up an extra change of clothes. Maybe she would run away again. If she did though, it would mean another charge on her file.
She blinked and glanced away after realizing that she had been staring.
-
Hanini's arm moved to cover his eyes when Gale nudged him. He didn't move or speak in response though, he just lay there, slowly easing his way back into consciousness. Liz wasn't very good at keeping things hushed. Even in the kitchen, he heard every word. Gale wasn't very forthcoming with information though. Good. Last thing Liz needed was ammo. But then, Hanini was curious what Value thought of him as well...
He yawned and stretched as the two returned to three living room, sitting up, and leaning against Gale's legs. His arm rested on her thigh as he looked at the tv. The damages portrayed on the screen were massive. Several homes had been severely damaged, or even burned down. But only one had been flooded, and the sight made Hanini's stomach turn. "I should go back. " he said. "See what i can salvage." But he knew he couldn't. The entire neighborhood would be under heavy watch and investigation. There was no way he could get in undetected. But he also knew he couldn't stay there forever. He needed a plan and so far, he had none. He rose to his feet. "Mind if i grab a glass of water? " he asked Liz as he made his way to the kitchen. He hadn't eaten in almost a day, but he felt like he would be fine if he hydrated for now... he didn't get a glass though. Instead he turned on the kitchen sink and held his hands beneath it until he was satisfied. Today he would explore his powers. And if he could get Gale alone, maybe they could explore hers too.
-
"Hey!" Liz shook her arm. "You're holding hands with swim hunk, now? What the hell? We need to talk!"
Gale shook her head, groggily. Her arm felt stiff from having been in one position throughout the night. Also, her body was extremely sore.
"Can you shut the windows please?" Gale asked.
Liz scoffed, thinking that Gale wanted to sleep in. "No. Up!"
Gale groaned and mumbled something incoherent. What sunlight had managed to seep into the windows was enough to make her head throb. She sat up and glanced down at Hanini. Nudging his side gently with her toes, she gave him a small smile that looked more like a grimace through the pain.
"How did you sleep?" she asked, seeing how no one could possibly sleep through Liz's big mouth.
Liz took Gale's hand and pulled her up.
"Kitchen, now," she ordered and tugged her along into the kitchen.
Once there, she put her hand on her waist and looked at Gale with raised brows.
"So?"
"What?" Gale asked.
Liz waved her hand towards the room Hanini was in. "What was that?"
Gale's face hardened. "Liz, please, his mother just died and so did Mike."
Liz sighed. "I know, I know. You're right and I'm sorry."
Gale exhaled heavily knowing the size of bullet she had just dodged.
"Thanks, Liz."
"Do you like him? Is that your secret crush?" Liz pried.
Groaning, Gale left the kitchen with Liz close behind. Liz kept poking her back, but having grown up with brothers, Gale easily ignored her. They both stopped when they came onto the living room and saw the TV.
Liz turned it up as Gale sat on the couch, eyes glued to the screen.
The news was showing the aftermath of the pervious day's destruction.
-
Darkness....
Though Hanini didn't press the issue further, he pondered on it for some time. Perhaps her abilities had something to do with darkness or shadows; As his had to do with water. Maybe they could help each other! But for now, rest was the immediate goal.
Hanini turned his head to look at Gale when she spoke his name, but no words came. Instead, she reached down for his hand, and took it in her own. It was then that Hanini realized that he wasn't the only one in pain. Gale was seeking comfort too. She may have had a close friend in Liz, but this pain was something that Liz could never relate to. Gale had probably lost someone dear as well. And she was also experiencing odd changes with her body; Ones that couldn't be explained by puberty. In that light, Hanini and Gale had no one but each other. He gripped her hand, and lay it on his chest. It took some time, but eventually he fell asleep as well. And peacefully he would lay until morning, when Liz walked in...
-
Gale's eyes widened at the mention of the bathroom.
Shadows; that's what she had seen. But as for what they truly were...
"Darkness," she answered, denying the shiver lingering at the apex of her spine. "That's what I had seen."
Soon, he dropped the subject in it's entirety and slipped off the couch. She was a bit disappointed, but considering how poorly she slept usually, more space and little disturbances as possible was probably best for her. But she could not bring herself to agree with the thought that he would be a disturbance.
"I am," she said, her shoulders slumping over in defeat as exhaustion penetrated her voice. "So tired..."
But she seriously doubted any amount of sleep could truly lesson the type of exhaustion she felt. She was tired, alright, mentally, emotionally, and physically. There was no way of telling what was to come, but she dreaded the future especially since her past was nothing to be envious of.
"Hanini." She hesitated. Then, she situated herself with her body stretched out on the couch the same direction he lay on the floor.
Without finishing the thought verbally, she reached out with her hand and draped it over the couch. Her hand found his slowly as if he were a strange dog she was trying to feed rather than a possible friend. Smooth at the touch and smaller in comparison, her hand slipped through his and her thumb hooked around his palm.
It was not long before she drifted off to sleep without having to struggle to fall asleep for the first time in ages.
-
Hanini decided that Gale was the type of person he wanted to have around. She was tough, but also gentle. She was someone he felt he could trust, although it was clear even to him that she was hiding something; Perhaps many things. Everyone has secrets though. It wasn't something he would hold against her.
When she told him she felt different, he thought back to the bathroom incident. "What did you think you saw when you were in the bathroom before?" His instinct told him it was somehow related.
He didn't press the issue for long though. They had two days before they needed to return to school. Plenty of time to explore that. Besides, Gale's yawn reminded Hanini that he too was in need of rest. Well, his body was tired at least. His mind was on a rampage. Something told him that sleep would reach him if he attempted though. He wished he could continue to rely on Gale for comfort; To lie his head in her lap and just pretend everything would be alright. But her body language was so closed off now. He stretched his arms and dropped down to the floor right next to the couch. "We should get some rest." He said. "You're tired too, right?" He lay on his back and looked up at the ceiling, wondering if he and sleep could truly be friends again...
-
Almond-shaped grey eyes gazed down at him as he pulled away and thanked her. Gale nodded and took a step back, sensing the moment of comfort had passed with the silent dismissal in his voice.
"Anyone in their right mind would have broken down," she said before biting her lower lip.
She wondered what that meant for her, but then it had not been her mother or her first time dealing with bad stuff.
After Liz left, she followed him into the living room. She doubted he had realized that he had taken her hand in his, but she did not mention it. Despite needing to help him in his time of grief, she too was still grieving and it felt nice to feel more than the despair within. His hand was warm and solid, whereas she felt cold as ice and as if she were drowning.
He retracted her hand shortly after though and she remained expressionless as she allowed her hand to fall to her side. She sat beside him, allowing some distance between them to help him not to feel awkward.
Curled up with her legs beneath her, she prompted her elbow up on the arm of the couch and laid her cheek in her palm. The news was depressing to watch, but she made herself sit through it.
"Hmm?" Gale blinked and looked at him. She had been deep in thought when he had spoken, so it took a moment to think through the fog of her mind and understand what he had asked.
She shrugged and looked back at the TV.
"Yeah."
Gale yawned. It had been nearly two days since she had gotten any sleep.
"I just..."
She closed her eyes and shrugged again. "Feel odd, but..."
She sighed and reopened her eyes to look at him.
There was an indescribable emotion plaguing her gaze as she beheld him.
"Powerful."
-
Gale's answer wasn't exactly informative. But it wasn't like Hanini could really expect her to have that information. But she had gotten him out of there, and was probably the only reason he still walked free. For that he was thankful. Becoming more conscious of his surroundings, he removed his head from the girl's bosom, and looked up into her eyes. "Thank you...." be said quietly. "You held it together back there. And i just broke down... I'd probably be in a cage somewhere if not for you..."
"Bye guys! " he heard Liz call out, before the door opened and closed. He wondered about her parents. Kalea would never let him have company over when she wasn't home! Especially not company of the opposite sex!and what was with them still not being in? He shrugged it off and went into the living room to check the news. He made it all the way to the couch before he realized he had taken Gale by the hand and brought her along. Slightly embarrassed, he released her hand and took a seat. The Big Bang had made national news, though few details were covered. And local news had nothing good to report. It seemed the routing had calmed down but no one knew anything new about these mutations! "Do you feel any different?" He asked Gale. "Since the explosion, I mean. "He let out a yarn as he turned to face her, wondering if she was facing a mutation, as he was.
-
Just going to do a quick post to catch up with the timeline
Virgil was being bullied by Francis until an older boy took up his protection. However, the boy turned out to be a member of a gang, rivaling that of Francis'. Feeling Virgil owed him a debt of gratitude for his protection, and coerced him into coming to a brawl on the night of the big bang. He armed Virgil with a gun, and instructed him to be at the docks.
Virgil appeared as instructed, but his disdain for gangs and gun violence wouldn't allow him to participate. He chucked the gun into the river. Just as he was about to leave, BOOM!
In the morning, Virgil was unaware of the magnetic field that was already building around his body. It wasn't until later that day that he discovered his ability to control electricity and magnetism, and he went to his friend Richie's house to tell him about it. After deciding that he could be a super hero, they began working on a costume. This is where Static's story will begin.
-
Gale ran her fingers down his cheek when he spoke. She did not know how to answer his question. Partly because she was not sure what the detective wanted for sure. It would be easy to assume that was what he had come by for, but she was not so sure. Gale could have been seen with the gang the night before too.
"I don't know," she murmured, honestly. "I do know that you shouldn't worry about it now. We will cross that bridge when it comes."
With her record, she would probably just be considered as an accomplice. Her record was so terrible, no Foster care wanted to take her in which was why she was living where she was at now.
Gale glanced down at him finally and gave him a gentle squeeze, wishing there was some way to comfort him, but these things just took time.
"Not like they could prove anything," she muttered. "It was such chaos." She crinkled her nose. "Unless they are trying to round up all the bang babies."
-
It had been hours since Hanini had said a word. He accepted the water from Gale, but instead of drinking it, he poured the water only his hands, which quickly absorbed the liquid. It was enough to keep him hydrated, how that he learned the proper method. Nothing seemed to phase him though. He made no effort to look at Gale. He didn't turn when the detective arrived at the house, nor commend Liz on sending him away. He just sat there in a nearly vegetable-like state. He didn't even respond when Liz offered to give him a place to spend the night.
When Gale wrapped her arms around him, he showed the first signs that he wasn't completely brain dead. It was nothing spectacular. He just laid his head on her chest; Seeking comfort that the water could not offer him. He remained this way for several minutes before finally speaking up. "They were here for me, weren't they?" He looked up to Gale for confirmation. He was a criminal now, a fugitive. It wouldn't be long before they came back for him, and when they did, he had a decision to make.
-
As soon as Hanini peeked out of the bathroom with nothing more than a towel concealing his manhood, Gale appeared out from behind the hallway corner carrying a stack of fresh clothes. Since his clothes were in the wash, she had dug up some of Liz's brother's clothes that had been left behind when he had gone to college. To her dismay and astonishment, she was more entranced by Hanini than she cared to be within that moment. He was definitely an athlete with the physique to prove it.
"It looked like your size," she said, passing him the clothes. Her voice was an odd pitch, but she ignored it and went on. "Your clothes are in the wash."
After he had taken them, she waited until he was finished dressing. While she waited, she played with a strand of hair on her shoulder. It was a nervous habit that Mike had always made fun of, but she had never been able to kick. However, as soon as Hanini appeared again, she stopped fiddling immediately.
She guided him into the kitchen where she had a glass of ice water waiting for him on the counter. If he did not take notice of it, she pushed it towards him pointedly only to show that it was his for the taking.
It was dark outside now and she was much more comfortable for some reason, aside from the lingering shock of what was going on.
"Gale?"
Gale had been standing and shamefully staring at the wall behind Hanini when Liz pushed through the front door and yelled her name. She jumped and turned to greet Liz as she entered the kitchen.
"Hey, I saw the news. What happened?" Liz asked, eyeing Hanini before looking at Gale. She tossed a backpack on the table then waited for a response.
Gale shook her head, willing Liz to stop talking. But before anyone could say anything, there came a knocking at the front door.
Liz frowned and went to answer it. Gale sighed and looked to Hanini to see how he was holding up.
"Miss Carwright," came a deep, stern voice. "I'm detective Bar. I came to ask you a few questions. May I come in?"
"What's this about?" Liz asked.
"If you don't mind, we can discuss it inside," Detective Bar replied.
"Do you have a warrant?" Liz asked, clearly sensing something was off.
After a brief pause, the detective cleared his throat and said, "Miss Carwright, you have a lovely evening."
Then, Liz shut the door and returned to the kitchen. Gale proceeded to fill her in, leaving out the part of finding another body. Liz sighed.
"You all can stay here tonight if you want. I just got called into work, but I'll be back in the morning." she said before leaving to go upstairs.
Despite being crazy rich, her dad had insisted on her getting a job to teach her responsibility.
Instead of trying to talk with Hanini, she went over and gently put her arms around him, hugging him. She knew it probably would be awkward for humor even unwanted, but she had wished for someone to see through the shell she had made when Mike died to discover that she had needed one.
-
Gale was right; The shower did make Hanini feel better. His mind was in turmoil, but his body felt bliss as the water poured over his skin. He wasn't ready to speak just yet, but he could form coherent thoughts. He sat under the water, thinking back on everything. Two hours ago, he was in Mario's pizza, and his biggest problem was ducking out of the rain. And here he was now, an orphan and a murderer. How did it come to this? How could this be ok? Kalea always talked to Hanini about God; an everloving, and all knowing God. But how could such a God allow things like this to happen?
It was then that Hanini realized that his body wasn't warping under the influence of the water. It didn't liquify, or turn rubbery or anything! Perhaps the incident with the other Bang Baby had somehow forced his powers to fully awaken! His powers... Hanini had controlled the water back at the house! He decided to try it again. He held out his hand toward the head of the shower, and willed the water to stop midstream, before continuing along it's regular path. A small feat compared to what he had accomplished before, but it confirmed it. The Big Bang had given him superpowers! But was it worth it?
Despite the comfort it provided him, Hanini eventually got out of the shower. He expected his condition to drop after he left the shower, but to his surprise, the steam that had built up in the bathroom provided just as much comfort! It seemed all water was his ally, not just liquid. He grabbed the towel Gale had left, but instead of using it to dry off, He attempted to dry himself with his powers, pulling the water from his body, and tossing it back into the shower. He then wrapped the towel around his waist, and realized that he had nothing to put on. He stepped out of the bathroom to see Gale there, as she said she would be. He didn't speak to her, simply looked down at the towel he was wearing. Any other day, he would have been embarrassed in this situation. Despite having a well shaped swimmer/surfer's body, he couldn't help but feel awkward standing in front of a girl sin any clothes. But this time he felt nothing. He just stood there, adjusting to the now dry atmosphere...
-
They snuck out the back and through the backyard. The backyard was littered with remnants of the fighting, but she quickly maneuvered around it all as she pulled Hanini along. She tried to be gentle, but the sense of urgency put her adrenaline into overdrive.
After they had crossed the backyard without incident, they made it back onto the streets. She kept her head down, but her eyes lifted to see if she could recognize anyone. In the midst of the chaos, she saw some of the gang. The others must have perished the night before. Perhaps that was why they were attacking civilians, to retaliate against those who had killed their brothern.
Mike would have never done this... would he have?
Captured by her wandering thoughts, Gale had gone off trail and into the road. A motorcycle came driving by and stopped when the driver noticed Gale. Gale ignored the instinct to run knowing that if she did, it would look bad.
Instead of doing or saying anything, the driver waved and she could almost detect a sly smile beneath his helmet. Then, he took off. She exhaled and hurriedly continued forward.
When they made it to the car, she helped Hanini in, then she got into the driver's seat and took off. Once they were back at Liz's, she helped him out and inside. Liz was not around, it was probably piano lessons time.
Gale guided him to the bathroom where she started the shower.
"Hanini, you need to shower," she said, trying her best not to stare at all the blood splattered on hus person. "It will make you feel better."
Gale hesitated before helping him get out of his clothed. Of course she did not touch anything below the belt, but she did shrug off his shirt and threw it in the laundry shoot. Then, she checked the water temp.
"I'll be outside if you need me, okay?"
-
When Gale approached, Hanini looked up at her, but he didn't respont to her. His stare was vacant, as if he wasn't even aware she was there. It may have been the loss of his mother, or the fact that he had just taken someone's life, but he was clearly out of it. When she left, and came back with the pillow and blanket, he didn't object. Somewhere in the back of his mind though, he knew that it would all be submerged soon. Eventually, he allowed her to take him by the hand, and lead him away, but he showed little initiative. It wasn't like he had anywhere else to go, after all...
-
"Hanini?"
Her voice was hoarse as she spoke his name and gazed at the bodies. Feeling her stomach lurch, she turned her head to the side and gripped her abdomen. She wanted to comfort him, but she also did not want to vomit on him. When the feeling passed, she joined him on the floor as he cradled his mother's body.
"Hanini," she spoke, this time her voice was much more steady and she was more collected. "We need to go."
She felt cruel for pushing him, but she knew the police would arrive and want answers; answers that she hated for him to give if caught in an incriminating position like he was in now. Also, the cops would not stop at anything to retain him if they discovered that he was a bang baby.
"Sweetheart," she coaxed. "She's gone, but she wouldn't have wanted you to take the fall for her death."
There was a loud bang outside and she jumped at his side and then buried her face into his sleeve.
'Stay focused, Gale,' she told herself.
"Here," she whispered, going into the next room. When she came out, she was carrying a blanket and pillow. She put the pillow down for his mother's head to lay on and then she laid the blanket over her to cover her up.
Then, voices could be heard from outside along with shouts and a bone-chilling scream. She waited with him though until he decided it was time to let go and run.
-
No matter how fast Gale drove, she couldn't go fast enough. There was no feat in Hanini's heart, other than the fear for his mother's safety. He remained silent the entire drive, possibly not even noticing Gale's gesture to comfort him. It wasn't that he was ungrateful, mind you. It's simply hard to focus through the chaos. Luckily, the rain had halted.
The first respondant vehicles halted their advance, but they were only a little over a block from Hanini's house. He nodded his head and got out. "I'm the blue house a block that way." He said, pointing in the direction of his home. With that, he shut the door, a little harder than he had intended to, and took off running toward his house. When he arrived at his front porch, his house appeared untouched, giving him a sense of relief. Unlike some houses which had broken windows, or scorch marks on the doors, the worst thing about it's appearance was that the porch hadn't been swept. With a relieved sigh, he opened the door. "Mom?" He called out, but when he got inside, he saw that the inside of the house hadn't been treated as kindly as the outside. Tables and couches were flipped over and torn, paintings dropped to the ground, plants toppled over. Kalea worked hard to keep up the appearance of her home! This was unacceptable! But it wasn't the worst of it...
From the front door, Hanini could see into the kitchen, where his mother lay in a pool of blood. "Mom!" He yelled, running to her side. But he was too late. The woman appeared to have been assaulted with a knife. Her clothes were torn to shreds, and her body mangled. Luckily, whoever had done it at least left her face untouched. "Mom..." He couldn't form words properly. Even if he could, it wasn't as if he could ask her who did this to her. It took everything in him just to hold back tears. Until he heard it...
The sound of whistling coming down the stairs. What the hell? He looked up to see a boy coming down the stairs. He was taller than Hanini, with a purple mohawk. "Oh look at this!" The boy said, carrying Kalea's jewelry box. "The lady had a brat!" He laughed almost hysterically as he spoke, as if his sanity was a thing long lost. He grinned as he looked down at the crying boy.
"Put it down..." Hanini said, his voice radiating malice, instead of fear, and tears now streaming down his face. This only seemed to amuse the boy, who appeared to be unarmed. "Aw, is the baby crying cuz he misses his mommy?" Hanini felt a surge go through his body. "Fine!" The boy said, droppig the box of Kalea's valuables. "How about I send you to join her?"
Suddenly the boys hands began to light up, and each changed into a purple glowing machete. There was the fear! That was how he had killed Kalea! So it was true! People really were getting powers! Hanini's heart was pounding. He was going to die! And Gale was on her way to the house! She could end up dying too! This was all wrong! "Let me tell you a secret. She cried just like you the first time I cut her." Another surge. "But the best part was how she tried to hold her clothes together as I sliced at them. Trying to keep herself covered. Not like the **** had any titties anyway!"
Suddenly, Hanini's chest convulsed. The house itself began to rumble and shake as rage flew off the boy in waves. "What the hell?" The purple haired boy asked, as Hanini rose to his feet. Suddenly the pipes in the walls began to burst, causing water to rush in from the ceiling and floor. The faucet broke off the sink as water erupted from the now unfiltered pipe. "Ah, so you're a Bang Baby too!"
But Hanini was unresponsive. The only thing that came from him was waves of rage. And as that rage was directed at the unnamed meta-human, The water in the room did just the same! It surrounded the boy, who attempted to slice at it with his bladed arms. But what kind of idiot thinks he can cut water? It wasn't long before the water completely engulfed the boy! The pressure so intense he couldn't even walk! He gasped for air, bubbles erupting from his mouth as he desperately attempted to find the oxygen he needed, to no avail. In moments, he collapsed, drowned standing. Hanini collapsed to his knees, and the water fell to the ground. He then lifted his mother's head into his lap, above the rising waters, and simply sat there, a complete mess...
-
Gale nodded. She was fine; sort of.
The girl let out a sigh of relief when he said that he had not been a part of a gang. Not that she had room to talk, but it made everything less complicated. She knew he was not from hers so a rival would have been hard to deal with.
Gale wanted nothing to do with the gang, but once someone became a member, they were in it for life. Mike had been the reason for her joining in the first place. At the time, she had thought being a member would make it easier to protect him. Obviously, she had been wrong.
Liz's shout cut him off and together, him and Gale raced into the living room where Liz was glued to the TV. The meta-humans were reeking havoc. But why?
She leaned in closer and saw a flash of her gang leader's face. The worm had somehow managed to live through gas.
Hanini became frantic as he told them that it had been his neighborhood the big bang babies were attacking. She gasped and Liz began to cry. Before she knew what to do, he ran outside then came back in.
"Take my car," Liz said, running to the front door where a board with some hooks was hanging on the wall. Grabbing a chain of keys, she threw it to Gale.
Gale took Hanini by the hand and led him outside to the garage in a hurry. She fiddled with the lock pad on the front of the building and in no time the garage door opened to reveal a black vehicle.
Gale climbed into the driver's seat, knowing full well that Hanini was not in any state to drive.
When he had gotten in, she took off at an impressive, but frightening speed. Mike had always joked that she ought to be a racecar driver. She never argued since she knew she was capable of doing just that.
As she weaved in and out of traffic, she reached over and squeezed his thigh just above the knee. She did not speak or take her eyes off the road though. Then, she turned on the radio whose regular music had been interrupted to keep citizens up to date with the big bang kids.
It was not but a few minutes until they arrived at the neighborhood. The damage was staggering. She could not drive anymore as there were too many emergency vehicles and people blocking her path.
"Halini I'll catch up with you in a few," she said, seeing a few of the gang members eyeing the vehicle she was driving.
Once he had exited the car, she reversed it and parked it down a few streets away where it was relatively calm. Then, she made her way back to the neighborhood.
-
Naturally, Hanini would assume that whatever Value saw was the result of hitting her head. It was a logical assumption after all. "Are you alright? " he asked. He was preparing to check her head for injury when she hit him with the bomb. She was at the Big Bang! He froze in place, trying to come up with a response. Figuring it was best not to reveal that he was also there, he decided to ask if sure felt any different, like the people on the news!
But before he could get out the words, her question smacked him in the face! She knew. Sure was no dummy... Of course she would notice someone going through the same thing as her! "I think so..." he told her. "I wasn't a part of any gang. I was just walking home. I got caught up in the eruption and inhaled a ton of that purple gas..."
Just then, Liz screamed out loud! "How many spiders can be in one house?" He asked as he ran to see what it was. He asked in the kitchen to see that Liz wasn't there. She was in the living room. The news was on again and this time, it depicted a neighborhood practically up in flames! A gang of meta-humans was terrorizing people, stealing, and looting! And they really had powers! There was a guy controlling fire, a girl with wings and feathers, and several others. "This town belongs to the Bang babies now! One of them cried.
But Hanini couldn't hear the words. He was caught up in the imagery. "That's my neighborhood... he said almost silently. "I have to get home!" This time he yelled aloud. He turned for the door, but then realized they had taken a cab. He ran back inside, frantically searching for a phone. He didn't have time for this!
-
She hardly knew Hanini, but she found herself needing to talk to someone.
"I bumped my head, then I looked up and saw..."
Great. She just told him that she had bumped her head. There was no way any sane person would believe her. They would just write off whatever she had seen as a result of the injury.
She sighed and shook her head. Also, what would she say? She was scared of her own shadow?
"I'm not sure," she said lamely, but honestly. "But I was there last night."
Gale shook her head and shifted her weight onto her other foot, showing discomfort.
"I was close enough to see everything," she murmured. "It was horrible."
She shuddered, remembering Mike.
"Do you think we were effected?" she asked.
Gale had put two and two together. Although she was assuming, she thought that was what was going on with Hanini. After a moment of consideration, she frowned at him.
"Were you... apart of the gangs?" she asked with some hesitation. "I don't remember seeing you."
It was the most she had spoken since their encounter and her throat had not felt more thick. She felt it difficult to talk about what had happened.
Wringing her hands, she looked over his shoulder toward the kitchen where the scent of steak cooking seeped out. It was strange talking to Hanini of all people about it and even stranger to be hiding it from Liz.
-
Hanini's hands found their way to Gale's waist when she fell into him. It wasn't that he was being fresh, just instinct. He looked behind her for her assailant, but nothing When she said it was a spider, He laughed, but something about it didn't seem natural. He had never heard anyone scream like that over a spider, and his mother had let out some screams in her day...
He removed his hands from the girl, taking a step bakc to give her some space. Liz continued to live up to her reputation as she gradually evolved her plan from snacks to steaks. He nodded his head when Liz left and Gale apologized. "No worries." But her excuse wasn't realistic. Everyone had stress, but breaking into tears, and then being spooked by who knows what... "Is everything alright?" he asked. The two weren't close, but perhaps that could be the reason she could confide in him, if she so chose.
As she had heard him whisper earlier, this time, it was Hanini's turn to catch the words spoken under Gale's breath. "What doesn't feel right?" he asked, the concern evident in his expression. He didn't want to pry where he wasn't welcome, but he couldn't help but feel a certain familiarity with the frustrations Gale exhibited...
-
As soon as the door opened, she threw herself forward and fell into the arms of... Hanini? She was too afraid to look up at his face, or behind her foe that matter, so instead she clung to him and pressed her face into his shirt.
"It's... It's..."
She turned and pointed at... nothing? But, what happened to the shadows? She stepped back, mouth agape.
"But... I saw it!"
Liz looked her up and down worriedly. "Saw what, Gale?"
Gale blinked and looked at Liz. "A spider," she lied, flatly.
"A spider?" Liz said incredulously. "Gale, you're the one who always insists on putting them outside instead of getting them with a shoe."
"I don't like killing them," Gale mumbled, defensively. "This one was huge."
"Well you scared us," Liz chastised, then sighed. "Let's go back into the kitchen and get some snacks. And sodas. And maybe some twizzlers? You know what, let's cook steak, I'm starving."
Gale looked back into the restroom, finding nothing there. Was she going mad?
"I'm sorry, Hanini," she murmured once Liz had went into the kitchen. "I didn't mean to frighten you."
Gale shook her head. "I'm just stressed."
She scrunched her nose. There was never a time that being 'stressed' caused her to hallucinate. Maybe it was a coping mechanism her mind had created to distract her from the mourning she was going through.
She scoffed at the thought. She had been listening too much to the social worker assigned to her case after her parents had died.
"It just doesn't feel right," she whispered, more to herself than anyone in particular.
She glanced back up at Hanini, gauging his expression. It had already started out as a horrible day and it seemed as though it would end with her embarrassing herself in front of her best friend and Hanini. Not to mention what the other stuff.
-
Throughout the broadcast, Hanini never looked away from the tv, so he never noticed that Gale's reaction to the report was almost identical to his own. It wasn't until she ran out of the room, tears streaming down her face that he realized something was up. He found it highly unlikely that she was at the Big Bang. Not if -this- was the company she kept. Maybe she knew someone that was there. "Is she alright?" he asked Liz, not wanting to pry, but simply concerned for her wellbeing.
He sat and pondered for a moment. Was that what was happening to him? Was he mutating? That would explain the way his body was reacting to water... But did that mean he wouldn't be able to swim anymore? Most likely, if he couldn't maintain a solid form... He was distracted from his thoughts when Gale released a scream loud enough to be heard in the living room. "Gale!" He yelled, taking off toward the bathroom with Liz close behind. He hesitated to open the door for a split second, because a girl was on the other end, but quickly opened the door, declaring this a state of emergency. Who knew what would be on the other end?
-
Hanini snuck away to use the restroom, leaving the two friends alone. Liz stopped what she was doing and looked up at Gale.
"How are you holding up?" she murmured.
Gale shrugged and bypassed her to get to the fridge.
"I kinda feel numb, like it isn't real," she replied into the fridge as she bent down to retrieve a Pepsi on the bottom shelf. She closed the door then turned and faced Liz.
"I'm sorry," Liz replied. Her voice held too much sympathy to make eye contact comfortable. "Do you want to hide out in my room for a bit?"
Gale shook her head. "What and let you get Hanini? I don't think so."
Even to her own ears, the joke sounded weak. She just hated to drag others down with her mood. Liz's eyes widened as she tugged at her arm, nearly knocking her off balance.
"Do you mean that? Is that... Is that the guy?" Liz asked, her fingers digging into Gale's arms.
Gale rolled her eyes and pried her grip off. "Liz, quit."
She should not have been so careless. Now, Liz would never let it rest.
"Quit, what? Tell me, Gale!" she demanded, stomping her foot like a child.
In spite of it all, Gale giggled at her friend's tantrum. Then, she saw Hanini come out, but he went into the other room. She frowned and followed him, dragging along a very persistent Liz.
Liz stopped talking long enough to turn up the volume. As soon as the reporter started talking, Gale became frozen to where she stood.
They were talking about it. But they never did give a death total. Maybe the government did not want people to place blame on the police.
"Gale?"
Liz was looking at her frowning. She blinked and felt the onslaught of tears stream down her cheeks. Flushing with embarrassment, she muttered something about needing to use the restroom and left the room.
In the restroom, she shut the door and looked into the vanity mirror. She swiped at tears and reached for the towel on the sink. Clumsily, her fingers dropped the towel. She groaned and bent down to pick it up, but on the way down her head hit the corner of the sink.
Gale cursed and grabbed her head. It hurt. Sure enough, there was also a huge bump as well. The pain made her wince as her fingers prodded the new wound. As she studied it, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye.
It was thick and black, like a shadow only in plain view of the light. She jumped back, fearful of the strange shadow, and it followed her.
Backing up to the corner in the room, she watched as the shadow continued to move towards her as it grew in size. She shut her eyes and screamed.
-
Hanini laughed when Liz asked if he was single. She was incredibly straight forward, despite not knowing him well and it fit her reputation well. "Yeah, I'm single." He said, looking out at the rain, and gaining a sense of serenity. When she mentioned having "friends" who are single, the insinuation was hard to miss; especially when Gale jumped in to change the subject. The two had a quick exchange, struggling over control of the conversation, but Gale ultimately won, saving Hanini the trouble of answering any uncomfortable questions.
When they arrived at the girl's house, Hanini immediately asked if he could use the restroom. It was only natural after drinking do much water all day! Once he had been given the location, he made his way to relieve himself, and found himself in for yet another surprise! As the stream left his body, he found himself growing faint! He grew parched once more, and his skin dried ridiculously quickly and he feared he would collapse before he was finished! With the last of his strength her made it to the sink to wash his hands. As he did so, the color returned to his mocha colored skin, and he found himself refreshed! Not even thirsty! He came to the conclusion that his body needed to be hydrated through his skin, and not by drinking water. Most of the water from the sink seemed to be being absorbed into his hands, instead of going down the drain.
Once he was satisfied, he came out to find the girls in the kitchen. The tv in the next room was on mute, but the news headline caught his attention. It read
CHEMICAL EXPLOSION NICKNAMED "THE BIG BANG"
"Can you turn that up?" He asked Liz, as he walked over to the tv. An attractive female reporter was giving the story.
"An attempt by DPD to bust up a gang fight at Dakota City Docks went awry last night, as grenades meant to release knockout gas ignited containers of a hazardous chemical gas in the area. The event is now being referred to as "The Big Bang."
Hanini's blood ran child as he watched. That was it! They were talking about the explosion that he was caught in! He didn't realize the awestruck look on his face. He was too busy listening for more information.
"The explosion is believed to be responsible for a number of reported human mutations in the city.Humans who were affected by the gas are being called 'meta-humans.' Over a dozen young meta-humans have been hospitalized and it isn't believed that dozens more ate yet to reveal themselves. Though none have been confirmed, there are reports of meta humans showing supernatural abilities as a result of their genetic mutations. Th-"
At that moment the station seemed to take and shake before the news went to black.it was then that Hanini came to his senses. His face straightened and he looked away from the tv, not bothering to question why the show was cut off. "That's horrible..." he said, distancing himself from the situation as best he could. If he was indeed mutating, that was something he didn't need his donates to know about...
-
It still was daylight out. For some reason the light was becoming more and more uncomfortable.
Gale watched Hanini as he took off toward the car. She watched the rain come down around him curiously. Taking notice of the way his skin changed in appearance, she frowned, but did not speak about it.
When he was situated, the cab took off. Liz gave the driver directions to a well-to-do neighborhood. Despite her parent's money, Liz was relatively down to earth. It was one of the reasons why they were such good friends.
Instead of being a snob, Liz had welcomed her with open arms, knowing fully of her situation.
"So Hunkini," said Liz, turning in her seat to look at him.
Gale ducked her head and sighed.
"Are you single?"
She ignored Liz and stared out the window, already knowing where the road was headed.
"I'm not single," Liz said, throwing up her hands as if someone had asked. "But, I have... 'friends' who are."
Gale turned to him and shook her head. Although she was clearly annoyed, there was still a faint smile on her lips.
"What she means is, how is the swim team going?" Gale interrupted.
Liz glared at her. "No, thank you, but I meant-"
"Isn't Steve doing an article for the swim team in the school newspaper?"
Just like that, Liz forgot about interrogating Hanini and the rest of the car ride was spent listening to her discuss Steve's intelligence. Gale focused the things out the window and thought about Mike.
It wasn't long before they pulled up to a large mansion with a circle drive. Liz paid the driver and then she and Gale got out and led him up the stairs to inside.
"Anne and Jo are out so we have the place to ourselves," Liz said, going into the kitchen to get some snacks.
She never understood why Liz always called her parents by their first names, but she did not bring it up since it was a sore subject.
-
When Liz announced that the taxi had arrived, Hanini nodded his head, but hesitated as he looked out at the rain. It was then that Gale offered him her jacket. He wanted desperately to take it from her, but he simply couldn't! How would that look? Making a girl go out in the rain without a jacket so that he could cover his head!.
He smiled and shook his head. "I'll be alright." He told her. He didn't know if it was true but he hoped it was. "You need to stay dry too." He opened the door for her, and walked out behind her. Still under the awning, the breeze carried rogue droplets of water toward him, and they misted over his skin like tiny kisses. It felt amazing! But it also made him nervous. The comfort always came first, then the misshapen skin. . His left hand grabbed his right forearm and her tightened his muscles, willing himself to remain solid as he ran after Gale, leaning forward so that most of the water would land on his shirt.
He didn't liquify this time but his skin still took on an almost rubbery sheen. It quickly faded once he was safe in the back seat with Gale, allowing Liz to take the front.
-
Gale's forehead scrunched in silent thought as she mulled over what he was saying. She caught his eye and followed it to the door where the rain was still coming down. Before she could summon up a response, Liz came running over. Hanini took her place at the phone while Gale simply gazed outside.
The rain suited her mood. Although there were distractions around her, she could not help but remember Mike and the night before.
Her attention became divided when Hanini returned and asked what they were going to do next.
"Taxi is here," announced Liz, bouncing up and out the door.
Gale shrugged and shrugged off her jacket and passed it to Hanini.
"Try putting this over your head."
The taxi was parked close enough to the door that they would not have to travel far, but she was still concerned about the ten feet the awning failed to cover.
Then, she ran outside and jumped into taxi and slid over enough to make room for him. Liz mumbled something about how it was unfair that she got to sit by him. Gale did not even try to reply to her.
Who was the one with a boyfriend, again?
-
Hanini would have noticed the obvious blush on Liz' face, but his eyes had settled on Gale. For some reason, she seemed the one that had it together, though she was the one who hadn't done or said much. Both girls were cute, mind you. But everyone knew Liz had a boyfriend. Hanini wasn't sure if Gale was taken or not. They had never really spoken before, despite having three classes together. He nodded his head upon hearing her advice, and moved forward to the phone.
As Liz made the call, Hanini turned to hear what Gale had to say. His eyes widened upon hearing the question; a reaction he wished desperately that he could take back. He sighed heavily, and gently grabbed the girls elbow, pulling her further out of earshot. "Ever since I woke up this morning I've been thirsty. Like, crazy thirsty. I drank seven glasses of water before school and it was like I'd been in the desert for a week. The only time I've been satisfied was when I was covered in water..." He looked out into the pouring rain, hoping she would catch the connection. He decided to leave out the rest. The last thing he needed was to freak anyone out.
Once Liz returned from her call, Hanini went to make one of his own. Kalea's voice couldn't be heard, but Hanini's responses made it pretty clear what she was saying:
Hey, mom?
Yeah, I got caught in the storm
I'm just going to wait it out. I'll be home when it calms down.
Don't worry, I ran into some friends at Mario's.
Ok, I'll call you in a bit.
After that he returned to the girls. "Alright. What's the next move?"
-
Liz blushed in a way that would make the devil suspicious as he confirmed his identity. Perhaps, her relationship was not as concrete as she wanted it to be. Gale was fully aware of her attraction to athletes, but she also knew how much she liked the guy she was dating despite his 'geek' tendencies. He would just have to keep her attention if he hoped to have a long relationship. It was easy for her to get bored.
"We were planning on calling a payphone," Gale said, her eyes drifting to the angry employee mopping up Hanini's mess. "I think we should probably at least go somewhere else.
Liz went over to the front counter and asked to use their phone. They obliged albeit reluctantly, but it seemed as though they were willing if it meant that the teenagers messing up their restaurant would leave. While she called the taxi service, Gale rubbed her elbow and turned back to Hanini.
"So," she said in a low tone so that her friend would not overhear. "What did you mean by what you said when you first came in? About wondering what was going with you?"
She could not place the source of her curiosity, but she felt as though she needed to know the answer to her inquiry. Something just did not feel right within her.
-
As Hanini was gathering his breath, he felt someone approaching. He didn't see her... He felt her... How did he know it was a her? What in the Hell was going on? He looked up as a gentle hand lay on his shoulder to see two girls from school. He knew them both. Not friends necessarily. But nice girls. Liz and Gale...
"I'm fine." He said, rising to his feet. "It's just water. Caught me off guard is all." Understatement of the century. Water continued to pour from his locs as he looked around, and apologized to a worker who was already coming with a mop.
It seemed the two hadn't recognized him until that moment. He smiled, and pulled his hair back. tying it with a rubber band from around his wrist and smiled. "That's me!" He said jokingly before Liz made her comment. "Partying?" It was clear he was genuinely confused by her question. The last party he had been to was a member of the swim team's birthday party; and that was far from a rager!
He listened to their suggestions. The issue wasn't getting home... He looked out into the rain, considering what might happen to him if we went out into it for too long, or even at all. "How are you getting home?" He asked Liz. Perhaps the best thing to do would be to call his mom and let her know he had gotten caught in the rain and would head back when it cleared up.
(Static came out in the time before everyone had cell phones, so we're gonna stick to that)
-
"Gale?" asked Liz as she flailed her hands.
Gale blinked. "Yeah?"
Liz rolled her eyes and picked up her purse and wallet. "Asked if you were ready. Oh great! It's raining."
Looking out the resturaunt's window, she saw that her friend was right. Unlike Liz, she enjoyed the rain, having taken solace in its soothing pitter patters on her window many times before.
She grabbed her things and followed Liz to the door. Suddenly, a kid threw himself through the door and onto his knees. He had gotten caught in the rain, his body dropping with rain.
Liz was the one who sprang into action. Gale just stood to the side, trying to give him space and not to get in the way.
Liz laid a decisive hand on his shoulder tenderly, but firmly.
"Dude, you okay?" she asked, her fingers prying down his spine, looking for any signs of an injury.
What's happening to me?
The rhetorical question made her frown. She was certain Liz had not heard him say it, but she had. Gale cleared her throat.
"Liz, maybe he just needs some space?" she suggested, rubbing her arm.
Liz scoffed at her statement and glanced up at her with an obvious question in her eyes.
It read, 'who is the one wanting to be a doctor here?'
Gale ignored it and instead watched him. It took a moment to recognize him, but when she did, it only added to the mystery.
"Hanini?"
Liz glanced up at her, shocked to hear who it was. She looked back down and leaned forward to get a better look of the guy's face.
"Hanini? Like Hanini school swim team, Hanini?" Liz asked. "Woah, too much partying?"
Gale frowned at how forward her friend was being. She had never known Hanini to hang with that type of crowd. Then again, she really did not know him.
"Liz," she muttered.
Liz looked up, blinking innocently. "What?"
"Do you need us to call someone?" Gale asked, ignoring Liz. He didn't look well at all. "Or maybe get you a taxi?"
"You could come home with us," Liz suggested.
Ever since Liz started dating, she had been persistent about getting a boyfriend for Gale. She wanted to be able to double date and be able to gush about their relationships, she had said. So now, as she offered allowing him to go back to her house with them, Gale knew she was being more than a good citizen.
Gale sighed and Liz looked up at her and mouthed 'what?' as she shrugged.
-
"Is that you Hanini?"
Kalea's voice rang through the house before the boy could even close the door all the way. Short of breath, Hanini didn't answer immediately. Before he could say a word, she came around the corner. "You're home early." She said, stating the obvious. Hanini could have said the same to her, but she gave him no chance. "Was practice cancelled?" She spoon fed him his excuse!
"Yeah." He answered, nodding his head as he walked by. "Where are your books?" She asked before he could make it to his room. "I left them at school." He said dryly. "Don't have any homework this weekend." She didn't seem as satisfied with that answer, however, she let it go. Hanini went into his room, closed the door, and flung himself onto the bed. What had happened to him before? He definitely saw his body change forms! Maybe he should see a doctor? No. It must have been his imagination. Clearly he was fine, right?
As he pondered that, Kalea walked into his room. Privacy wasn't a thing in her house, and don't even get her started on locked doors... "Since you're home so early, I want you to go to the store for me." She handed him some cash and a short list of items. Hanini didn't bother to argue. He took the money and put it in his back pocket before heading out the door.
It wasn't far to the store. A few blocks maybe. It was in a little shopping center just past an old pizza parlor. Hanini was thinking on his day so heavily as he walked, that he didn't notice the storm clouds brewing. His first warning was a few scattered raindrops, which, for some reason, brought him a sense of comfort, rather than concern. They carried a smile to his face,like he hadn't had all day. But then, with a boom of thunder, the very sky seemed to fall out! Still, he didn't seem perturbed, until he looked down to see his arm appearing to melt under the falling rain water. "****!" He half yelled, making a mad dash for cover. He ended up under the awning at the pizza parlor, where he rushed through the door, and fell to his knees. He tried to cover his arms, but they had already returned to normal. "What's happening to me?" He whispered...
-
Jerry was talking to Martha downstairs; she could hear them.
Gale perched herself on the stairs and leaned down to better hear what they were saying.
It was early, maybe five a.m. Jerry usually did not get up to about eight to leave for work, but a persistant knocking on the front door had awakened them. Martha started to cry. The sound make her stomach churn. Martha would not have cried if the police had not been present.
Her foster dad started to ask the officer what had happened, but officer remained silent. Perhaps he heard the threatening edge in his voice too.
Then, there was shouting following the front door slamming. She was surprised that the old door still functioned correctly after many years of being slammed in anger.
Mike had slammed it more than a few handfuls of times.
To everyone's surprise, Martha stopped crying. Gale heard her light a cigarette and cough. Stage two lung cancer and she was still at three packs a day.
"What we going to tell the kid?" she heard Jerry ask as he shuffled across the room.
"Let's ask her," Martha said coldly. "She's listening right now."
Gale sighed and gave up her hiding space. Her body felt sore from the night before.
She walked in and winced at the harsh kitchen light. Jerry looked her over.
"You like look hell," he said.
She nodded. She felt like it too.
"So you know 'bout Mike?" Martha asked, probably noticing her reddened eyes.
Gale swallowed back tears and nodded her head.
Martha snorted. "Course you do. Were you there, too?"
Flashing red and blue lights came to mind as screams polluted her sanity.
"No m'am," she lied.
Martha accepted the lie. "Go get ready for school."
She was thankful to be dismissed. Climbing the stairs, she could not hold back the tears any longer.
-
School
Morning
What was that awful stench? She leaned forward and smelled her hands. It reeked of the night before, but she had been far away at the times things went down.
Well, hardly less than a block away by that time, but still far enough she did not know she would have been effected.
If only she would have ran instead of disobeying Mike and turning back to watch.
"Gale."
It was Lindsay. She was her pretty sophomore friend. Although she was a year younger than her, she had the maturity of a middle aged adult. Perhaps that was why she enjoyed her company so.
"I heard about Mike," she murmured. "Why are you even at school."
"And go home to cuddly Martha? I don't think so, Liz," she muttered throwing her books in her locker.
Lindsay stared at her as if trying to crack open a safe locke without the code.
"You okay?" she asked.
Gale ignored her friend. Of course she was not 'okay', but when you lived where and how she did, you learned the means to survive. That's what Mike had taught her.
Except, he did not survive.
-
School
Afternoon
Each time she passed a window, her eyes would start to water and her skin would prickle. She wrote it off as a consequence to her having cried all night.
The dismissal bell sounded and students began to shuffled hurriedly out the door, eager to get home. She was not eager whatsoever to return home just yet.
Instead, Liz asked her to go out and grab a bite to eat. She agreed and they took a cab across town together to a pizza joint. They conversed about school and Liz's boyfriend. Well, Liz talked and she just mainly listened. Gale was not in a talkative mood.
"Can I stay with you tonight?" she asked, accidentally interrupting Liz in mid-sentence.
Liz, like the amazing friend she was, did not seem to mind the interruption. They both knew she was just talking to make the air less dense with awkwardness.
"Of course," Liz said, licking her fingers free of any runaway pizza sauce. "Won't Martha be pissed though?"
Gale shrugged. "If she notices at all, she will probably just threaten to call the agency or the cops."
Liz frowned, but did not speak further on the matter. Either way, she was glad that she did not have to return home.
-
6:45am
Hanini woke up in the morning, reeking of an unusual scent. It didn't stink, but Hanini didn't like it. It reminded him of the incident the night before. He had stayed late after practice to help a friend with decorations for a school event, and before he knew it, it was getting dark! He took a shortcut to try to get home quicker, when the sounds of a fight could be heard just a block ahead of him! Hanini didn't want any part in that, so he walked as quietly as he could. It turned out there was a full blown brawl taking place near the docks! and then BOOM!
Purple smoke erupted from the site, causing all parties to scatter, coughing as they tried to maintain their breath! Hanini hadn't been caught in the blast, but he inhaled so much of the smoke he might as well have! He wasn't injured or anything, so he just went home and took a shower.
But now it was morning and he felt....
Thirsty! He jumped out of bed and rushed to the kitchen, where his mother, Kalea was already preparing breakfast. "Breakfast will be ready soon." She told him. His mother was a beautiful Black, Hawaiian woman who was the object of admiration for many of Hanini's friends. But to him, she was just... mom. He didn't respond to her statement, instead grabbing a glass from the cabinet and filling it with water, guzzling it down in mere seconds. "You thirsty?" Kalea teased, as he finished his second glass. He nodded his head as he poured a third. Three glasses later, she appeared concerned. "I know they say you should have six to nine glasses of water a day, Hanini, but it doesn't have to be all at once....
The boy nodded his head and put his glass in the sink before heading upstairs and getting dressed. He was out the door before breakfast was ready.
10:52am
Hanini Had all but drained every water fountain in the school, and spent at least ten dollars on bottled water from the vending machine. He had been excused from both his morning classes for water breaks, but no matter what, he remained parched! This would continue for the entire day.
3:42pm
Swim practice started at 4:15, but Hanini was always the first to arrive. On this day, he was even earlier than normal! Down to trunks, he walked up the the pool, took a deep breath, and jumped in. MAN The water was heaven! Like, even moreso than normal! He didn't even bother to swim! He just closed his eyes and floated on his back. But when he opened his eyes, he realized something wasn't right! It was almost as if his body was melting into the water! He barely even resembled a human! Rather a blown mass of floating mush!
In a panic, he frantically struggled to get out of the water! Without a solid form, he didn't know what he would do on land, but he had to get out! Once he escaped the liquid death trap, however, his body returned to it's normal shape! Still terrified, he screamed and ran out of the gymnasium, just as his coach and teammates arrived. "Hanini what is it?!" They screamed after him, but he was already gone. Not even bothering to gather his things. He didn't stop until he was home, still spooked. But you know what? He wasn't thirsty...
-
It's the day after the Big Bang. The city is about to be filled with confused and anxious meta-humans. Get ready for school! It's Friday!