by J. M. Pierce
“Cliff?” he asked. “Are you here?” Once again he heard nothing, and dropped his head in disappointment.
With a deep sigh he looked to the partially opened front door. He could see Alyssa’s shadow falling into the doorway and stepped quietly towards her. She sat on the porch with her knees pulled up to her chest. Her eyes were locked in a scowl as she stared blankly into the stand of trees beyond the cabin. As he attempted to open the door unnoticed, the hinges creaked ever so slightly causing her to spin ninety degrees.
“Hey,” said Test somberly.
Without a reply she quickly spun back to her original position.
“I’m sorry.” His words were sincere, but lacked the conviction to make acceptance immediate.
Alyssa crossed her legs, stood up directly from the position, and walked to the porch railing. With her hands resting on the still green wood, she replied. “You know Test; you are the first person that I’ve ever told.”
With her back to him, Test couldn’t see the emotion on her face, but he could sense it in her voice.
“There was a time when I was angry. I couldn’t imagine living my life while dealing with things that no child should ever have to experience.” She turned towards him and leaned back on the railing. “Then one day something happened that changed the way I thought of my gift.”
Test walked towards her, the tears streaming down her face stabbing at his heart. He reached out for her.
“Stop,” she spoke sharply as she lifted her palm to him. “Let me finish.” Taking a deep breath, she continued. “It was my freshman year of high school, and I was sitting in last period taking notes. It was just like any other day.” She began to sob, her speaking had become labored. “It was just like any other day. I’d spent the entire day worrying about being asked to a dance; worried one minute that someone would ask me and then the very next, worried about what I’d do if someone did.” She paused as she wiped the tears from under her eyes. “And then my parents walked into the room.” She hid her face in her hands for a moment, and then quickly pulled her hair behind her ears. She continued to wipe the tears from under her eyes as she faced him, but let her eyes focus to the opened door behind him.
He was unsure of what she was saying, but was fearful of asking a question. He reached out to her and caressed her cheek softly. “Why did your parents come to your class?” he asked timidly.
Alyssa smiled at his innocence. “They came to tell me they were sorry.” A silence overtook the forest. There were no birds chirping or leaves rustling. “My parents came to tell me that they were sorry…sorry for leaving me.” She forced herself to look him in the eye. “My parents were killed on their way to pick me up from school.”
Test was paralyzed as her forehead dropped to his chest. He reached his arms around her and held her mercifully. “I am so sorry, Alyssa. You didn’t deserve that.”
She quickly pulled her head away from his chest. “You don’t understand. That was when I became grateful for my gift.” A smile appeared through the tears. “I got to say goodbye.”
The ignorance that he’d displayed became glaringly apparent. He closed his eyes and let his head fall back. He could feel her palms on his chest, her touch a comfort in and of itself.
“Now do you understand?” she asked. “You have a wonderful gift. One day you will realize why you are the way you are. Until then…embrace it.”
He suddenly felt powerful. He opened his eyes and looked at the leaves as they sparkled in the rays of sunlight. “Thank you,” he whispered. He dropped his head, bringing his lips within an inch of hers. “Thank you,” he whispered once more.
Unconsciously he leaned into her and kissed her passionately, running his hand through her hair and holding the back of her head firmly. With a soft finale, their lips parted and he rested his forehead on hers.
“So, what made you finally do that?” she asked with a coy smirk.
Returning her smile, he replied. “I’m just embracing my gift.”
“What does kissing me have to do with your gift?”
“Now you don’t understand,” he replied as he brushed a stray hair from her face. “You are my gift.”
She reached for his lips once more, but was alerted by the sound of an engine in the distance. She turned to the road, but could see nothing. Only a quarter of a mile stretch was visible before the bend in the road disappeared behind a wall of trees.
“Someone’s coming.” Her words were panicked.
Test grabbed her forcefully and pushed her towards the cabin door. “Get inside and hide.” His face had become baleful.
“What are you going to do?” she asked fearfully.
“Get in the cabin!” he yelled.
With his gaze still locked on Alyssa, Test launched into the air, splintering the deck beneath him. He stopped a couple of hundred feet in the air and could see the dust trails of a vehicle floating in the winding void that was the road. He looked back to the earth to see Alyssa still standing in the doorway, her neck arched unnaturally as she watched him. As suddenly as he had departed, he let himself drop back to the ground, landing in the new dirt with a thud just in front of the deck.
Alyssa had watched the event as if it were in slow motion. The force of his take off had absolutely no effect on the expression of his face, and neither did the landing. She watched as he lifted his hand, the brilliant red glow nearly blinding, and she suddenly felt a pressure around her waist. Her feet left the ground by several inches and she found herself being carried backwards. As she cleared the doorway, the door was slammed shut.
Test dropped his hand and turned to the road just as a yellow truck pulled into the yard. He turned aggressively and immediately took the truck into his anger laden grasp. The vehicle stopped instantly, and as Test lifted it into the air, the engine roared wildly. The rear wheels continued to spin as the truck hung in the air like a leaf in the wind.
“Turn off the truck!” Test growled.
The rear wheels stopped spinning as the driver applied the brake and put the truck into park. Test could barely feel the vehicles weight as his adrenaline pounded through him. The pulses of energy radiated down his arms, clearly visible in the daylight. With an immediate release, the truck dropped to the ground violently.
Though the truck was now on the ground, the glare on the windshield prevented Test from seeing who was inside. He stood in front of the truck, legs spread wide and his arms held stiffly at his sides like an old west gunfighter ready to draw his weapon.
James had come searching for them as a favor to his boss and friend, Enrique. He had heard of Test, but could never have imagined the power that he was witnessing as he glared from his seat in horror. Before him was a monster. The sight of Test standing in his sweats, bared torso heaving with deep breaths, and a faint glow of blue and red beneath his naked flesh, was terrifying. Just a few hours ago, he knew the young man as Chance Johnston, a quiet, well mannered kid. He knew that the young man seemed to have a past, but this was beyond any nightmare that he could have dreamt. He lifted slowly on the door handle, unsure if he was going to run or speak. As the handle clicked, the door flew open and savagely tore itself from the vehicle. James watched in shock as it sailed through the air. His flight reflex took over as he burst from the cab, sprinting towards the tree line. The sound of his feet hitting the ground pounded in his ears, equaling the force of his beating heart. With a sudden stop, his arms snapped to his sides and he found himself encased by an invisible force. The tremendous pressure forced out all of his air, and his ribs felt as though they would shatter at any moment.
Test held him fiercely, his mind racing through past events. He could not let anyone find out where he and Alyssa were. Now standing with his right arm outstretched, he held the driver hovering inches above the road some fifty feet away. As Test twisted his hand, his prey rotated in turn.
James struggled for breath. He could see Alyssa standing in the doorway of the cabin, her figure obscured by what resembled
waves of heat coming off of concrete. Though he couldn’t hear her, he could tell that she was screaming. He strained to look at Test and watched horrifically as colorless waves of energy exploded from his body.
Test lifted his left hand and threw the truck to the side like it was a toy. He opened his mouth, and from deep within him came a primal roar that thundered through the forest.
Behind him, Alyssa screamed. “Test! Stop it! Test!”
His anger and fear had consumed him completely, rendering him deaf and blind to his surroundings. His only focus was on the perceived threat in front of him.
Suddenly, a blast of pain crushed his chin, sending him falling backwards to the ground. He stared at the sky and his mind temporarily disconnected from his body. He then became aware of someone standing over him. He lowered his chin and propped himself up on an elbow. Before him was a young black man, dressed in dated clothing; black shoes with a white band in the middle, tan cotton pants, and a white tank top. He instantly recognized him as the man from his dream.
“Are you done, boy?” asked the figure aggressively.
Test had yet to catch his breath.
The man leaned down, staring face to face with Test. “What the sam hell do you think you’re doin’? Is this who you are now? Is it?” The man’s voice was deafening.
Test began to push himself away from his assailant, but the man seemed to hover over him. Throwing his hand forward, he released a pulse, trying to knock the man away from him. In utter shock, he watched as the smaller stature figure remained in position, and with a wink, began to change; ageing in a matter of seconds. As the edges of his sight faded to black, Cliff spoke.
“You still don’t learn too quick, do you, son?”
Chapter 15
The light had begun to enter the clearing as Test squinted into the late morning sky. He was aware of a conversation to his right, but his hearing had not yet fully cleared the fog that had gripped his mind. As he attempted to right himself, his jaw ached sharply. He made his way to one knee, and then let out an involuntary groan.
“Test.”
Hearing his name brought the world into focus. He looked in the direction of the voice and watched as Alyssa ran towards him. James stood by the center piece tree in the middle of the yard. Even from a distance, Test could see his body shaking. As the two of them locked eyes, James began to back away.
Alyssa could see the confusion on Test’s face, and as she crouched in front of him, he attempted to look around her, still eyeing James.
“Are you okay?” she asked. Her voice was a tenuous mix of both concern and anger.
Test answered as he rubbed his jaw. “I think so. What happened?”
“What happened?” yelled James from across the yard.
Test spun to see him standing in a flight ready posture, hands clenched into fists and red faced. He then noticed the door to the truck lying by the road, and then panned to the left to see the truck resting on its side. Shards of glass decorated the ground like crystalline snow. The memory came flooding back to him.
“Oh my God.” His words were barely audible as he looked to Alyssa with a blank expression. “I…I just wanted us….”
He jumped to his feet and reached out to James who dropped to the ground at the sight of Test’s open hand. Test watched as he lay flat on his stomach, arms over his head and trembling in fear.
“James.” He took a step towards his friend, and before he could take another, Alyssa grabbed his arm.
She turned him towards her. “He’s in shock, Test.” She looked to James as he peeked up from under his arms. “You…” Her words remained trapped.
Test turned back to James. “James, please forgive me,” he pleaded. “I didn’t know it was you, I swear.”
James lifted his head, his eyes now red with burst vessels from the force of Test’s grasp. “What are you?” he asked fearfully.
Test’s body deflated. He was ashamed of himself and his lack of self control. “Damn it,” he mumbled under his breath. He lifted his head and spoke in a defeated tone. “I’m not what….” He paused. “I’m still just the guy that’s worked for you for the past year.”
“No…no!” replied James. “I’ll tell you what you are! You’re a….”
“James,” Alyssa interrupted, speaking his name as if to warn him.
The two men had been so focused on each other that neither of them had noticed that Alyssa had walked across the yard toward James. “It’s okay,” she spoke soothingly. “I know you’re afraid, and you have every right to be.” She dropped to her knees next to him and began to rub his back. “Why did you come here? How did you know we’d be here?”
The questions sparked something in James. They were enough of a distraction from his fear that he rose to his knees. He let his sight focus on Alyssa. “It was Enrique’s idea,” he replied. “We’d all spent the night looking for you; Julie, Enrique, myself, and the….” He paused as he looked at Test.
“Who?” Alyssa asked inquisitively.
“The agents.”
The hairs on Test’s neck quickly stood as he was awash with panic at the word. He walked towards them, sending James scrambling backwards as he held up a hand defensively.
“Test, stop it!” screamed Alyssa. She watched as Test reacted sharply to her voice and scowled at her in frustration. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to compose herself. “You’re going to have to control your movements.” Her voice had become calm and instructive.
Test returned his focus to James. “Who do you mean, James? What agents?”
James backed himself against the tree. “I don’t know.”
The answer quickly agitated Test, nearly forcing him to take another step forward. A quick wave of Alyssa’s hand reminded him to find the slightest bit of composure.
“Are you talking about the police, the detective; who, James? It’s important,” he asked in an obviously manufactured sense of calm.
James scratched his head, unsure of how much information he should give. “Why should I tell you anything, Chance?” As soon as the name left his mouth, he began to chuckle. “Chance.” He said the name once more as he shook his head. “I don’t even know you. You tell me that you’re the guy that’s worked for me, but you’re not.” His voice became cracked with emotion. “You were going to kill me.” He paused, the trembling in his body had returned. “Whether you meant to do it or not….” He paused once again.
The sight of James broken was torturous. Test shoved his hands in his pockets and slowly took a step towards him. “I don’t know what to say.” He continued slowly towards him. “Do you remember when you were giving me a hard time about Alyssa? I told you that it was complicated.” Test now stood next to Alyssa as she remained kneeling on the ground. “If I would have told you just how and why it was complicated….” His own voice began to break. “If I would have told you who…no, what I really was, how would you have taken that?”
James jumped to his feet angrily. “I would have taken it a hell of a lot better than finding out in the process of almost being killed, you son of a bitch!” He turned and began to sprint away across the road.
Test faced his palms to the earth, ready to launch himself after him.
Alyssa quickly jumped to her feet. “No!” she screamed. “You’ve done enough!”
Test eyed her in shock and watched as she sprinted after James.
Alyssa followed James into the tree line, darting in and out of the endless wall of wooden pillars. Ahead of her, she watched as he tripped over a fallen branch, sending him tumbling awkwardly to the ground. As she came upon him, he rolled over and covered his face defensively.
“James, it’s just me.” Her breathing was labored from the run, but her words were passive and fluid. “Calm down. Please?” She patted him on the chest in a protective, sisterly way, and then turned to look behind her. “It’s okay. He’s still up at the cabin. We’re alone.”
James slowly uncovered his face, peering shee
pishly over his forearm to confirm that she was telling the truth.
“I understand why you’re upset. We’re all upset,” she spoke as her face flushed with frustration. “He had no right to do that to you, but understand that I think he was just protecting himself.” She paused, the intensity in her eyes growing softer. “And me.”
James begrudgingly lifted his torso and wrapped his arms around his knees. Alyssa brushed the dried leaves from his flannel shirt.
Continuing to caress his back, she attempted to calm him. “I know this is all insane, but give him a chance to explain.” She found it hard to look at him. His eyes were like fire, the red completely overtaking the white within them.
James shook his head, glancing between the ground and Alyssa. “I don’t think I can.” A tear rolled down his cheek.
She replied cautiously, understanding the fear and pain that must be consuming him. “Sure you can, James. Do you trust me?” she asked sweetly.
James nodded his head.
“He won’t hurt you again. I promise you.”
The two of them sat silently while James stared in the direction of the cabin. With a painful gasp, he stood and looked down to Alyssa. Motioning with his head, he spoke with a sandy voice. “Let’s get this over with. I don’t want him hunting me later.”
Alyssa dropped her head. While the result that she wanted was achieved, his understanding of Test had definitely not changed. She stood and brushed the remaining leaves from his shirt. “Thank you.”
As the two of them exited the woods, Test made sure that his hands remained locked into his pockets, knowing that the sight of them made the situation worse for James. He watched as Alyssa took James by the hand, almost dragging him until they were within twenty feet.
“That’s close enough,” gruffed James.
Alyssa released his hand, but remained by his side in an effort to provide a small amount of comfort.