Misery Saves the Night

by Brittany Allen

  “Ugh!” One of the bigger female soldiers tackled Gillian straight on and pushed her to the ground. She had pinned Gillian in the exact places that cut off her powers. Not many people knew about those points, as each ability had their own secrets.

  Not far behind her, Trey used his bottled up rage and a wave of fire spread out of his body in every direction for fifty feet. This attack burned through most of the soldier’s protective gear and singed their bodies. Those closer to him were left with third degree burns and crying out in pain on the ground.

  The woman on top of Gillian was pushed off by his powers and left unconscious. Gillian laid there, not able to catch her breath in a room lacking necessary oxygen. Trey leaned over her and picked her up in his arms.

  “Let me down you dork.” She was feeling a bit better already. “I’m no damsel in distress.”

  “But you are one heck of a damsel.” Trey let her down and held on to her sides until she balanced herself.

  “Here comes more!” Justine watched as more soldiers entered the level to replace the ones that Trey and Gillian had defeated. “Forget this!” She fled the force field and jumped right into battle. Saving her energy, Justine used her natural strength and grace to fight the monsters coming after her.

  “She’s right!” Yasire joined the fight.

  “Go, go, go!” Rheanne shouted at Cirri who was low on energy, but still had enough stamina to last a few rounds. She jumped into the air and took off for those attacking her family. “You were warned!”

  Those who had begun their attacks went down quicker than they were able to enter the room. Justine was all over the room. Moving from one opponent to another like a crazed child throwing a temper tantrum. She felt like all of what was happening was a fairytale. Her body floated in the air as she attacked and her adrenaline was pumping. There sure was some magic in the air.

  Flying up the side of the building in a short white skirt and a tight purple plaid tank top, an outfit she got from a girl who had the misfortune of being in Recarie’s path back to the NSSH headquarters, Recarie could feel a large amount of heat coming from the top floor.

  “Level seven.” She whispered. Any power masking the top floor had no effect on Recarie. It was clearly visible and her destination point.

  In her wake, windows shattered and the building shook. With her curly hair tied back, you could see the unemotional face. Behind that face was stirring feelings that all fell into rage. Hovering outside of the seventh floor, Recarie rested her hand upon the window. She could feel Temthaw Vene’s presence inside. Stepping back a few feet, Recarie drew her hands back and placed them in front of her. One hand in the other, she felt her powers build and then quickly threw her hands apart. This motion effectively shattered the seven windows to her left and right.

  She stepped right into the huge gap in the building and into Temthaw’s office. Secretaries and assistants stopped in their tracks. Papers were scattered all over the room and Temthaw was nowhere to be seen.

  “Do you want to give up now, or shall I kill you instead.” Even though Recarie had no intention of killing them, she was hoping they would save her some energy and choose the easier option.

  “Oh thank gawd!” One of them threw their hands in the air. “I am so tired and fed up with all of this.”

  “Me too!” Another assistant tossed the phone in the air.

  Recarie accepted their surrender and teleported them outside the building to the parking lot where they could watch all of the fireworks that were about to come. She scanned the rooms for any other life forms and found the man she was looking for.

  “You know.” Recarie began. She was all too sure that Temthaw could hear her. “All I wanted was to live peacefully. Living out my life in a drab and routine way like the other half of the world would not have been so bad. You’d think someone might listen to me and care about what I want, but all you could see were your own selfish ambitions. So many lives have been lost at your hands. Some of them I knew. If I was not right here, right now, I would never believe one person could cause all this and if you give up your position as the last head of the NSSH, we will spare your life.”

  The only thing that made a sound was the wind blowing through the broken windows. She had her answer.

  “Aren’t you curious of how your family is doing?” Temthaw’s voice echoed on the walls. “Three hundred of the NSSH’s finest men and women are ripping them apart right now.” His chuckles had no effect on her. “And yet here you are like a coward sitting out of all the action. But no matter any of that. Once your mother’s powers drop she will no longer be able to suspend the explosion that is soon to come.”

  She was not really affected by his words, but left him to join her family in battle on the floor below. There was no way for Temthaw to escape and Recarie knew that. Using what little powers that dwindled in her body, Recarie blew a hole in the floor straight to the battle on the floor below.

  Her family felt her presence and looked at her magnificent entrance. She was surrounded by the bright morning light and her silver wings sparkled like diamonds. A power emanated from her body. This made the soldiers hesitate and jump. They could feel her strength even though her power was at its most minimal.

  “Now!” Her angelic childlike voice boomed. “Anyone wanting to surrender now can leave, but if you continue to put up a fight I will have to murder you.” She blinked her eyelashes furiously.

  It did not take much more for the rest of the standing soldiers to go scrambling out of the door and into the staircase. Reaching the floor, Recarie’s family pushed past the mob to get to her. They could see her in the back of the room looking like there was no happiness left in the world. So much her family wanted to ask her and now they would get the chance. Recarie was so close.

  Rheanne had tears in her eyes. She wanted to hold her daughter who looked so tough, yet fragile and in need of protection. Trey, Cirri, Yasire, and even Justine were right behind her. Recarie did not move an inch to greet them. With the same cold expression, Recarie turned away from her family and before they knew what was happening, they were all outside and a safe distance from the building.

  Chapter 12

  From the End to the Beginning

  Everyone had been safely evacuated and only Temthaw and Recarie remained. She returned to the seventh floor and he was there waiting for her.

  “And so what if you destroy the NSSH buildings and take down the heads of government?” He threw a random book at her. “Our ideas and legacy still remains in the minds of our people. You cannot just take a caged animal and release it back into the wild to survive. It always will come back to you for food and direction. These people have never known freedom and would be lost without us. Can’t you get that? We are the only form of government here and when you take away order only chaos remains!” The vein in his neck throbbed.

  “You have never spent a day out in the real world. All this time you have spent high above the clouds has made you blind to what has been going on all around you.” Recarie was calm and dodged the second book he tossed at her. “Those people you talk about like you know them were once free and some of them you turned into soldiers, but all of them have been your puppets. That’s right, I am aware that you started the NSSH and shoved all of those with super human abilities, like yourself, into cages. I see it all so clearly as I read your mind.” She stepped closer to him. “People need to live their own lives and find their own destin… Destinies!” Her hands trembled and legs locked.

  “Looks like you have come to the end of your little rant.” Temthaw stepped out behind the desk and jammed his foot into her ribs as she lay sprawled out on the ground. “You’ve used more energy than you had. Looks like it’s catching up to you. Whatever made you think you could take down an entire government? Hm…?”

  Recarie reached out and grabbed his ankle while she lay on the floor. Using the same technique she had used on Ian, Recarie absorbed a small portion of Temthaw’s energy.

 
; “Bitch!” He kicked her again. “Go to hell.” Temthaw went in to deliver the final blow to break all of her ribs.

  “Only if you join me.” With a smirk on her face. Recarie used her last bit of strength. Her eyes lit up like sparkling oval moons and a blue orb of energy expanded from her naval until it covered her body. “He, he, he.” She laughed in such a dramatic way that Temthaw thought she was demented.

  Inside her blue orb, he watched as she weaved pure platinum energy with her hands. Recarie strung it in all directions until it was laced on her hands like yarn. Swinging it left and right, then over her head it draped over her body. She could have been mistaken for a tinsel laced pine tree. Her body absorbed it then expelled it in a blastd that consumed Temthaw first, followed by the whole seventh floor. It flowed down into the lower levels which removed her mother’s power that kept the grenade from exploding. One by one the bombs went off with Recarie still in the building.

  Outside Ian was just reaching the parking lot he had seen so many times before. Hundreds of people watched in awe at the bombs going off in the building in front of them. A boom was followed by a burst of flames each time a bomb detonated. The top floor was the first to crumble and each one under it followed suit until the building was no more than a pile of rock, metal, and dust.

  Ian pushed his way to the front of the gawkers. The heat of the remaining flames was unbearable. He had to step back from the debris and bumped into a wall, or something like it.

  “Trey!” Ian fell on the ground in excitement. “Where is she?”

  Rheanne joined her son. “Who?” She asked Ian with a raised brow.

  “Recarie! Where is she?” His hands trembled and his legs could not stop shaking. “The most beautiful woman in the world. The one woman I love more than life itself! Where is she?!”

  A silver speck floated on to his cheek. Small glittery flakes were flowing from the air. Ian looked up to see a shining Recarie drifting to the ground. The dark rain clouds had gathered from the smoke rising into the air and blocked the sun. Along with Recarie’s energy burning off in the form of the silver flakes, came the ash flowing in the air from the fire.

  Recarie reached the ground where she laid on the black asphalt. Ian ran to her and for the first time he was aware of the heart beating in his chest. Her family walked slowly behind him as to let the pair have their moment as it was probably their last. Approaching Recarie, Ian took off his jacket. The explosion had ripped most of her clothing off.

  “Ian.” A small hand reached for him.

  “Yes.” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “Recarie.”

  “Ah, you say my name in such a way that makes me melt.” The back of her hand rubbed against his cheek.

  “How do we always find ourselves in this situation?” Ian picked her head off the ground and tucked his shirt under it to make her a little bit more comfortable. He tried to pretend like he did not see her legs disappearing in to silver sparkles. “The first time we met, when we reunited only hours ago, and now.”

  “This is just fate’s way of telling us that we weren’t meant to be together.” Recarie laughed coughing up more blood. “Damn near had enough warnings.”

  “Ha, ha, ha.” His eyes tightened. Tears stung his eyes and they trickled down his cheek. “For real.” Her legs were completely gone. “I guess it is the best time to say this, so here goes.” Ian took in a deep breath to gather all of his courage. “Hm?”

  There were no needs for words. Recarie beat him to a confession when she lifted herself up and with eyes closed shut, kissed Ian. This was a moment they waited for and Ian made the most of it. His fingers ran through her hair as he let his passion take over. The onlookers blushed either from the public display of deep pent up emotions or maybe from the fire burning behind the couple.

  It took only seconds for her torso to dissipate taking her hand with it. The last thing Recarie did before disappearing completely was bite Ian’s bottom lip and then wave to her family standing behind them. Rain started to fall slowly and Ian held on to her hand until it too died out. Only his jacket remained.

  Trey laid a heavy hand on his best friends shoulder. “Dude, you should get out of the rain.” His words bounced right off of Ian.

  “You will get sick. With all the ash and body particles, you’re bound to catch something.” Justine touched one of Ian’s hands that still clutched the tiny hero’s jacket.

  Even though Ian was still unsure of what was going on the familiar voices made him feel at ease. “But…” He put up a mild struggle.

  “A lot has happened today and there’s a lot that needs to be discussed.” A woman very much resembling Recarie crouched in front of him. “We lost a wonderful soul today.” She smiled and Ian took her hand. “That’s a good boy. Now let us take you home.” This woman even spoke like Recarie.

  Tory, with Caleth, arrived back in Disten. It has been two weeks since the last of the NSSH government institutions were taken down. All Zones were destroyed and the thousands of people that dwelled there were free. Things were not like Temthaw had predicted, but they were also not like Recarie and her family had expected either.

  Former Zone inhabitants were finding homes and jobs thanks to the FPA and local organizations around Disten. These newly liberated human beings did not put up any resistance for the change. As an added measure they were all were given a therapist they were able to see every week and whenever they needed to talk. Overall, people were glad the NSSH was gone and they called for Trey and his family to form the new government. They planned to utilize the existing public services, like police, hospitals, and schools but without the restriction placed on them by the NSSH.

  People were free and equal at last, but at a great cost. Those involved in the coup were given a proper investigation. Rheanne, Trey, Justine, Yasire, and Cirri were cleared on all charges as they never actually killed anyone, stole anything, and now that the government was being reformed being super powered was no longer illegal. They later accepted political positions and would straighten out Disten in to a democracy where each citizen had a voice and would be heard. Life was good. Well for most people anyways.

  Ian had been welcomed into Recarie’s family and they told him everything. Some things he was told came as a disappointment. “So we never actually…?” He asked Justine.

  “Nope, sorry. All an illusion on my part or sometimes I messed with memories in your head.” They sat apart from each other in the society’s liar. “All on my mother’s orders of course.”

  “I did it as a favor for a very dear person in my past life.” Rheanne sipped a cup of tea Cirri had brought her. “Oh and please don’t feel weird around me because I used to masquerade around as a two hundred and forty pound man.”

  This was new information to Ian, as was most things he was told that evening. “Sean?” His own cup of tea fell out of his hands.

  Cirri came and kissed Rheanne in Sean’s form. “Yes, and I adopted this guise because of a very kind friend of mind asked me to. They also asked me to take care of you. This person meant a lot to me.”

  “Now, I have a question for you.” Trey slapped his buddy on the arm. “Going to be my best man?”

  Ian seemed spaced out still thinking everything he had been told over. “Oh yeah. You’re engaged to Gillian… Sure. I will do it.”

  “You should be thrilled!” Trey rubbed his knuckles on Ian’s head.

  “I miss her…” Just when everyone had gotten over the hardest part of healing, Ian brought it right back.

  “We all do.” Yasire Held her glass in the air. “To the great hero. To our Recarie.”

  “To Recarie.” Caleth, Tory, Justine, Cirri, Gillian, Rheanne, Yasire, and Ian cheered and suddenly everything seemed a little better.

  Waves crashed on the side of a brown cliff. The rain was falling hard and lightning jolted Recarie awake. She was hanging half way off of the cliff thirty feet above the sea.

  “How…?” She looked at her hands and then touched her face
. “Is this the afterlife? The dark skies and terrible weather would mean I got sent to a bad place. Guess I was not nice enough. Oh yeah… All those trance induced murders… Yep, that’d sure enough do it.”

  “Ugh!” A young woman deeper in the cave screamed. “Who, who, who.” She breathed heavily.

  “Guess I am not the only new arrival tonight, or is it today? Eh?” Recarie shrugged her shoulders and went to meet the woman.

  Deep inside the cave Recarie spotted the woman leaning up against the cave. Her violet bangs were matted to her face and she seemed to be in a great amount of pain. She wore a brown and violet muumuu that almost covered her fat belly.

  “Oh shit!” Recarie screamed. “What are you doing giving birth in a cave and in hell at that?”

  “What? Who, who, who.” The woman breathed heavily. “Hell?” She tensed and put a hand on her stomach. “Contractions are getting closer and they still aren’t here. Hey!” She yelled to Recarie who was trying to get warmth by the small fire. “This baby is coming out backwards.”

  “That’s not good…” She joined the woman at her side. “What do you need?”

  “An epidural and for you to turn it around!” The woman gripped Recarie’s hand as another contraction came and went.

  “What? NO!” Recarie was still held in the woman’s surprisingly strong grips.

  “I will instruct you. I can sanitize your hands and my baby will be born.” Her breath went over both of Recarie’s hands. “There, now could you please do this? My husband must have run into some trouble and won’t get here, ooh! Soon enough.”

  “Okay.” Recarie positioned herself in front of the woman and placed her hands on the woman’s stomach. She could feel the child inside her. “I need you to relax. Don’t want the cord to strangle your baby. Ready?!” The woman gave her a ‘thumbs up’ as she tried to breath.