by BRANDON WOO
Dear Reader,
So, let’s get started, but first let me introduce myself.
My Name is Hector Dagger and I’m what they call a Dragonfly. Hear me out because what I’m about to tell you is real. I wish I could sugar coat the truth but, that would just make the story less believable. That little bubble of delusion of yours could break when I tell you what’s really happening out here as you read through the pages of this book.
Some identities of the people in this book had the consent of the said individual to be revealed, so feel free to get to know them.
So, let’s start like this.
There are special people in this world. With special powers. We don't ask to be special. We're just born this way. We were born with it, it runs within our own veins. Altered by our DNA. Waiting to emerge.
We pass you on the streets every day, unnoticed by most.
It started years ago, New York was witnessing an event where some of the residents there Discovered to posses powers based on elements. Its said to have been caused from a plague in The US. The humans called them, Convicts. For three months, New York was thrown into chaos. The Convicts grew and destroyed the city for their own selfish purposes but over time, the war ended and The Convicts disappeared. After the events of New York the world now has a big question, Where are The Convicts? No one knows.
So, even though you don’t see it, its here in your very city. If your looking for a story about a child being a superhero, this might not be the book for you. Because its not just my story. This is a story of how people like me, who came from all walks of life came together. So if you are curious to know, keep reading. Try to keep track of who is going to be featured in this book, because I’m not your only chronicler. Like I mentioned, its not only my story. As you keep reading further and further, you will have a hard time keeping up with who is talking. These other chroniclers would just pop up and I have no control over what they chronicle about. But you will find that their stories will tie with the main story so sit back and get ready.
Thank you.
Hector Dagger
1
The Spark
Hector:
I’ve told myself that this is a dream but sadly its not. I don’t even know why am I here. I was born normal, just an average kid like you. You might have even passed by me in school or something but now I’m part of this crazy world right under your feet and even though you don’t see it. Its here in your very city. I’ve seen this world with my own two eyes, and I wanna show it to you.
But to tell you all about it, I might need to go back, a very long time ago. I was one of those kids who weren’t so lucky. I was one of those kids with powers when I ‘came of age’.
Northwest is a widely scattered Early European settlement established on the surrounding hills. Northwest is a neighborhood and autonomous town. So here, you’ll find a lot of people with different opinions. Be it politics or religion or about Justin Bieber, everything is fair. There are some places in Northwest such as the public library. These landmarks can define districts as well as neighborhoods. There are schools and even universities here. But the only one I knew is The Northwest School of the Arts, Humanities and Environment. Though out this year, school has been great. I tried to act casually about life in school but there has been a lot going on. I’m not the kind of person who is famous in school.
I’ve always been like the cool kids. I usually shuffle around school, dragging my feet to class back and forth. This is my freshmen year and since freshmen is already over, I’m really glad that I am used to my surroundings.
I’m used to new surroundings. We’ve been living here all our lives but what I mean to say is I am used to new environments. Lockers, classrooms, science labs, and The Student Body.
I’ve watched movies on how Hollywood described high school to be like and honestly, life here is not like that. It’s fair to say I’m the weird kid.
I am an adventurous person.
Most days you would find me missing from home, out in the forest searching for new gems and new horizons. I would be covered in mud, my shoes will be piled in a layer of sand and I would have wired items in my hands. Which is why my home is very close to the forest.
The fresh morning fresh air will be a great booster for you to start the day. But today is different. Today is where I call it a day, resting for an entire day in my room reading about all sorts of wired things a casual 14-year-old won’t bother to find out. Its summer. Most kids are either out for camps or on road trips. But I just stayed at home. Camps are not my thing. I won’t want to waste my summer on a camp to deal with friends, student dramas and all the hoo-ha’s.
It was night time. The midnight heat was hot yet the wind blew in the neighborhood of Northwest, Seattle. Cooling off the unbearable heat. It was a quiet night. Silent. The moonlight was shining over the streets. Nights like these are magical. I used to imagine there are native hunters stalking us, watching over us at night but I’m older now, these things are just part of a kid’s imagination.
We had a campfire earlier that night in the backyard. The wind howled as the laundry flopped around. If you have some keen eyes, you can notice a badger crawling by the trees and into the forest. Dad, who is a strong believer in a healthy family lifestyles organized a backyard campfire for us to enjoy the beautiful night. He told ghost stories which I’ve heard of since I was little, it’s starting to get boring but I was distracted by the smell of the S’mores mom made for us. My little sister, Alice listened in fear when my dad tried to scare us. Alice was two or three years younger than me. She rolled around the grass in horror, restlessly scooting over to the back of my shoulder but I wasn’t scared at all. I’ve heard of it but for Alice’s sake I tried to act scared.
Alice and I are only a few years apart. I’m fourteen and she’s ten. Our relationship as siblings are close. Some days, we are inseparable. It’s the age gap that makes us very close, given that we are only a few years apart. Alice has long straight black hair and green eyes. Her eyes display the widest sense of wonder about this world. You can say she is half alien because she creates a lot of wonderlands of her own. She has a rounded sharp face, and her smile makes your heart melt.
We had our last cup of hot chocolate and went to bed. If you stayed quiet, you can only hear the sound of crickets and other animals and bugs minding their own business. It was one of those hot and cold weathers, the temperatures were just right. Summers usually passed by like this. We do an activity and we go to bed and we do another one the day after, every day is an adventure. I could still hear my father, talking with my mother while the fire was still burning from the outside my room window. Their conversations were from what I could gather, about work. None of my business. I walked casually to my bed and fell face first to my pillow. It’s been a long day.
Sometime at night while we were all asleep, the putted out fire from the outside began to emerge from the blowing hot wind. It grew and spread into the house kitchen. The agonizing smell of the smoke teared up my eyes as I curl up in my bedroom. Realizing the smell, I sat up and stared in wide-eyed horror at the fire that’s surrounding me. The door, slightly burned and the cupboard in my room burned black. I woke up straight and ran to my parents, warning them, calling them up. They were already wide awake. “Get Alice!” My father yelled. My parents got up and began to run. I followed them from behind. Their eyes were filled with fear. the flames rippled across dressers. the burning wallpaper curled and melted.
My father carried Alice in their arms and barged out of the house.
A huge pile of ceiling bits fell. Creating a block over the pathway. Stopping me on my tracks. The brittle crackling sounds of the flames got louder and the ceiling crumbled as the house began to fall apart. The fire began to build its way towards the roof. I wasn’t going to let that happen. I wanted to survive. I wanted to live.
I had to. I had to.
Suddenly, the fire around me turned green.
Emerald Green. The fire danced.
It began to sway itself away from me.
It’s as if its scared of me or something.
No time to think. Need to run.
Every step I took, the fire around me turned green and swayed away.
I didn’t look. I just kept running.
I ran blindly until I tumbled to the cool darkness of the ground.
Landing on the soft green grass.
Air! Fresh air at last!
I gasped while staring at the horrific sight of the fire that took over my home. The flames roared, burning everything it its path. I was panting so loudly, gasping for clean air.
I was in shock.
I was confused.
I had no idea what was going on.
The fire consumed the house entirely. Seconds after fire fighters came right on time to put the fire out. That was when I had a good look at my hands. Warping my thoughts. Did I just discovered I had powers?
The water from the firefighters soaked the burning house while the fire was completely being cleared out.
The damages were not very big.
Just a few burns and property damage.
The good news was, the house is still intact.
Everyone thinks the house has faded, but it hasn't. She was finally stumbling over it with me. The roof had already burnt off, or had been all destroyed by the years of rain and shine, I don't know. The brick skeleton of the building had survived the fire though blackened and charred. The house is safe.
Imagine once, you were fine then your world was flipped upside down, that’s what its like for me now. When my parents discovered that I could control and create fire, they were scared. They were terrified. My mother especially became extremely paranoid. Holding a fire extinguisher ready in case if it happens again. Some nights, I could overhear them arguing to give me up. It became very hard to sleep and wake up these days. Knowing the fact that you suddenly had powers can be quite shocking. When I woke up on the other side of the bed, it was burning hot. It wasn’t warmth but real fire on whatever I touched. I was able to put it out but the bed was badly burned. Rough time to sleep.
It was hard to keep track of these summer days.
One seemed to melt into another. I was having a lonely summer but that was an interesting way to end it. Most of my friends are either gone for family vacations or camps. But ever since what happened, we’ve been trying to recover. I sat up in my new bed and muttered to myself.
“wow, what a mess?” I wish I could just say it’s all a dream, a horrible dream. But it really happened. I sank back on my pillow and waited for a moment. I could still picture the flames, the sour smoke and the horror of it all. I glanced at my new desk clock. "8:15 am".
Put on a T-shirt and marched to my door to the staircase. Mom prepared breakfast, summer was almost over but the neighborhood was still quiet. I got downstairs and grabbed my meal and sat on the new table. Mom stopped talking to me for a while because of the whole power thing. It’s not like a mundane thing to know the fact that your kid had powers.
My mother is considered as a pretty beautiful person. She’s in her forties but still maintains her physique in good condition.
Easy to say she worked out. Like a lot.
Alice is out with her friends. Since they just came back from their own trip, Alice looked forward to seeing them again. My friends on the other end are still away from town. They look forward to leave this town and go out but I prefer the comforts of home.
My dad had some friends to help repair the damaged house. Things were quite okay. With some repainting, repairing and additional furniture, the house returned to normal.
As I turned to the toaster to get my toasted bread, there was a loud knock on the door. “I’ll get it!” I said. I ran over and opened the door to find two men in full black suits and sunglasses right outside, looking wilted in the heat.
“Hello, Dagger residents?”
“mom!” I called. “who are these people?”
They smell like government.
My mother ran to the front door, standing right behind me,
trying to explain herself. “this is Sean Johann.”
“he is part of a group of people. Special people.” she added.
“may we come in?” Sean asked politely. “yes, come in.” my mom said, walking me back to the kitchen.
Sean was a fairly young man. Probably around his 20-s. He was wearing a long black leather coat. Inside his coat was zipped up to his neck, he also wore a pair of black leather pants.
The other guard was wearing the same costume looking out at the kitchen window. His hair is blonde. He was keeping his hands into his coat pocket. He looked out the window and walked past the window and walked around slowly.
“hello Hector.” he began. “sorry I spooked you.”
I was trying not to gaze at the looks of his intimidating eyes but his eyes showed that he is serious.
His hair is red. His skin is quite fair, like snow.
We sat by the kitchen table.
My heart beats harder and sweat is rolled down to my face.
“I know you’ve been through a lot lately.” he comforted but really. Realizing you have the power to control fire is not natural.
Not for a normal fourteen-year-old that is.
He took a pause, trying to find the words to say
“Let me clear it up for you.” he finally said.
“You’re part of a group of people called The Convicts. Your category is the Dragonfly.” I was surprised.
“A what?” I asked.
Sean was trying to explain about Dragonflies while the word, Convict came echoing in my ear. How can a normal teenage kid like me be a Convict? I mean those are like murderers. Even though I don’t know much about them, I heard about it in school since the war in New York years ago. “In The Lab you’ll not only learn to use your powers but be tested and used to your full extent. You are what we call a Dragonfly.”
“so this is a lab for freak likes us?” I asked.
The name Dragonfly sounds like I’m the bug.
I’ve seen them, bright colored, fast and hard to catch.
“It’s called Pyrokinesis. You have an alleged psychic ability allowing you to create and manipulate fire with your mind. Your fire colors are based on our inner personality. And no, it’s not a place for freaks but an institute. A safe place for people like you.” Sean explained.
I browsed through my mind about all this info I have to observe.
Pyrokinesis... It sounded like an old Greek word.
“So technically, it’s the power of colorful fires.” I said.
“Yes. There are others such as Butterflies, they have the ability to blast powers of light towards objects through the direct influence light. Fireflies, Sand flies, Horseflies, Sawflies. It goes on and on.”
he continued.
“It’s for the best son.” he in all seriousness.
This is not like your regular “sex talk”. Normally this is about the typical talk when you come of age but this is not your typical talk.
This is the “your powers are an issue talk”
“with your powers, you could...” he paused.
“affect your family so we’ll have to take you in.”
Sean took the cup of warm water and took a big sip on it.”
He placed it back on the table.
“do you follow?” he asked. “you could kill your own family.”
I mean, it was a natural fire.
What my powers did was that it saved me from it.
Unknowingly my powers kicked in again. The intense fire grew inside me. I could feel my blood boil and the temperature around me getting hotter. I tried to calm down. Sean stood, preparing to pounce.
I focused harder. After a while, my powers came down. Phew!
That was a close one.
“now you see why?” Sean asked.
The fire subsided as I sat back down.
He’s right. Without my training, I could burn down this house again.
“I love you Hector.” my mother said. Resting her arms on my shoulders.
“someday, you’ll thank me but for now, you need to keep your powers in check.”
I turned to her and asked.
“you knew about this?” I asked.
“only when you showed your powers earlier the last few nights ago.” my mom sighed. “I’m really sorry.”
That was a day that I’ve made the biggest decision of my life.
To save my family, I need to learn more about my powers.
“alright, I’ll go.” I said.
I went upstairs and packed a few things with me.
Scrambling around, I packed some cloths and grabbed my toothbrush.
This trip could be a long one.
I looked through my room desk and took a brown frame with a picture of me and Alice last year from our trip to New York last summer.
It was a long trip. But my dad, got a good photo of me and Alice together under the Brooklyn bridge during a sunrise.
It was so beautiful, I asked dad to print it and frame it for me.
It was proof that Alice and I are very very close.
I will surely miss her.
“you won’t be needing those.” Sean said as he crept up towards my room. I packed the picture into my bag and began walking.
Sean walked up to me and reached his hand out to get a hold of me.
“don’t touch me!” I pulled Sean’s arm away from him reaching out from him. “I’ll walk myself.”
I yanked his arm away.
I marched down the stairs slowly.
Taking in the atmosphere.
I was mad that my mom wanted me to leave home and go to some special school but I can also see why.
“don’t worry Mrs. Dagger.” he said. “I’ll watch over him.”
I entered the black Bentley, parked right outside my house.
Sam. the other black suited man walked out and sat in the front seat while Sean sat in the driver’s seat.
Sean jammed his car keys and turned the engine on.
He began pushing in a clutch and drove off the area.
I waved good-bye to my mom.
With this willing choice to learn about my powers, I was more worried about the lab that I’m going to. We got to the highway, the trees we passing by as I looked out from the window. The car made a stop at the side of the road, the engine still on.
“calm down boy.” Sam said turning over to me.
“we need to take you out so that you won’t try to escape.”
In his hands, Sam held a syringe. The color inside the syringe looked like its a drug. My instincts say fight!
Run! Get out! I let out a big burst of flames.
The fire infested on Sam’s coat and burning it off.
I pushed Sam off while he screams to stop the fire.
I decided to run.
I blasted out of the car window trying to run. I kicked the door, smashed the windows, struggling to push out from the Bentley. But before I could go any further. Sam quickly grabbed the syringe and stabbed them into my neck. I pushed his arm away and I rose my hand and aimed at Sam. come on! Fire! Nothing.
I felt dizzy. Giving my all, I tried to struggle harder but my body began to fail. My sight got blurry. My body began to grow weak. I watched in horror as i slammed down to the car sofa. Sean stopped the car by the side of the road and turned towards me “what a mess.” he said. The once clean car turned into a slightly wrecked Bentley.
I lost my sights on him. I glared up on the car ceiling losing my focus even more. “bring him to The Lab.” he said while I blacked out.
They took me in. Away from my family, away from my sister, away from this once normal world of mine. That’s where we come back to the present right now.
