The Flyers

by BRANDON WOO

  7

  The Summoning

  Jacob:

  It feels like a really really horrible dream. Only this is not a dream.

  My body aches with pain and my legs still hurt.

  I woke up in the indoor hall of the church.

  Its all wooden, painted in green and these very old curtains with flower patterns. Guess this part of the church didn’t got demolished.

  I tried to sit up. No nurse or whatever to stop me.Good.

  I gave my legs a glance and noticed that the concrete shards were gone.

  Wait! Do I have healing powers?

  I gave my jeans a good pull up and checked.

  Not a scar in sight...

  Guess I do have a healing factor.

  I began to stand. Still have it.

  I was all dizzy in my head.

  How long have I been out?

  I started looking around. So many cloth dividers...

  The last time they had this much dividers was the day when a virus has spread, which killed like 50 people. But that was like five years ago.

  From the visible cloths I could see people having their legs held up with some shards stabbed into their legs, some the hands.

  They all didn’t move.

  What happened?

  I kept following the trail and to my horror, I saw something my eyes could not believe.

  Aunt May!

  She was being put to bed.

  Her body just flayed like a helpless doll. Her legs still had those concrete shards.

  She was awake when she heard me come in.

  “hey aunt May...” I whispered.

  “oh Jacob.” she said weakly. “good to see you up on your feet.”

  I nodded just to see her smile again. I held her old lady hands softly and just stared at her two kind eyes.

  She’s around her fifties like Uncle Henry.

  Her skin felt cold. Her face expresses multiple emotions.

  “you looked terrible...” I said.

  “yeah.” she replied with a smile. “I feel terrible.”

  “aw man, this is all my fault!” I said with my hands holding tightly at her’s. “If I didn’t go after that man, none of this would have happen.”

  Aunt May shaken her head. “its not on you, son.”

  “you’re one of us.” she placed her hand to my chest.

  “we look out for one another.” she added.

  I took a few moments to think.

  I gotta help these people...its my job to do it.

  “I gotta help in some way right?” I asked.

  “yes..” she replied. “I can never stop you but whatever it is you want to do, do it.”

  I smiled. “remember, God is watching.” she reminded.

  “okay, time to get some rest. Go do what you have to do.”

  She turned the other way and began to snooze.

  “I’m gonna make this up to you, Aunt May.” I whispered to her ear and kissed her on the forehead.

  I took several quiet steps and leave aunt May to rest.

  Her face was in pain but she looked peaceful while resting.

  She just flayed there with a GET WELL SOON sign and some flowers around her bed. I felt sorry for her being into this mess.

  I began to walk out to the exit of the church.

  The town is quiet. I’m gonna do this!

  I’m gonna save the town.

  I had a plan...I had it figured out...

  I’m gonna get Wednesday and Sean...

  I’m gonna get their powers! She has to come back and fix this!

  But if I’m gonna go after her, I gotta train...

  I gotta get more than this new Sand power of mine in my power arsenal...and then, I’m gonna get her. I started tip toed to the exit.

  “Jacob!” it was Uncle Henry. Stopping me when I exited the church.

  He gave me a hug. “let me get a good look at you.”

  “how long I’ve been out?” I asked. “couple of days.”

  His face was in relive yet worried.

  “Uncle Henry, what happened?” I asked.

  Henry looked around to see if there is anyone around.

  “some of the people around the church have been infected.”

  “by what?” I asked. “you saw what happened in there kiddo...” he pointed out. “somehow you lived.”His face changed “she placed something on them.” he whispered it in a slightly angry tone. “and the

  only way to get rid of it is how it went in.”

  “okay, good enough for me.” I began to march out.

  “whoa, whoa,whoa wait!” Henry followed.

  “where do you think your going This is Wednesday and Sean. We’re talking about Johann siblings.” he’s whisper turned back to casual talking. “okay, now what? You wanna be a hero?” he asked. “they’ll kill you when in sight!”

  “yes!”I said with confidence. Henry’s face began to worry.

  “I did this, and I gotta fix it.” I said.

  I know what I really have to do. I was determined to save the rest and Aunt May.

  “look kid, I know you want to help them. We’re family and all...” he gave me a pat. “you gotta be smart about this.”

  “I know uncle Henry...” I sighed. “so what do ya say?” I asked.

  “you and me head for the city and go after the Johannes?”

  “what? Are you crazy?” Henry said.

  “what do you have to stand up against the Johannes?”

  I raised my left hand and began to focus on my new powers.

  My hand began to dilute and turned into sand. The particles floated in the shape of a hand and began to expand itself.

  “this.” I said.

  “Oh my God, Jacob! How are you one of those.....Convicts?” Henry asked.

  I was offended. “hey come on man. We’re called Flyers.” I continued.

  “I caught it from that guy that was found during the crash.” I said.

  “I’m like a power sponge.” I said in confidence.

  That’s what I’m calling myself now. The word Flyer is a form of paper advertisement intended for wide distribution and typically posted or distributed in a public place or through the mail. Like postcards, pamphlets and small posters, flyers are a low-cost form of mass marketing or communication. There are many different flyer formats but what I meant was since I am categorized as a Sand fly.

  I thought why not just create a cool name that comes from the word

  ‘fly’ from the end of the word ‘Sand Fly’ The Flyers.

  Sounds so cool if I do say so myself.

  “who is gonna stand in my way?” I asked. I shoved my hands in my jacket pocket and walked off.

  “okay, I’m going with you. But you better make sure you know what you’re doing.” Henry said. “I’ll tell you on the way.” I said.

  “no worries. I got this.”

  We took Henry’s old fishing boat to the next harbor to the city. The journey there takes about a day to get there if you have stops and all. But since his boat is busted after a big wave broke a part of his boat, we took the old truck instead. Henry said nothing during the trip. He just kept quiet as we pass through the lush green forest and beautiful view of The Dabob Bay. I was sitting on the front passenger seat. That beard of his needs a trim. Henry’s beard surrounds his whole face from his side burns to his chin. Below his nose is another one growing to the side of his face. We were on our way to Seattle. Its been a long drive.

  I was trying to figure out what to say to Henry...

  After a minute of thinking, I finally spoke...

  “okay, so I got this figured out.” I continued. We hit the town. Go sight seeing a little bit. Always wanted to see the Space Needle...real cool, real cool, then we go meet some people, MY people... and then turn them into allies to go after the Johannes, get Wednesday and Sean, their powers and come back and safe the Church. Easy.”

  “you do realize if we ‘hit
’ the town the town is gonna hit back right?” Henry said.

  I just kept silent.

  “So?” I asked. “you got me...” I pointed at myself.

  “your heading to the Lion’s den with a Daniel here.” I joked.

  “well, Mr Daniel Junior look ahead.”

  I turned.

  Ahead of us is a sight to just be in awe off. It was a beautiful crash site.

  Well, for me that is.

  The streets were beautifully cut and marked in bright Yellow slashes.

  Something BIG went through here. Sean! I remembered it was him.

  A bus was seen cut in half and a row of cars blocked the road. Some were turned upside down.

  “whoa! Look what passed through here?” I said with a smile.

  “another Convi- I mean Flyer.”

  Henry began to looked around. “this is property damage...”

  “if I find out who did this, I am going to make sure they stay in a cell.”

  “they are just misunderstood people Uncle Henry.” I said.

  “with this kind of damage, its hard to tell...” Henry pointed out.

  “they are dangerous and so are you Jacob.”

  I wasn’t used to this kind of talk with Henry.

  All we talk about is fishing and God.

  Henry is a very secretive. During his days as a Detective, He caught a nasty bite from a werewolf and ever since then never stopped growing facial hair.He is actually hot tempered but he used to say this, “you are the reason I am better. You are the reason I am being a man again.” now that he is old, I doubt he can be as fiery as how he used to.

  I then recalled how he yelled at me to come down from the Hero’s Memorial Wall.

  Nope. Still the same nasty old man.

  Henry’s old but still has some fight in him.

  “oh look!” I noticed a school bus full of people. They’re trapped!

  The people in the bus were quite elderly, some were young and some were very old. People of all sorts inside. It looks like a tour bus for some very very old people. The bus was stuck somewhere in the middle of the road blocked my a huge chunk om concrete and some other damaged buses and other cars.

  Looks like I have to the path clear it up. I cracked my neck and said, “I’ll tell you what, you go save those people. I’ll go clear the path.”

  Henry’s eyes turned wide “you are not gonna use your powers! Not here!”

  “and then what? We get stuck here and call it a day? No way!” I scoffed.

  “dude, even Peter said:As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace. You know what, you go save those people I’ll clear the path.” I know Henry’s tricks.

  There is no way he is stopping me from getting to Wednesday.

  “okay, but promise you won’t touch anything. No sneaking into people’s cars and stealing.”

  Henry turned towards the bus and began to start the engines.

  “oh I am gonna touch EVERYTHING.” I whispered.

  By that I mean of that as in some of the cars blocking the way.

  I began to run ahead the bus while Henry climbed in the bus, telling them to stay calm and to not panic.

  I focus on being big.

  Real BIG!

  My body turned hollow.

  The colors of my cloths began to fade.

  The soil of the forest began to emerge towards me.

  I could feel my size being bigger and bigger.

  Before I knew it, I was 3 feet tall.

  Not big enough but it will have to do...

  By whole body has been turned into sand.

  I turned towards the other slashed bus that was blocking the way and rammed towards it.

  THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD

  CRASH!!!!!

  The bus flew.

  I felt the impact right under my indestructible sand skin.

  The crash was hard and solid.

  The bus moved forward I went ahead to hit a few more road blocks.

  RAM!

  RAM!

  RAM! I was indestructible.

  I was running through everything that stood in my way.

  We made a stop back at the highway.

  The bus stopped at the junction of turning to the highway.

  Henry climbed out of the bus and began to put his arms on his waist.

  “listen, they uh...they want you to be on top of the bus. If you come in, they’ll run.”

  “they are afraid of you. I’m sorry.”

  These people are afraid of me?

  But who can blame them really. Convicts have been described as bad people. “alright. I’ll be on top.” I said.

  The journey to the city was not so smoothing. It was like as if your going on a really bad roller-coaster that has really bad seats. Henry drove like as if he didn’t show mercy and just drove like as if I did not exist on top of the bus. But in the end, they took pity and let me in.

  We’re at Indianola now. Stopping for gas and food

  By the time we reached for the location where the folks were heading, they began to scatter. .

  Not even a thank you.

  Now I know how Henry felt when he talked about how he moved in to town.

  People know who he was because of some folk who ticked him off to change. Aunt May tamed him.

  “give them a break, kid.” Henry pat me on the shoulder.

  “it takes a while for people to open up to new things, your powers for example.” The Drive was just a few more miles away. We reached Kingston. Henry knew some guys there who can take us closer to Seattle. Timmy, Henry’s friend took us on a boat to Harbor Island.

  Been quite a day actually.

  But the time we got there it was already night.

  For a total of maybe two days, a boring trip to the city.

  I’ve been thinking about what I need to do when I reach Seattle.

  That moment I left Brinnon, I knew I was meant for more.

  This power, it was given to me for a reason.

  I know that.

  I stood at the top deck of green fishing boat, looking towards the city.

  Man, the things that I might need to do ahead of me is going to be big.

  All those Convicts, there could be by friends or allies.

  Things are about to get exciting for me.

  Once I reach Seattle, I’m gonna do a big homecoming to Wednesday Johann.

  But things are gonna get even more exciting when we pass through that border and head for the city.

  Skyscrapers, people, buildings, rain.

  Oh!

  I can smell it already.

  Its gonna be beautiful.

  But in the back of my head, I know what I’m here for.

  I’m here for Johanns.

  And things are about to get interesting.

  Henry was concern about me. The border is full of the storm trooper guys I saw!

  They are in the city. Keeping it locked under their borders.

  “just follow my lead and go pass it casually.” Henry said.

  “well, how can I? My blood has CONVICT written all over it.” I whispered.

  “just follow me.”

  Henry walked through the scanners and turned back at me, looking at me tightly with his eyes.

  I gave in a deep breath and went through the scanners. It was fine at first until the monitor beeped. I was shaking all over. My heart pounded hardly over my ribs. I thought it was gonna jump off. I tried to go pass the border but the path is still blocked. Just to make matters worst, the alarms rang.

  BEEB! BEEB! BEEB!

  RINGGGGGGGGG~ “Great!” I thought to myself.

  Henry ran to cover and yelled at me.

  “take it down!” I rose my arms and began to aim.

  “about time!” I grinned.

  I fired at the control room.

  PEZZZZZZ~ POOF!

  PEZZZZ~POOF!

  PAK-KAH-SHA~AHA! KAH-SHA!
r />   PAK-KAH-SHA~AHA! KAH-SHA!

  PAK-KAH-SHA~AHA! KAH-SHA!

  I went for safety.

  “he’s a Convict! Get him!”One of the guards ordered.

  “Go! Go! Go!”

  I fired more shots to take down the border.

  PEZZZZZZ~POOF! POOF!

  KERANGGGGG~

  The border began to fall. Some guards ran for safety.

  While some guards carried out their guns to shoot at me.

  Not that easy!

  PAK-KAH-SHA~AHA! KAH-SHA!

  PAK-KAH-SHA~AHA! KAH-SHA!

  PAK-KAH-SHA~AHA! KAH-SHA!

  I took the guards down one by one.

  Shooting sand at your target creates an automatic sand ball.

  It smacked the guard in the face and took it out.

  He is out! I turned towards the other one.

  Went up close and ran through him.

  I faded into sand to get pass the guard and knocked him out with my knee. Another was trying to snipe me.

  I fired a ball of sand to the other guard and it knocked him out straight.

  That did it!

  Other people ran and screamed as they rushed for safety.

  Great... My reputation is ruined.

  In the midst of this intense battle, my phone rang.

  I picked up the phone to my ear and answered.

  “Uh bad timing!” I said on the phone.

  “listen kiddo, lay low for a bit.” It was Henry.

  “I’m gonna get help. Stay out of trouble okay?”

  “yeah. Good move there old man! Keep in touch, Uncle.” I said.

  I took another fire on the border to take it down.

  The fight was so cool.

  Guns! Sand! Things falling down!

  I took a sprint to the nearby ally. I picked up a trash can lid to block off the shots. Another sniper! I fired another one.

  BOOM! Got it!

  I left the fight without a hitch and kept my powers low for a while.

  I made my way to another ally by walking.

  The ally wall is full of graffiti. They were crappy.

  I mean for my taste that is.

  I walked around the streets, amazed at the sight of me a town kid in Seattle. It was a beauty.

  Up ahead of me were two men. One in a purple jacket and a face mask while the other was in a green jacket and a black face mask.

  Time to have some fun. I thought.

  “hey need help.” I lied.

  “kill the dude!” one of them said.

  BLAM!

  A gun was fired.

  “Whoa! Whoa!” I shouted. Trying to be nice.

  BLAM! Another gun shot.

  This time hitting me on the chest.

  I landed down to the ground flat.

  Seconds after that, my new powers kicked in. An orange light glew on my chest. The sand in my body began to push the bullet out.

  No blood.

  I was suppose to be dead but now I am not.

  My breath came back.

  This healing factor stuff is going to come in handy.

  I sanded back up.

  PAK-KAH-SHA~AHA! KAH-SHA!

  Staring down at the two robbers.

  “he’s a freak!” one of the robbers exclaimed.

  “you have no idea how fun this is?” I shouted.

  I disappeared and appeared again and again.

  PAK-KAH-SHA~AHA! KAH-SHA!

  PAK-KAH-SHA~AHA! KAH-SHA!

  PAK-KAH-SHA~AHA! KAH-SHA!

  Every time I fade, I get closer and closer to the robbers.

  BALM! BALM! The robber fired.

  Not going to work.

  I faded. PAK-KAH-SHA~AHA!

  That feeling of you on a sea-saw happened again.

  I focused my sights on the robber and took the purple one down.

  KAH-SHA!

  I appeared and caught the robber.

  The robber landed down on the ground.

  Now the next one.

  He ran out from the road up to a ally.

  His got nowhere to go.

  “hey man!” he said.

  “I-I know your face!”

  I glared at the robber, shaking while holding his gun.

  “oh I know.” I said

 

  PAK-KAH-SHA~AHA! KAH-SHA!

  PAK-KAH-SHA~AHA! KAH-SHA!

  “but do you think I am scared of you?” I asked.

  The robber began to sweat.

  His face became anxious.

  He tries to aim and shoot but he was too scared.

  “don’t steal cars again okay?” I said.

  There was a pause.

  I grabbed his gun and stared back at him.

  BOO!

  PAK-KAH-SHA~AHA! KAH-SHA!

  I got to the outside of the ally.

  That was awesome.

  I am still in awe of what is happening to me.

  But I know I need more than sand powers to take down a concrete lady.

  I need more fire power!

  PAK-KAH-SHA~AHA! KAH-SHA!

  PAK-KAH-SHA~AHA! KAH-SHA!

  I got to another ally. Still amazed that I am here.

  I got on to one of the ally staircases and climbed to the top. Height did not scared me. Henry maybe.

  I’m used to heights. I did a little bit of parkour so these heights don’t worry me. Good news, I found a tent. Must be someones.

  I opened the zip and climbed in. The tent was surprisingly good and clean.

  “thank you God.” I said to myself.

  Guess He is in my favor. I took off my jacket and lay the jacket to my chest. No pillow but there was a child size bean bag. I lied down and closed my eyes.

  First day seems...fun.

  Let’s just hope the next day will be better.