by BRANDON WOO
12
The Awakening
Alice:
Amanda and I met up in school the night after my secret mission with Mr D. Something he said struck me wired is how does he know me?
Right, he’s telepathic. Plus, I’m the only Dazzle Girl around Seattle.
I went to school normally, our examinations were just over and summer is almost here. I was not too excited about it.
“So what’s new?” I asked.
“well.” it was Amanda. She’s my news follower from now on.
“there is a Dock incident last night.” Amanda said.
“you don’t suppose it could be another Butterfly right?”
I tried to keep it quiet but Amanda could see it through that I had something to hide.
“I-I didn’t know about that.” I said quickly.
Amanda scanned through my face.
“are you okay?” Amanda asked. “yeah.” I answered. “just tired.” I lied.
“are you sure?” Amanda asked. “you look dreadful.”
I feel dreadful. I mean after such a long night, your bound to get tired but school is important for me.
“I’m fine, Amanda. Really. Its cool.” I pushed her hands away.
“alright Missy..” Amanda giggled.
Being friends with her for so long, Amanda can be quite of a know-it-all.
She knows me so well, its like she could read my mind.
Time makes us know the good and bad side of each other.
Which makes us tightly close. Using my powers seems to have a bad hair toll which turns a small chunk of it purple. So far, there’s only one on the right side of my hair but I kinda like it. Makes me look cooler. I tried to wash it clean but it was still there.
No biggie. I mean my black hair could cover it and school allows hair dying anyway, just not too much. In fact I like it.
So, here is school.
I had a hard time, trying to piece together of the reasons why school has to exist on mornings. I mean, people need knowledge I guess but why in the morning? I don’t trust the research that shows that you learn a lot in the morning, I picture the smart kids being in the survey while they only use one or two people who didn’t like school on mornings.
“so what’s next?” I asked.
“well this docks incident, is like the new big thing. Wanna give it a look?” Amanda asked.
“I got a better idea.” I said. “you? Really?” Amanda smirked.
“yup.” I winked. I hope she understands Mr D.
Jacob:
This is the part where I began my real heroic days in Seattle.
I woke up from the long night and started scouting out again for trouble the next day. Up here on top of the Space Needle, life feels great.
Henry was still helping me find leads while constantly.
I went out, doing my graffiti and all that stuff.
The city was torn about liking and hating me.
It happens. I traveled in style to the city till I witness a bank robbery.
I walked in telling the robbers not to shoot. They followed. With their guns facing me. “we don’t want trouble.” one of the robbers said.
“I know.” I said calmly.
“but I am.” without a warning, a large pile of sand rumbled from the tilled floor. I signaled the sand up and moved it to the robbers.
The sand smashed two of the robbers while the other started shooting.
“he’s the freak!” he shouted. I shot a few sand blasts to take two more of the robbers and leaped towards the who I think is the boss. Then a horrifying sound rang in my ear from the back.
A bomb exploded. Inside from the vault.
Alice:
I am very worried about Amanda.
Keeping Mr D away from Amanda was bad enough but telling her about it could get her hurt.
Nonetheless, I’ve decided to tell her. After school.
My hope is that Amanda will take it likely.
I got home and got ready to go meet Amanda in her house.
I kept my costume inside a cloak of disguise in random cloths. My suit was covered in a long pink jumpsuit and the coat kept in my back pack.
I strolled down the streets and head for Amanda’s place.
While on my way, a man in a long brown trench coat and a hat leaned onto a black car that I had no idea what model it is.
“going somewhere?” the man asked.
I turned and looked. It was Mr D “oh its you.”
“Alice, there is something I need to tell you.”
“busy.” I said.
“no this is serious.”he said
I turned back and walked to Amanda’s.
“you don’t get it don’t you?” The detective said. He caught up with me and talked as I marched for Amanda’s.
“thinking you can be new but remain in the world you used to belong to won’t bring you back there.”
The Detective walked behind me. The sun was covered under some dark clouds. Looks like it might rain, but the shadow of him still follows behind me.
“you don’t get to decide, Detective.” I said.
The Detective walked ahead of me and stopped me on my tracks.
“this is not about you...not anymore.” he said in a deep tone.
“so let me do it my way then!” I snapped.
The Detective stopped following.
“your arrogance will cost you.” The detective warned.
I turned and stared at him. “really?” I asked.
“tell me one good reason why I should listen to you?”
The Detective looked at me in the eye and said nothing.
“well?” I asked.
The Detective turned and walked away.
I turned mad because The Detective decided to sugar coat the truth from me and kept me in the dark.
“if that’s what you want to do, then that’s FINE WITH ME!” I yelled.
The Detective said nothing, walking off to the distance.
I was mad, I was very mad.
That he thinks I can’t do it, that I can’t be a hero while living my normal life.
I walked to Amanda’s and told her everything.
Even though it was a one off mission with him, I feel that Amanda should know.
The fact that The Detective is a Convict, the fact that I worked behind her back and the fact that all I ever wanted is to live in this normal life again.
Amanda, wearing her pink tank top and a pair of jeans lied onto her bed and sighed.
“you know whatever he said was true right?”
Amanda’s room is what you thought a girl’s room to be like.
All pink but with a twist, other splats of bright colors created patterns or some sort randomly. The bed was in a pink blank bed sheet. Her pillows and blanket was in a winter themed like set up with collages of dark red and dark blue rectangles with snow flakes patterns on top the white blanket. She had a huge red bean bag piling on the other side of the room.
I turned and glared. “about what he said?” I asked.
“yeah. Think about it, I won’t be able to protect myself if you’re out there saving lives right?” she said.
“then I’ll get to it, let’s pretend that whatever I could do never happened.” I announced.
“are you kidding me?” Amanda said.
“no way. You are a hero. You can do more than that.”
“please Amanda, just let it go. I’m trying to let it go.” I said.
“and give away your chance?” Amanda said. “why?”
Her laptop showed an image of one of the spots in Seattle.
Looked like there is a fire.
Amanda shrugged. “you gotta go.”
“I’ll finish this later.” I said changing into my costume and jumped out from her room window and began to run.
“no hurry.” she whispered while seeing me off.
I ran out to the city and got to the top of the Art Museum.
Not a very tall building but it gave me an edge to see where the fire was done.
“I’ll make short work of this.” I said to myself. I “butterfly” my way off to the road. The distance from Northwest to Seattle was not very far.
In addition to my powers, the distance was not an issue.
Speed can be quite a funny thing. They say super speed makes a person’s muscles stronger or something like that but I don’t feel it.
Regardless, I still ran like I just discovered my powers since yesterday.
My third mission turns out to be a bank robbery.
I ran fast towards the fire but found a very interesting sight.
Sand. Just sand... Out from the burning building that was covered in sand burst out a man like figure of a teenage boy.
PK-AAH-ASH-AHA! AAH-AHA!
The figure began to clear up and signs of clothing.
His face began shape out and began to spoke.
Jacob:
It’s the hot season anyways, so fires are common.
So lately, I’ve been on Fireman duty.
Five or at least seven fires but the fires were very uncommon.
It appears to be planted not by natural heat, it appears to be planted by someone. Which is unusual. I managed to sand the fire and subside the fire from getting bigger. The bomb fire was covered and everyone’s okay. See? Total control.
Lately, I’ve been more into public service. The Lab Hunters had more than one Convict to track but I can’t’ be sure why it’s been quiet lately.
But anyway, my encounters with these fires were brought to a surprise.
“its okay, I got it.” I said.
She was a very pretty girl.
She was wearing a long black legging with a short skirt on the waist and a long sleeve black shirt with a symbol on the front.
The black suit was decorated with Pink, blue and purple lines on the arms, side of the legs and back.
She also wore a pair of short black boots.
It was beautiful. It fits her.
She also wore a long coat navy blue.
There was a pattern design printed on the back of the coat.
She looked like a High School student. Around 18 or something.
She had green eyes and long straight black hair. Her hair had a large chunk of it dyed in purple on the right side. Kind of a wired hair style.
Her face is sharp but slightly rounded, and her posture is well kept.
She walked towards me with fear and courage tugging within her face.
She began to talk.
Alice:
I was scared but also interested.
Someone is taking over my place.
He was wearing a orange checkered shirt and long black jeans.
He wore a red beanie that had black ring figure in the front and a really fetch black pocketed long sleeve jacket.
My suggestion is that he must have been a town kid. I mean a pair of black All Stars sneakers is way too out of style.
His face is quite sharp looking.
His eyes were brown and his hair was tucked in his beanie.
He is quite tall, I think he is older than me. Probably around 20.
“who are you?” I asked.
“your friendly neighborhood, Sandman! Can we talk somewhere else?” he said with a shrug with a man on his arms. His face looked distracted. Is he trying to be charming? Seconds after that,
Lab Hunters marched out from all around us, armed and ready to kill.
I’m being hunted!
“yeah, okay. Let’s get out of here.” I nodded.
The guy dropped the man that was in his arms and rose his arms to the ground. PEZZZZZZZZZ~ The sand began to surround him as he waves the sand around us under his command. The cloud took shape and it instantly floated up towards the top of a skyscraper.
I powered up and ran up to the skyscraper the guy is heading.
I leaped to the sand cloud. I stood in fear that the sand cloud might break.
“chill, it won’t break.” the guy said. “by the way, name’s Jacob Brown.”
Jacob fired sand ball at the incoming helicopter, blinding it from firing at us.
I blasted several light blast and formed an energy shield around us from the other helicopter that was shooting at us.“awesome Sand boy, now what?” I asked.
Jacob:
“awesome Sand boy, now what?” the girl asked.
“we get out of here.” I said.
I formed a giant sand cloud and blocked out several Lab Hunters helicopter and kept blocking out their attacks.
“well, try to that is.” I added.
PEZZZZZZZZZZZZ~ more sand flowed towards the sky up to the sand cloud.
I warped it up, forming a huge sand cloud and hoping onto it as it forms. Yes, I can do that now. Its up to the user’s imagination to use this sand power. So, I thought why no a cloud. This is my first time doing it but I’m sure I can.“no problem.” The girl answered. She began firing bolts of light towards the helicopters and swatted them to the nearby buildings making them land without any further damage.
“think you can help protecting us?” I asked. “sure thing Sand boy.” the girl said. My powers are only limited by my imagination so, anything is possible.
the great big sand cloud began to shape up much faster and began to float.
Ideas from comic books characters. I pushed the sand cloud forward and took us higher.
Like flying an airplane.
A big sandy sand cloud airplane.
Alice:
I wasn’t sure if its safe at all for this dude to drive us both to safety. I mean he looks like a driver without a license. But since he’s the driver, I kept it to myself.
The sand cloud began to rumble as we reached for higher altitude,
Brown assured that the cloud won’t break so I took his word for it.
I was very unconfident.
“we’re sitting ducks here, miss.” Brown said.
“got it!” I assured him. I began firing bolts of light towards the helicopters.
“heads up, on your tail!” I turned and fired at whatever came for me.
“Thanks!” I said and kept firing.
Jacob:
The girl held her ground by firing at anything that moved.
“where are we going?” she asked.
“no idea!” I replied.
“anywhere but here.” I blinded the helicopters and speeded the cloud somewhere.
“that was too close.” I muttered to myself.
“Jacob!” Henry called.
Saw what you did on the news, you better get over hear now or we’re going home okay?” I scoffed.
“and leave the rest and Aunt May to suffer?” I said.
“No way! I got this, chill.”
Henry’s voice changed “just get out of there,”
in his changed voice he said “the Lab Hunters are after you!”
That was the official title for the people that’s been after us I guess.
I pushed the cloud, setting us to the course of the safe house I had earlier.
“HEADS UP!” the girl yelled.
I turned took a huge sand ball and blasted towards the incoming helicopter.
I’m getting used to this whole power thing, it may look easy but it required a lot of focus. Something bright flew pass the sand cloud we were standing on in light speed. “uh, what the heck was that?” I asked. “I got it!” the girl cried.
When I turned back to the girl, she was gone.
I blasted a few more sand blasts at the helicopters and hovered the sand cloud to another block. I noticed Henry was at one of the roofs of the buildings and began to hover down. I absorbed the sand cloud like a vacuum going down to the roof slowly as the cloud shrinks. I landed softly at the roof, absorbing the remaining sand from the cloud.
“Henry you won’t believe who I’ve just met. Another Flyer!”
I said. Henry looked around, “well, where is this OTHER Flyer?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I didn’t even get her name.” I answered.
Henry instantly changed the topic when we were done with this other Flyer. “that’s the least of our worries.” he said.
“we might have a problem...”
“like what?” I asked.
Alice:
A large bolt of light rained down and swooped right pass the sand cloud.
I decided to go after it, thinking it was The Detective.
Whoever it was had a firm grip on me. I raced up against it in mid air but the next thing I knew was that I got hit face first towards the light.
The lights flashed through me. It was too bright for me to see the color.
At first, I assumed it was Mr D behind the light. I was blinded for a second but when I opened up my eyes, I found myself at an ally.
“Mr D, I told you..” I turned around and gasped. This is not Mr D.
“hello Alice, yes. I know who you are.” the man said.
“should I KNOW you?” I asked. My heart was pounding out from my chest. He was a young fair skinned man, around my age. He’s wearing jeans, blue sneakers and a brown jacket with the hood on and the jacket unzipped. Inside, he wore a worm green shirt.
His eyes glowed in light green while his brown hair was well combed.
“aw, now I’m hurt!” he said marching across the ally.
“we’ve never met before but I sure know you and just a piece of advice for you, maybe you should not nose around and stay at home.”
“what are you?” I asked.
He walked too close towards me. He swiped his left had to the left side of my face. “I don’t know. Ever since Crocodile Bay, I felt... different.” his grin became scary.
I pushed him away and got to a fair distance away from him.
“good different or bad different?” I asked.
“bit of both.” he said.
“who are you?” I asked
“oh its always the same huh?” the man taunted.
He walked anxiously around me taunting me with his words “Who are you? Why are you here? What do you want?”
“okay, then what should I say?” I asked. He began to chuckle.
“I have many names. But you can call me, Luke.”
“Luke.” I repeated. “what are you doing here Luke?”
I don’t know why but I felt that cold shiver on my body again, like I did when I first met The Detective. "what do you want?” I asked.
My legs felt week to run.
I was gulping for breath. My heart pounded hard. Trying to stay fearless. “revenge...” he said darkly. The second he said that, bolts of green light glew inside of him, Luke’s body glowed in bright green light, the light released a banshee like scream.
The scream began to vibrate the objects all around us. the eerie sound and light blinded me, making me loose my sight.
I covered my ears up from the sound but it was no use.
I began to kneel, gasping for relive. I’m gonna die!
“what’s the matter Alice?” he asked.
I restlessly pushed through the sound, trying to escape. Then I thought “use your powers! Use it! We’ve gotta get out of here!” My eyes glew in rage. But before I could beam at him the sound stopped, the waves cleared up a bit. “let this be a reminder,” he stopped.
I breathed heavily. Trying to get back to my senses.
I quickly turn my powers down. And looked around my surroundings. Luke disappeared from the light and reappeared again.
“well, that’s all for my little magic show.” he taunted. “see you.”
I turned up and beamed at him again but he vanished. Gone. vanished.
Was it an optical illusion? No, it can't be. I thought.
An optical illusion doesn't call your name.
face it Alice, your making up ghost stories,your scaring yourself again. you're bored and lonely, so your letting your imagination run away with you. First The Detective, now this Luke guy?
Calm down and stop making stuff up!
Feeling a bit better, I jogged the rest of the way home.
Jacob:
Henry’s eyes had “something bad is going down” on it.
“I got a case about a serial killer.” Henry handed me a big yellow file.
My eyes rolled “really? A super-human witch and you want me to deal with a-” before I could finish, Henry raised his voice.“this has to do with them.”
“what?” I was still in disbelief. How could Wednesday be related to a local serial killer? “have you heard from the news?” he asked.
“no why?” I was still confused.
“we’ve been tracking the situation around town. The guys and I we received recent reports of Lab Hunters, Lab Scientists kidnapped and murdered with a strange marking.”
Henry’s “guys” are not the cops but are wolves,well to be precise, they were once normal people, but was bitten from a legendary infectious wear wolf, Lupus. After years of training on self-control and how to feed off the trigger for changing, many including Henry became fully controlled of themselves and their powers.
Most of them are now too old to change or probably passed on.
Henry showed me photo of a dead Lab Hunter. On his torso, a huge marking of the word “THE DRAGONFLY LIVES” slashed deeply in. The slashes were bright red. The outline especially is maroon red on the corner as though the weapon used was dark or rusted. The slashes passed through their armor. Deeply towards their inner skin. The blood flowed outwards and smeared the armor.
A face of shock was plastered on my face.
“Another Flyer?” I asked.
I could be wrong but the mark was obvious to show that this murder
Is not a natural.
“Sean?” I asked. “maybe, or his twin.” Henry pointed.
“Killing a Lab Hunter. This is not Sean, We gotta find out who did this.”
I said. “I’m all for damaging The Lab but this is a personal attack.”
“great! Your taking the case. I’ll give you some leads.”
“I’ll-” I took a quick pause. “You think so?” I asked
“well its your case after all and this is about The Johanns. Suits you to take the lead.”
“yeah, yeah. I’ll do it.” I nodded.
“kid, these heartless people also have families. They are just following orders. Know who’s the real enemy.”
I didn’t forget.
And I sure as hell won’t.
Not until she pays for what she’s done.
Not until I get her powers and save Aunt May
Not until I save the rest that’s being put in the hospital.
Alice:
I don’t know if I’m going mad or something.
First The Detective now this guy named Luke.
If you ever heard of an Alice character, they are most likely the crazy ones.
Alice in Wonderland, Alice Cullen, Alice Cooper.
Ugh... Scary!
But they are not all crazy. Most of them ended up being heroes.
But socially, they are awkward.
I remembered trying to get the same hair style of Alice Cullen but decided not to do it because I was too afraid to do it.
The sky turned dark, winds began blowing strongly through the air.
Leaves flew around and the trees began to sway heavily.
“thinking you can be new but remain in the world you used to belong to won’t bring you back there, Alice.” The Detective rang in my head.
I was trying to lose that thought but it got louder.
Something’s wrong. Somethings really wrong.
I rushed out from the ally and ran to Amanda’s
The clouds became darker and darker.
It looks like its going to rain.
Something is really wrong....
And its going to be my fault.
> I rushed to Amanda’s and barged it looking for her.
“Amanda!” I shouted.
“oh, how did it go?” she asked peaking out from her room door.
I sighed. Good she is safe.
“oh you’re okay!” I gave her a hug.
Amanda looked confused but I knew what was happening.
“is everything okay?” she asked.
“yeah. Its just...” I thought about Luke, best not to tell her.
“everything is okay...” I continued. “I’m just too over my head that’s all.” I stopped hugging Amanda and got a good look at her face. Her long blonde hair settling on her head. I looked into her pair of beautiful brown eyes assuring that she is okay.
Amanda looked at me, smiling. “daydreaming again?”
She began to laugh. “its okay. I’m fine.”
“really?” I asked worried my secret life can get Amanda into trouble.
Amanda gave me a warm hug. “Totally.”
I embraced these kind of friendships.
Amanda makes me motivated to keep going and I love her for that.
But it didn’t last long.
Right outside her room window.
A man in a trench coat and a hat under a tree. Standing there, looking at me. It was The Detective.
“thinking you can be new but remain in the world you used to belong to won’t bring you back there” his voice rang in my head.
Then I’ll make sure to go after him first. I thought
If Luke after me, I’d like to even the odds by going after him.
I walked left Amanda’s telling her I had homework.
The Detective was just outside. “so, you saw him huh?” He asked.
“yeah” I answered. “who is he?” I asked.
“Luke, A Butterfly like you.” he replied. “but he turned rouge. Now, people just call him The Moth. He’s a ghost story. He’s not suppose to exist. He just appears like that and goes missing the next. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. I saw him at the Docks the other day. He is dangerous and is not afraid to kill, you better stop being hero for these few days. Let me handle this.” The Detective reached into my hair and pulled out a neon green worm out. Uh eww! It squirmed, trying to escape. Imagine a sausage. Now picture it tiny with thick lines over it and on one end a big black head on one end that opens its mouth and closes. Feels like I’m on X-Files.“its called a Glossy worm. It Causes hallucinations and makes you insane. It also becomes a mind controlling agent, controlling your movements.” he kept it in a small glass disk and slid it into his pocket.
“you know about this?” I asked
“no, I have to check back at the old records to identify him. I’ll get to work finding him again, I promise.”
The Detective turned and marched off.
“Detective wait.” I called out. He turned looking at me.
“about what I said earlier,” I paused swallowing up my pride.
“I just want to apologize.”
The Detective turned back and said “me too.”
We both smiled at each other and went our separate ways.
Till the next time.
That day at night I was still haunted by how that Luke stared at me.
His eyes was full of danger and he appears to be way too old for me.
I didn’t call and tell Amanda about it or even mentioned Luke, but I was worried of one thing.
What if Luke finds out about Amanda?
This is bad. I couldn’t sleep well.
So instead I scouted around the city.
Maybe Luke is a nothing.
Like The detective said, he could be just a ghost story.
