by BRANDON WOO
16
The Encounter
Alice:
Today is my eighteenth birthday.
Its days like this where I wonder a lot about all that I’ve been through. My life with The Detective, Amanda and Philip felt great. Life is pretty good so far. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen him for a while.
I watched the news lately, Jacob has been busy.
Last night, I saw the news of this huge wolf attacking.
I’ve been wanting to ask him to join Terrance and I to go for missions but decided not to. That wolf must be a friend of his.
I invited Amanda, Phillip and their parents like I did every year to celebrate it with my mom’s home cooked food. Just a few of us, Me, my parents, Amanda, Phillip and their parents sitting together in a round table. I’m not a friend person but Amanda and I got very close until we introduced our parents to each others. They enjoy that company. To feel young and to see your kids having good friends is always a parent’s dream. I don’t think I’ve mentioned Phillip to you guys before.
Philip is a very into style. The other day while we were at Phillip’s, his hair way dyed red, now, purple.
His very skinny for someone his age. Philip is around 22.
He might be in the same age as my brother, Hector.
Come to think of it, he missed my birthday again, after a while, you get used to that one person who forgets your birthday. There were days where I entered his room and envisioned him around. Days when I wish I was not the only kid. But still, I had a brother and I’ll always have a brother. Wonder how he celebrates his birthday?
Or Christmas? Or Easter or any celebrations at all.
Normally, as a single child, your parents will have high hopes for you. But for my parents, they actually don’t.
They trusted my judgment, maybe I’ll be a teacher or maybe I’ll be famous author. I mean, I like books but that’s it.
Terrance has been working around the clock to searching for Luke but there’s no sign of him. The fact that Luke is a Glossy Worm and to make matters worst, is a Queen is on the lose makes me anxious even on my birthday. I didn’t tell this to Terrance, I know I have to do this alone. It came after me for a reason. I searched for a weakness about these Glossy Worms, nothing. Guess I’ll have to beat it till the illusion falls off.
“happy birthday to you~”
The crowed sang. As I blow the candles off the tasty looking cheese cake with chocolate on the bottom. I love being celebrated.
That means you are very important in this world.
I’d like to think of it that way. It means I’m special.
To have your friends to make time to wish you and grow up with you is the best feeling to ever have.
Mom made us her signature home made Dagger Pizza.
Don’t let the name fool you.
Its actually a medium sized pizza with fried fish bits and chicken bits along with pineapples topped with cheese and fresh lettuce to wrap it up to get that healthy meal.
Perfect for my birthday.
No gifts but I still, it was a good meal.
It was a good meal. Too good.
“so Alice, what’s with the purple hair?”Mrs Summers asked.
“uh yeah.” I lied. “thought I might want to try out some color.”
“looks cool on you Alice,” my dad said.
“you noticed?” I asked.
“well, you’ve been wearing it for a long time.” my mom replied.
“looks cool dear.” my mom said bringing another plate of Dagger Pizzas. My parents are very, “in” they have always been loving and caring.
Days like these is where I forget about my powers.
I forget about my life as a hero.
Forget about everything I’ve been through.
The feeling feels great but I can’t phantom the power that I keep and inherit within me.
I wish I could just go back to normal but its hard to go back once you see the things I saw. Tonight I told myself to choose to leave a life behind. Dazzle Girl or Alice. We ended our meal as early as expected.
Mom and I cleaned the place while dad took out the trash.
It must have been great, since all this time I forgot how it felt what its like to not have powers.
My parents kissed me goodnight and gave me one final birthday wish.
I was loved. I was cared for.
Maybe the life of Dazzle should die and Alice should return.
Maybe, this is what I should do. After I find and stop Luke.
I walked up to my room, with the hall light on.
My parents are still awake.
I had a nice bath and went to my room, changing into my pajamas and went straight to bed. Life was feeling up again. Till Luke, till Luke and its all over for me. I thought. I was about to sleep until I noticed a head poking out from my room window. I gasped, shocked to see a head show up.
I pulled my cotton blanket up and hid, only to realize it was Terrance.
His cloths torn. Was he in a fight? “oh its just you,” I said.
Terrance walked towards my bed side and crouched down.
“Alice, we have to go.” he said. Trying to catch his breath.
“its my birthday, Terrance.” I said. “oh...” he paused. “happy birthday Alice.”. “thank you.” I sad, staring at his torn cloths.
“what happened to you?” I asked. “its Luke!” he exclaimed. “ he’s after you.”. “he what?” I asked, shocked to hear that the ghost story from a few days ago to be real. or maybe its the Glossy Queen I thought.
“we gotta go!” he said, pulling my arm out.
“h-hey!” I pulled back and hid behind my blanket. “I’m in my pajamas.”. “well what are you waiting for?” he asked.
“get dressed!” I wanted to tell him what I found. That Luke is not Luke. That Luke is just a mind controlled person. But before I could make a move I heard a scream from down stairs. It was my mom.
I got off my bed and ran down. “Mom! Dad!” I cried.
Oh no, there he is. In his 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 and his brown hair, well combed.
He was standing behind my parents, knocked out. “I see you found me again Moth, wanna dance again?” Terrance said taking his Wand out facing him.“No, stop believing what your seeing. He is not real.” I told Terrance.“oh yeah? Look at what he did it to me? He’s real enough alright.”. “he what?” I asked turning to Terrance. Looking at the slashes. Those are real! “he’s after you not me. I was trying to stop him.” Terrance defended. “you listen to him?” Luke asked.
“he brought me here, he led me to you.”
“no he is lying.” Terrance defended again.
Now I don’t know who to trust.
“your here for him right?” I asked.
Luke nodded, “then let’s dance!” I shouted.
I powered up and charged and flew towards Luke and smashed him out out our house door. I punched him again and again in the face.
He seems emotionless.I powered up even more and gave him gave him one final blow.
TWEEEEW~ PEW!
His whole body flew to the road, landing too fast. “how you like that Luke?” I taunted. He began to chuckle. What’s so funny?
“he is not real!” I told myself. I gave him a huge light blast that pinned him down. I leaped to him again and gave him a big punch.
“he is not real!” I told myself again but I lost it.
He came and hurt my family. Now he has to pay! I punched more and more. I was feeling it. Luke kept chuckling.
I stopped punching and stared at him.
He’s not trying to win. He’s expecting this.
“done?” he asked “my turn.”
Luke’s body glowed in bright green light, the light released the banshee like scream. Just like last time!
I tried covering
up my ears, but sound passed through my hands to my ears! My vision became blur.
“feel that? Am I real enough for you now?” he asked.
Terrance rushed out and aimed his Wand to Luke and blasted a stream of lighting against him.
Separating me away from Luke.
“Luke, its over.” he said.
The lightning worked but but not for long.
“not yet!” Luke screamed.
He glew again and this time nastier.
Terrance fired the Wand again. This time with a huge wave of EMP thundering out from Terrance and hit Luke, taking him out.
“AHHHH!” he yelled.
It was Terrance, using his EMP to knock Luke out.
I stood up and blasted my powers again.
Luke dodged the blast and unleashed his green sharp butterfly wings.
“I’m gonna make sure your girl gets this. Your greatest downfall!”
he yelled. Amanda! He gave a final blast and flew off.
I stood and began to run to find Amanda.
I ran to where Amanda was heading. Finding the car wrecked from the crash.I closed my mouth, noticing there was blood all over The Summers. TEWWWWW~
Phillip began to move weakly.
“h-he-help.” he grunted. My guess is this, Amanda was still on her way home after the party until her car was disturbed by a flying figure, Luke. Smashing the car roof and ripped holes to knock the rest out.
Philip tried to fight but Luke was too strong for him. Philip was thrown out to the front seat and crashed against a tree.
Amanda was pulled out just in time and taken off.
“oh my God Philip!” I cried.
I blasted the door open and began to pull them out.
There was a lot of blood. It was madness.
I thought I was going to lose them.
I grabbed Phillip and speeded him safely to some soft grass.
I grabbed Mr and Mrs Summers and speeded him back to Phillip.
“Amanda, Amanda, Amanda,” Phillip mumbled.
“Amanda? Don’t worry, I’ll get her.”
I powered up and began to run again.
I speeded, trying to reach “Butterfly”. Its not working.
Please don’t fail me now...then a fade out, by body broke down and transformed into butterflies again. YES! I got faster and faster.
I kept running and running.
TEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW~
I recalled my memories with Amanda, no way!
No way I’m letting her die! My body begins to reform.
I sparked my purple light open and discovered a new ability.
My back begins to sprout out sharpen butterfly wings at its edge and expanded. My pink pajamas, which was a pink shirt and a pink short pants started glowing. A layer of purple light all over, my eyes changed color to purple, my heart pounds hard and fast like this is a super race.
My normal purple fading powers changed to this fixed light power.
I was changing.I’m getting stronger.
This is my new power!
I faced the road ahead of me and kept running.
The world seemed to be in a total blur, cars zoomed past me while I crossed them within a matter of seconds. TEWWWWWW~TEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW~
The sound changed. TEWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRR~
My eyes entered a void state, seeing things in a tunnel like form. Everything was a blur. The only sights I could see is a green butterfly, Luke! But that was where I saw the truth. I realized he was not real. Terrance used to say he is a ghost story and he was and still is even until tonight. I checked its head, there! The Queen! I was right!
I kept running until I realized that I’m no longer running, I’m flying.
I used this new power of mine to find Luke, he’s up on top. High up in the sky. He had Amanda in his hands.
Chuckling.
I charged higher and fired my light beams, below me, all the neon lights, lamp posts and other forms of lights left their places and came to me.
I rose my palms up, aiming at him.
The lights charged me like a wild fire.
My body glew brighter. Terrance was hovering right below me.
“LUKE!” I shouted.
Luke turned to me and grinned.
“a butterfly needs to know her limitations!”
He gave a huge light blast towards Amanda’s chest.
Amanda gave a huge yell.
“AHHHH!” she cried. “NO!” I screamed.
I moved my arms and swayed it towards Luke.
The lights floated up ahead of me and smacked against Luke,
Dropping Amanda while he tries to defend himself.
I reached my hands out and grabbed her by the arms.
“its okay, I got you.” I said. She’s not breathing.
I lowered down to the ground and slowly put her down to the ground.
I turned back to Luke and flew back to him. He is not real.
“hey!” I called. Luke turned back and stared deeply back at me.
"why don't you leave her Alice?" he asked.
"No! Not a chance." I yelled towards him.
"you still don’t get it Alice? This is nothing! The world is changing and soon, they’ll come for us all! Even you." he chuckled. “yeah, so what?” I asked, I remembered what the site said, he is not real. Don’t believe what your seeing. “so are you! your a ghost! You’re a nothing too! ” I claimed. “a ghost?” he chuckled.“I’m more real than you can believe. There’s a war coming. A very terrible war, there will be chaos. Just you wait.” I moved towards Luke, staring him in the eye.
“you’re not real. Why should I even believe you?” I asked.
“someday, you’ll have to make a choice. Its us or them Alice.”Luke announced. “so what is for then?” I asked.
“it dosen’t matter. You failed. See you on the other side.” he said with a final grin. His body began to fade off.
His grin disappeared.
His figure became hollow as he moved towards me.
Inside this man Luke is a boy, a boy around ten or twelve, asleep.
He landed on my arms, inside his right ear crawled out a pink neon worm, the Glossy Queen. The one that causes hallucinations and turns you insane. The mind controlling killer parasite. The origins of a Convict called the Tsetse Fly. A Convict with the ability to create deadly acid. The parasite Convict. Beat it till it gives it up.
It was bigger than the normal ones, instead of green, its pink. That’s the ‘she’ Luke mentioned. I hovered down and showed it to Terrance.
“is that a...” before he could finish,
“yes, a Glossy worm. This is the queen.” I said.
“how did you know?” he asked
“ I’m a Butterfly, I know when another Butterfly is not himself.” I said.
“better get her to the hospital” Terrance said.
He pulled out another glass disk and kept it inside.
I took Amanda to the hospital and ran off, I brought Phillip and the family too, putting them at the emergency ward. I went home and brought my own parents to the hospital as well. My family’s alive. Everyone is okay. Everyone except for Amanda.
I sat right outside the hospital. Thinking about what happened tonight.
Amanda might not wake up. She suffered a blast to the heart getting into a state of shock and is now in coma. All my fault. This was harder to lose than I thought. That was the moment I realized I have to choose.
Alice or Dazzle Girl.
“you gave everything” he said. Terrance walked over. He sat next to me and patted me on the back. “this was your fault!” I said. Realizing this was all on him, If he’d just chose to drop it, they won’t get hurt. Amanda won’t have to take a blast to the heart. But if I had not discovered it, the world would be taken over by these worms. I couldn’t bring myself to repeat those words.
“I’m sorry for Amanda, but you stopped the Queen. Your friend got hurt for you to save many.” he said
. “I never expected this to happen.”
I said nothing. I hated every moment of this. This victory meant nothing because someone got hurt. There was a brief silence.
I sobbed through a good minute or two and wiped my tears off.
“I gotta ask, how did you know Luke is a hoax?” he asked.
“because you told me he was a ghost story.” I said.
“and I believed you. The Tsetse Fly is an illusion. He only works when you don’t fear it.” I explained. Terrance nodded. “huh.”
“yeah, but this is not an illusion.” I said. Pointing at the hospital. I feel sick for not trusting Terrance with The Glossy Worm. I should have trusted him. Otherwise, this won’t happen. Half of it is on me.
“sorry for not telling you about this.” I said.
“its okay, if I knew I won’t tell you either. It would be hard to believe such things exist. It was more dangerous than I thought.” he said.
The boy turns out to be another Butterfly, Luke.
He was just 14. He had no memories about what happened before.
Terrence finally told me the whole truth, that he had his powers a bit before me. He told me about Luke’s record and that he was also from our time, he never expected Luke to show up let alone hurting someone. Convicts are cool. But they can be used for all the wrong reasons. Its days like this where I find that the truth is, we all are powerful people, our lives as normal people are over. The Lab will find out and come after us. The lives of others will be brought into this. Which is why I need to run. Terrance looked out to the sky.
“ this is a mess! I’m really sorry.” he said.
“yeah,me too.” I said. “I have work to do.”
I stood and scraped off the sand behind me and walked off
“Alice wait!” Terrance said. “don’t be too hard on yourself.”
I turned back to him and thanked him. We hugged for a while. I could use one. I know he is just a kid but I didn’t care. Of all that I’ve been through with Terrance made me realize one thing, sometimes heroes will be the ones with the most hurt. We risked losing the people we loved most everyday. But we carry on, because we know that people deserve that more than we do. Sometimes being a hero means sucking it up and carry on. I walked inside and went to visit Phillip.
He had a fractured neck, a broken arm and some scars with a nasty trauma. “hey, how are you?” I asked
“doing good.” he said softly. “such a mess huh?”
“yeah.” I said. Faking a smile at him.
“I knew you were special.” he said. There was a moment of silence.
“listen, about Amanda...” he asked. “Phillip...” I stopped him right there. “I’ve been through hell okay.” I said. “yeah you sure did.” he agreed.
“but its not on you.” there was another moment of silence.
“Listen Alice, I have something to give you. There’s a gift I want to give you. Go over to my room, under my bed, is a purple box, your gift. I’m sure you’ll like it.” he said. “thank you.” I said. I stood and left the room “and Alice,” I stopped and turned. “find out who did this, and make sure they pay.” I nodded and walked off. My parents are fine now.
They’ve recovered but I was too afraid to go see them.
They filed a report for a missing child. Boy are they wrong.
Terrance and I left the hospital from the back.
“Several people saw you in the fight. You caused a black out. Those guys from The Lab will come get you. No more school for you then.” Terrance said. I sighed. “never liked it there anyway.”
“so what happens now?” he asked. “I have some running to do.” I said.
The people from The Lab came seconds after. I was already gone. I got a costume to find, of all that I’ve been through, I’m forced to run.
To hide. Things are changing again.
I ran to The Summers family home and ran to Phillip’s room.
I checked under the bed and found the purple box.
Inside was a blue dress with a white internal short sleeve collar shirt.
The dress has a white apron and a pair of leg boots.
It was beautiful. The dress also came with a note saying;-
Dear Alice,
I made this during the wake of your powers and I hope that one day, you’ll wear it, carrying the friendships and strengths you’ve developed with us and give it back to the world.
Use it well.
Phillip Summers.
So he has made a special costume for me.
I kept the letter and kept everything into the box.
I went home and packed the box into a pink backpack, I thought of changing into my costume but real heroes don’t wear costumes. I ditched the long black legging with a short skirt on the waist and wore a long black jeans instead. I folded the long sleeve black shirt with a symbol on the front together and cut the sleeves short with my light beam hands. I kept the long navy blue coat, went over to my doorstep and put on a pair of blue Vans sneakers and ran back to the hospital.
I’m Alice and Dazzle Girl. Both can’t exist together because Alice became Dazzle Girl, and there is no changing that. I went back to the hospital one last time to say good bye to Amanda.
Her monitor was still beeping.
She’s breathing.resting there on her bed.
Motionless. Still, asleep.
Her heart rate was low but I had hope. I believed in hope.
I am going to set it right. That’s what I told myself.
Maybe that’s my next move, to help people, to bring hope to their lives.
To protect those who needed protecting.
“get well soon Amanda, I’ll be waiting.” turned my head down and walked out from the hospital. She’ll be fine I thought. Have faith.
I ran to the city center to meet up with Terrance.
Terrance looked at me and smiled. He finally noticed the new look.
“so, you ready?” he asked.
“to go after more danger yeah.” I said.
“Here!” Terrance handed me to Portal Revolver.
The revolver had my name carved on it.
“happy birthday!” he said.“use it well.”
“uh thanks?” I said. “you don’t have to though.” I added.
“nah, its yours. You deserve it.” he said. “this queen turns out to have a king. That means Luke is just a prince.”
“so that means the king is still out there.” I said.
“yeah but she won’t be taking anymore brains anytime soon.” Terrance pulled out the Queen, frozen solid.
“we gotta find the King.” I said.
“we’ll need more fire power.” Terrance pointed out.
“we’ll start with Jacob Brown.” I said.
We will have to find The Glossy King.
The one who owns the hive to the Tsetse Flies.
And they came from what we call a Glossy worm. They Causes hallucinations and makes you insane. It also becomes a mind controlling agent, controlling your movements. It enters into your brain through your ear and controls you from there on. A parasite. Its us or them. They could be anyone. They could be the people we love
Or the people you never expected them to be.
It started out in The Docks, it will end at the Docks.
I have a mission.
I have a hive of Glossy King to hunt down.
I’ve decided. I’ve made my choice,
I am Convict and I’m a Butterfly, this is my life now.
Alice Dagger is Dazzle Girl, and this is only the beginning.
