He smiled at me and put his hand on my head. He reads me easier than a librarian can read a book. I moved his hand from my head to ask a question. This topic was serious for him, so I avoided it for a while but felt it was important to ask.
“Why don’t you have a wife?” I asked.
“I don’t have one anymore.”
“What happened?”
“People drift apart, but I wish nothing but the best for her.”
“Why do you wish the best for her?” I asked.
“Just because you don’t like someone or don’t get along with them, you can still wish the best for them. People deal with pain whether it’s internal or external in separate ways. Life is too short to spend it on hate. Emotions are like a cold; they’re contagious and affect everyone around you. Hate brings on more hate, happiness brings on more happiness, and so on,” explained Mr. Finch.
“Mr. Finch, I have one more question.”
“OK, but then back to training.”
I looked down at the ground.
“I’ve seen my dad once. Do you believe he ever regretted having a kid like me who isn’t normal?” I asked.
“I’m guessing you’re talking about being an Abomination and not the fact that you were born with an extraordinary gift,” Mr. Finch said.
“I’m not all that great for you to praise me.”
“You just beat a veteran at a fight, and you’re 16. That’s pretty extraordinary.”
“Wouldn’t it just be better if I was born like the others?” I envied.
“Let me tell you something, being normal is an easy life. It’s a happier life, but it’s also a life without fulfillment. Them picking on you will make you a stronger person in the future. Everyone gets picked on, even me.”
“Yea right. A Caltron bullied…” I retorted.
“It’s true. Don’t think that being born pure doesn’t have any problems because that won’t stop others from bullying you. They will find something, anything you're insecure about, and target that. My wings took longer to develop than some, so I got called names like ‘chicken’ due to being flightless. I learned how to fight so that no one could ever call me that again,” said Mr. Finch.
I mimicked a chicken with my arms and made funny noises in front of Mr. Finch.
“Who you calling chicken, kitty cat? Now back to training.” We both stood up and began running drills – weight training and cardio exercises being the primary focus. The day started to drift by, and near the last hour, practice changed from the usual.
Mr. Finch crossed his arms, “You need to work on your control as an Abundan.”
I sighed, “Again.”
“Before we begin, let’s go back to the basics,” Mr. Finch said.
Each time I failed to activate my aura, he drove this lesson back to me as punishment. “Can’t we just get on with the lesson?” I asked.
“When you activate your aura, I won’t lecture you about this anymore,” putting his hands on his sides to begin his rehearsed speech.
“There are Classes 1, 2, 3, and 4. I’m a veteran Abundan with only Class 4. The most I can do is enhance my physical abilities with a limited battery. This is a separate addition to the heart—the bigger it is, the stronger it gets. That’s why cardio for an Abundan is so important. I emit a little blue aura, but that’s it. The battery life of an Abundan determines their classification. Classes 1 and 2 gain a unique ability to move particles outside of themselves. Some call this magic; the scientific term is particle conversion. You need to do this on your own. I cannot guide you in this due to me being only a Class 4. I will do my best to teach you from this book written by other Abundans,” Mr. Finch grabbed a tattered brown textbook with gold lettering. He flipped it open and began to read.
“Alright, now we’ve tried this before. Let’s try it again. I know you found it painful last time and we put it off. But now is the time, Salan. I know you can do this. To start, breathe easily at first, then feel your heart rate go faster and faster. Force it to move,” instructed Mr. Finch.
I followed his instructions. It’s like learning to walk for the first time. I tried for a good 15 minutes with no results.
“We’ve done this before, and it’s the same result. I can’t do it,” I complained.
“You can. You just got to practice putting your body into overdrive. Feel every cell within your veins move and pump your blood; use that extra battery you have. Force those blood cells to go faster and faster. Your aura will then begin to emerge.”
I tried this technique another ten times with no result. I felt my heart rate go up a bit. Once you get the rhythm of it, it becomes much more comfortable. Sometimes I failed and would have to restart, but I kept going. My body began to shiver, and my hands started to emit a black smoke around my veins and arteries. My heart throbbed in pain, each beat echoing in my head like a drum. If someone wanted to study how veins and arteries worked, you could map it perfectly on me. My heart felt like it was going to burst.
“It’s starting to get painful. Should I keep going?” I asked, panicking.
“Yes, you have to. It’s a painful process to activate your aura for the first time as an Abundan. Your heart will be in pain during this time. I’ve told you this before. Trust me,” Mr. Finch reassured.
My body got warmer and warmer. I started sweating buckets, clenching my fists from the pain and gritted my teeth. I tried not to cry out, but some grunts escaped my lips. I’ve had my bones broken before, but this pain was far worse. It felt like acid was filling my arteries and veins. The black aura encircled me, and Mr. Finch started to yell more.
“You have to keep going until it isn't painful anymore to complete the process! Keep going Salan! I believe in you!”
The floor began to shake, and I couldn’t control where the aura went. A black tornado whirred around me as Mr. Finch flapped his wings to keep his distance. It worried me more.
“Finch!” I shouted.
“I’m right here. Don’t worry! Keep going!” Mr. Finch shouted back.
Suddenly, all the pain dropped at once, and I felt exhausted. Sweat covered my body and the smoke dissipated. I tried to walk forward, but my legs didn’t function. I started to fall, and Mr. Finch caught me before I hit the floor.
“You beat me and activated your aura on the same day. You truly are exceptional. You should feel stronger already.”
I got up after my heavy breathing slowed and my blurred vision cleared. I was still covered in sweat but felt amazing. Trying it again, I activated my aura without a problem. Black smoke enveloped only the arteries and veins so I could see in front of my face. I ran from one side of the room to the other; shocked that I was 50% faster. I jumped and doubled my record. Then, I punched the 300-pound bag, and it knocked over the stand.
“This is amazing!” I shouted to Mr. Finch as I ran towards him, unable to contain my smile. Despite Ms. Wong, Babel, and Mr. Lox, today was a good day. Mr. Finch picked up the book and read, but this time he seemed troubled.
He raised an eyebrow, “That’s odd, your aura glows black,” said Mr. Finch
“Why is it odd?”
“It’s considered rare. You’re full of surprises.”
“Is there anything else to it?”
Mr. Finch stopped reading, “According to this book, shades are more powerful, while colored auras are more common.” The bell rang, and I packed up my stuff to bolt home. As I ran out of the dojo, I heard Mr. Finch behind me.
“Remember, we do Kendo lessons on Monday, Salan!” he shouted.
“I will!” I shouted back running out with my backpack.
I walked back past my history class, glad that I only had to do one morning class and train the rest of my curriculum. It made it easier not to stand out, even if it was for Faslow to have another soldier. When I walked outside the school, I saw Seraculus in the distance. I decided to wait for the transport carriage instead of using my new ability to jog back.
I turned my attention back to Ser
aculus. She didn’t get to have the rest of the school day off like me, which must have been rough for her first day. I saw her eye was bruised as I walked towards her. My smile dissipated, and I became concerned.
“Who did this to you?” I asked.
“No one, I fell. Guess I’m a bit clumsy,” she said shyly.
This was the same excuse I said to my mom when kids beat me up as well. It's hard to admit you can’t solve your problems, especially for people like Seraculus and me. No kid wants to accept that.
“Did you fight back?” I asked.
“Fight what? The floor I fell on?” she said, still not looking me in the eye.
“Listen to me. I know you’re lying. I’ll ask again. Did you fight back?”
“Of course I did, but there was a group of them and, and…” she drifted off.
I hugged her. She was at first hesitant but then hugged back. Seraculus at least hit back; she’s stronger than most people I’ve met.
I felt eyes on me and turned to see Phil, “Look at the freaks holding onto each other,” Phil snapped.
He was back with his gang of three including himself. One of his friends was Cyclops and the other a Hymer. Phil was Human, a race which suited him well. Being cruel was their specialty. I noticed his tooth was chipped unlike before, so she did fight back. I stood in front of Seraculus.
“Leave her alone, Phil,” I ordered.
“You can’t fight me, or you’ll get another suspension. You don’t want mommy to get a cut in pay,” said Phil.
He knew how they controlled an Abundan. The government threatens to cut a parent or guardian’s pay with fines. Just so they stay in line. I weighed the risks and decided Phil deserved to be hit. I’ll make sure he doesn’t talk.
“You really think I’m afraid of you because you’re taller than me?” I asked
I activated my aura. The veins and arteries emitted a black glow. The smoke wisped behind me as I moved fast and went for the ribs on his left side. A punch to the head or hitting the ribs on the right side could be fatal. I followed through hard with my left hand, hearing confirmation of bones breaking with three snapping sounds. He moved back clutching his side. Blood came out of his mouth. His two friends stepped back out of fear.
“Wait till the school hears about this,” muttered Phil in pain.
I took a step closer to him as he lay on the ground. Then put my mouth close to his ear.
“If you decide to rat me out, I can make your life a lot worse,” I whispered.
I moved a step back as they picked Phil up and carried him on both of their shoulders. My attention turned to Seraculus.
“Are you OK?” I asked.
“That…that was amazing! When did you learn to do that?” she asked.
“Today, actually. I’ll tell you all about it on the way back home,” I replied.
When the carriage arrived, we got in the back seat quickly to talk.
“Hey, my mom doesn’t get home till nine tonight. Want to hang out for a bit?” I asked.
“Are you asking a girl over to your house?” mocked Seraculus.
“I didn’t mean it like that. Besides, my mom says girls have cooties anyway,” I winked.
“You’re adorably stupid,” she said.
“What? They don’t,” I replied sarcastically.
Most of the other kids were dropped off before my neighborhood. The alleyways were full of homeless people. I’ve even heard people say stuff like, “Cats belong in alleys.”
People invaded this land that once belonged to my people. They promised us peace. We did not own property but shared it. We did not understand owning something in that way. The Cyclops’ had a higher set of technology and saw the rich landscape. They teamed up with the Humans and Caltrons, but they wanted it for themselves. There was no way my people would have won the Great War.
I walked off the bus with Seraculus and led her to my house. The factories smelled of coal and desperation. The smog-filled the air near my home. As we walked from the bus stop, we saw brick housing with broken windows. Seraculus stumbled from the cobblestone roads being uneven and worn out. She looked around a bit nervously catching herself. She moved closer to me; I pretended not to notice. Felis kids were playing with a leather ball. When I walked by one of them, they grabbed the ball and stared at me. They definitely did not want me to join in.
Seraculus leaned in to whisper. “Why don’t they like you?”
“Because I’m an Abomination.”
Seraculus did not want to further the conversation as we walked. We made our way to my house—a bedraggled building with warped wood and broken doors that belonged to my grandma. It stood out among the other buildings because it wasn’t made from brick. The wood often snapped just by gripping it. Missing and broken shingles caused leaks sometimes, but it was no big deal. The porch creaked as we both walked up, and cracked windows stood on either side of the door. Many people would call it disgusting, but I called it home. “Abomination Child” was still painted in bright red by the front door. I pointed to it.
“Guess I’ll have to fix that later, huh,” putting on a fake smile.
I led her inside and started the coal furnace up, darted to the backyard, and got water from our well. The clearing led into a forest where I did my hunting. When I got back to the house, I heated the water with a rusty kettle and grabbed the last two remaining tea bags. The primary material of the kitchen was wood. The creaky floors needed to be dusted along with the worn-out furniture. The house felt like it was nearing its end, like an old man on his final breath. There was a small wooden table with four crudely constructed chairs surrounding it.
“Make yourself comfortable. We don’t have a fridge. Don’t worry though, because I’m going to go prepare some food from the forest later,” I said.
She took a seat on one of the splintered chairs. She seemed uncomfortable and fiddled with her hands.
“You said you had a mother. What about your dad?” asked Seraculus.
“My father is not around. He’s only visited once and doesn’t pay for anything. I don’t know why my mom even married him, to be honest,” I responded.
“Sorry I asked.”
“Don’t be. It’s fine, and besides, I view my coach Mr. Finch more like a father anyway. Don’t tell him that though. That guy doesn’t need a bigger ego.”
Seraculus giggled.
“All jokes aside, he’s a good man nonetheless,” I stated while pouring water from the rusty kettle. The cups were made of metal and had a bit of an iron taste to it. I paused for a moment, realizing how special Seraculus was.
“It’s nice to have a friend that isn’t an adult,” I said.
“Good, no competition when it comes to friends,” responded Seraculus.
We smiled at each other. So, this was what it felt like to have a friendship with someone my age. Maybe this world isn’t so bad.
After we finished our tea, I started to prepare for the hunt by gathering some wooden throwing knives. They were fast and easy to make with a regular metal knife. The metal knife I owned was a present from Mr. Finch. He used it when he was in the military.
To prepare dinner, I had to go to my hunting grounds in the forest. Seraculus and I walked out the back wooden door, then passed by the well, and fire pit. I picked up my leather bag for collecting meat on the way out. There was a rope on top to tighten the leather sack.
“Alright Seraculus, I’m going to be getting meat tonight. I’ll sell the furs for some cash on the side for my mother,” I stated.
“What else do you want to eat?”
“I already said meat,” I retorted.
“I don’t want to get in your way, so I’ll go find some herbs as well,” said Seraculus.
“What? Why?” I asked.
“Because you should have a balanced diet.”
“But I don’t like vegetables.”
“Too bad.”
I repositioned the leather sack to be more comfortable as I walked.
“Your mother sounds like a smart woman,” Seraculus said while crossing her arms.
When Seraculus and I entered the forest, the aroma of dirt and trees was welcoming to me. The scent felt nostalgic and safe. Turning around, I remembered something important to ask.
“How are you going to find your way back here?”
“Echolocation.”
“Echo-what?”
“It’s when you use sound to find out where objects are. The frequency can be used for large distances. I’ve never been lost once.”
“That’s amazing!”
She stuck her finger up in the air as if she was a teacher making a lecture.
“All of my kind are born with it. Even though I’m half Human, I inherited more of my Minyades traits, as it’s a dominant gene.”
“Dominant gene?”
“It’s the physical traits that appear over recessive ones, just like you have Felis traits instead of Human. Although, your ears and tail are smaller than most Felis,” observed Seraculus.
We moved past some bushes, my previous footprints made a small dirt pathway. The clearing eventually became denser, and I spotted deer tracks in the direction of a red cedar tree. My nose caught its scent, it was fresh, but it didn’t have the smell of a deer.
“I’m going to track this. Stay back and get some herbs,” I said.
Then I remembered that she might not know what is, or isn’t edible, being new to Faslow.
“In my house, there is a book on which herbs are poisonous and which aren’t. My mother has it in her bedroom. Go get it for reference,” I instructed.
“Aye aye, captain!” She saluted.
“Was that necessary?”
“Yes, it was,” smiled Seraculus.
Seraculus left to walk back to my house. I sped up my heart rate, and the black aura encircled my body. I climbed the red cedar, keeping myself 30 meters up, and moved from branch to branch. Still keeping an eye on the deer tracks and scent, I noticed something odd in the tracks. The two front hoof marks that wouldn’t align with the back two. As I moved along, the scent grew stronger until I found myself at a small clearing. There was a river where two creatures were drinking. It wasn’t a deer, but an animal that I hadn’t seen before. It had the lower half of a deer, but the upper half looked like a kangaroo with horns. It stood on its hind legs to walk around. The sunlight pierced through the leaves illuminating both creatures. There was a mother taking care of its offspring at the edge of the river.
Untold Deception Page 3
