by E S Richards
He was the last one now: he had to do it. The heat continued slowly moving down his arms towards his hands, his left feeling slightly hotter than his right. Channelling this Asher looked fiercely at his left hand, willing it with all his might to burst into flames. Then it happened so suddenly that he made himself jump, before looking proudly up at Ben and the other boys.
“Nice one Ash,” Sam teased beside him, his right hand still on fire. “But you were supposed to light up your right hand.”
In response Asher felt more heat moving to his right hand as well and grinned at Sam, as he knew what was coming. When his other hand became engulfed in flames as well he let out a proud laugh, holding both of his burning hands stretched out in front of him.
“Better?”
“Aw cool,” Jonny whined as both of Asher’s hands caught on fire. “I wanna do that.”
“Very good Asher,” Ben congratulated him, his own flame now extinguished. “Come on boys, you two focus on both hands as well. Try and copy what Asher is doing.”
Asher held both his hands out in front of him watching the flames dance around on his skin as Sam and Jonny tried to light up their left hands as well. He was amazed by how the flames weren’t burning him. He could feel their heat, but it didn’t hurt. In a way it just reminded him that there was a power inside of him and as soon as he recognised it, Asher knew he could control it.
“Nice one boys,” Ben said a few minutes later and Asher turned to see both Sam and Jonny with two fists ablaze. “Now try and move the flame around your body. Focus on any part of it, doesn’t matter where. Although it’s probably easiest to move the flames up your arms and onto your chest. You’ll find it gets harder the more area you want to cover, so you might need to focus on just your left or right.”
Asher didn’t need to wait for any further instruction and cast his eyes back down to his flaming hands. Squeezing them together tightly into fists he concentrated again on his left hand, dragging his gaze slowly up his forearm. To his delight as his eyes moved up his left arm the flames followed with it and soon from the elbow down to his fingertips his left arm was spitting fire. Moving his eyes over he did the same with his right, looking up at the others when both his arms were burning from the elbow down.
Jonny had reached the same stage as him, although only on his right arm, the flame on his left having died out. Sam however was having a great deal of success, his entire chest burning brightly with red-hot flames. Asher looked at his companion, feeling both a mixture of pride and jealousy at how well Sam was doing.
Then, refusing to be outdone he steadied his mind and carried the flames further up his arms. He felt the lick of heat on his neck as his flames spread over his shoulders and came to a rest. It was extremely hard work but Asher was proud, grinning confidently as both of his arms remained covered in fire.
“Incredible, well done boys!”
Looking up Asher saw the General occupying his field of vision, the man proudly admiring the three of them and the flames they carried. Sam’s chest was still glowing; Jonny had managed to light up one full arm similar to Asher’s, while Asher himself placed both his hands on his hips, his flaming arms standing out in bright little triangles.
“That’s one half of the battle won,” the General continued with a proud smile. “Now put yourselves out and go try splitting.”
Returning the General’s smile Asher looked over to Sam and Jonny. The jealousy he had felt moments ago over Sam’s control had quickly faded and as all three of them let their flames die out they stepped forward and clapped one another on the back, congratulating each other on what they had achieved. Asher was proud to work with the boys. They were like him: they were like his brothers.
“Come on,” Jonny urged, “let’s go make copies of ourselves.”
Sam whooped and clapped Asher on the back once more, pushing him forward towards where the other soldier, Adams was waiting. Asher realised he hadn’t noticed at all how the other three boys had got on with splitting themselves, his focus entirely on producing flames for himself. He wondered which would be easier and whether he could continue his afternoon of success.
It didn’t take him long to realise he could as Asher waved at an exact copy of himself, knowing that he was having an incredible day. Splitting himself came remarkably easy to Asher, feeling a funny sensation within himself almost immediately as he came to stand in front of Adams.
Before the soldier had even finished speaking Asher was confident he was going to split in two, his body feeling as if it was about to burst. Then, almost on the word go Asher felt his energy bubbling over and snapped his eyes shut, opening them to discover his exact copy standing in front of him.
“Wow,” Asher whispered to himself while Sam and Jonny gathered around, reaching out to touch the copy of Asher.
“What’s it like?” Sam asked inquisitively while Asher could only stare at himself.
“It’s weird,” he spoke. “I don’t feel any mental attachment to that body, is that normal?”
“Now, this was a bit I was going to tell you once you’d all split,” Adams replied, “but you seem to be ahead of the game Asher. Your copy will act like you normally would in any situation, but you can move your consciousness from the body to inhabit now over to it at will. Try it out. And you two, come on try splitting!”
Asher furrowed his brow at the soldier’s words. He wasn’t completely sure what he had meant but concentrated on his copy instead, walking over towards it. He picked up his right hand and waved, watching in awe as his copy repeated the motion back to him. It wasn’t an exact mirror of the action though, confirming what Adams had said about the copy having its own consciousness.
Curious, Asher shrugged off his jacket so that him and his copy no longer looked exactly the same. He was positive that he was the original, but wanted to try something and needed a way to distinguish between the two of him. Then, he stared into the copy’s eyes and imagined moving his mind over to the new body. Suddenly, he was looking at the body he had just inhabited, it’s jacket on the floor by its feet. But Asher still felt like the original, at no point did he feel like a copy of himself.
“Confused yet?” Adams said with a laugh, walking over to Asher and picking up the jacket from beside his copies' – no, his original’s – feet. Or was it the copy? Adams was right; Asher was definitely confused.
“Whichever body your mind inhabits,” Adams continued, “that becomes the original. The bodies are identical, so it doesn’t matter which one you choose. It’s your mind that makes you who you are.”
Considering the soldier’s words Asher thought for a moment, while Adams moved off to share the same wisdom with Sam and Jonny, who had both now managed to split themselves. He stared at the other version of himself, remarking at how much his body had grown since returning to the safe haven.
He looked strong. He looked confident. Most of all though, Asher noticed he looked happy. He grinned at himself and swapped bodies once again, returning to the version without a jacket. Even if they were identical, he still felt a small attachment to his original. Then with a deep breath he allowed himself to become one again, looking around the room at his friends and marvelling at what they had all achieved.
“Alright boys.”
The General’s voice sounded out through the room once again and Asher noticed everyone was taking a break from their mutation training. Jonny and Sam both standing as single people again; Dylan, Adryan and Hayden letting the last of their flames die out over their bodies.
“You’ve all accomplished a lot today and I’m proud of you.”
Asher felt himself smile at the General’s words, something he realised his friends were also doing too.
“We’re going to break now for supper and I know normally after supper you get some relaxation time of your own.”
“But we haven’t tried using both the mutations together!”
“You’re right Hayden,” the General nodded to the boy who’s flames h
ad now fully extinguished. “This is why I’m offering you the chance to eat here, rather in your dormitory this evening and continue this training after supper. It’s up to you what you choose. We can continue this lesson tomorrow if you would prefer.”
“I’m staying!” Hayden replied quickly, his confirmation quickly followed by five other voices, including Asher’s.
“Very well then,” the General smiled. “I’ll see you after supper boys. Make sure you drink plenty to regain your strength.”
Almost on cue the doors to the training room slid open and a woman entered pushing a tray of brightly coloured drinks and a large pot of stew. Asher ran forward, grabbing himself one of the blue drinks and downing half its contents in one.
The sooner supper was over the sooner he could get back to training, a sentiment all of the boys shared as they wolfed down their meal in anticipation. The allure of being able to borrow multiple mutations at once dancing seductively in each of their minds.
Chapter 15 – Cain
Watching Zahyra sleep brought Cain the first bit of peace he’d felt all day. It felt weird lying in bed with her in their hut when all around the rest of the warped settlement their former neighbours lay dead. Their bodies either burnt or slowly starting to rot. Soon enough the warped settlement would become overrun by wild dogs, the scent of death being too strong to keep them away for long.
Based on this Cain knew they would have to move out in the next couple of days but he had no idea where they should go. Now that they had Zac with them Cain didn’t feel comfortable going back to his small cabin, the one place he had ever truly thought of as home.
As he lay struggling for sleep he quickly realised that wouldn’t be an option anyway. His cabin was too far away from the safe haven and with everything they had learnt today Cain knew he wouldn’t be able to keep Zahyra from that place for very long.
The discovery of there possibly being other Gen 6 boys like Asher had been shocking. Even more so when the little girl, Clarke, had stated that her older brother was taken back with the safe haven. Cain had hoped Zac’s tale about the twins he knew in the safe haven would somehow turn out to be false and Asher would simply return to them. But with the safe haven hunting down and taking another boy – another one of their twisted experiments – Cain had no choice but to admit to himself that Zac’s theory was correct. The safe haven was forming an army of Gen 6 mutants like Asher.
He hated that Zac was right. He hated that Zahyra had ran to speak to him and that she sympathised with him so much. Most of all though he hated the way Zac looked at her. Thankfully, the warped settlement was now so empty Zac hadn’t needed to stay with him and Zahyra that night, but Cain knew he wasn’t far away.
Vincent had eventually come around to the idea that the attack wasn’t entirely Zac’s fault and although he still acted unpleasantly towards the boy, he had accepted that he wouldn’t run away. And even if he did, Vincent was unwilling to bring any more death into the settlement. Unfortunately for Cain that meant that Zac was sticking around and he was probably going to have to put up with him on the next part of their journey, wherever that may take them.
Cain had never really felt jealousy before, but then, he had never really had anything he was particularly proud of or cared for. Forcing himself into an isolated life from a young age he had struggled to build any proper relationships, especially after the disastrous day where he killed both of his younger brothers.
Since then he’d been alone, the basic need for human interaction diminishing in him each day. Until he met Zahyra. Now that he was with her he knew he couldn’t let anything come between them. And yet, Zac was doing exactly that.
As Zahyra rolled over in her sleep and laid a hand across his chest Cain tried to calm himself down. He knew their next few days would be difficult and he needed to be there for Zahyra as best he could. He also knew that she had already recognised jealousy in him, for she had said so much to him before going to sleep that night.
“You have nothing to worry about,” she had told him. “I’m yours Cain, I am now and I always will be.”
Her words stuck in Cain’s head like a fly caught in a web. He knew he would never forget them but more than that he would never allow them to not be true. If Zac was simply another obstacle he had to deal with then so be it. The two of them had already been through so much and ultimately their relationship was still only just beginning.
He marvelled at the fact that more had happened in his life since meeting Zahyra than had happened in the three long years he’d been alone. Thinking about his old life now he knew he could never go back, not if he wanted to be happy.
Sadly however he also knew he could not be happy until Asher was rescued from the safe haven. The other boys too; Jonny, Dylan and Adryan. Now that they had names and Cain knew they were suffering the same fate as Asher he couldn’t leave them inside the facility. What worried him was exactly how many other boys there were as well.
Both Zahyra and Zac had already considered that the safe haven could be building an army. Zahyra had rightly said there could be hundreds of Gen 6 boys, all being brainwashed into the same way of thinking. If they learnt how to control their mutations properly as well they would be unstoppable. Although Cain was still uncertain on the full extent of the Gen 6 mutation – Asher’s theories being just that: theories.
Closing his eyes in a firmer attempt to get some sleep Cain couldn’t help but worry about the beautiful girl lying next to him. Her appearance had changed so much since he first met her; her features hardened somewhat by everything they had been through. But still she was beautiful to him and as long as he had breath in his lungs he would protect her, no matter what that meant.
“Come on sleepy head, wake up.”
A small pillow hit him on the side of the head. Zahyra was stood in front of him, dressed and waiting with her hands on her hips.
“I’m gunna head out and get some food before we start work,” she spoke lightly, lingering over her words. The work they would have to do would not be the same boring farm work they had become accustomed too, but Cain knew both himself and Zahyra would prefer it to what lay ahead. The clearing of dead bodies was never an easy task. “You coming?”
“You go ahead,” Cain yawned rubbing his eyes. “I’ll catch up.”
“Alright,” Zahyra’s voice seemed to drop slightly. “I guess I’ll go see if Zac’s awake yet.”
That name suddenly brought a spring into Cain’s step. “I’m up, I’m up! Just give me a minute and I’ll come with you.”
Zahyra laughed. “I told you to quit being so jealous around him. I only like him as a friend, nothing else. You’d probably get on with him if you gave him a chance.”
“He likes you though.”
Zahyra blushed slightly.
“See and now you’re blushing!”
“I am not!” Another pillow caught Cain in the head as he moved around picking up his clothes. “How can I possibly think of anyone else when I’ve got you in my bed every night?”
It was then Cain’s turn to blush as he moved towards Zahyra, wrapping his arms around her and burying her head against his bare chest. As he held her for a moment he felt her relax in his arms like she always did. She was right, he really had nothing to worry about and he needed to prove that to her.
“Alright,” he spoke releasing her from his hug. “You go get some food, I’ll just grab a quick shower and catch up with you in the main hall in a few minutes.”
“Okay,” Zahyra leaned in and brushed her lips against Cain’s. “Don’t be too long.”
That soft kiss was all it took to get Cain moving at almost lightening speed. He showered and dressed quickly; ready to leave their hut with a smile on his face. The sight outside instantly wiped it away however, the reality of what they would have to do that day truly sinking in.
There was a great deal of food set out in the main hall when Cain arrived and he wondered why so much had been prepared. Then, remembering the woma
n who had been in charge of preserving the food had probably been killed the day before he realised most of it was slowly starting to mould and decay. Piling his plate high with whatever remained good he wandered over to sit with Zahyra and the others: the only seven remaining inhabitants of the warped settlement.
“Morning,” Vincent muttered as Cain sat down, taking the spare seat that was unfortunately next to Zac.
“Morning,” Cain replied, “uh, how are you?”
“As expected,” the old man replied sombrely. Cain thought he looked to have aged a good ten years since they had first met, and that had only been about a week ago. He nodded in response, analysing that conversation was not going to flow easily that morning.
As a result the seven of them ate mostly in silence. Clarke, the young girl was fidgety in her seat and eventually the two women escorted her out, neither of them managing to stomach much food.
“Have you decided what you’re going to do in the long term?” Zahyra asked Vincent, knowing the question of the future needed to be asked.
“We’re going to stay here.” Vincent replied in a straightforward manner, holding his pincer-hand up to quieten Zahyra as she made to object. “I know what you’re going to say, the dogs will come, the death will bring them in, it always does. But this is our home and it has been for many years, for Clarke all her life. I understand you three will want to move on, but that’s just not an option for us, I’m sorry.”
“I understand,” Zahyra said immediately. “Let us know which area of the settlement you want to live in and we’ll help you organise it before we leave. It’s the least we can do.”
“Thank you,” Vincent replied, “I appreciate that. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must go check on Clarke. She didn’t sleep much last night as you can imagine. None of us did.”
