I was only meant to teach him a lesson, to threaten him, make him understand the weight of his powers.
I looked around, from the wooden pieces of the staff and Theo's constructs then finally down to the child at my feet.
'I overdid it' atleast that much was clear, looking around I saw Theo and the girl.
The girl stayed in place, Theo no longer held her, they both stood... watching, The girl was scared, while Theo looked... fascinated.
I messed up badly, and I couldn't even remember exactly what got me so angry.... so... bloodthirsty.
I lost control of myself, it was ironic in the way that I lost control of myself trying to teach someone else a lesson for the same thing.
I was still standing as a strong feeling washed over me, I felt my strength weaken as though health left my body.
I didn't need to look to notice my wife's approach.
Even in her silence I could feel her rage like an earthquake.
"I... I can explain" I tried to say, but I couldn't explain and we both knew it.
She didn't pay my words any attention.
She walked towards me slowly and stared me down, no words, no expression. She was shorter by much and yet it didn't diminish the intensity of her gaze.
CLAP!! The slap came instantly and I didn't dare dodge, The sting felt like ants on my skin and I knew it wouldn't heal, not until a long while.
"Eve..." She turned away the second I spoke her name, kneeling, she knelt placed her hand on Vicas.
I collapsed to the floor..., watching, the healing process was instant but Vicas remained asleep.
The girl watched too, but from a distance, Theo was nowhere in sight, probably already tending to his dolls.
She took Vicas, with the girl tagging along.
Through it all, I didn't move once.
...
Vicas!! Vicas!!! VICAS!!..., my eyes opened and immediately I got flustered by the scenery.
There were plants all around, different colors but red was most dominant,It appeared in so many plants in small patches.
This was someone else's backyard, one I only vaguely recognised.
"Did you hear what I said Vicas...." I only just noticed there was someone next to me.
"The..Theola?"I said as I looked to my left, we both sat on a table, it was big and round and both our feet didn't touch the ground.
"What's the matter Vicas, you aren't paying attention at all" She said, She... Theola....
I grabbed her hand, she was real, I don't know why I was so panicked but she was real and right there as she has always been.
"You're definitely acting strange" She said, but she left her hand in mine. I was glad, I needed to feel she was real.
Tears streamed down both my eyes, and I hugged her, my body felt smaller than I expected, but hers was just as I remembered and so i ignored it. She hadn't aged a day since.... since....
"Are you crying" She asked me.
"No... I just... just got something in my eyes" I said sniffling, pulling myself off her and rubbing my eyes.
I finally took her in fully, she had big brown eyes, and wore a yellow gown.
'Yellow always looked good on her'. Something about the way I thought of that sentence stirred something within me, I brushed it aside.
She gave me a peck on the side of my face, "Better?"She asked, at that instant everything came crashing down as memories, nightmares flooded my head.
"No!!, NOOO!!,This is real!!!!, Please!!!, PLEASE!!!." I screamed and yet I managed to fool no one, Theola's image flickered from a face of concern to a still lifeless corpse.
I ran, I was the only thing I knew, The backyard crumbled into dust swirling around me.
Everywhere in my vision was a desert now.
I fell to my knees crying, maybe something else would fill me up when all the tears flooded out.
Her image hovered around me, pushed by the storm.
She was everywhere.
There was no escape, no refuge, Not even with my eyes closed,.
I curled up on the ground, my eyes remained shut.
Tears streamed down both my eyes. I screamed, and yet no one heard my cries.
"VIcas!!!".
"Go away" I screamed back at the voice."I'm sorry.... I'm sorry....".
A tap on my shoulder made me open my eyes.
The first thing I saw was Alex's face staring down at me.
She was sitting on a stool beside the bed I lay on.
She looked concerned and my mum who was standing near the door left the room the second our eyes met.
I felt a touch and I looked down to see Alex hand wrapped around mine "Vicas!! Vicas... you're crying". It was only then I noticed the tears streaming down my right eye.
"I.....I just had a bad dream" I said sitting up and turning my eyes away.
This wasn't the first nightmare I've had but this felt particularly real, like I was back all those years ago back to before she died.... died at my hands.
I couldn't explain it to her, couldn't tell her about....
"Your mum... ummm briefed me on some stuff" She spoke first.
"You all have weird abilities...., and also told me about her....".
I straightened up immediately, cold dread crept up my spine.
"You were muttering her name, a childhood friend...., she said...she said it was the first time your powers activated and...".
Fear held my mouth shut, and made my heart stutter, a different fear from earlier, the fear of being seen as a monster, murderer.
Beads of sweat lined my forehead, my hands were shaky, I couldn't meet her gaze.
A soft squeeze brought our eyes together, I could feel my palm was sweaty but her gaze was reassuring.
She wasn't judging me. "You've been through a lot, having to grow with powers you don't know how to control, powers you don't have a manual to." She tried to understand me, without judging..., to see from my perspective.
At this moment when I'm feeling low she's defending me, Trying to give me comfort, I felt my energy bubbling within me, our hands were in contact, the feeling was warm,peaceful.
I yanked my hand away instantly. My energy raged in my body, it needed an outlet and finding none it wrought pain on me instead.
I closed my eyes, shutting out the pain,it didn't ease.
It started from my skull. I felt like my skull would split in multiple places, but I was used to it by now, I didn't scream about it.
Alex touched me, just for a slight second before I turned away from her touch my eyes still closed shut "Leave me be" I forced through my teeth.
She was the last person I needed close to me right now, if another accident happened with her I.... I wouldn't be able to live on.
A brief while passed with me struggling to keep my breathes steady until my energy slowly settled.
Alex waited patiently, curious.
"My power is death..., i'm sure my mum told you". I wanted to tell her myself, wanted to be the one to explain everything.
"Theola was my closest friend,... we went to the same school since we were small. I used to visit her alot and we'll spend hours talking or playing." I started.
"On one particular day we were talking as usual, I was 12 and she was 10 and we had known each other for years and we wanted to stay together forever." Alex listened quietly as I continued.
"My powers never activated before then, I didn't even have a clue, she gave me a peck on the cheek and I..... I kissed her on the lips, I... I saw it in a movie then and then... she...she" my voice was cracking, a tear threatened to drop from my eye.
Alex squeezed my hand, I had to make sure my energy was still in check before I allowed myself to enjoy the feeling.
I continued, I had to finish the story, Alex's hand in mine gave me the strength to continue "She didn't even make a sound, I still remember.... still remember how stiff she was in my arms, how.... very cold she was as I cried out for her to wake". tears streamed from my right eye down my cheek.
Alex hugged me in silence.
I could feel her breathing, it was comforting. "I didn't know..... didn't know what to do, I begged my mum to bring her back but.... but nothing, no one could....."
My throat was dry, the words I tried to speak felt heavy on my tongue.
"No one could bring her back."