12.2 - Mom & Dad

“I was born with Hemo-Skinitis—one of the rarest diseases in the world that affects both the skin and the blood. It kills its victims, always newborns, within fifteen minutes after being exposed to oxygen. Right after I was born, I was injected with an experimental serum designed to stimulate the enzymes in my veins to mutate into a new, biological catalyst. But this serum had the unintended effect of granting me my ability: to manipulate the trajectory of any object or substance, moving or stationary, including people, that made contact with me. I could even create new trajectories altogether.

My powers were a result of my enzymes going haywire, eventually spreading from my blood to my entire body. Every pore, every orifice, every nail, every inch of skin was affected. On the bright side, my Hemo-Skinitus was cured and I was able to live. But on the other hand…I was left with what I viewed as a curse, a true 'disease' that I'd never be able to get rid.

My powers were so new, so unstable, so unpredictable.

I couldn't control my powers at all as a kid. My parents and my friends would always feel a sudden jolt whenever they touched my skin. This made other kids hate me, and they said things like:

‘You better not let that guy touch you. He’ll make your hand go numb for a week!’, or

‘Who would ever wanna date someone like that? I bet he can’t even kiss a girl without leaving her face all messed up from his dumb freak illness!’

I was ostracized by my classmates in those early years. I transferred elementary schools often, and I would always wear hoodies, pants, and gloves.

For a time, I felt the slow buildup of constant nerve pain and aches in my head. I went into a coma when I was 9 because of this. The hospital tried to analyze my brain waves and the nature of my blood. They hoped to find some sort of cure.

But the doctors made only a few guesses: I could sometimes control my powers, though only to a very small degree. Most of the time, my powers would go out of whack if I experienced strong emotions. That's why they kept me in the hospital for almost half a year. No outside visitors, not even my mom and dad. Only tests, studies, and questions.

But then...

The worst day of my life came when I was finally discharged, after the doctors acquired several samples of my blood to study.

They had managed to create a sedative that would allow me to temper my powers for a few hours, until I'd have to take it again.

But on the day of my discharge, they forgot to give me that sedative, which left my powers vulnerable to strong emotions.

When my mom and dad saw me being wheeled out of the medical wing, they ran to see me and opened their arms for a hug.

I was so happy seeing my parents after such a long time, that I...I got out of my wheelchair and...ran to them. I hugged my parents, and they me, too.

I...still remember what they told me as they held me...

'Jacen, we've missed you so much, honey,' Mom said. 'We love you, love you, love you!'

'I'm so glad,' Dad said. 'Finally, we can get you out of here.'

I put my hands on their heads, saying, 'I love you, Mom. I love you, Dad. Yeah, let's go home.'

And it was then that my powers went out-of-control...

...all because of my love for my parents.

This one interaction, this touch between my hands and their heads, caused the accidental reversal of their blood flows.

Their bodies exploded into separate pools of blood, bones, and guts.

I remained on knees—my brain unable to process what had just happened, while the rest of the hospital staff and visitors were horrified.

Most of them panicked. Some vomited. Other people screamed at the top of their lungs.

A few started to shout expletives at me. They called me a monster, told me I was a demon, and accused me for being a murderer, a killer...a freak.

I tried to speak, but my blood-soaked hands and face kept me from saying anything. When I turned around, hoping to get help from the doctors behind me, they, too, were ravaged with disgust, horror, and fear.

So, there I was, kneeling in two pools of blood that were my loving parents just an instant ago.

I was all...alone.

The doctors called in the hospital security guards, who managed to knock me out using stun batons.

They took me back into the medical wing, where I was confined for another 6 months...

It was that day, that...moment...where I became 'The Most Infamous' Abnormal in Ave Strata."

——

Elaina and I sat in her living room on separate sofas.

She hugged her bent legs as I continued my story.

"Over the next 10 years, I went on to avoid interacting with anyone in-person as much as I could. That's why I chose to wear this hoodie, and these winter gloves and pants. I hoped I'd at least stay out of everyone's way. But no. There were six attempts on my life in those 10 years; all of them sent by Ambrigado...just to...test me...just to test my powers."

"I can't believe...that's what his goal was. Just to test you..."

"But I'm still here, huh? They all failed. And all of 'em got punished for it. For trying...to kill me. It's a mad game, all of this..."

Elaina stared at me with a mixture of curiosity and awe.

I exhaled. "Over time, I learned to control my powers—I got better. I studied books on physics and other sciences, and I tried to apply those concepts to how I used my trajectory abilities. But I never trusted myself again to feel...strong emotions. I didn't wanna live through that ever again...which is why I kept myself hidden away...I wanted to contain myself in as much of a hole as I could be in. I thought I could go my whole life without any friends, or with anyone who could ever be more than friends. But...that pretty much changed when...uh..."

"When we met?" Elaina perked up.

Seeing her smile again brought me a renewed calm.

"...Yeah," I nodded. "When we met."

She lowered her head. "I'm sorry about your parents, Jace...I...can't even imagine what it must have been like..."

"I'm sorry about...your grandmother, too. No one deserved what either of you went through."

She nodded back.

"Hey, Ela?"

"What?"

"I'm...sorry." I shook my head. "I'm sorry about...everything I said to you earlier—uh, and...attacking you like I did. I just..." I raised my fists and buried my face in my hands. "Ugh, I'm such an idiot! I got so convinced by Ambrigado, by Molecruel, that I just... Rrgh! I almost...I almost fell for it! And I...I almost...hurt the person I care about the most—...?!"

Without saying a word, Elaina walked over to my sofa as I spoke.

She slid her body to sit on top of my waist, grabbed me by my jacket collar, and pulled my head to hers.

I gasped. "E-Ela!? Huh?! W-W-Wait! W-Wai—!!"

She closed her eyes as we kissed, and I felt a rush of horror and joy at the same time.

My mind raced from one thought to another, but, to my shock...

Elaina was still there. Her lips pushed gently against mine.

I blinked a few times and realized, finally...the fear was gone—who knows how long it had been gone—and the torturing chaos had died some time ago.

I wondered: When did they leave me? When did they go away? Did the fear and chaos leave while Elaina sat with me at Old Canal? Was it during one of the battles where we stood by each other? Could it have been during our brief scuffle just before this? Or was it...Could it have been...the day we met at Marley Thomas Hospital?

Now, only Elaina's touch remained.

I relaxed. My vision blurred with tears of a happiness that, at last, emerged from what used to be an aimless void of trajectories in my heart. But now, they all pointed at this silly, wonderful Magician girl.

And, in that moment...

...I thanked Lord Isah and Lady Anya a million times over.