Prologue
As I was walking down the dark ally way, I heard the distant town clock strike midnight. It was then, it all happened so fast. Five or six of them, all muggers wanting nothing but money and pride. I don't know what happened, put a flash of red came out of no where and they were gone. Here and back where they came from in the blink of an eye. I remember that like it was yesterday. It might have been yesterday. Ever since my memory has been shaky. It seems as though all of my emotions have gone away, except one, anger. I feel strong but when I get angry I feel stronger. All I know is that light has never come back.
Chapter One
"Knock, Knock, Knock". My sleep was disturbed by a strong, loud pound on the door. The wind was howling loudly and I saw my mom get up too. We crept down the stairs together. I hid as she opened the door. Two officers were at the door. "Are you the parent of John Keeps," they asked.
"Yes, I am," replied my mom confidently.
"We have reason to believe that he is a murderer and must be taken into custody immediately," The cop replied. After that I blanked out in thought. Had the red light killed those people? My mom spun this tale about how I was at a friends house for the night. She sounded very believable. Reluctantly the officers turned away. When my mom had shut the door I jumped up and hugged her. She whispered into my ear telling me to run away, far away. She ended it with how much she loved me before I grabbed some of my most precious things and headed out the back door. I was afraid to go out the front because I thought the cops might be watching it.
As I ran off into the darkness, every noise and movement caught my attention. The streets were my home now. As questions ran through my head, answers avoided me. The hair on my neck prickled. I was being watched. I picked up my pace and turned down a dark street. Listening as hard as I could I heard a slight hinge creak. The person was following me. The night was on my side though. The moon was down to a sliver and it was almost pitch black. The person was walking towards me.
'"John," They said quietly. "John, come quick. I know it is answers that you seek and I have them." I didn't budge. I wasn't so certain. "Your mother is in great danger John." This caught my attention. How did he know my mother? Slowly I emerged from the shadows. That was a mistake. At first glimpse I saw 5 or 6 cops and my mom, tied up with a dagger at her neck. Suddenly, that light came again. Just as fast as before, it was gone. The officers lay dead around my mother. She was unharmed but worried. She starred at me uncertainly.
"That, That light," she stumbled, "It came from your eyes." It struck me then and there. The light, the anger. The pieces of the puzzle were put together. When I got threatened, I had a power. An unreal one that I could not control. My mom got to her feet and I got away the ropes around her. "We must leave here at once," she said strongly, "Once we are out of here we can work with your ability and how to control it."
Days after days we walked. From city to city. The country side was beautiful. All the time I thought if my power. How did I get to have it? At night I got troubled from the thought of killing so many people. I was always on edge. I was certain people would be looking for us which made finding a new home even harder. Wanted signs were everywhere. One major question still lingered with me. Did the police officers want me because of my murders or because of my power? I kept asking my mom about what we were going to do and she always shrugged me off and changed the subject. One day she stopped and said to me "John, my son, we need to learn how to control your special abilities. If you can't you will get us thrown out of every town. At the same time you will be able to defend us. For days and days we stayed in the same spot. Just on the outskirts of a town. I had no idea which one. I was happy for the rest and although she never said it, I thought my mom was too. When I awoke one day, she was excited. She was telling me all about how my emotions controlled my "ability" as she called it. I didn't really pay attention. Something else caught my eye. A slight movement to my left. My mom feel silent. I didn't know weather it was because she saw it too or if she saw me look at it. As quickly as 7 men stood up around our camp, my mother and I were up and running. Dodging here and there we mad for the nearest building. That building, that seemed so near when we were sitting calmly seemed to have gotten further away now that we were trying to reach it. I blanked out. I grew hot and rage with anger rushed into my blood stream. Another flash. More men dead. My mom starred at me and mumbled to herself. As if she had made the greatest discovery of man kind, she shrieked with joy. I could already guess why.
"When you get threatened," she said, "you get this power. I have just figured out how to control it. Whenever you get angry it builds up. Be careful of you emotions and only get angry or agitated when you are in danger. There it can be your best friend." It clicked for me once and for all. It was only then that I noticed a badge on one of the man's shirt reading
Bill Sans
Marine Recruiter
I thought all of my questions would be answered that day. The military wanted me to fight for them and I learned how to control my red vision. As soon as those were answered another popped up. Do my other emotions have other powers? What happens when I get sad?
"Be patient," my mom said, as she seemed to read my mind, "the answers will come. Remember to use this power for the good, and to not get to greedy with it. I couldn't sleep that night. The thought that I have super powers kept me pondering until dawn.
As I awoke, the first thing I heard was the sound of the tent flap opening and closing. Rushing to and fro my mother looked worried. Standing up, I stretched and then I walked outside. It was a cloudy day and the rain was drizzling down slowly.
"Today we change our course to Cambridge", my mom said. My confused look was enough for her to state why. "A trader stopped by and told me that your father is currently running a sly gambling business up there." I had never met my father. He left me when I was just a boy. He was running away from the same things we were, war and the army. He had been drafted right after he graduated from collage.He never showed up for his physical and was chased for years. They probably gave up looking for him a while back. Day after day we walked, pitched camp, ate very little, and started walking again. Finally a city came into view. Huge buildings and then small ones. The similar hum of car engines and screeching tires, which I had not heard for a while, made me fell more comfortable, like I was back home in London.
Chapter Two