Evolved

7. Voices.

 Theo looked nervous, walking Hera to a private room, deep in the lower levels of the community. 

 "I'll stay with you for this session," was all he said.

The Evolved she was training with, Fern, was a dream walker. She helped her tap into the nightmares that plagued Hera for weeks. Fern linked all of her out-of-control abilities with her emotions. The young woman couldn't help but think to herself, no shit!

At first, Hera was worried about things she might say or do in front of Theo, but after a gentle explanation from Fern, she realised she would be asleep through the session. No talking involved. Hera scoffed and shook her head. Theo had, unfortunately, seen a lot of that already. He used his ability to make her sleep, and she was immediately thrown into the nightmare she had seen night after night.

In her dream, she was six, reading a bedtime story to her mother. A loud knocking sounded at the door, and her father went to answer. The door splintered and exploded inward, knocking him down. "Joseph!" her mother screamed.

"Run, Lily, run!" her father shouted back. 

Hera could never see their faces; it was too dark and blurry. Fern said it would be from Jackie's memory wipes. Hera had never felt so disappointed in her aunt at that revelation. She couldn't even remember their faces.

In the dream, Lily would scoop Hera into her arms and stash her under the bed. "Don't look, baby."

All Hera could do was listen to the screams of her father and mother, and then nothing. She fell through a black hole with the angel of death and woke on Aunt Jackie's tiled floor.

Theo stayed close during the session to keep Hera calm. He only needed to hold her hand at this point, and her abilities remained subdued.

After she woke and had her emotions under control, Theo took her to get dinner. He left Hera to eat alone, and she tried to eat as fast as possible. It was still uncomfortable having strangers openly stare at her. After returning her used dishes to the kitchen, she spotted Theo sitting with Jean. They both looked pretty sheepish and soon started laughing and talking animatedly. Hera felt ashamed by the heat that burned in her chest. A flaring of jealousy appeared as she watched Jean lean in and touch Theo's arm with such a beautiful smile. 

They must have history, she thought, her face burning up. All the time she had spent with Theo made her believe there could be something between them. The soothing embrace of Theo felt so kind, but she realised watching them together that it was just a job to him. She could never make him smile and laugh that way. 

 She couldn't have a normal relationship with him. 

Perhaps not anyone. 

Hera was just a task for him to figure out, control, and use. She could feel her abilities rising to the surface. This time she wasn't afraid, though. She was pissed. No, she wasn't mad at Theo or even Jean, but she was so over the mess of a life she was living. 

Familiar energy flowed into Hera's palms as she slowly walked out of the mess hall. She felt a thousand eyes on her back, but she didn't care. Once out of sight, Hera ran towards the Chamber, finally learning its location after visiting every other day during training. She climbed inside and closed the heavy tungsten door. Power surged in her hands again, demanding release. Excitement filled her while her eyes trailed around the refurbished Chamber.

 After Hera destroyed everything during training, they would make the room look new again. Not for long, she thought, smirking. She directed her hands at the bed first. The molecules making it up vibrated, aching to be pulled apart. Turn to dust. In a blink, the power surged out of her, and the bed was gone.