Power Trip: An Omniverse Story

Karma's a Bitch

   "MATTHEW!" Karma scrambled forward to peer over the edge. His breath came in quick gasps as tears quickly flooded over his eyes. "Mattie! You... You better not be dead! Or else I'll kill you!" He snapped with no real force.

   His side throbbed in pain. His shirt and cape both had holes burnt into them and scorch marks on his ribs. That blast hit hard.

   "Mattie!" Karma called again into the void of stars and endless black. There's no way. He was just there. He was just saying something and now he's-

   Karma forced himself to his feet clutching his side. "Mattie..." His voice cracked in anguish.

   A white scrap of material was caught on a rock nearby. Karma trudged over and picked it up. Mattie's handkerchief...

   A sob bubbled up in Karma's throat followed by another and another. He collapsed to his kneels clutching the scrap close. "Mattie! No. Please-"

   Eventually his tears ran out. They always did. Karma had permanent tear tracks on his face and yet he always ran out of tears so fast... He staggered to his feet again and opened up a portal.

   Stepping through was the hardest thing he ever did. How was he gonna tell his children..? He stared at the ground holding his breath.

   "Papa..?" Rune spoke up first.

   Karma looked up around the room. It was just Charlene, Mattie's siblings, Fortune, and the children. He cleared his throat and held up the Handkerchief. "He jumped-" His voice broke.

   For a moment you could hear a pin drop. Charlene was the first to react. "Matthew..?" Tears slipped from her sightless eyes. She lost her oldest son so soon after her husband. "No."

   Rachel tried to hide her tears as she comforted her younger siblings. Adam and Nick held onto each other tightly. Skylar wiped her eyes frantically. Peter sniffled holding onto his oldest sisters dress.

   Fortune went blank before he spoke. "He what..?"

   "He jumped... Into the void..." Karma muttered.

   "That's impossible!" Cypher spat out. "He wouldn't- H-He couldn't!"

   Rune's shoulders shook as tears spilled from her eyes. "He's gone?"

   "No! He can't be!" Cypher hissed again. "Something must have happened. He had to have done something. He wouldn't just-"

   " Cypher-" Karma tried.

   "No! He isn't dead!" Cypher snapped. He opened up a portal and disappeared into it.

   Karma clutched the white scrap and sniffled again. His head felt woozy from his wound. He needed to rest... Maybe this was all a dream...

   It wasn't a dream.