The Gods Among Us

Chapter 12: No Help

A:

"Uhhhh," Matt says, staring at me. "Uhhhhhhhhhh."

He goes on and on like this for a while.

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh."

It gets very, very annoying after a few more minutes. I do not want to be rude, considering I need to know more about him and Alieen, but again, this is starting to get annoying.

"Uhhhhhhhhhh," Matt moans.

Finally, I lost it and clap my hands in front of his face. Matt blinks his eyes and closes his mouth. He shakes his head left and right before looking at me.

"What happened," he asks. "Did I miss something?"

"No," I answer. "I asked what is so special about you and then you just stand there with your mouth hanging open."

Once more, Matt's mouth falls open and he starts to moan once more.

"Uhhh," he says before I clap my hands in front of him again.

"What happened," he asks, looking around. "Did I miss something?"

"No," I answer, placing my hand on my head as I feel a new headache slowing coming on. "Matt, please listen to me, and please do not go into another trance."

"I went into a trance," Matt asks.

"Yes, you did. Anyway, Matt, please I need your help. I am trying to learn who I am. Two years ago, I woke up in an alleyway with no memory of who I am or where I came from, or even how I got all these powers. I have searched and searched for any leads that could possibly tell me anything but I have always come up empty. Until recently, when I meet Alieen."

"Alieen," Matt repeats, "Wait, the headache when trying to read her mind thing. And now you're telling me the same thing happens when you try to enter my mind."

"Yes. Exactly. Matt, please, is there anything unique or special about you or Alieen that would make you immune to my powers?"

"Uhh," Matt says but this time, I quickly clap my hands.

"Matt," I yell. "Stop doing that."

"I'm sorry, but for the life of me, I can't figure out what exactly it is that makes me or Alieen immune to your mind powers. I mean, Alieen probably told you already this, but there's really nothing special about the two of us or even the four of us. You know who the other two are, right?"

"I assume Alfred and Lafayette."

"Exactly," Matt nods. "There's nothing really unique or special about the four of us. I mean, Alfred and I are cousins. We knew Alieen since high school. The three of us wanted to try and live by ourselves but we didn't have enough money so we sought out a fourth roommate. That's actually how we met Leia. She was looking for a place to live too. Since then, the four of us have been living here, working our part-time jobs, and doing our own things. Literally, nothing special."

"That does not make any sense," I say, "If there is nothing special about you or Alieen, then why can I not enter your mind? No. There had to be more. There had to be something there."

"What exactly," Matt asks. "We're just part-timers, not even full-timers. At least not yet anyway."

"Nothing special," I repeat to myself, "There is nothing special about us. Even if that is not true, I cannot enter Matt's or Alieen's minds to be sure. This is another dead end, only one in a thousand."

I push Matt to the side and walk to the ledge of the roof. Slamming my hands down, I try to hold my breath but am having difficulties.

Matt:

As I watch A from a distance, I start to hear him crying. At least, I think he's crying. It sounds more like he's breathing in and out heavily but I think I actually see some tears falling. Looking around, trying not to stare, I look toward the rooftop's door. About to walk toward it, I stop when I definitely hear a sniffle.

Turning back, I see A brings one hand to his face. He then shakes his hand and places it back down on the ledge.

"Okay," I sigh, "Here goes nothing."

Taking a deep breath, and preparing for the worst, I walk up to A and tap him on the shoulder.

"What," he cries, not even bothering to face me. "What do you want?"

"I just wanted to see if you're okay," I answer.

"I am fine," A replies. "I just need a moment to think."

"You need a moment to think," I repeat. "Okay. While you have your moment to think, do you want me to bring you something?"

"No," A snaps back. "I just want to be left alone. Please leave."

"Okay," I say, turning to leave. Heading for the door, I look back at A one last time before closing it.

A:

I wipe my eyes and my nose. There is water flowing out of them for some reason but I do not care. All I care about was the hope that I could finally learn something but it turns out to be nothing more than a waste of time. All of this, meeting Alieen, meeting Matt, meeting Alfred and Lafayette, coming to their home, was nothing more than a waste of time and me being creepy.

"There is nothing more for me here," I say, pushing myself up. "I might as well go back home. I still have to fix the inside."

As I prepare to teleport away, I hear the sound of the door opening again.

"Matt," I say, "I told you I do not want anything."

"That's lucky because I didn't bring anything," a different voice answers.

Turning around, I see Alieen standing before me.

"Alieen?"

"A? What are you doing here?"

I am about to answer Alieen, but before I can, I notice Alieen is wearing a thin shirt with no sleeves and long pants. She looks so different, especially with her hair down and messy and not in a ponytail. Despite all of this, she still looks amazing.

"A," she says again, waving her hand in front of me. This time, it is me who snaps out of a trance.

"A, what are you doing here? Why are you here?"

"I am sorry," I answer, clearing my throat. "I was attacked last night and--"

"Wait, wait, wait," Alieen says, cutting me off. "You were attacked last night? Oh my god. By what?"

"I do not know. Some sort of giant worm-like creature with many tongues."

"A giant worm with many tongues," Alieen repeats. Even without my power, I know Alieen is thinking about something. I can see her mind at work.

"This is going to be a stupid question, but by chance, did this giant worm come through the ground?"

"Yes. I feel like that is an obvious answer."

"And by chance, did this worm try to eat you by pulling you into its mouth with its tongues, which by the way, also have tiny mouths?"

I pull my head up.

"Yes," I say, "That is true. Wait, you know the creature? Did you send it?"

"What," Alieen screams, "Of course not. I can't do anything like that. I can't summon graboid."

"Grab-what?"

"Graboid," Alieen repeats. "It's from the movie. Wait, are you telling me that last night, a graboid, from the Tremor movies, attacked you last night?"

"I guess. I do not really know. I lived in an abandoned gas station and have very little money, so I do not watch movies much."

"Well in that case," Alieen says, grabbing my hand. "I think there's something you really need to see. Follow me, and be quiet."