Survivors of The Pandemic

4

Waking up I slowly make my way towards the bathroom, having that amazing shower I've been dreaming so lovingly about. Feeling the warm water, and the fresh smell. Not smelling like dirt, vomit, sweat, and whatnot.

When I finally make my way downstairs, I find Jeremy in the garden at the back of the house. Practicing his abilities.

"Hey, Jeremy!? Want to give some advice?" I call out to him. He abruptly turns around, seeing as I probably startled him. He smiles and waves me over.

"What sort of advice do you need?" I shrug.

"Everything? I blow up things on accident and can't escape shit because I don't know how to control or summon it." he looks lost in thoughts for a minute before it looks like a light went up in his brain.

"Wait a minute." He runs off back into the house, coming back out with some empty cans. Putting them up in a line at the end of the garden.

"I already tried this. I blew up a whole tree. Besides, it'll draw attention because of the noise." Jeremy shakes his head at my reasoning.

"No, it won't. There are no roads or houses for miles. You're safe here for the time being. If someone shows up, well just chase them off. Don't worry your pretty little head about it." I nod before looking over at the boxes.

"How do you do it?"

"I don't, I bring myself to feel frightened, angered, or sad, and then I try to aim the explosion if that makes any sense?" he nods.

"It's a start. What would've been best is if you didn't need a specific emotion to trigger it, but you gotta work with it." I don't reply, instead, I focus on the guilt and sadness I feel caused by me killing three people in the last two days. How I felt when the research facility collapsed, killing thousands.

The warmth in my eyes tells me they're glowing. I focus hard on making the bean box to the far left explode, and only that one. When the explosion goes off, I close my eyes, calming down and when the feeling of warmth is gone I open my eyes to see all of the cans blown into bits.

"You did it!" Jeremy exclaims from beside me. I slowly shake my head.

"I tried to only make one of them explode, it didn't work."

"Yes, it did. You managed to turn it on, you made something in an area that you wanted to explode, blow up. I call that a success. Take the wins, even the small ones." He says patting my shoulder before walking back inside.

I look at the pieces littered around. Why does it have to be so damn hard?

"How is it going?" I turn around, finding Austin leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed across his chest, a small smile plastered on his face.

"Dare I say better? I made the boxes explode, I just didn't mean to take out all of them. I was originally only aiming for the one to the far left." he shrugs, walking over to me. "It's progress, nonetheless. Now come eat, Amber made breakfast."

A smile makes its way onto my face. Food. I'm a sucker for food, especially in the morning. I smell what I assume is eggs and my mouth instantly waters. I haven't had eggs since the pandemic started and shit went to hell.

"You're now my favorite person." I smile at Amber, seeing her behind the stove, making scrambled eggs. She looks up at me with a genuine smile on her face.

"Glad to hear. Wouldn't like to be on your bad side." I snicker at her words, catching Austin's offended look from the corner of my eye.

"No need to be jealous Austin, you're a good second." I pat him on the back before setting myself down at the kitchen island. He gives me a charming smile.

"Then who's third?" I furrow my brows.

"Who said anything about a third? I didn't mention any? Those last two better watch their backs though." I say, a playful smirk on my face. I feel so close to these people even though I haven't known them for long. I feel like I belong here. Here as with them. They're my home.

"Earth to Emily?" Darren waves his hand in front of my face, and I snap out of my thoughts.

"Hmm?"

"You okay?" I shake my head with a smile. "I'm fine. Just thinking about my new home." I mumble and he looks at me disapprovingly. "You shouldn't place your home with a place, we leave eventually. Place it within people."

I playfully shove his shoulder in a fake offended manner. "Who said I called the place my home eh?" I smirk taking the plate with delicious-looking food from Amber. This may have been the best meal I've ever gotten since I escaped the lab. I got fairly decent food there, they wanted me healthy so I can't really blame them.

I sit with the others eating breakfast and laughing here and there. The light morning mood of the others bringing me in an equally good mood, which is rare for me in the mornings.

"It's good to hear other stories about when we were captured and everything. However, there is one thing still bugging me." Jeremy states, looking at me.

"Why did they keep you alive for six months before deciding to suddenly kill you?" I shrug, having thought about it a lot before deciding that it wasn't worth thinking about anymore. It didn't really matter to me.

"I think they were waiting for your abilities to occur, trying to figure out if you were immune to the virus, therefore being able to make a cure from your blood or something. I suspect that once they figured you developed a disorder, they didn't want you around. The red ones are dangerous. Especially in the beginning when they lack control." Austin voices his thoughts on the matter, making my stomach do a little flip. I didn't want to think that I never had any other value for them. I at least hope that they never did something to me. Experimented on me or anything.

I remember vividly that I was taken to the lab once a week, to give some blood samples and get a vaccine. They said it was for keeping the virus at bay, but I doubt it. it hurt like hell, and I never once talked about it. It's a sore subject. I don't ever want anyone to think differently of me. A light tap on my shoulder brings me out of my train of thoughts.

"You seemed lost, what are you thinking about?" Darren looks at me with narrowed eyes. "Nothing, I'm fine. Just thinking about what you said. Why keep me there. They never once did anything. Got decent food and everything." I mumble, trying my best to conceal my lie.

I nervously look over to Austin, afraid he'll look into my mind and read it. I don't like the thought of someone else in my head. As if he read my mind he shakes his head.

"Don't worry, I can't read a fellow color's mind. I don't know why though. That goes for all of you. I can't read your mind if that's what you're worried about." I stand up taking my plate to the sink, grabbing some more cans.

"I'll be out practicing," I mumble making my way out.