Ascension

14

14

I WENT TO JULIUS'S PARENTS HOUSE THE NEXT day to see his little brother, Kaden. The car ride over there made me feel nauseous. What if I couldn't give them the answers that they wanted? What if Kaden was going to die, regardless of what I could do? Raja had decided not to tag along with me. I was going to use this time to tell him about Gabriel's vision, which still made shivers go down my spine. I felt like a snake was wrapping itself around my throat at the thought that my mother was responsible for The Purge, and somehow still alive. If that were the case, why had she not come back for me? Why did she give me up?

I arrived at the Hangston house. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail and stepped out of my rental car. The fog wrapped itself around me like a blanket as I approached the door. As my hand went to knock on the door, the door opened, revealing a small boy. His hair was curly, and his light brown eyes looked at me with so much life. That had to be Kaden. Shortly after seeing me, he gave me the biggest smile he could find. His mom came from behind him and her gaze froze on me as if she had seen me before.

"Um, hi. I'm Dr. Kate Shepard, I came to see Kaden Hangston." I said, firmly.

"You're not supernatural. Did my son send you here?" she asked.

"No, I'm here for someone else. May I come in?"

Mrs. Hangston opened the door wider, gesturing for me to come inside. I walked around the corner to see Mr. Hangston, a cap covering his eyes almost. He too looked shocked to see me. He got out of his chair and rushed over to me. He picked me up, hugging me.

"It's so good to see you again. I was worried you weren't coming back after, well you know," he said.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" I asked.

"You saved me. You are the reason why I am alive today." he said, crying and smiling, "I didn't tell anyone the secret. My wife and I didn't even tell our son who you were."

"That was my mother, not me," I said.

"When I was a boy, the curses kicked in. My so-called gift was that I could turn into glass and throw glass shards. I had a panic attack at school, and you were there to help me. I gave you hell for it though. I sliced the back of your ankle with a piece of glass. It should still be there."

I froze after he had finished his sentence. I knew exactly what he was talking about. I lifted my foot, taking off my sandals. I sat down beside him and revealed to him the cut on my ankle, which I had always been told was a birthmark.

"You're telling me that I was the woman from 1986, and the one thirty-four years before that?" I asked.

"That's right, it is your duty to defend the world, or at least that's what you told me when I was a kid

"My duty? Look, I-"
"They must have gotten to you. He had to lead them to you."
"Who led who to me?" I asked.
"You'll have to talk to the other Carson Cross."
"Where can I find her?" I asked.
"Last time I saw her was in Spring Lake. It's about a two-hour drive from here."

"How many Carsons are there?" I yelled.
As Mr. Hangston turned around, I noticed a handprint on the back of his elbow. The hand almost matched the size of mine. I placed my hand on his elbow and it was as if a familiar wind had blown past me. Around my neck, an ambulant began to appear. The ambulant was a glowing cloud with a lightning bolt going through it, like a literal lightning bolt! Kaden touched my hand and he flew back, hitting the wall with a crushing thud. My grip on Mr. Hangston broke as he ran over to help his son off the floor.

"What'd you do that for?" he asked.

"It was an accident, but-" I looked at Kaden, seeing a handprint on his leg. It took a minute for everything to click, but I soon realize that I had healed him, just like I had healed his father.

"Your son is healed, the handprint that's on you, I'm betting it's the same one that I put on Kaden."

"What handprint?" asked Mr. Hangston.

"You don't see that big glowing, black and gold handprint?" I asked, pointing directly to it.

"I don't see anything."

Mrs. Hangston ran over to her boy, hugging him. She could feel the warmth coming back into his life. She hugged him close as he squirmed in her arms, trying to get out. His hair had gone from a dark brown to a light blondish color.

"He'll be immune to the supernatural, just like me. Just like you," said Mr. Hangston.

"Why am I immune to the supernatural?" I asked.

"I do not have the answers you are looking for. You cannot tell your partner that you know your fate. The last time you were here, he tried to kill you."

"Raja? No, no. He wouldn't try to kill me; I have to tell him."

"You can't tell him, he's not as strong as you when it comes to your destiny. You tell him, he will destroy you." Black ash began falling from the sky.

"It's starting," said Mr. Hangston.