Black Belt Anthology

What They Want to See

"People see what they want to see, and what people want to see never has anything to do with the truth." --Roberto Bolaño

Before I tell my story, I'd like to introduce myself. I know this is unconventional, but I'm an unconventional person. My name is Alvar, and, as you will soon discover, the quote above has everything to do with what I'm about to tell you.

I floated high above the crashing ocean below. A storm was brewing, one of my own creation. Its target was directly below me--The Harbor.

The Harbor was an impenetrable fortress, a prison controlled by the evil Coruvants. It jutted out into an ocean whose murky waves could drown escapees in seconds. A bridge connected one side to land, where a small city sat that was composed mainly of the Coruvants who controlled the fortress.

No one had ever managed to break into The Harbor before, but there was a first time for everything. And by kidnapping my friends, the Coruvants had made a very dangerous enemy.

Lightning illuminated the thousands of rain droplets plunging toward the ground. It crackled around me and coursed through my veins, filling me with power and exhilaration. The electricity was mine to command.

I extended a hand toward the concrete prison. A streak of lightning raced toward it, colliding in a violent explosion. I struck again and again until I heard the siren begin to wail. They knew I was there.

One final blow flung a large chunk of concrete out into the ocean, leaving a smoking, exposed hole in the side of the prison. Descending, I stepped in.

I allowed the electricity to race ahead, dancing down a long hallway lined with damp cement walls. Lasers crisscrossed the passage, promising to burn anyone who touched them.

Gritting my teeth, I curled my hands into fists. In order to get through the lasers, I was going to have to short circuit the security system in the center of The Harbor, away from any entrances or outer walls. That meant I'd have to do more than just take out the security system--I'd have to short circuit the entire prison.

The lightning stirred inside me, growing more restless by the second. It fought against my control, begging to be released, until sparks flew behind my closed eyelids.

Now.

I unfurled my hands, and the electricity flooded out of me. It illuminated the prison so brightly that even I was blinded for a moment. When I was able to see again, I realized the hallway was pitch black, meaning the lasers were gone. I had done it.

Wasting no more time, I lit up the hallway with a line of electricity and began to sprint. Voices up ahead, though, stopped me in my tracks. "He's here!" someone shouted.

Why didn't the shock kill them? But my confusion lasted mere moments. Six Coruvants rounded a corner wearing head-to-toe rubber, which had protected them from the blast. Each had a gun in their hand.

As they fired, I threw up a shield of lightning to stop the bullets. Nevertheless, pain rocketed through my leg. Crying out, I stumbled against the wall. The bullets weren't regular bullets at all--they were rubber.

My electric shield faltered, and I watched as the Coruvants advanced, guns pointed at me. Grimacing, I pushed off the wall and stood. I ignored the stabbing pain in my leg. My friends needed me.

"Surrender or die, filthy scum," one of the men said.

"You've persecuted my people for long enough," I said with a growl. "You won't hurt anyone else."

I backed towards the hole my lightning had made in the wall. The ocean swirled around the base of The Harbor far below.

"Take another step," the Coruvant said, "and I'll shoot you in the head. Even if it doesn't kill you, you won't wake up until you're at the bottom of the ocean."