I fell asleep, resting my head against the window.
I was back in my home, in the room with my mom. She was holding my hand. Last time I'd been seeing the dream in third person, but this time it was in first person. Mom was hugging me tightly, crying onto my shoulder.
"Mom! What's wrong?" I asked her, desperate for answers.
"Rita... Your - your dad... He was m-murdered..! His co-workers identified his body. He was murdered by some mugger!" She was shaking and sobbing, repeating the same words again and again, "He was murdered, he was murdered..."
I was in shock. My dad was killed before 'he' attacked!?
Suddenly mom pushed me away with force.
"Why did he have to be so weak!? You...! You're the same! Why the hell are you so weak!?" She yelled, her voice double pitched. She looked at Lily, shouting, "Are you going to be the same!? Are you!?"
"Mom!" I cried, stepping towards her. She wasn't in her senses.
"They warned me... don't marry a healer.. you'll regret it...! Well I did, didn't I!? Get away... Please..." She said to me.
I sat on the floor, sobbing. I felt my past self's emotions coursing through me. Was dad really gone? But he promised...
"He promised! He promised he'd come! He-he said he'd be there for my birthday..."
My grief turned into anger. Mom was right. Why was he so weak? Why the hell was I so weak!? Dad was gone..! My head throbbed as I felt rage and pain. I felt the same burning feeling.
"Mom, it feels so hot! I feel like I'm burning! Mom, it hurts!" I cried.
I was jerked awake as our bus screeched to a halt. Huh? I looked around. Damnit! I was so close to knowing what happened...
"Why are we stopping? We're not at a bus stand," I asked.
"They're checking for those damn healer scums," the conductor said.
"I know right!? Those healers are such pests! It's like, hand yourselves over already..!" I said..
'Please tell me that sounded at least a bit real.' I telepathized.
'It sounded a teeny bit fake..'
'Oh god, Lena, what do I do?!' .
I saw two men in suits enter the bus.
'I- I dunno! Okay wait, let me read their minds.'
'YOU CAN READ MINDS?! Why the fuck am I only learning about this now?!'
'They are going to scan our IDs, aah! Alright, just follow my lead!"
"Excuse me, what the hell is this security check!?" She yelled as the men came forward to check our IDs.
"Look here, kiddo it's just for ensuring-" he was cut off by her.
"I'm Lena Aurelius! And I demand that you let me and my friends go right now!"
Wait, her last name was Aurelius? Fucking Aurelius!? She was the daughter of the most powerful woman in the continent!
That drew gasps from all over the bus.
"Ma'am, may I please see your ID?"
"Oh for god's sake! You're such a bother, here you go!" She handed him her ID.
"Dave...?" The guy stuttered after scanning it, "It's not fake..."
"We are so terribly sorry, ma'am, but if you could kindly let us scan your friend's ID-"
"What part of we're in a hurry didn't you understand?! What are your names? Maybe I should get you a suspension."
"There's no need for that, ma'am! Please, you are free to go!"
We walked out.
"That was easy," Axel said.
"It won't work again. Word spreads fast. The next thing you know, the headline on the newspaper is, 'Aurelius's daughter is a wanted fugitive'. Mom would kill me."
"Wait, I have a few questions-" Airen started.
"I'll tell you, but can we get to my Aunt's house first? It's a short walk."
We nodded.
We reached her Aunt's home. It had red brick walls and a teal door. Lena stepped forward and rang the doorbell.
No response.
We stood in the scorching heat, waiting for someone to open the door.
"Are you sure she lives here-" I began, but Lena raised her hand, gesturing me to stop.
She closed her eyes, focused. She stood there like that for a minute, and then she opened her eyes.
"She's not here," she said, "or else I'd have been able to telepathize with her."
She turned the doorknob, but it was locked.
'Enter the password' appeared on the small digital screen on the wall. There were a set of letters beneath it.
"Oh c'mon! Who puts words instead of pin codes?!" I groaned.
"Apparently, my aunt." Lena frowned.
She entered letters into it.
I heard a click.
"Really? First try? What was it?" Axel asked.
"Alohomora, it's a bit of a family password," she shrugged.
We stepped in.
"Whoa, what the heck?" Airen exclaimed.
All the walls inside were black. The windows were boarded shut. The only sliver of light that came in was from the half open door. Axel shut the door. We were in complete darkness, even though it was broad daylight out.
"Your aunt.. what exactly does she do..?" Axel asked.
"You guys don't need to worry! She probably has a reason. It's been a while since I saw her... Okay, this is creeping me out. Open the door to let some light in," she said.
I turned the doorknob. Huh? It wasn't working. I tugged at it in vain.
"Guys? I think we're locked in.." I said.
"Where are the damn switches for the lights?" Lena ran her hand over the wall.
"Ah, I got it!" Axel announced.
I heard a click, and the lights switched on. I breathed a sigh of relief. It was still a bit dark, but we could see everything now.
"She must have gone out somewhere. Let's stay here until she arrives, she'll let us out," Lena said.
We agreed, and sat on the white leather couch. The black walls and floors contrasted with the white furniture gave it an aesthetic look.
"Listen, Rita.. if you don't want to tell me about what we fought back then, I understand. I didn't mean to get so worked up about it and overreact, I was just in a bad mood because of the flying stuff," Airen said.
"No, Airen, it's not because I don't trust you. It just.. isn't easy for me to talk about it." I sighed and dug my nails into my palm, looking for a distraction.
"Okay, I'll tell you," I said.
So I told him everything. By the end of it I was crying and my palms were cut from my nails. I finished after telling him about the dreams.
"Rita, I'm sorry..." He hugged me. "I shouldn't have made you tell me something which you didn't feel comfortable sharing... And I'm sorry for waking you up too," he smiled.
Something felt off. But i couldn't quite place my finger on it, like an itch you just can't find.
"That's okay," I replied to him.
After sometime we went into the kitchen. After rummaging around in the cupboards we found some food which we ate.
We sat on the couch and I inhaled sharply and asked, "Your mom...is Aurelius? Aurelius!? Why didn't you tell us before? I'm guessing Ax knew.."
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I just thought you'd treat me differently or be afraid or something. I know it's stupid-"
"I can understand. Thanks for telling me now," I said.
"I need some water," she said, getting up.
Just when she got to the kitchen, she tripped on a carpet and cut her elbow on the sharp corner of a shelf.
"Ouch! Great." She groaned.
"That looks like a nasty cut... Do you want me to heal it for you?" I asked.
"Wait, can I copy your powers and heal her? I've never healed anyone before," Axel said.
"Uh, okay, sure," I replied.
My heart skipped a beat as he held my hand. Calm down, I told myself.
But as soon as our mana marks connected and he tried to copy my powers, he flinched and withdrew his hand suddenly.
"Ax? What happened?" Airen asked.
He stood there, staring at me.
"Axel? Are you alright? " Lena stepped in.
"Rita... You- you have more than one power... You have powers other than healing!" He yelled.
I blinked as I tried to comprehend what he'd just said.
"What?!" I exclaimed.
"You have another power.."
"Huh? No way!" Lena grinned and grabbed my shoulders. "Don't you see? This is awesome! We can defeat him now! But.. if she had another power, why didn't she know? Are you sure, Ax?" Lena asked.
"Yeah! Trust me, I have a lot of experience!"
"What power is it!?" I asked.
"It was too powerful... But I'm sure it was fire. Yeah, it's definitely fire."
"Oh my god, I was fucking right! You are it!" Airen exclaimed.
What was he talking about? I felt dizzy.
"No way. If I had another power, it would've shown up around when I was 10. Also, isn't it crazy that I have the same power as 'him'?" I said.
Wait. My 10th birthday. The day that he struck. Fire. The place was full of fire. I was the only one who survived. The one at the centre of the destruction. That burning feeling I felt...! No! Please let me be wrong!
"I'm sorry, I just have to..." I ran into a bedroom, locking the door.
I slid my back against the wall, sitting down with my knees up as realisation sunk in.
No. No, no, no, no, no. No! It couldn't be... But it was the only damn thing that made sense. Tears slid down my cheeks my whole body shaking from the shock. But how?! Why, even!? I didn't want to know. I just wanted to forget.
My whole life I'd been searching for answers. And when I finally found them, I realised I was better off without them. I pulled at my hair, trying to stay sane.
I was him.
Or rather, there never had been a him.
He was someone I made up to take my place.
I remembered the mom's screams from my first dream. "No! N-no! Not her too.. Aaaah! Get away!! You monster! What is wrong with you?!"
I thought she had been yelling at him, whereas it was actually me she meant.
I murdered everyone that day.
I was the fucking monster.