I had a weird dream again. Aren't dreams about being stabbed, just amazing? Notice my sarcasm. I couldn't tell what kind of animal I was. But I do remember jazz music. It was dark and I was probably in a cage because I tried clawing at the metal bars in front of me with paws. Ok, mammal. A click-clacking sound echoed somewhere near, though I suspected it was farther when it it's source took longer to arrive. I bit something cold and hard which had the distinct taste of iron, a metal chain maybe. The sound grew louder until I saw a human figure before me. He stared down at me, studying me perhaps, walked away, then someone new came up to me and unlocked my door. My realeaser took me out by the chain. I resisted, my body tensing as I growled. But he was strong, he tugged my taut body along until we reached a white door. He opened it up to what looked like a hospital room, shoved me in, and lifted me to the gurney. He stood there with me for a while, mumbling words that I couldn't comprehend. The door then opened and the first man entered, he wore a mask which hid his face well. He gloved, came forward, and picked up a huge syringe. I snarled but to no avail, the second man's huge mitts claped my throat and pressed me against the gurney. The last thing I remember was pain, like poison being introduced into my veins. It burned and I became savage till I fell out of the dream and off the couch.
The TV blurred loudly and stung my sleepy eyes when I took in its blinding lights. Something-something about heroes, I shut the tv off and groggily climbed the stairs to my room.
➷
"Woah! Do it again? " Emi laughed and slapped Flora's shoulder.
"You will be surprised because I will tell you that Mr. Pow will enter in two seconds, " Flora said and like she said two seconds later Mr. Pow pushed the cafeteria door open, looking like a wild animal searching for his prey (sue me).
Emi's jaw dropped. Mine's too. Super powers were pretty normal with almost three quarters of the world having one but still, some were beyond cool.
"Can you tell me what will happen to me in ten years time? " Emi asked, feverish.
Flora shook her head. "There are too many paths you could take, I couldn't. There are some paths that shine brighter than others, but they aren't definite."
Emi pouted, beginning to speak when a shadow fell across our table diverting our attention.
Mr. Pow was standing there, in front of us. He was a pretty short guy which befuddled me how his shadow was 2 feet taller, and it befuddled me even more because why would he, our coach and HERO trainer be here at me and my friend's table or even in the cafeteria at all?
"Are you Rayne Winters? " The teacher asked.
"Yeah, " I replied, tentatively.
He next words made me want to puke. "Do you wanna be a hero?"
I smiled coyly. "Hey Mr. Pow, did Connor put you up to this?"
"Little girl, I don't take orders from my students, " he grunted, holding his nose high, sounding not-so-certain.
"I don't want to, thank you though." I shrugged and turned away.
"No gym for you."
That perked my interest, but I was stubborn.
Mr. Pow tried a smile. "Just at least visit the HERO building, after school?"
"Alright. But tell me, why would you do this? "
"Wild asked me to." He sighed and walked off.
"Ehhh?" Started Emi.
I explained everything to the two, how Connor showed up in my backyard and asked me to help him. How I blatantly said no. Although Flora didn't seem as surprised as Emi.
"Connor, you mean that kid whose nose I broke back in grade 5? " Emi asked.
I cringed. "That one"
"Wow so, you gonna help him? "
I shook my head. "Nope."
Emi smirked and looked at Flora who was all too busy staring intently at the wall. "You sure? "
I shrugged. "You know me, I don't change my mind easily."
"True, unless something completely life changing, triggering or weird happened," Emi said.
I shook my head. "Unlikely."
➷
I grasped my bag's strap, and contemplated my next move. I had promised Mr. Pow, and I nevet liked breaking promises but I never liked the gym building too much either. Too many bad memories. I stood by the gym door, and waited for Mr. Pow's class to end.
Two minutes or so later the door burst open and kids trailed out looking like they'd been hit by a truck. Some looked like they'd walked through fire, some looked like they'd been buried alive, others were limping or helping their limping friends.
I gulped and entered after they all filed out. Mr. Pow stood by the benches with two boys, Connor and another boy whose name I couldn't remember.
Mr. Pow smiled, which I found stranger than welcoming because he had never smiled at me, ever, in my two years of high school.
"Winters!" He beckoned me over.
I hesitantly headed towards Mr. Pow. Connor grinned at me and the other boy smirked.
"I hear you talk to animals," Mr Pow said.
I eyed Connor, and I could've sworn he shrunk under my gaze. His friend snickered and slapped Connor's shoulder.
"Sure, " I said.
"I recently gave these boys an assignment, and they say your assistance would greatly appreciated."
"Your assignment... " I had to let that sink in. "You asked your students to capture a tiger? "
"I give my students murder mysteries to solve, this is nothing, " Mr Pow bragged. He cleared his throat then said, "but of course, these assignments aren't supposed to be easy. I want to recruit you. We need people like you."
I nodded along.
"I'm sorry. " I really was sorry. "But I can't. I can't go running around saving people. My powers aren't offensive nor are they defensive. I don't like having animals fight my fights either."
Mr Pow glanced at Connor, looking defeated. "If you ever change your mind, Winters, I'll be waiting." He walked off to a hallway and I was left in the gym building with the two boys.
"Aren't you worried? " Connor said, his tone accusing. "What if someone hurts her? You may not want to believe me but I care. I'm not doing this to please my teacher or for a million bucks, she's not safe out there."
My most-recent dream came back to me. The men in my dream didn't have good intentions, and I had sensed it. My head pounded just thinking about it, and I wasn't sure why.
I rubbed my bag strap anxiously. "Let me think about it. "
Suddenly loud alarm sounds blurred from the PA system: we were under attack.
Connor's friend thrust his arm at the gym doors, slamming them shut as Connor got in front of me. We'd all been through these procedures, keep still, quiet, hide if you can, lock the doors if you can, and don't face the danger if it isn't near or if you are unable to.
We were still, but my headaches were getting worse. I felt like jelly, my skin burned and my brain felt like it had been thrown in a blender. Though, I had felt fine only a few seconds ago.
"Hey, you okay? " Connor asked. His face blurred the longer I stared at him.
"Let me out, " I managed to say.
"Girl you crazy?" The other guy said. Rage lit my veins, I wanted to whack him in the face with a huge stick. And I wasn't even a violent person.
I staggered towards the door, holding onto the knob to steady me. "Open the doors," I heaved.
"No, I'm not opening anything."
I wouldn't know what I looked like when I stared back at him, but he flinched, and the doors loosened. I pulled them open with all the might left in me and trudged out to the soccer field.
My vision was foggy but I could see the humongous wolf perfectly fine. He was the size of a truck, and he was furious. His eyes glazed over and his teeth gnashed. He didn't speak, all I could feel was a silent pain and tension.
I suddenly screamed out. I wasn't screaming for myself but for the beast.
Something appeared by my side, a—lion?
"Connor?" I mumbled. He roared in greeting and turned his gaze to the deadly canine.
Connor's friend exited the gym, wearing armour that looked like stuffed toy octopuses tied together. He swung his arm at the wolf and the creature growled even more when a breeze ruffled his fur.
"No, leave him!" I shouted over the buzz in my ear. Connor glanced over at me, and I think he raised an eyebrow. I nodded and he retreated, his friend obeyed as well and dropping his hands.
"We'll be right behind you, " Connor's voice came from somewhere in the background.
I looked off at the scene before me, a dozen or so kids were sprawled across lawn. I gulped, when I saw the blood and bite marks. Where was those damn heros?
The wolf gnarled at me but it hadn't yet attacked.
"What's wrong?" I spoke to it telepathically.
"Human, hurt me, " he said. I was relieved to hear that he was still here, his mind that is.
"I can help you, if you'll let me."
"Human bad. "
"We're not all bad. "
Our gazes locked, the haze cleared and his sun coloured eyes blinked at me.
"Will you come with me? " Ok honestly I had no idea where I was gonna take him but I had get him away, somewhere far far away from humans.
Something very heavy dropped behind me at that moment. The wolf's eyes glazed over again and it began to snarl again. I turned to see a big man in a red suit with blood colored eyes.
"Fear no more, for Feral has arrived! " The hero exclaimed, heaving with pride.
"Get away! " I hissed.
The hero flinched at the wolf who was already stretching to attack.
"I think this is the part where you run and I save the day," Mr red man said, lifting me by the shirt. I kicked and hissed at him, clawing at him like a wild animal but he dropped me to the side and cracked his knuckles.
"Two can play the wild game, " Feral said. He morphed, his suit included, till he was a big red wolf. The wolf pounced on the hero, sinking it's fangs into his neck. The red wolf growled, and fell over, but got to its feet only a second later. They went at it again, wrestling with each other, till the red wolf was slammed into a tree that cracked under the force. The real wolf stalked towards him, ready to finish off it's enemy when I stepped in right in front of the big red wolf.
(A/n: feral, pfft, Idk it just popped into my head and I was like, "yeah, sure, whatever. " I hope this is a good cliff hanger)