TavesSoul - Issue 8: A Short Jaunt

‘Well that meeting was interesting’, I thought to myself as I walked to my car. I choose to drive solely because I was meeting Katelyn for coffee, and I knew if I showed up at the Williams in Waterloo having walked, she’d ask all kinds of questions. She wasn’t just cute and fun, she was bright as anything too, and I knew eventually I’d have to tell her exactly what was going on with me, and in a way, I looked forward to it. I just didn’t know how exactly one told someone that you had powers, and did not sound so completely and utterly insane that they didn’t stop talking to you, for fear that your insanity would spread to them. So far, everyone who knew about me either had powers themselves, or had dealt with people like me before. Still, part of me was sure that she’d believe me, although I had absolutely no reason to believe that. But whatever it was, it felt right.

I got in my car, and started driving. Thoughts crowded into my mind. What exactly did this ‘agency’ plan on doing to Swartz once they got him, and exactly how far was I willing to go to stop them from ‘erasing’ him? Ryan was a good friend. Heck, I’ve known him longer then anyone else here. The guy even crashed at my house for a few months. I wasn’t about to let some group of government guys just take him out because they thought he’d done something. I mean, I know that sometimes he can get carried away, but his hearts always been in a good place. I guess I’d find out just how far I’d go to defend him when it came time for that. Plus, what real guarantees did I have that they wouldn’t come after me once they’d wrapped up the bad guys, or even now. I didn’t know much about their actual goals except what they told me, and it’s not like they proved themselves especially trustworthy, with the drugging and all. Still, that Agent Alvis guy seemed genuine, and his final words rang in my head: There are organizations much worse then us out for people like you, and when you run into them, you’ll wish you had our help. Chills swept up and down my spine. Whatever he meant by that, it did nothing but give me a sense of foreboding danger ahead. Almost like the feeling one gets right before a really bad storm hits, or when you tap your breaks on an icy road, and feel your car start to slide.

“Shit,” I said to myself. “As if I missed my exit. That’ll teach me to get so caught up in thinking.” I took the next exit, and proceeded to work my way through the back roads towards University. As I pulled past Conestoga Mall, rain started to fall. “Ah, perfect,” I sighed, a smile rising to my face. There was something about storms that I just loved. Perhaps it was the beauty inside the chaos, reflecting life in a way that nothing else did. As I turned down the next street, suddenly my engine light came on, and the car shut off. “Great! You’ve got to be kidding me.” I tried to start the car again, but it just wouldn’t. “What the heck? Seriously, it’s not like I drive you much. Why did you have to break when I actually did? Well, I guess I am flashing there. At least I have some excuse for showing up without a car now.” I got out of the car, popping the hood, to take a look to see if I could surmise the problem. I glanced at the inside of the car, taking in the engine. And then closed it back up. I mean, come on, who am I kidding. I couldn’t tell you what anything else in there was besides the engine, so how was I going to be able to tell what was wrong? Oh well. Better hurry. I didn’t want to be late for my date with Katelyn. I grabbed my AE messenger bag with my costume in it, and got ready to ‘flash’ towards University. Right as I was gathering the light to get ready for it, I felt a hand on my shoulder, and suddenly everything seemed to grow dimmer. I felt weaker. It was as though I could feel the light leaving me. Instinctively, I dropped down and swept out my foot back towards whoever it was, sweeping their legs out from under them. I guess sometimes it pays to watch a lot of action movies. I heard them hit the ground as I spun around to face them.

“Ouch,” she said. “Jezz, no need to play so rough. You’d think I tried to steal your car or something.” Sitting before me on the ground, was this cute petite brunette with blue eyes. She seemed like your normal college student. She was wearing a pink hoodie, white jeans, and a white wind breaker, all from American Eagle.
“Oh, sorry, reflexes I guess,” I said, blushing in both shame, and in the fact this had been my means of introduction to this girl. I offered my hand to help her up, and she reached out to take. The moment she grasped it, I felt everything grow dim again. The colour started to drain from the world, as once again, I felt the light drain from me. She held my hand like that for what seemed like eternity, but really, was probably only 10 seconds. After which, she let go, and I collapsed to my hands and knees, pulling in deep breathes. “What.. Did… you do.. To me?” I stumbled out, in between breaths.
“Oh, not much. Just took some of that energy you have stored up in you. You had quite a bit, it seems,” she said, getting up, and brushing off her knees as she stood. “Look what you did. Now I have this black wet spots. Oh well, I guess it was worth it.” She walked over to me, bent down in front of me, and lifted my head with a quick flick of her hand under my chin. She seemed strong for her size. “Ah.. That feels good. You have no clue how good your energy tastes, do you? All of you taste different, but yours taste better then most of the ones I’ve feasted on so far.” She swayed hunched over like that. It reminded me of the way drug addicts seemed to act in movies I had seen. I tried to get up, but ended up just falling back on my hands and knees.
“What… are you… talking about?” I muttered out.
“Wouldn’t you like to find out. Maybe next time we’ll get the opportunity to know each other much, much better,” she said, a wicked smile crossing her face. Was she hitting on me? Seriously, what is wrong with this girl. First she drains me of whatever it was she drained me of, and now she’s hitting on me. Sure, she’s cute, but not that cute. “I’d love to stay and chat, Uriel, but it seems you’ve got a couple tails on you. We’ll meet again though. Don’t you worry.” Thunder clapped, lighting flashed, and she was gone.
“What the hell.. just happened?” I got myself up, supported by my car. I looked around, a noticed two men walking down the opposite end of the road. They seemed suspiciously familiar. Who was that girl, and what the heck did she do to me.

Luckily, in the next couple minutes, as I rested against the car, the street lights clicked on. I drew light from the nearest one, and finally felt better. It seemed like I needed the light to some degree, and whatever she did, it seemed to drain it from me. I checked my watch. “Shit, I’m late. I hate being late.” I drew in more light, and then flashed towards University, and my awaiting date with Kate.