Chapter 2

I was thirsty. My body was in pain and so tense like it was electrocuted. My eyes were burning and so sensitive they couldn't be opened. I remember throwing up while lying on my back, paralyzed. My mind was trying to understand what happened and where I am, or at least, where I was before the incident. Suddenly, a voice was shouting something at me, or in my head - it was so hard to tell.

"UP! Get up!"

Should I go up? Up where? I tried to say a word, but my throat was burning and my lungs were desperately searching for air. I realized I was crying and shaking as the silence became so overwhelming in that chaos. I couldn't remember my brother's face, my parents' face, my own face! It was like nobody had an identity anymore. I have never felt so scared and lonely in my entire life. Lonely and abandoned.

The floor was cold and somebody was talking loudly. The light was blinding me and my eyes were still burning. I took a moment to calm myself and focus on my breathing, praying to whatever Divinity for my body to be in one piece.

"I think she is awake." a woman said.

"I don't think she will survive, Bill."

I told myself the same thing. After a few attempts, my eyes were wide open, trying to identify the place I was held in. Someone grabbed my shoulders and pushed me back on the ground, forcing me to lie down. She was a middle-aged woman, with green eyes and olive skin. The brand-new scar from her left cheek was big, close to the eye and still an angry red.

"Water…"

"She needs water. Ria, quick, bring me some water from the red bottle."

"But, Allaya, we're running short..."

"Now!"

Allaya lifted my head up and helped me drink without changing my position. Why doesn't she let me move? My worries flew away when I felt the water invading my body with its refreshing coldness. I have never been so grateful in my entire life for a sip of water as in that moment.

Slowly, my strength and consciousness were coming back, allowing me to see all the persons in that room. Allaya and Ria, who were standing right next to me, a guy in his 40's and a young couple.

They didn't look threatening, nor friendly, so I knew that my presence there raised many discussions and concerns. I greeted them but it was more a grimace than a salute. My heart stopped beating when I saw my arms burned to the elbow, covered by a limited number of bandages, as was my abdomen.

"What's your name?" The old man asked.

"Mia...Mia Russell."

"Mia Russell. Do you remember anything?"

"Besides my name? No. Who are you and why am I so hurt? Where am I?"

"One question at a time, if you don't mind. There are many things that need to be clarified and it will not be easy."

"…"

"I am Bill. The one who treated your wounds is Allaya, Ria and the twin brothers, Elise and Elliot."

The last two waved at me smiling.

"We are in a basement I found when the...power overtook our planet. I was in my garden when it happened and by my calculation, I fainted for two days, then started to search for survivors. This is how I found Allaya and the rest of them."

"Now, can you tell me if you feel...different?"

"You mean burnt, crashed and high at the same time? Yes, totally."

"And being sarcastic will definitely save your ass, I suppose."

"Mhm...What happened? What was that power?"

"We don't know. Maybe it was something from the Universe, or maybe it was a sick joke from your God. But the certain thing is that our bodies have changed somehow."

"For example, the color of one of my eyes is different from the other. The left one is blue, and the right one is green. They both used to be green. Also, I can feel the organs within a body...like a weird vibration coming right back to me. And my wounds heal really fast." Allaya said.

My face was perplexed. And the eye thing was actually true when I took a closer look.

"What?! You mean you are a super doctor, quack or whatever with superpowers?"

"Yes, Whitey. And I got super strong, destroying a wall with my fist or flipping a car out of my way. Allaya is sort of a quack, the twins are still normal and Ria...we're still trying to figure it out." Bill nervously raised his voice.

"Are you fucking kidding me? This is insane! It can't be like..."

Then a strong burning sensation crossed my arms and the tingling through my fingers made them shake. I couldn't see anymore and my head was pounding with flashy images.

"Get out, all of you. Get out, now!" Allaya insanely screamed.

I was in agony, the pain making me scream so loud that my brain got literally toasted and in a second everything went blank.

"She will kill us! Mia, stop it! NO!"

Suddenly, all the tension in my body was released. And it felt so good!

...

"Allaya?"