Chase

Julie groans as she pressed the large bruise on her arm. It was blotchy blue, and she was sure that she scratched her back. Glaring back at the petty group, who laughed and left her behind in the road. The kid had already taken off right when she tried to fight the bullies off.

"Argh, what did I expect!" She yelled, ruffling her head. Of course, the kid left, why would he stick around anyways. Especially for a random stranger that just tries to beat off a pack of burly guys.

Pulling out her phone, she checked the time. A little to four, few text messages, but other than that nothing important. Sighing, she shoved her phone back, rubbing some dust off her clothes, she tries to stand up.

Off she was on her journey home. Nothing special, but her mind was a mess. Why did she try to help out a random kid? Why does she have to associate herself with strangers? Was this normal? Then the awakened thing. How is this awakened thing related to her? Sure she had mind-reading powers, but to be involved in a serial killer case? That was just suicidal.

Not only that, Celine. Julie was so busy the last day, she didn't even have time to question her best friend. When did she get her powers? Was this a normal thing? To get into trouble and just randomly become superman? Of course, Celine just had to be mad at her for hiding her powers. Why couldn't she look at Julie's perspective? If Celine never had her powers, she would never believe Julie had powers in the first place.

Again, Julie was so sure that Amelia and Ethan weren't a coincidence. It's not a coincidence that two teenagers just show up in the middle of the semester. Ethan had already said what he wanted, him finding out Celine was awakened was one. But where does Amelia get into the picture? The girl had already said she doesn't know Ethan, but they're already buddy-buddy with each other.

Finally Noah Reed. The said the eldest son of a big family. How in the world can she spy on him? Especially he was a senior, and she's just a lazy sophomore. Won't he just kill her at the flick of his fingers with his magnet power? Thinking of it sent shivers down her spine.

Why is the awakened world so complicated? Why the name 'awakened', Julie thinks mutant would be much cooler, to be honest. Not to mention there are big families and an association, does the government know about this?

Julie jumped at the ring of her phone. Heaving a sigh, she picked it up. It was either Celine or her uncle. But the voice that came out, caught her off guard. "Hello? Who's this?" She said a little skeptical.

"It's me, Ethan, uh Celine gave me your phone number." The usual confident smooth voice went through her phone, as she facepalmed. Of course, Celine gave her phone number to her new friends.

"Whaddya want?"

"Uhm, just wanna say uh Celine is out of it, Amelia I think she's fine? There wasn't any dangerous stuff, then remember the association? My teacher wants to meet you- Oh wait no, I wanted to tell you that-

"Water boy, calm down. I can't understand a word you're saying." Julie interjected the dude was talking at the speed of sound at this point.

"You did not just call me water boy," Julie smirked at the laughter behind the phone, and she knows that familiar wheeze any day.

"So what do you want? Get to the point."

"Uh, just wanted to say be careful around this hour, cause I heard from some of the workers here, saying the rogue awakened was out and running. Then I want to warn you, claw man is not what you think he is, not only he has started his killing spree, but I heard from the higher-ups that he's shown some manipulation energy" Julie gripped her phone, so claw man was out here running, with a second ability. "Oh, and my teacher wants to see you, what day are you free?"

"You have a teacher?" Julie questioned, so there are teachers at the association? This setting sounds familiar to a certain story she read on the internet. She wanted to ask more about it, but Ethan had just rambled on about how his teacher was curious about her, and just hung up on her.

"This dude," Julie growled, at the fact he just hung up without allowing her to answer anything else.

Before she knows it, she was already a couple of blocks away from her house. Julie sighed in relief, as she continued her long walk. Not before something had passed her eye. But she had simply ignored it.

Arriving at her doorsteps, she had dropped everything in her room, and clean up her bruises. There was no way, she could fix the scratches on her back. Julie can't go to either her aunt or uncle to help, because they'll get worried. Maybe Celine would help after whatever business she had with the others.

[Roger's super nice today, what's going on?]

[would she forgive me?]

Deciding that she couldn't sleep, because of all the adrenaline (and her neighbors). She went out and walked to the park near the convenience store.

The park wasn't big, but it was big enough to have a slide, a few swings, and a couple of chairs, and a large table.

Julie went straight to the swings. She has always preferred the swings since she was a kid. Back then her mom would bring her to the park every single weekend with dad, and they would have fun.

'that's all in the past.' She thought as she pockets out her phone. Deciding to read some of the messages her uncle had sent. Some were just him asking if she had lunch or some random things. But the last one had caught her eye.

'Don't go out at night anymore. Dangerous.'

That was weird, well, in general, walking out in the dark has always been dangerous. But for her uncle to text her that, was weird.

"AAARGH!"

Julie flinched at the shrill yell out of nowhere. "what the hell." She muttered as she scrambles to get out of the park. But what she saw blew her mind off.

Right at the east side of the park, was a man standing over somebody. The man below was screaming in pain, as Julie could see the blood trickle down the road. The man on top kept on laughing, as he started pouncing on the poor man below.

Clamping her mouth shut, she slowly walked away, trying not to get attention over the crazed man. She felt goosebumps at the bloody sight. Not only that, she saw the abandoned knife beside the fallen man.

With her distance far enough, she began to run. She didn't care if she pulled a muscle or the fact she made a sound. All she knew was either to go to a crowded area or home.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going!" [shit, she caught me!]

Julie shuddered, but she kept running. What can she do? Dial 911? Would the dispatcher just think she was lying about getting chased? But what she didn't know that she had accidentally dialed her friend.

"Julie?"

"IF I'M NOT ANSWERING AFTER THIS, I'M DEAD K!" Julie yelled as she turns back for a second, to see the same crazed man behind her, with his knife.

"Hey- hey what are you talking about!?"

"I'M GETTING CHASED!" she had run far from her house. Went into an abandoned building which was the opposite thing she had wanted, but instincts have taken over, as she began to ran right and left to hide. Panting, she tries to calm. But there was a killer on her way to kill her.

Was that the claw man? Surely not, Ethan said he was a rogue awakened, so claw man should even use his claws rather than a knife.

"Julie."

Was that just a random guy then? Who in the world would kill someone near a park? Julie felt her breath wheezing, as she tried to think thoroughly.

"Julie!"

Snapping out of her thoughts, she realized she still hasn't hung up her phone. She let out a shaky breath, as she brought the phone near her.

"I'm in the abandoned building, near the park. Second floor. I don't know if the guy is claw man or not, but he had a knife." Julie whispered out as she curled up at the corner hiding, as she heard the wild laughing echoing to the building.

"Are you okay?" Julie had turned off her speakers, as she brought her phone to her ear. She could hear the muffled talking in the background.

"I don't know, but please-"

"WHERE ARE YOU KID!? COME ONE PLAY WITH ME!" [hahaha the guy finally died, Master was right, I become so powerful!]

Julie stilled in fear, as she heard the loud thumping. She ignored the questions and talking from the phone, as she hung up. She can't make another sound otherwise, she'll get caught.

Glancing at her hands, she could see them trembling. Shaking in fear. If only she had a more powerful power. She could at least run away. Was she fated to live like this? If so life was really after her.

Suddenly the footsteps grew closer. Julie gulped, as she stared at the door. Behind that door, was the man trying to kill her. She wished that man could just go away. Ignore her, and leave her be.

But the door was slammed. The man ran towards her and grabbed her shirt collar. As she tries to scramble out.

"heh if only you weren't there to see stuff." [the kid's small, a stab would work]

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Julie yelled desperately, could feel the tears well up behind her eyes. The crazed look on his face was disgusting. Kicking his shin, the man loosened his grip, as she fell.

"You brat! I'll kill you!"

Julie ran, as she stumbles on a box. Waving her hand around like crazy, she tries the best she can to getaway. In the midst of the chase, she found herself a piece of wood. Lifting it to make it a weapon. The man had just laugh at her attempt.

"What, you think that piece old of crap would work?"

The wood was quite thick, but the man had just pulled it from her and snapped it in half.

God, was she going to die? Her mind was blank from anything, as she felt everything blur out. She didn't even remember struggling from the man's grip and yelling.

Because everything had gone silent.

Julie had her eyes shut, but wondered what had happened with the grip on her hand went. Slightly opening one eye, she had gasped. The man who tried to kill her went completely still. The crazed look in his eyes, disappeared, as it looked dull, nowhere near having emotions.

As the wall behind the man had suddenly burst. Julie had instantly backed away. She tries to squint to see who was behind all the dust and rubble. But sighed in relief, when she saw the familiar faces.

"Julie?"

With all the adrenaline gone, she felt the exhaustion starting to sink in, as she fell on her knees. She could see the familiar faces all had an alarmed look. But now her vision was covered with black spots.

"Julie! Stay with me!"

She ignored the loud yelling of concern. The last thing she saw was the tall man behind Celine. Celine really gotta stop meeting weird people was the last thing she thought as she fell unconscious.