Boom

LANCE

I gasped. My heart is drumming in my ears. I'm too flustered, too overwhelmed with panic I can't hear what the teacher is droning on. I felt the soft brush of my seatmates' hand on my shoulder. Yet her voice sounds more like an echo of a ghost than an actual human.

I opened and closed my eyes. Clench and unclench my palms. Weird creeping sensation fills my skin. The black liquid is crawling to my arms. Taking control of the flow of my blood.

This black thingy can't be my very blood is it?

I quickly hid my arms under my table. Hoping the girl seating beside me won't notice.

Just the sight of them goes up to my forearm like parasites is sickening and at the same time horrifying. I tried to keep my nerves steady. Doing breathing exercises, my hands stiffen under the table. I can't seem to move my legs. I looked up at the clock above the board. Counted every second that tick by. Thirty minutes passed and the black veins reach my chest.

Panic has seized my nerves. None of my fingers nor toes listen to my brain. One hour and another teacher came in. Taking attendance has commenced and I'm frozen in place. I can't raise my hands to indicate I'm here. My cheeks are cold ice to form any words on my lips.

Why is this happening exactly?

Infections? Parasite? Virus? No. The fact it's somehow pumping life like the one in Magnus' neck is not a coincidence. I might have got this from him. But why? I'm sure he was weakened earlier. I'm sure it was his life force I drained. Not some parasitic insect who ate over the bloodstream.

Maybe...I can have this effect when I touched human beings. Maybe, instead of killing them, the power will backfire and have devastating effects on me instead.

I inwardly chuckled. It's comforting if that were the case. That means I can't kill my Dad if I ever touched him. Nor Magnus and Moon rose. I can't harm anyone. I wonder if this ability works on animals? I mean, instead of slitting a chicken's throat I could touch its stomach and it will die instantly. Then my Dad and I could have a wonderful chicken party. If only one of us could cook.

I suspected my name is called and my seatmate answered for me. I know it garnered stares from our classmates. I tried to scrutinized their faces but my surroundings are hazy and cloudy. Instead of human faces, I see floating jellyfish.

Three hours and I'm sitting completely still. My body has moved on from its boiling state. The hotness in my face subsides. Replaced by weird sensations creeping in every part of my body.

I'm feeling stupid in this side effect. Instead of having a high fever I feel like I'm a dough put inside an oven, after turning golden brown and crispy, they took me out and cooled down in room temperature.

Now I just need to sit on a plate with hot coffee on the side then I'll be the ideal breakfast.

I patiently waited for hours to pass. Sitting completely rigid. I can now flick my fingers, curl and stretch my toes. The black liquid is still in my skin. Though it completely disappeared from my palms and settled down on my chest.

Shaping like a enormous bacteria, pulsing at the same time with my heart. I need to find Magnus after this. He's the only one who could answer.

Who could explain why I'm turning to stone instead of getting frenzy. You know, like zombie. After humans are eaten by zombies they crack their necks and convulse. Face turned ghastly and then, they're now reborn as zombies. Dad may not know it, but once a month I buy ticket for a movie at cinemas.

There's this movie I watch with zombies having their own empire like wolves. They have a king that's like an alpha who rules over them. Downright satisfying if you ask me. I watch it alone and I'm having fun.

I kinda imagine myself in the position of those survivors. Guns blazing, knives flying, how thrilling would it be if I could blast some zombie heads. Bang bang bang boom! Blast! Then I could shout orders to my companions.

Oh, I love zombies. But old men who can shift their bodies into bats? Not just any bats, but big bad shrieking ugly monster faces with fangs the size of my finger and wings twice my size...those are different things entirely.

I sighed. Why can't they just plunge me into zombie apocalypse instead of bat shrilling faeries?

I'm shaken out of my wits when my seatmate pulled me out of my seat. Her mouth is shouting words but none are coming to my ears.

When she tiptoed nearer, I caught the word 'ring' and 'bell' from her lips. I shake her hand and uttered thanks. Well, that's what I think I said but I can't hear anything so I'm not sure if that's what she heard.

I picked up my bag from the table and sprint out of the hall. Distorted white space with black figures I think are the students is what I see.

I navigate through corridors. Determine to arrive at the place me and Magnus agreed to meet. Heart beat starts to pick up, vision starts to clear out, hearing starts to surface as I ran.

My body is on a bliss. I felt alive more than before, like every cell in my body has been reborn and energized.

When I reached the building entrance, the yard greets me with a wind blast. I stopped. Catching my breath. At the center of the bustle of students coming out of their classrooms is a girl. She can be spotted easily among the crowds. Percularly when she's holding the blue rose on her lips.

Her crimson eyes is staring directly at me. I plodded towards her. Not caring about the other students grumbling when I shoved them aside.

Questions riled up in my mind. About her identity. Is she also an Eklektos like me? Why won't she talk to me? Why would she appear then disappear without a trace? Is there something she wants from me?

A group of football players pass by. I shoved two big guys aside but it was me that got thrusted away instead.

"Watch it shorty!"

I groaned. I only stumbled by a few steps. Nothing serious. But when I looked to where she stood...she disappeared.