Chapter 6 (bridge)

I decide to go back to the city, I can't stay in the forest forever, I can't stay anywhere, nowhere is safe for me, not even here, a crazy demon will soon come for me and to be honest I am quite frightened. I learnt how to change back to my human form, it was very easy to do it, I just thought of it and my skin turned back to normal. I do this so that I will not cause an uproar in the city.

As I walk on the streets of the city, I look around and the city has not changed a bit since I left. It is the same as old since I left two days ago: the streets are as busy as ever, the smoky smell of burning fossil fuel released from cars' exhaust pipes fills the atmosphere, pigeons move in flocks eating crumbs of bread and disposed of pieces of food, the tall skyscrapers, the beautifully designed streetlights and the crown of people walking on the sidewalk. Melanie City indeed is exquisite.

I also notice that the cops are everywhere like a swarm of bees; investigating and interrogating every single pedestrian and motorist on the road, asking whether they have perceived anything strange maybe my appearance two days ago must have triggered this. I walk cautiously not to be noticed by the cops or by anyone. I am still contemplating on what to do, whether to go home or wander the streets of the city like a lost beggar, but then if I wander about that will be dangerous for me, I need to lie low, I need to avoid being caught by the police and one of Hermedox henchmen.

A part of me is telling me that my subconscious is lying about Hermedox coming for me, and another part of me is telling me that it's right.

Which should I believe?

If my subconscious is right then Hermedox must have sent someone to kill me...how long will it take for his minions to reach me?

I am so confused like a lost child in a big mall, I am clueless about what to do and where to go, I am hungry, tired and frustrated, and I haven't had a good sleep for the past two days. My legs are wobbling underneath me and my lips are dry as the Sahara desert.

My clothes are worn out and covered with dirt from all the running and madness I underwent. I am stinking like the sewer--or even worse. Every en route I take passersby always clutch their nostrils not to perceive the offensive odour oozing out from me.

I try to avoid people and walk only on quite lonely streets so that no one would recognise me.

My throat is scorched, the sun is at its fullest, the brilliance of the sun makes my eyes tear and blink rapidly, and the heat from the sun is overwhelming. The forest is way cooler than the city, the whirling of the breeze is cold in the forest, compared to that of the city which is been scorched by the sun, and which makes it feel more like a heatwave instead of a fresh cool breeze.

I see why trees are very important.

I walk on the bridge which is across an artificial lake, which leads to the other part of the city. The bridge is made up of brick and is quite short in length. Many people are fond of the bridge because of its exquisite and exotic symmetrical design, the bridge has an eclipse shape and it gives a prime view of the city.

The bridge is named 'Henry's bridge' the name of the architect who designed the bridge, Henry Calvin.

"Here is cooler-" I take a deep breath of the city's air. "-and better." I exhale. I relax on the rail of the bridge and stare at the lack below it.

I stand on the bridge enjoying the cool breeze brought by the man-made lake. I listen attentively to the bird chirping melodiously--maybe the bird chirping is artificial too-- I look at the soothing waves of the man-made lake and a warm smile makes my lips curve. Many couples are present here, they are enjoying the calm scenery while they chat with their partners. I feel quite lonely but I shrug it off, I have a lot of things to deal with, and I don't have time to think about my loneliness.

I turn to the right and I see a girl running toward me with great speed. I think she is an athlete and probably training or she wants to catch up with someone. But before I know it, she leaps and flies in mid-air with an incredible speed and charges toward me clenching her fists into a ball, and before I can react she punches me on my face.

The impact of the punch results in shock waves that make the poor bridge collapse.

My jaw dislocated because of the impact of her punch, but I healed it in no time. I can feel pain because of the punch, it is more powerful than the shots from my dad's shotgun. Many people on the bridge were affected by its collapse, and they were submerged in water with the debris of the bridge.

"What are you doing already? Save the civilians!" My subconscious comes out from nowhere shouting, "And try defeating the bitch attacking you." He points at the mysterious girl who is preparing to give me another blow.

My eyes widen when I realise that she doesn't look human, she has long silver hair, she is white as snow and she is in something like a space suit...

No this can't be happening right now, I thought it won't be this soon, if my guess is right and she is one of Hermedox's henchmen sent to take me down, then I have no chance against her, I just discovered my powers and I am very low on XO, I should try everything I can to avoid engaging in a battle with her.

She comes for me again and this time I am fast enough to block it.

"Why are you attacking me?" I ask her hoping that she will give me a reply but she don't. "Answer me, who sent you?"

She pays no attention to my words and kept on throwing punches at me and I keep on dodging them.

She tries punching me but I bend down dodging and I punch her in her abdomen. She flies back and lands in the water, that'll buy me time to escape, this is the only thing I can do right now, I am no match for her she is going to kill me.

"Help!" A woman shouted in pain with her voice muffled by the water swallowing her. "Help, help, help!" The screaming is consistent for a while, then it dies out.

I look around and then I notice that a lot of people are affected by the destruction of the bridge, some people are in the lake while some people are covered by huge debris from the falling bridge... I have to do something unless a lot of people will die and I didn't want anyone to die.

I am weak, I am a coward, what can I do? I think I should just run, I think I should just hide, I do not want to die, I can't do anything.

I want to run away, I want to hide from this crazy girl attacking me, I do not want this pain in the ass fate, why should I be the one saving the universe? Why can't someone else do it?

I do not want to die.

I turn around and begin backing away but then I stop, and think, what will I gain if I run away? If I don't do anything now many people will die, I can try to save them right?

Then my subconscious appeared by my side and tapped my shoulder, "you can do it Kovex." It stares at me and my body begins turning white and my black kinky hair begins turning silver in colour.

Filled with motivation and a tint of excitement, I stretch my hands to the water and the debris of the bridge.

Gushes of wind blow past me and blue magical smoke engulfs me, I begin to shout as I feel my insides burn because of the power flowing out of me.

It is really painful, my hands are aching, my legs are wobbling and my vision is getting blurred, but I do not give up I continue, and then the lake turns into land and then the large debris from the bridge turns into pebbles...I did it!

I feel faint and I fall to the ground coughing up blood and feeling very weak.

My head is spinning and my vision is very dull....I am passing out.

I look up and I see that everyone is safe but then the girl attacking me charges towards me again. I try to move but I can't, I just stay where I am helpless and as she inches closer to me, I feel scared and curious?

When she is a meter away from me a mischievous grin creeps into my lips and my once saddened eyes lit up with excitement and mischief, she has finally fallen into my trap.