10 Hope

Chapter Ten: Hope

Ethan woke with a groan, his body aching from head to toe. The faint light streaming through the cracks in the shelter's roof told him it was morning. His side throbbed where the beast had clawed him, but the pain was duller now, manageable. He shifted slightly and noticed Kara sitting nearby, her back against the wall.

"Morning," she said, offering a small smile.

"Morning," he replied, his voice low but softer than usual.

Kara leaned forward, studying him. "How are you feeling?"

"Better than yesterday," Ethan admitted. He glanced down at the bandages on his side and raised an eyebrow. "You did this?"

"Who else?" she replied with a smirk. "You were bleeding like a stuck pig. I had to use what little supplies we had left."

Ethan nodded. "Thanks."

They sat in silence for a moment, the quiet broken only by the distant sound of the wind outside.

---

After a quick meal of scavenged canned food, they decided to step outside. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of dust and decay. The ruined buildings around them stood as silent witnesses to the world's collapse.

As they moved cautiously through the rubble, Ethan felt... different. There was an energy coursing through him, faint but undeniable. He glanced at the device on his wrist, which now looked more subdued, almost like an ordinary watch.

"You've been staring at that thing a lot," Kara said, breaking the silence.

"Feels strange," Ethan muttered. "Like it's... doing something to me."

Kara tilted her head, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "Me too. Ever since that... kiss." She flushed slightly, looking away.

Ethan cleared his throat, uncomfortable with the memory. "Let's focus on figuring this out."

---

They found an open area—a cleared street with enough space to test the strange sensations they were both feeling. Ethan raised his hand, staring at it intently. Something tugged at him, a faint pull like gravity bending around him.

Without thinking, he clenched his fist. A shimmering distortion appeared in the air, twisting and bending light like ripples on water. Kara took a step back, her eyes wide.

"What was that?" she asked.

"I don't know," Ethan said. He focused again, this time extending his hand outward. The distortion grew, warping the space around it. With a flick of his wrist, it expanded further, creating a tear in the air—a small portal leading to... somewhere else.

Kara gaped. "That's... incredible."

Ethan let the portal fade, his hand dropping to his side. "It's strange. Feels like I'm pulling at something, like space itself is bending to my will."

Kara hesitated before stepping forward. "Let me try."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Unlike Ethan's display, hers was less visual but no less impressive. The air around her seemed to hum with energy, and suddenly, she moved—faster than Ethan could track.

One moment she was standing in front of him; the next, she was ten feet away, holding a small rock in her hand.

Ethan blinked. "You can... move like that now?"

Kara grinned, looking at the rock. "It's not just speed. I think I can enhance my body in other ways too. Strength, reflexes... maybe even endurance."

"Useful," Ethan said, nodding approvingly.

"And you," Kara added, pointing at his wrist, "can tear holes in space. That's definitely something."

---

For the next few hours, they tested their abilities. Ethan discovered he could create portals not just to nearby places but to bring objects to him. He summoned a rusted blade from the rubble without moving an inch. Kara, meanwhile, learned to strengthen her punches, shattering chunks of concrete with ease.

Their training was interrupted by a distant rumble. Ethan's head snapped up, his senses on high alert.

"That's not good," Kara said, her tone serious.

Ethan closed his eyes, focusing. The strange connection he felt through the device seemed to heighten his awareness. He opened his eyes, his expression grim. "Something's coming. Big."

---

They retreated to the shelter, using their newfound powers to fortify the entrance. Kara moved debris to create a barricade, her enhanced strength making the task easy. Ethan set up a series of portals that would allow them to escape quickly if needed.

As they worked, Kara glanced at Ethan. "Do you think this... power is permanent?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "But if it helps us survive, I'm not going to question it."

She smiled faintly. "You're less cold than when we first met, you know."

Ethan paused, caught off guard by her comment. "Maybe," he said after a moment. "But don't expect that to change much."

Kara laughed softly. "I wouldn't dare."

---

The day ended with them sitting in the dim light of the shelter, the air heavy with unspoken thoughts. Ethan leaned back against the wall, the weight of their situation settling on him. Kara sat nearby, her gaze distant but thoughtful.

"Ethan," she said quietly.

"Yeah?"

"We've got these powers now... but what's the point if we're just going to keep running?"

Ethan looked at her, his expression unreadable. "Surviving is the point. For now, that's enough."

Kara didn't respond immediately. Instead, she leaned back and closed her eyes, exhaustion finally catching up with her. Ethan watched her for a moment before turning his attention to the device on his wrist.

Whatever this power was, it had chosen him—or perhaps he had stumbled into it by chance. Either way, it was now a part of him, and he intended to use it to survive.

As the night deepened, the shelter fell silent, save for the faint hum of the device. Ethan didn't know what the future held, but for the first time in years, he felt a flicker of something other than cold detachment.

Hope.

---

To be continued...