Between Flames and Silence

CHAPTER 13

The air in Mike's small living room was thick with the scent of sweat, the creak of worn floorboards, and a tension that clung like humidity. The old ceiling fan spun slowly overhead, doing little more than shifting the summer heat from one side of the room to the other. Furniture had been pushed aside; the floor had become a makeshift sparring ring, scuffed and stained from repeated use.

Mike and Zack moved on the balls of their feet pivoting, punching, blocking, and resetting. Both were drenched in sweat, but what painted their faces wasn't exhaustion. It was something deeper, forged by years of friendship: a shared seriousness. Mike took a step back and caught his breath; Zack threw two quick punches and raised his left in guard.

And then… Zack suddenly threw his gloves to the floor.

A sharp thump echoed through the room. Silence took hold, just for a moment.

Zack locked eyes with Mike. His voice was clear, direct, and full:

"Four months, Mike. It's been four whole months. You've been hiding that mask. And you told me—m after that fight you were going to tell Emily how you felt. What happened?!"

Mike turned his head slightly. His eyes dropped to the floor. He didn't answer at first, just drew in a slow breath. Then, he spoke his voice low, but laced with quiet conviction:

"Look, man… I just don't want to drag her into this. Even pulling you into it was a mistake. Telling you everything… it puts you in danger. And I can't do that."

Zack gave a faint grin. There was no anger in his face only that familiar, brotherly defiance. He stepped forward and placed a hand gently on Mike's shoulder:

"Mike… didn't I tell you I'd be here? Whether you needed me or not. You need to ease up a little, man. You're already at war—at least let yourself remember you're not in it alone."

Then his face softened a bit more, though his tone stayed steady:

"Also… I've been wondering. How are your powers holding up? I mean, after that big transformation… what's changed for you? Because right now, you don't really seem all that human anymore."

Mike looked up. A faint smile touched his lips. His eyes were tired, but within them, something flickered. Something awakening deep inside...

Mike hesitated for a moment in response to Zack's words. A flicker of uncertainty passed through his eyes but it didn't last long.

Slowly, he lifted his head and smiled.

"Come," he said in a low but resolute voice. "Let me show you what's changed... what's evolved in my powers."

Zack raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Right now? You're serious?" "Yes," Mike said without a trace of doubt. "Right now."

Zack threw his hands up.

"Alright, man. Where are we going?" "Just grab the helmet... and hop on," Mike replied.

His smile carried a weight of seriousness. He handed Zack the helmet, and together they got on Mike's new motorcycle.

As the engine tore through the night, the roads silently disappeared behind them. City lights gradually faded, and the streets sank into darkness. Mike was taking them to an abandoned dockyard a place forgotten by time, where rusted chains clinked in the wind and battered containers stood like fallen giants.

Mike slowed the bike to a stop, planted his feet on the ground, and began walking deeper into the yard. Zack followed behind, silently.

"Hey, look around, Zack," Mike said, motioning lightly to the surroundings.

"This is where I've been working. For months maybe even longer. Nobody comes here. Sometimes street punks or the homeless wander in, but I'm usually not around when they do… or they see me and run."

The dock's walls were covered in graffiti. The wind banged a metal door open and shut. The ground was littered with old wires and broken planks. It looked like a scene after a war.

Zack scanned the area with a nod, then asked without pause:

"Man, after that big transformation… have you changed again since? I mean did you try? Did you want to?"

Mike's gaze drifted briefly into the distance.

"Believe me, Zack," he said. "I know it'll come when I need it. At least for now, I can't shift at will. But… something from that fight remains. The blue flames they're still with me. Somehow… they stayed inside."

Zack laughed. A light, sincere smirk stretched across his face.

"Well, hey one is always better than zero, right?"

Mike chuckled softly, then turned to Zack with a more serious expression.

"Look, Zack… a lot's changed since then. In these four months… I got a job. I'm still going to school. Got a new bike, man. I can't fully control my powers, not yet but I can manage them at a certain level now."

Zack nodded, but his brows furrowed slightly as he replied:

"But something's missing, isn't it?"

Mike immediately looked away.

"No, Zack. Don't… say her name."

Zack raised his hands dramatically and laughed:

"Alright, alright. I won't say that name. The one that starts with 'Emily'!"

They both laughed. Silence slipped between them for a moment. The wind lightly rocked the doors of the containers. Then Mike murmured, eyes tinged with regret but smiling softly:

"Okay… you're right. Maybe I should talk to Emily. Shouldn't I?"

Zack didn't say a word. He just placed a hand gently on Mike's shoulder.

It was the kind of touch shared between brothers, between comrades, between those who had walked through fire together.