A desolated surrounding.
No amount of apologies I could give would revert this back to what it was a moment ago.
Gone. Everything around me, gone. What was left was a hole in the ground. The buildings that touched the sky are gone. Some are left, fallen, half broken, or left in pieces. The road was gone. Half of the train was gone. Far away, I see people around the circumference of the tragedy. People crying. People dying. People weeping. People struggling.
I laughed at myself.
What a hero I am.
At this time, I could do nothing. For the first time, I felt fear. Fear of myself, and what I could do.
The white-haired man before me chuckled as he admired the surrounding. It was as if his duty was done. No… it probably is. I, on the other hand, was frozen on the ground. My feet wouldn't react.
It was all my fault.
"Look what you've done," he said, rubbing salt into my wounds. Even without his words, I knew. Anger and guilt mixed inside me as I glared at his smiling face. "But fear not - this is only the beginning."
"There is no next time." The words came out of my mouth were lies laced with doubt. He probably noticed, and his smile became wider. I tried to be strong. I tried to be what I was seen by the others. A hero. A strong, brave hero who would overcome everything.
Just like those seen on screen, or in stories. At the end, the heroes will always win, no matter what befalls them.
But I was scared. Those thoughts didn't linger long before doubt clouded my judgement once more.
Am I… even a hero?
The powers I have… I should've mastered them a long time ago. I've received them a few months back, and I've trained my strength. I've undergone so many trainings. I've helped so many people. They haven't been like this. They shouldn't have gone out of my control. Yet…
…why? My neck felt stiff as I turned around, looking at my surrounding once more. I saw them coming towards me, their faces worried and afraid.
No. Don't come.
"Your friends?" He asked.
No.
"Wouldn't it be a shame..."
No. No.
"...if they were to disappear…"
I took a step back. No. Please, stop…
"...right before your eyes?"
The words to stop them were stuck at my throat. I felt my hands shaking. For once, I was afraid. What if it happens once more? The white-haired man is dangerous. He could do something to me. And then it would…
"Kinesis!" The hacker called out, then the vice president of the student council echoed his words. I felt my body rose from the ground. I tried to will myself to reach the land, but nothing happened. Yet, they didn't stop reducing distance between us.
Objects rose around me. Stones and slabs of concrete surrounded me. The white-haired man remained on the ground, a wide grin on his face. I saw the gazes of the others on me - some filled with rage, some afraid, and some shocked.
My identity was the least of my concern. Every step they took forward, I wanted to stop them. Yet, my body wasn't in my control. I saw another light coming out of my body, this time without the white-haired man doing anything to me.
No.
I looked at Yoona and Jay.
No. Don't come here. Go away.
My mouth was sealed shut, and my inner voice couldn't stop them from closing the distance between us. I yelled as hard as I can, as much as I can, but it was a futile effort. The light became brighter and brighter and -
A moment passed before the light died down.
Rocks and concretes weren't around me anymore. Instead, they were around them. Yoona had a cut to her arm as the blood dripped out from the opening. Jay was on the ground, his left leg stuck under a slab of concrete, grimacing in pain while he tried to push it away. I saw a pool of red liquid underneath the concrete.
No.
No.
No, no, no, no, no…
No...
...no.
My knees refused to support me and I fell to the ground in despair. The two people that I trusted the most, the two people who have supported me the most…
My lover and my best friend…
Fear took over.
It wasn't what I wanted. I swear. I could tell them with a smile, as usual, that everything is fine, and everything is under control, but it wouldn't work that way now. Everything isn't fine. Everything isn't under control.
It really wasn't my doing.
So, please…
...don't look at me like that.
But they did. Their eyes were filled with fear.
"That's right. You are a monster, Kinesis."
No, I'm not a monster. I am not a monster.
"I am not a monster… you're lying."
I tried to persuade myself.
I am not a monster.
"Right…?" I looked at them.
But they didn't reply. They merely stood there, frozen, hurt, and afraid of me.
"Kinesis…" Yoona blurted out.
"You're a monster, Kinesis." He simply laughed. "Look at them. They're all afraid of you."
"I…" I couldn't continue my sentence.
Am I even a hero?
I don't even know anymore.
I looked at the two who are closest to me.
Their gaze told me what I am -
A monster.
It wasn't only them. The others around me looked at me the same way. Not as Kinesis the hero, but Kinesis the monster.
No…
There's no way…
"I'm not a monster!"
"Liar!"
"Monster!"
"Go away, monster!"
Why? Why are they treating me like this? I'm not a monster.
I'm not -
"You are one, Kinesis," said the white-haired man. "You are not a human anymore. Give it up."
It really wasn't me.
I didn't mean to do that…
So please…
...don't look at me like that. Jay, Yoona…
But they couldn't hear my thoughts. They merely remained where they were, in pain and afraid of me, as their gazes unintentionally telling me one thing that I didn't want them to look at me as.
A monster.