Hey guys! I came up with this idea randomly, and I couldn't resist writing it. I really hope you like this story as much as you like Embers (my other story. If you haven't read it, I suggest it, though it has zero connection to this story.) My goal is to make this even better than Embers. This is a way more original plot. Embers was just a scenario kind of thing, but this is full on original, and I'm excited. I already have the whole thing planned out! So, without further adou... I don't exactly know what adou means, but we will have no further of it!
Anyway, I present,
Alone
Cold. I'm always cold. Doesn't matter the actual temperature, if I'm not physically cold, I'm mentally cold, if that makes any sense. I kick the rocks at my feet as I sit on this rusty swing in one of the many abandoned playgrounds scattered around Ninjago City.
The steady creak of the old hinges is oddly calming, and if I didn't have that rhythmic sound, I'd probably be completely insane by now.
I clench my fist, and small spires of rock erupt from the ground. I release the tension, and the rock sinks back down. I sigh. I don't know why I'm like this. I have gotten possibly every bad thing that could happen to me.
Dead family: check
No home: check
Unexplainable, uncontrollable power that could possibly destroy the whole city: check checkitty check
Most people would be thrilled to be able to do what I can do.
'Oh, so what if you can't control it? It's still so cool!' You say. Well...
You're half right.
Oh, let me fully introduce myself. My name is Cole Brookstone. I'm 17 years old. Welcome to my life.
The skies are gray, a welcome relief from what has been a blazing summer week. It was one of those times where I'm mentally cold. I've never quite been in sync with the world. Before I lost everything, all the kids at school would call me emo. I mean, if they knew why I never played their games, or made friends, they probably would have avoided me too.
When my parents died in the flood, my sister took everything. She took care of me, until she discovered my powers. Then she was too scared to come near me, so she left me a couple hundreds, took all of her stuff and left me, a then 14 year old boy, in an empty house, with $400.00 to live on. The landlord kicked me out when no rent was payed, and I ended up here, at an old playground with a homemade tent/house and about $50.00 I've gotten from pick pocketing. I can't risk getting a job... I might hurt somebody.
But hey, at least I have my thoughts. Because those are always filled with sunshine and rainbows.
I get off the swing, brushing off my torn black jeans and walking over to my little home. It's not much, but I make do. It's waterproof, and I have most of the essentials. A sleeping bag, toothbrush, a small cooler filled with old plastic bottles that I filled with tap water, some bags of chips and whatever else I could find, and my one most precious item.
I pick up the worn sketchbook, the uneven pages running over my dirty fingers, and half smile. My drawing pencils are tucked away in a case under the crate I keep my books in, so that no one will touch them. Maybe my old phone should be my most prized possession; it was a gift from my parents when I turned 12, and I have a bag of SIM cards just in case. But anyway, it's not.
My sketches are my escape. I sketch what I could have done if I was normal. I've drawn myself and a friend at the movies, and me playing video games with my sister, and my whole family eating dinner, frozen in a laughing position. Sometimes I like to think of jokes that would make them laugh that hard.
I put down the sketch pad, and lie down on my sleeping bag. The dull pitter patter of rain on my tarp roof starts becoming louder, alerting me to an upcoming downpour. I don't have to worry about floods, but I do have to worry about potential leaks. I've had my share.
Thunder rumbles in the distance. I shut my weary eyes, just wanting the day to end, when I hear a scream. I sit bolt upright, my head almost touching the tarp protecting my meager belongings. I hear the same scream, confirming my suspicion: someone's in danger.
I crawl out of my tent, and stand up, the raindrops sticking to my eyelashes, and soaking my hair. I hear the scream a third time, and bolt off in the direction that it came from.
There's a chance I could do more harm than good if I go out there. I could instantly kill whoever is in distress by accident... It's happened before.
I run out of the broken gate, and down the street, following my gut on where to go. The screams have stopped, and I worry that I'm too late. I slow to a jog, and am about to run past an alley between two ancient brick buildings, when I hear some scuffling. I stop at the corner, and peer around it, and what I see scares me to death.
A large man is holding what may be a gun up to a teenage boy's stomach; he looks to be about my age. The man has long, greasy brown hair that nearly reaches his shoulder, and overly tanned skin, covered with tattoos and scars. He has a delighted smile on his face; he knows the boy is no match for him. The boy, from what I can see, is pale, and has brown-red shaggy but still up kept hair. He has a swimmer's build; tall and lanky with tight muscles.
This scene makes me angry.
"Hey!" I shout into the alley. The man turns and looks at me.
"Just walk away. I'm just having some fun with my friend here, aren't I?" He says, turning to the teen to confirm his statement. The boy nods his head, but his eyes are screaming for me to help.
"I'm not an idiot." I say, my anger rising.
"You seem to be, since you're still here. Don't act all tough. You're just a weak little kid. Leave the adult to his work." The man says, cocking the gun against the boy's stomach. He whimpers in fear.
"Did... You just call me... weak?" I say, struggling to control my temper. I can feel the ground starting to shake beneath me, and dirt particles rising around my feet. I clench my fists, and grit my teeth, trying to keep myself in check.
"Yeah kid, I did. Now get outta here, before I pull this gun on you." He says.
"Please..." The boy says.
"Shut up!" He yells "why are you still here?" He exclaims, turning to me. That's it.
A piece of rock dislodges itself from the ground, glowing a bright yellowish-green in the cracks, and I lead it with my hand. I throw it into the man's chest, and he flies back, releasing the boy in surprise. I stomp my foot onto the dirty asphalt, creating a tremor that goes straight to the man, and splitting the ground beneath him, causing him to fall into it, bloody.
"Do you still think I'm weak?" I say, my voice deep and full of hatred. Hatred at this man for underestimating my skill, and my power.
I raise the rock over his head, ready to end him... But then I realize... I would be like him if I killed him.
I put the rock down, my power diminishing with my anger. I don't control the power spikes, but when they come, they come hard. I suddenly feel exhausted, like the power I used was all of my energy.
I walk over to the boy who is sitting on the ground. He shuffles away from me, and I back off. I'm used to that reaction from my old town.
"Are... you okay?" I ask him. He nods.
"Could be worse... I could be him." He says, trying to lighten the mood. I turn to the crater I made, and see the mangled form of the man who was going to kill this boy. His chest is slightly rising and falling, telling me that he's still alive. As long as he's alive, I don't care. I turn my attention back to the boy, who is struggling to his feet, leaning on the wall.
"What happened?" I ask him, still keeping my distance, not wanting to hurt him.
"I was walking back home and this guy pulled me into the alley. Oh... my name's Jay by the way." He says, reaching out his hand for me to shake. I just back away further, falling into the shadow of the building. The rain is pouring down, soaking my raven locks, my bangs falling into my eyes. I brush them away.
"Thank you, so much." Jay says, his reddish hair matting to his lightly freckled face. I meet his eyes, and my breath is instantly gone.
His eyes are electric blue, bright sapphires. They glow in the light that seeps into the alley from the street. They are coursing with energy and electricity.
"N-No problem." I stutter, my confidence gone. I back out of the alley, spires rising subconsciously around my feet. I have to get out of here before I hurt him.
I turn and run, out of the alley and down the sidewalk to the park, my worn sneakers slapping the pavement with the rain.
"Wait! I didn't get your name!" I hear Jay yell. I slow to a jog, and turn around to see him standing on the edge of the alley. I hesitate before replying.
"Cole." I yell, and turn to run back to whatever my home is, with those eyes haunting me all the way back, and rocks rising in my wake.
Hope you enjoyed! PEACE AND PIZZA MY LITTLE ALLIGATORS!