Written in 45 minutes, think that might be a record for me, enjoy!
I honestly didn't know how to feel at the moment, mom was dead, and it was my fault. Dad kept telling me it wasn't my fault, that I was projecting the loss of my personal hero into a sense of guilt.
A sweet sentiment but I knew he was full of shit.
I had called her on her way home from work, I had wanted her to grab burgers, she was laughing with me about the stupid bullshit that happened at school, and then there was a screech of tires, the crash of steel and glass, followed with my mom screaming in agony.
All followed with silence.
The authorities told me it wasn't my fault as well, that she hadn't suffered, but I didn't believe them, an obvious lie to protect a grieving girl's emotions, nothing more, nothing less, just simple…lies.
I had killed my mom…
The molten steel gathering in the palms of my hands frothed and burned as I gritted my teeth while I began hyperventilating again while squeezing my eyes shut, guarding their burning orange glow from the surrounding masses as Emma touched my shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.
The steel evaporated, and I could finally breath freely again, blinking rapidly I took in a deep breath and glanced towards her while she shot me a wan smile, her caring gaze giving my internal fires time to simmer down.
"Thanks Emes….really…"
Emma smiled in return while muttering, "Nothing to thank me for Hero, we're running late for class and you're my excuse for running late right?"
"Wait what?!"
"Back to school!" Emma stated with faux cheer, dragging her smiling friend in her wake as we weaved through the masses before them.
School, as it happened, sucked beyond words, the only thing that made it palatable was Emma commenting on all the stupid inane BS we were required by law to process. Mom had been tutoring me for years, not just with my powers but academics, she'd never had any faith in the public education system and to be perfectly blunt neither did I. This was all more or less lip service to the governments education requirements and an effort to force me to socialize with the unwashed masses.
Even through all the guilt I was stewing in I still had to question why my mom insisted I learned to tolerate these people through attrition, it was vexing beyond words and the simple fact that most of my 'peers' wouldn't even know what the word vexing meant just made it more so.
I was perpetually surrounded by idiots and I wasn't allowed to do anything about…clearing the herd so to speak. I quashed that thought down quickly, dad wouldn't approve and I had to remind myself yet again that while mom was a wonderful caring person some of her viewpoints from her youth were unpalatable to most people despite how they sometimes creeped into her lessons.
"Hey Taylor, got any plans for this weekend?"
A boy had approached me, I…think his name was Steve? Or was it Josh? Michel?
"Yes, I'm helping my dad pack up my mom's things for storage."
He stammered at that as both Emma and I gave him flat looks, Steve/Josh/Michel was it Daren? Maybe it was Daren? Whatever, he ran a hand through his hair then shot me a sheepish smile, "Oh…uh I was wondering if you were free to go see a movie or something."
Oh dear lord was this a courting ritual? I really…no I did not have time to deal with this bullshit right now, my fault though, mom always told me if you project a continuous aura of confidence it attracted sycophants like insects to a bug zapper.
Effective if you wanted minions or a harem, neither of which I wished for at this time, thanks much. I suppose I could tone it down a bit but…well mom always said our family had a hard time grasping the whole 'humble' thing and I was no exception to that.
He was still standing there, I shot Emma a look and she twitched her left hand pinky slightly, 'let him down gently', ugh, must I?
I smiled, though it most certainly did not meet my eyes, "As I said, I'm busy this weekend, perhaps another time?" You know, maybe not within the same week I buried my mom?
Jackass.
He stammered out some sort of inane platitude but I wasn't really paying attention, eventually he walked away and I once again lamented being thirteen, what was it about becoming a teen that made everyone obsessed with entering the dating scene? I'd text Amelia about it later, she was usually spot on when it came to social interactions and unlike mom Mr. Lavere tended to be more of a people person which thankfully rubbed off on his daughter.
What I would give to not intrinsically look down on most everyone around me, it made dealing with the general public tedious and if I didn't have Emma around me I just kept my mouth shut; if you have nothing nice to say, then say nothing at all and all that tripe.
Ugh, whatever.
I went through the rest of my day in a bit of a haze, and while I normally did not learn anything from school today I wasn't even bothering 'phoning it in' so to speak, I just kept thinking about mom's dying scream and my ongoing guilt.
When school let out Emma separated from me to catch her bus and I did the same, the ride home was boring but uneventful, so there was that at least. Getting off the bus in front of my house I paused as I took in the sight of my dad's beaten up pickup truck and…
"Huh…nice Mercedes…"
Eyeing the gleaming car with some honest confusion I headed towards the front door and entered the house while yelling out, "Dad I'm home!"
"In the kitchen kiddo, and we have guests," was his returned yell.
Ugh…probably more well wishers, I tossed my backpack on the floor, entered the kitchen, and met the gaze of an immaculately dressed man. He was blonde, had perfectly sculpted hair and a goatee, practically exuding an aura of smugness as he shot a welcoming smile towards me.
"Ah, this must be Taylor, it is a pleasure to meet you young lady."
That tone was…very familiar…
"Umm, the pleasure is mine I'm sure, I do not wish to appear rude but, who are you exactly?"
He laughed, it was a practiced laugh, a lot like mom's, and then he replied with, "Ah, my apologies, I am your uncle, your mother's brother Max Anders."
I blinked as my mind very nearly blue screened, holy shit, the number one employer in Brockton Bay was fucking Kaiser?!
Huh…interesting.