"Today we have some violent news, 4 men including Alfonz Bellotti a man who has been charged with importing and exporting drugs and known for having one of the largest crime organizations in the world. Have been found dead hung outside of the Santa Monica Stadium with their faces flayed off. These faces were then stapled back onto their faces as if it was a terrible joke. Here we have the cops who arrived first on the sce-."
"Get off your lazy fat ass and go to work Abraham!" Man I never expected being married to be this shitty.
"Shut up, I'm going… I'm going." I said struggling to put on my sandals.
"30 Years old and still worthless." I hear under Maggy's breath. Why am I even married to her.
I look out the window to see snow gently falling down to the ground; I remember the last time it snowed in the middle of the summer this time it's snowing in the middle of autumn.
I go to my closet to find my work clothes and my jacket. (A pair of heavy duty boots, chambray work shirt, and a regular pair of jeans.) Before I put on my shirt I just look at my right arm. My ugly mess of metal, an improvement the doctors said. I just see it as another way for people to hate me.
I leave my apartment to make way to work; building a new bridge that connects to New Harriet.
"Hey Abe! How's it going!" Aw.. god damn it. I hate Artyom, he's probably the most annoying Russian I know everything he wears pisses me off. Gold everything.
"I'm making my way to work Artyom." Avoiding eye contact; that'll just encourage further conversation.
"Alright DUUUDE, I just thought we can talk a little bit." Trying to act like an average american teen or some shit.
"Not right now man. I'm late."
He stops me and puts his hand on my shoulder. "Alright man I do understand that you are going to work. Here." he takes out a pink slip of paper and hands it to me I quickly glance at it and then put it into my pocket. "You've looked a bit down my friend. Come to this address after work and we'll show you a good time. Here have a smoke." He pulls out two cuban cigars and hands one to me. He lights his own and I just put mine in my jackets pocket.
"Thanks Artyom." I look at him giving him my most convincing smile I could get out.
Finally I reach the bridge.
"Yo pops, you're way late." Shawn one of the younger workers says to me getting up from his bench.
"What are you doing taking a break?"
"Nah. Some crazy bitch is getting in the way of our work. Go do your magic and talk her out of here."
I sigh and start walking up to a young mixed looking black woman with curly brown hair puffed up, she was actually quite beautiful.
"Excuse me, mam. We need to do our work, and I honestly have no idea what you're planning to do here."
"I don't want this bridge built."
"I can't think of a single good reason why you wouldn't want this bridge built."
"I just don't want it built." the woman says, looking into my eyes as if she saw something. I look back at Shawn giving him a "What the fuck?" look he just shrugs and lays back.
"Mam, What would you have me do to get you to untie yourself and to leave?"
"Take me out to brunch." She says smiling at me. Now I'm even more confused, this woman who I have never met in my life asked me to take her out to brunch.
"Alright, when would you like to go?" She looks at her watch waits 10 seconds to reply.
"Now." I start to untie her and she starts skipping away from the bridge.
Shawn approaches passing by the woman "What did you do?" he asks me.
"Nothing… Nothing whatsoever."
I follow after her "Do you know where you're going?"
"Yeah follow me!"
"I mean... I guess I have no other choice."
"No you do not!" She looks at me smiling and still skipping away. We finally reach a restaurant called -Open Sunset- she walks in and twins greet us at the front.
"If it isn't our favourite customer." they said in unison with a pretty strong Carolina accent. "And uh.. her father!"
"I'm not even that much older... " I said quietly kind of too tired to argue. I didn't even know how old this woman was but I couldn't be that much older.
"Come sit down!" she yells already sitting down and looking at the menu. I sit down in front of her and proceed to look at the menu. I look up from the menu and see her staring at me. It kind of made me uncomfortable, I didn't even know her name.
"So, what is your name? Also how old are you?"
"Cynthia. 25." Still staring at me and smiling.
"Why do you keep staring at me like that?" I said.
"I saw you in my dreams. And you're actually here." Now I've become even more uncomfortable.
"Your dreams…? No I do not think so at all." Of course the craziest shit happen the year I turn 30.
"I knew where to find you. I knew how you looked. I knew who you were before ever meeting you Abraham."
At this point I didn't know what to say, I never told her name. -could be possible one of the other workers told her at the bridge- but this isn't the strangest thing that's ever happened to me.
"I don't know what this means but I just wanted to meet you. Maybe you can explain to me why I would be seeing you? But it hasn't been only you. I saw the future too, you know that drug kingpin they found in the morning… I saw that in my dreams a week ago. And last night I kept seeing your face… your arm…" Why am I always involved with the rebirth: first my father, then my brother, and now Cynthia a random girl who sees me in her dreams. Last time there was a rebirth was 15 years ago, this is the longest wait between rebirths and this could possibly be the most dangerous time for a rebirth. This world is cruel, corrupt, and ugly. Hypothetically someone who was born during the last rebirth and survived the last hunt could possibly still be carrying the mutagen that allows them to use their powers. A rebirth is only a time where it kind of resets and new people gain the ability to use their powers, most people have them at birth but can not use them until a rebirth but it is not guaranteed. Knowing all this, I couldn't tell her… If I told her she'll try to learn more about her power, use it more efficiently. AND THEN SHE'LL BE DEAD. She'll be involved in the hunt.
"Cynthia I don't know what is happening to you. But please let it go, you're gonna end up getting hurt." I get up from my seat look at her and tell her "Cynthia… promise me you'll let it go."
She nods and I make my leave. I check the time before exiting through the door and see its only 1pm right now. it'll only take about half an hour to get back to the bridge. Then suddenly I smell smoke from the grocery store next door, then a deafening explosion. A tall skinny man, maybe 19 years old ran frantically out the door with his arms on fire.
"Help me!" he yells at me waving his arms around flames and sparks flying all around him. I use my metal arm to block the flames, my right arms sleeve catches on fire. I rip off the shirt and throw it aside, there is no one helping the boy now and he's yelling in so much pain crying. The flames start to increase throughout his body burning his skin to a scorch. The flame starts to turn a bright blue burning his hair off. There's a fire hydrant right next to me time freezes for a second, I take that second to analyse the situation. A 19 year old super who's burning to death I can save him and have him be hunted down until the next rebirth and be involved in his mess. Let him die in one of the most painful ways there are. Or wait even longer to make my decision to have him live out of a tube. There is a fire hydrant right in front me, I punch it breaking it open for the boy to throw himself into the water. The water stopped the fire but obviously didn't fix his burns. His skin was black like charcoal and felt leathery, it seemed like he's suffered third degree burns but I can't tell if it burned further through the layers of his body. -fourth degree burn would have meant that the burns went through his skin and to his bones or muscle.- I take off my jacket and wet it on top of the broken fire hydrant I wrap the boy with the jacket and pick him up. If I wait for an ambulance he'll surely die they'll find him, this could still damage his nerves and his body a lot just by moving him… But I know who I can call to help. I see an alleyway in between the grocery store and a jewelry store right next to it running through it to see if I can find a good place to hide.
"Rocco's Auto repair shop." I read the name of the building that'll save this boy's life, a broken down shop with the letters "A, P, H" gone from the sign. I crouch under the shop's garage door and lay the boy down, he's going into shock hopefully my plan works out and she answers the phone or I'll watch another kid die in my hands. I take out my phone and start dialing my old friend Sarah, another Super born before the last rebirth.
"Hello? Who is this?" Sarah answers the phone.
I reply, trouble keeping a steady breath I reply "It's me *puff* *puff* Abraham *puff*."
"Abraham! What's going on?" It's hard to breathe… God damn I haven't ran like that in like 10 years.
"I have this boy, he's going to die I need you to help me please."
"Just call an ambulance? oh… don't tell me. He's a super."
"Yeah… I need you to get us out of here and for Harold to fix him up."
"Abraham… the hunt is soon, I can't just risk my life just for this boy."
I look down at the burnt boy. "He's going to die if you don't help, Sarah." I check his pulse it's speeding up way too fast, he's rapidly gasping for air. He's going into shock, his eyes start to roll up and his eyelids start twitching.
There's a moment of silence. With a sigh she reluctantly answered "Where are you."
"Remember Rocco's old car place? where we first.." I hesitate to finish my sentence. I know that this situation is rapidly getting out of control but I couldn't finish that sentence I don't want to remember what we did here.
"Yeah. I'm summoning a portal right at the entrance you'll see it in a second or two."
At the front entrance the portal is finally summoned - a golden oval tearing through the space in the air- inside it you can Sarah signaling me to get in. I pick up the scorched boy and walked through the portal.
"Abraham set him down on the couch I'll get some blankets and water."
"Sarah he's going into shock we'll need something to get his blood levels in check!"
"I got nothing for that! Stop yelling we got to relax Harold will save him."
She takes out her phone and starts dialing a number. I look down at the boy, these burns are not normal. He should be dead, yet he's still breathing… barely breathing but still breathing.
"Abraham... oh my god what happened to him?" Harold arrives through a portal looking at the half dead boy.
"He couldn't control his power, he burnt himself. He's only alive because of his resistance and I guess his persistence." I can't look at the boy anymore. The boy is barely conscious but he can see everyone one of us. Harold kneels next to the boy and turns to me.
"He's going to feel excruciating pain… Abraham you don't have to be here." Harold takes a look at me a look that almost made me weep. A look of someone who see's people's worst times in their lives. A look of someone who feels the pain of the people he tries to help. A look of someone who has died over 1000 times with all his patients.
"Tell me how he does when you finish. You'll need to explain what is going on in his life at this moment Harold… Sarah." And Sarah… Sarah can't bare to look at Harold or the boy she leaves before I can. Harold puts a piece of cloth in the boys mouth, and looks at me telling me to leave. Before I can get to the door the dry and raspy voice of the boy says something.
"Brian… Brother… Help.. him…." He becomes unconscious, I look back at him one last time and leave out the door.
I see Sarah on the porch sitting on a wooden chair and praying.
"When did you become religious?"
"You don't have to be religious to pray… God has probably heard as much prayers from atheists about to die as religious people pray on a daily basis. Everyone dies, some people have regrets and that's when people start praying. You've heard of that quote before? How did it go? Airports see more sincere kisses than wedding halls, the walls of hospitals have heard more prayers than the walls of churches?"
There is nothing to say. The wind starts blowing, I hear loud but muffled groans from the boy. Then screams. Like he managed to spit out the cloth out of his mouth. I start walking down the steps of the porch. Trying to ignore the sounds of that boys pain. I almost forgot about my jacket I wrapped the boy with but I couldn't go back in there, well I mean it had nothing important in it other than a soggy cigar. A 5 hour train ride back to Santa Monica to get to what? A broken relationship with my bitch of a wife that I thought I loved long ago. I reach into my pocket for my wallet and a pink slip of paper fell out I caught it before the wind could blow it away.
"Bored of life? Come to Artyom's wonderland! You won't see anything more beautiful and more enjoyable in your entire lifetime." I had no idea what it meant but I was pretty much done for the day I could almost do anything that would maybe make me feel a little less shitty. Maybe I can get high or drunk and completely forgot about this day. The train arrives and in an hour of riding in it I fall asleep. 4 stops before arriving to Santa Monica I wake up to see a man with a blue beard and blonde hair. The train was completely empty before I went to sleep so I just assumed there wouldn't be much people on the train for the whole ride. I take a look around the whole train no one to be seen, other than an old couple that looked to be in their late 70's.
"Hey you're finally up! Great to see you old friend!" I looked at the odd looking man. Not ugly, but just his hair colour was just so odd. Everything about him was so unnatural, he had so many colours on his body it reminded me of an abstract painting. Blue beard, bleach blonde hair, purple jacket, yellow t-shirt underneath his jacket, blue slim dress pants, a golden rolex, and his eyebrows were dyed blue to match his beard.
"Excuse me… I have no idea who you are."
"It's me! OH THAT'S RIGHT… haha isn't this awkward. This is our first meeting."
"Yeah that's right."
"Well my name is Garrigan Oilex." His name as odd as his appearance.
"It's nice to meet you… My name is Abraham Blair." something told me that he probably already knew that.
"Abraham this wont be the last time we'll meet. But just remember my name or my look I doubt anyone else looks as good as I do. The Wolf watches… be careful my friend."
He gets off his seat and leaves at the next stop at Territon. I had no idea what the hell he was talking about. The Wolf watches? Alright then. I finally get to Santa monica is 5pm and it's completely dark outside only the city lights illuminated the skies and blocked out the stars. Snow kept falling to the ground covering it until you couldn't see the concrete anymore. I finally find the address for the "Most Beautiful Place on Earth." It stenches of booze and weed. With loud electronic music being played. It looked like a club but there was no Bouncer, no line, just a large entrance with golden handles the doors were golden everything else was purple or neon pink if it was sign. I took a deep breath and open the doors. There are so many different aromas that I could smell manly cologne those russian mobsters would shower themselves with, cigars, weed, perfume women would wear, and booze.
"Abe! You came by. You look even more down! ASIA COME HERE!" A beautiful East asian woman approaches Artyom.
"Yes?" She says.
"Please do your job and help this gentleman out." She starts approaching me and I start getting uncomfortable.
"Oh I'm sorry… I think this was a mistake." Artyom calls Asia back.
"Ah… I see. HENRY!" He calls a massive black man wearing no shirt to him.
"Please, do your job and help this gentleman out." Now he starts approaching me.
"NO! Okay Artyom… I'm married I just think I shouldn't be here anymore."
"No, No, No you don't understand Abe married men come here all the time. Abe you can have the most fun in your life here if you just let it happen. Of all sad words mouth or pen, the saddest are these: It might have been." A russian man quoting an American poet (John Greenleaf Whittier) telling me how to live… oh the irony. Asia grabbed my hand and took me to a private room. She started dancing on me and there was a lot of rum on the table in front of us I didn't even pour it into a cup I just drank it straight from the bottle. I couldn't make out what my life has ended up to be. A 30 year old married man with an asian stripper dancing on top of him who stunk of rum. I've never been lower in my life. Who was Garrigan… What does "The Wolf watches" mean. I start to become drowsy probably drank way too much of that rum… Well I mean the bottle was empty so I definitely did drink way too much of that rum. My metal arm locks up it's probably been through too much. Punching the fire hydrant, blocking fire with it probably wears it out.
I look at Asian and ask her if she is religious. "Why?" she asks "Because in religion there is always a prophet... A main character that is supposed to save the world from god's creations. Repent for our sins. Who sacrifices his life for us."
"Is there a point to this? I'm just trying to do my job and you're drunk shitless."
"The point is… The point is when there is no prophet to repent for our sins who will save us from God's creations. When God becomes bored of us what will we do."
Asia doesn't look impressed she just keeps doing her job, while I slowly fall unconscious my last thoughts of the night are. "If god created us all equal… why have some of us evolved to the point of his own power… the power to smite whoever they want to. The apex predator of humanity. And the wolf just watches…"