W.A.R.M.T.H: The Prologue

And This is Where it Begins, At the End

Amora

I didn't see the murder so much as I felt it. I also felt the air leave my lungs and the crippling pain of broken ribs. I know exactly what happened. Except who the murderer is. It couldn't be AJ, he's all but motionless, but he's still breathing, that's the only thing that makes this burden a bit lighter. Raven and I are up in her room, We had walked back from AJ's and went to her house. I haven't been home in nearly two days, my mother is going to be furious.

"Amora?" Raven says to me, I can barely hear her over the pain AJ is experiencing. I hear a voice, low and male but not familiar to me. I can't quite make out any words. Probably because AJ's head is still ringing from the abuse.

"Amora what's going on?"

"Someone was murdered." I say to her, shocked. She still hasn't told me what she's been hiding.

"AJ?" she says worriedly. How would she know that? Thinking back to it, when I mentioned telepathy last night she didn't even flinch.

"Not AJ...his father."

"By who?"

"I...I'm not sure." I try to find the culprit in AJ's memory but everything is so hazy. I can't see past the pain.

"Raven?" I manage, I have too many questions that need to be answered. I just hope AJ gets helped. Should I call an ambulance? "What is it that you need to tell me?" I try to focus on her words as she speaks. Raven begins slowly, stumbling over her words.

"Raven, I really need you to speak clearly. I can barely hear as it is."

Raven sighs out in frustration "Okay okay! Just give me a second. This is a lot. I was told to keep it from you until you were ready. I really think all this craziness with AJ deserves an explanation." She's worrying at the sleeves of Ren's jacket.

"When we were like 7 I was wandering around your house looking for the bathroom. Little 7 year old me didn't know how to navigate a whole mansion so I got really lost. I walked into a room, the dining room upstairs. There was a group of people sitting around the table. It was your dad, your uncle, a few military men and a teenage boy, I think he was someone's son. They were all talking, no one noticed me at first and I only understood a little of what they were saying. I knew they were talking about you. I remember the words 'human equivalent.' I didn't really understand that so I asked about it. That's when everyone turned around. Shocked to see me standing there.Your dad came up to me, he took my hand and walked with me outside. He told me that now that I've heard them I had a very special job. To keep it a secret. He told me that you were very different from other kids. That there were more out there just like you. One day it would be our job to help them. He told me that there was a human boy nearby that had special powers and that you and him would have a very unique connection. He told me it was my job to make sure you met this boy, and only to tell you about any of this when you were ready."

    As Raven said the words things started becoming easier and easier to understand. She spoke slowly and deliberately, taking caution and making sure she didn't leave anything out. Her eyes are closed as she tries to hold on to the memory. When she's certain she hasn't left anything out she slowly opens her eyes and looks at me.

"I know you hate it when I hide things Amora, but even 7 year old me knew how important it was for me to wait to tell you."

    I nod slowly as I take all the information in, the haze has cleared but now I don't hear any voices. I can only feel his feelings. Stress, sadness, confusion. His hands are shaking, but at least he's moving. He's going to be okay. I let out a breath of relief, now I can really focus on everything Raven just told me. From what I've gathered, Raven has known for years that I was to have a special connection to a boy, this boy happens to be AJ, but why specifically him? Why was it all planned? Has my entire life just been conditioning me to help others like me? It's not like it's something I wouldn't want to do. It's just that knowing I was created for that and only that makes it seem less selfless. It means my entire life is not my own.