Twin Fire Signs ✓

Chapter 19

"All of Sue's results are normal. So are Jack's. But Johnny's..." Reed wasn't sure how to continue.

"Johnny's are what?" Johnny asks.

"Your encounter with the surfer put your molecules in a constant state of flux."

"You could try to say it a little less enthusiastically Reed." I say as I watch Johnny start to panic.

"Is that bad?" Johnny snaps when Reed doesn't continue.

"It caused you to temporarily switch powers with Sue." I roll my eyes.

"Reed jump to the point that we haven't figured out by ourselves."

"That's all I know right now. I'd like to run more tests and..."

"Want a volunteer?" Ben interrupts and approaches Johnny.

"No Ben!" I yell.

"No, no, hey!" Johnny yells at the same time. "This is serious!" I'm standing in front of Johnny, blocking Ben from getting to him.

Ben turns around, arms raised in surrender. "I just wanted to give him a hug."

"We don't know the extent of his condition." Sue says.

"It could be progressive or degenerative." Reed adds.

"It could be fun!" Ben says.

"No Ben!" I say as he touches Johnny's shoulder.

"Ben!" Sue yells. Ben transforms before our eyes, his Jersey catching on fire as he looks normal again.

"Hey. It's me!" He exclaims. I winced as I slowly turn to Johnny, knowing what that probably means.

Johnny is now covered in rocks like Ben normally is. He grabs a metal beaker, looking at his reflection in the bottom. "Oh my God! Come on! We just said this is serious!" He yells.

"Oh yeah, serious." Ben responds, trying not laugh. Johnny continues to freak out as Ben snaps his fingers, making a flame appear. "Hey, not bad."

Reed approaches Johnny, examining his appearance. "Incredible."

"Reed! You better be able to fix this!" Johnny says, now in a full blown panic.

"I'm on it." He says, settling in to work.

Ben takes this opportunity while everyone is distracted to shoot a fire ball at Johnny's head. "Ben! Knock it off!" I scold him.

Ben just laughs. "I'm starting to see why you like that so much." Johnny charges him and I almost feel sorry for Ben. But all he does is reach out and touch his chest, switching their powers back. "Oh crap." Ben says disappointed.

"That's not funny. What am I supposed to do in the meantime?" Johnny asks Reed.

"Just try to keep your distance from us." Reed advises. Johnny walks out but not before I see the look on his face. He's hurt but he won't say anything about it.

I hear Ben mock Johnny as he walks off and when he turns back to me I give him a look. "What Jackie?"

"I really wish you both would stop this thing with each other. I thought you were the mature one." I say before going after Johnny.

I start by checking his room, or rather our old room. He wasn't there but I saw a picture that caught my eye as I was turning to leave.

It was us from years ago, before Sue and Reed broke up and before we would spend all those years apart. It was taken on my birthday trip and we were singing karaoke, something I could only convince him to do when he'd been drinking.

I set the frame down and a pack of papers on the desk catch my attention. When I see my name on them I pick them up, reading it, my mouth falling open.

"Johnny!" I yell before storming out. I was going to kill him.