Legacy of Aerin - Origination

Chapter 6 - Unpleasent Surprise

He can see me, how?!

Aerin followed the man into the row.

The man's face was weather and hardened. His appearance gave the impression that he had been surrounded by conflict over his life. He had no hair on his head and fashioned a wiry mustache. The man looked to be entering his later years of life. His hands were wrinkled and adorned with healed wounds. The only part that appeared normal was his clothing, although underwhelming; they were well kept.

With a hushed and rough tone the man spoke with his back turned to Aerin. "Don't you know it is rude to look over people's shoulders at what they are reading? Who taught you your manners?"

"Sorry," Aerin whispered. "How can you see me?"

"That is none of your business. Besides, I've been watching you interface with the computer. What exactly are you looking for that you have to be invisible in a public library of all places? Do you have any sense?"

"I am looking for my mom, and I don't want anyone from the orphanage to find me."

"You ran away from an orphanage? Look kid, you need to let it go. If you ended up in an orphanage and happened to be there so long that you decided to run away, I have bad news for you. Your mother will never be found again."

Who does this guy think he is telling me to let it go? Apparently he has never lost anyone in his life. What a rude individual.

"I suggest you leave and come back when you are ready to behave like an adult and not some cowardly child. If you want to get anywhere in life, you will need to face obstacles head on, not hide from them like some pathetic excuse of a Gervalian."

Aerin's anger grew as each word emitted from the man's mouth. Aerin's surroundings started to blur; only the back of the man's head remained in focus.

"Go ahead, try it. I will have you locked down so fast your head will spin. You don't scare me, Gervalian boy. I am way more of a challenge than you will ever know. I will make sure of it too."

"How dare you be so rude to me. You don't even know me. I will not be treated like this by anyone, especially by someone like you," Aerin's voice was more audible than before as his anger started to get the best of him.

The man spun around on his heels and jeered with a squeezed and muted voice, "none of your kind deserves any level of respect. Your kind is an abomination and deserves to be wiped clean off this planet. Besides, you should calm down little boy. I'm sure you don't want to be caught; judging by the way you are still hiding behind your little ability."

Aerin, fuming, unhid himself and stood face-to-face with the man.

"Was that so hard?" The man lunged forward, swinging his right arm up towards Aerin's neck. In his hand was a collar device. As the device came in contact with Aerin's neck the open straps whipped around and snapped shut behind him. "Don't even worry about becoming invisible, your powers are useless now. This handy little device prevents your kind from using your abilities. Honestly, it's the best invention we have had in the past 5 years."

"What are you doing to me?! Get this off my neck!" Aerin shouted.

"Don't worry everyone, I am apprehending this boy for attempted theft," the man said loudly over Aerin's shoulder.

"He's lying! He's trying to hurt me!" Aerin pleaded as he glanced behind him at the small crowd of people who were peering  at him and the man. "Please, help me!"

The man grabbed Aerin's arm and forcefully led him towards the entrance. "Sorry to disturb everyone's reading. I'll get him out of here so you can resume."

Aerin tried to lurch from the man's grasp, but it was too firm.

"You're a stubborn one, aren't you?" the man sneered with pride. "I got just the place for stubborn Gervalians"

As they crossed the threshold to outside of the library, Aerin once again tried to flee, but the crushing grip of the man on his arm became tighter and more unbearable.

"Every time you try to run, I will squeeze harder." The man smirked and stared down Aerin as they continued walking. "You know, I changed my mind. I will make another thing your business. Want to know something cool, I can see you because I have this other amazing little invention that is still very new. It's a lens that sits right in front of my iris which let's me see anomalies created by your kind's abilities. I was going to skip coming to the library today — I am so glad I didn't. You want to know why? The boss is going to be very happy. When he is happy, I'm happy. There is nothing better than a happy boss."

At that moment it clicked. "Find the boy, now! I swear if we don't find him, the boss will be outraged..."

"You're one of the same people that killed my father!" Aerin roared as he tried to lunge at the man.

"You're the boy! Ahaha! The boss is going to be more than happy now. Here I thought we'd never find you or that you died. This is fantastic!" The man's smile widened with the realization and his mood became even more excessive in elation. "Do you have anymore great pieces of information you are willing to just dump out all over the place? I'm loving this youthful ignorance!"

Aerin, who was shaking with anxiety, peered down at the ground and remained silent as he did all those years ago when walking with Kilobi to the orphanage. It was like a reoccurring nightmare.

"Oh come on, nothing?" the man chuckled. "Oh well, I guess the information I have is good enough then."

The man and Aerin approached a large warehouse.

"Here we are, your new home. This place might even be better than the orphanage for you," the man laughed as he banged on the large metal door.

"Who is it?" a harsh voice emitted from an overhead speaker above the door.

The man pressed and held a button on the wall. "It's Jacek, I have a present for the boss. It's the long lost boy." He then released the button. Moments later a sharp percussive clack came from the door and the speaker caterwauled an brief obnoxious buzz. The man swung open the door and shoved Aerin through. "Enjoy your stay!"