James Knight: Teenage Superhuman - Book Two

Cosmic Twins: The Heart of the Fire - Chapter Two

   A semi-emptied pizza box and soda sat on the hardwood living room table. Sebastian, Thomas's ten-year-old son, sat on the couch chugging a two-liter bottle of Dr. Peeps as he glared at me.

"You didn't tell me we would have company," Thomas, Dexter's cop brother, sighed, sitting opposite the couch.

"I didn't think I had to warn you," Dexter replied, bouncing my six-year-old foster sister Kyra in his arms. She wiggled, getting comfy before she reached for Thomas.

"Do we have to keep him?" Sebastian whined in the couch's corner before taking a massive bite of pizza.

"He's not a dog, Sebastian," Thomas roared at his son.

"Yes, he's staying with us for a while," Dexter added. Sebastian rolled his eyes and grunted, pulling from his seat. "I'll be in the kitchen if anyone needs me," Sebastian's voice sounded monotone as he wandered off. We heard him open cabinets, and drawers and riffles through pots and pans before we all listened to a not-so-manly scream.

"Dad!!! Where's the bug spray?" He squealed.

"Why?" Thomas asked. All eyes turned to the kitchen.

"There's a giant black widow guarding eggs!" He screeched again. This time, Thomas stood up from his seat.

"I'll go check on him," Thomas said. Dexter raced over behind his brother, leaving me with Kyra.

"Hi," Kyra waved at me, chowing down on pizza and breadsticks.

"Hey," I said back awkwardly. Suddenly, more screams from the kitchen nearly ruptured my eardrums.

"Ahh, shit! They're everywhere!" Dexter yelled. I pulled from the couch, wondering, finding Sebastian sitting on the counter, his hand swelling like a balloon while Dexter and Thomas sprayed at dozens of tiny spiders.

"There's too many of them," Thomas yelled. Suddenly I stepped forward, my eyes glowing as a hot stream of flaming energy left my body. They watched me as I sliced through the floor, killing dozens of spiders. Then the neighbors screamed. There was a silent pause before we heard the fire alarm sound through the building.

"I guess that's one way to kill a mob of black widows," Sebastian shrugged.

"I need to talk to you, Dexter," Thomas huffed, examining the hot, melting holes in the floor. "Right now."

   The fire alarm rang louder as water sprung from the ceiling above Sebastian into every part of the house. Thomas looked shocked, then panicked as he paced to the front door with Dexter.

"We'll be back," Dexter said, wandering onto the Apartment porch and shutting the door as neighbors brushed past him, evacuating the building. My super-hearing kicked in, and I could make out every word they said.

"What were you thinking about bringing him here?"

"What do you mean?" Dexter growled back. Sebastian watched me as I blew cold breath on the heated floor, and the speck of forming flames shone like a light.

"This kid has fucking superpowers, Dex!" Thomas screeched.

"I didn't know. I swear," Dexter said.

Thomas rolled his eyes. "Are you going to show him yours and teach this kid not to do stupid stunts like that?"

"I'll figure something out," Dexter said. "Nobody knows about my powers but you, and I want to keep it that way," He said.

"Do you still have Sam or Danielle's number? Maybe they can help too?"

"Sam moved the last time I heard from him, and I haven't heard from Danielle since high school," I admitted.

"Do you think he's their kid?" Thomas asked. I felt like telling him the truth about Sam, but I was afraid.

"I don't know," Dexter replied. Suddenly Sebastian wandered to the front and opened the door, peering out.

"Are we going to do something about this freak accident, or will you just let him get away with that shit?" Sebastian growled.

"Sebastian!" Dexter and Thomas scolded him at the same time. Suddenly, a neighbor yelled downstairs at Dexter, "Hey, did you two pussies do that?"

Dexter rolled his eyes and grunted. "Yeah, Gary. Is that all you wanted?"

"No, dumbass. You put a hole in my ceiling and straight through my floorboards."

I opened the fridge, searching for anything good. Then, I spotted a gallon of milk sitting on the top shelf. I ripped open the top, miscalculating my superstrength as milk splashed everywhere, and chugged the gallon.

Dexter groaned. "I'll have someone fix it in the morning."

"That would be great," Gary yelled. "What are you doing up there to destroy the ceiling?"

Dexter and Thomas rolled their eyes in unison. "Have a good night, Gary," Thomas said. Then Dexter and Thomas came back inside.

"What's your name again, kid?" Dexter asked me, staring at the empty carton of milk I took from the fridge while they were outside. I wiped my milk mustache on my sleeve and sighed.

"Bryce Kinley," I replied.

"Was that the last gallon of milk?" Dexter asked, looking at Thomas.

Thomas sighed with disappointment. "I believe it was."

Dexter cursed under his breath. "I guess we're going to the grocery store in the morning, kiddo," he said.

"Hello?! My hand is still swollen," Sebastian said, showing them his hand, looking worse than before.

"I suppose you don't have metaphysical healing powers, do you, Bryce?"

I shook my head. "Nope."

Dexter and Thomas exhaled deeply. "Hospital it is," Thomas said.

"Yep," Dexter agreed with him.

∆∆∆

   Dexter, Kyra, and I waited in the waiting room while Thomas sat with Sebastian in the ER. Sebastian's physical symptoms worsened when we arrived. Other parts of his body swelled; he started slurring his words, hallucinating, breathing shallowly, and passing out in the car twice on our way there. I could only wake him by tapping into his thoughts and screaming in his head.

   The doctor came out of the room with a clipboard, staring at Dexter momentarily. "Are you Dexter Marian?" The doctors asked him.

"Yeah, why?" He replied.

"We're concerned about your nephew, Sebastian. Your brother wanted to let you know you can go home while he stays, and he'll update you in the morning."

"Oh, okay," Dexter seemed surprised. Dexter rose from his seat, ushering us along. "Let's go, kiddos. Thomas is staying with Sebastian overnight until they can clear him." 

"Alright, Daddy," Kyra said, trying to slip her hand into Dexters'. Instead, he picked her up in his arms and carried her out as I wandered steadily behind, studying the new city I now called home.