Empath

Chapter 10

Victoria greeted me in the bathroom as I was brushing my teeth, her reflection in the mirror mirroring the concern etched on her face. The morning light revealed the remnants of fatigue in her eyes, a testament to the shared ordeal of the night before.

"Morning," she said, her voice carrying a mix of warmth and worry.

I nodded in acknowledgment, meeting her gaze in the mirror. The purple veins on my arm were still visible, a silent testimony to the struggles I had faced within the depths of my own empathic abilities.

"I saw your arm," Victoria began cautiously, "and I wanted to talk to you about what happened last night."

I rinsed my mouth and turned to face her, the weight of the unresolved questions hanging in the air. The bathroom, usually a place of routine, now became a backdrop for a conversation that delved into the mysteries of my evolving empathic journey.

"Something's changing within me, Victoria," I admitted, the vulnerability in my voice reflecting the uncertainty I felt.

"I've never seen this before, so while you were asleep, I went to the library and found out that you will be overcome by the darkness!" Victoria told me, her words tinged with a sense of urgency.

The revelation hung in the air, and I felt a chill run down my spine. The bathroom, once a place of routine, now became a backdrop for an unsettling truth. Victoria's determination to seek answers highlighted the gravity of the situation.

"What do you mean, 'overcome by the darkness'?" I asked, my voice a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

Victoria hesitated before responding, her eyes reflecting the weight of the knowledge she had uncovered. "The library's ancient texts spoke of empaths who, when confronted with their inner struggles, risk being consumed by the darkness within."

As I processed the information, Victoria touched the purple veins, and a wave of pain overcame my arm, making me screech. The sudden jolt sent a shiver down my spine, and I recoiled from the unexpected surge of discomfort.

"What are you doing?!" I exclaimed, my voice a mixture of surprise and agony.

Victoria withdrew her hand quickly, her eyes widening in shock. "I thought... I thought there might be some connection. I wanted to understand," she stammered, guilt evident in her expression.

The pain subsided as quickly as it had come, leaving behind a lingering sense of unease. The bathroom, once a haven for routine, now felt charged with an unpredictable energy.

"Be careful," I warned, massaging my arm as if to soothe the residual ache. "Whatever is happening within me, it's volatile. We need to tread carefully."

Victoria nodded, the weight of her actions settling on her shoulders.  With a cautious resolve, we left the bathroom. I grabbed all of my things and headed to school, the weight of the revelations from the morning lingering in the air. The purple veins on my arm were a constant reminder of the internal struggles that now defined my empathic journey.