ELECTRIFY ME• aaron warner

5|HIS TOUCH

I'm being escorted to a new room, but it's late in the day. I slept in after staying up restlessly for so long. I wonder if Warner scheduled our meeting late for that very reason.

I don't want to show Warner my power, because I'm scared of what he wants to use them for. I have to keep up my end of the deal though.

I'm sitting in the room alone, until he walks in confidently as ever. Warner's emerald eyes softly fall onto me.

"Ready, love?"

I get off the chair I'm sitting on, and walk towards him. "I told you to stop calling me that."

He's looking down at me, mesmerized. My wrist is taken between his fingertips. "Good thing I don't have to listen to you, love."

I groan.

"Come on."

I silently follow him outside. It feels nice to breath air again even if it isn't as fresh as it used to be. I can no longer hear birds chirping.

Even if the world is dying, it's nice to see it.

Warner is eager, and I can see right through him. He's impatient, and he wants to see everything I don't want him to see.

"I want you to show me what you're capable of," he whispers.

I take a deep breath, and a dagger of electricity glides through the air. The purple color lights up the area. Time goes still as Warner watches in astonishment.

"Again."

I sigh, and even more electricity dances on my fingertips. Some of it hits a single wilting flower on the ground, and it turns to black dust.

Where's Warner? I look up at him for approval, but he's not where he was once standing. I feel cold fingertips gently touch my shoulders, and chills run down my spine.

His lips are tickling the side of my ear. "Well done, love," Warner whispers.

Warner's voice is like an addicting drug that I want to get away from. I feel tense just at a little contact with his hands.

"I'm not going to put on a show for you. I'm done here," I say calmly.

I try to move, but his grip tightens. My back is pressed against his chest, and I'm holding my breath.

"Not yet, Emilia. You've forgotten something."

I assume he's referring to my magnetism abilities. I can pull things together like they're magnets, and I'll show Warner if I absolutely have to.

"Forgotten what?"

"You're going to use your powers on me."

I free myself from his grasp and turn around rapidly to face him. "Are you insane? No I'm not."

Warner sighs. "What a shame. I suppose I'll have even more cameras installed around your quarters."

I'm so frustrated that I am tempted to kill him at this very moment. I hate Warner, but not enough to kill him with my powers. He wants me to hurt him just so I'm executed by the Reestablishment.

"I'd kill you."

Warner smiles. "I'm flattered that you don't want to hurt me." He steps closer. "But I want to feel your touch. I want to feel the electricity flow from your fingertips to mine."

I'm not sure what to do. "Come on, love. I know you've been dying to really touch me."

He lifts my chin up with his fingertips. "Touch me," Warner whispers.

Warner is extending his hand towards me, and I'm trying to refuse it. I want to push him away and tell him to not act irrationally just because he believes he's invincible.

"I'm not going to hurt you," I argue.

"Sweet girl, you can't hurt me."

"You'd be surprised," I mumble.

Warner doesn't listen very well. I'm feeling things as his fingers intertwine with mine. Our hands are connected, and I wish I wasn't stuck looking at his hypnotizing face. It makes it hard to despise him.

"ELECTRIFY ME, my love."

I'm hesitating, and my head is spinning. I never want to hurt anyone ever again after seeing that soldier fall down. I don't want to kill anyone if I don't have to.

I've been horrified of myself and my powers for my whole life. No one wants to touch the girl who could sent a bolt of electricity down your spine.

But Warner is asking me to touch him. He wants it.

If I kill him, I can escape. But I don't want to kill him. I can't fully control my powers, which means that my electricity could simply harm or kill someone.

He's squeezing my smaller hand in his larger one, and our palms are lined up. Warner looks at me pleadingly. "I want it. Touch me please."

Warner is begging me to begin his downfall. I feel like I have no other choice but to listen. If this is what he really wants, I'll give it to him.

I close my eyes and focus my energy towards his fingertips. I see the purple spark from my fingers and travel from my hand to his. A miniature cloud of smoke rises in the air, and a chain of shocks go through his palm.

But nothing happens.

Warner doesn't fall to the ground. In fact, he hardly even flinches. Our hands are still connected, and neither one of us are harmed.

"I knew it," Warner whispers.

I'm relieved that Warner didn't immediately fall dead, but at the same time I'm still horrified. I know what this discovery means.

This is going to add to the list of reasons why Warner wants me. He'll think we're even more perfect together since my powers have no effect on him.

Worst of all, I'll never be able to escape this place. I can't hurt Warner with my hands, which means that he'll always overpower me.

I can't tell what he's thinking, but he's definitely mesmerized.

"This is perfect, don't you see, Emilia? It's a sign."

His bare fingertips graze my arms. "And I can touch you without you hurting me."

I knew he would get ahead of himself. I don't want Warner to touch me, and I don't want to conquer the world with him. I want to be released and continue fighting against the Reestablishment.

"I don't want you, Warner." I shy from his touch.

"It's worthless to deny what you know is going to be fate, love."

He's delusional if he thinks us ending up together is fate. There's a million people I would rather end up with than him.

"Can we go back inside?" I request impatiently.

"Fine."

He's bringing me to my room, and I'm trying to stop remembering what his touch feels like. So pleasurable yet disgusting.

"Dinner at six, love."

I just nod.