Seven: The Awakening

Mind Over Water

Kairi couldn’t help but sneak in a moment to admire the stranger she was led to help. With nothing but swim trunks on, it was difficult to miss all his hard work. Water beads reflecting off his chest, his pecs looking more like metal plates. Abs so defined, she could make sweet music on them. His skin, a rich pecan brown which made the blue eyes pop more.

Kairi relaxed, her eyes changing back to brown, “I’m Kairi and I’ve already heard your name is Harlem. I know we have a lot to talk about but we cant do it here. I was able to buy us some time to get away from here by barring the front exit and I’m going to do the same with this one.”

She looked around briefly, instantly spotting a dumpster. She nodded for him to step aside, using her hand to maneuver and push it against the door. Her eyes glowed bright orange as Harlem watched in amazement.

“Come on lets go.”

Harlem finally snapped out it, “Hold the fuck up Fanta! I’m not going anywhere with you until you tell me what the fuck is going on! You have orange eyes that glow and powers! I need some answers!”

Kairi looked around nervously. They were already standing around 5 minutes too long.

“Long story short, the mist that filled our skies yesterday gave us colored eyes that only shows when we use our powers. Or have heighten emotions, like you have right now. At least that’s what I came up with so far. The powers I have is, Telepathy and Telekinesis. What about you?”

Harlem stared at her blankly then cracked a smile that turn into full blown laughter. “So you’re just going to act like this shit is normal?! Powers? Magical Mist? Look at me! I started my day with hazel eyes and 30 minutes ago they turned crystal blue! This isn’t magic or powers! I need medical attention!”

“I know this is a lot to digest but we cant stay here! We have to keep moving. People might already be on there way after us!”

“What people? Like the ones inside that you threw against the wall? Those people inside, would never do anything to harm me. Some, I’ve known all my life. They were just scared and concern. Now what they would do to you…”

“Did you forget that quick I’m telepathic?! I heard everyone’s thoughts and feelings and they weren’t good. I could also feel how scared shit-less you were before I got there to save you.”

Harlem scoffed, “Save me? I was heading to that exit anyway. Look at me!” he flexed his chest and arms. “I didn’t need saving. You just so happen to assist me at the right time making it easier, that’s all.”

The more he talked the more her fantasy crumbled. “Damn! Are you always this annoying and arrogant?! We don’t time for your male ego! Word is spreading quickly that we’re freaks with powers!”

“I DON’T HAVE POWERS!” he boomed.

Kairi felt the wrath of all of his emotions at once, the force almost knocking her down. She could feel he was confused and terrified but above all in denial.

From what she gathered already, he can manipulate water. But he had to come to terms with his new powers on his own and quickly. She couldn’t force him but she could help keep him safe. She had no choice to; she was led to him.

“There’s a logical reason why this happened to the both of us and I’m going to find out. Now, if you excuse me, I’m going to regroup myself at home and find a specialist to see what’s wrong with me and you should do the same too.”

“Listen Bluey, I cant let you do that. Your home is the first place they’re going to look to turn you into a science project. You don’t think the people inside aren’t sending some form of authorities to your home after what just happened? If you get caught that means so do I.”

Harlem was stubborn, always have been. He didn’t know this woman and he didn’t care they had the same issue. He wasn’t ready to let go of his life and be different. “I will take my chances.”

She had no control but something inside Kairi guided her to grab his arm. Immediately, her touch created a powerful psychic connection between their minds.

In Harlem’s mind, Kairi saw how the mist got to him while he slept which explained his skepticism. She also saw his powers were only activated because of the psychic connection she made with him earlier.

In Kairi’s mind, Harlem saw how the mist entered Kairi’s system while she was awake. The vision felt so real that he could feel how scared and in pain she was. He also saw the betrayal from her best friend, the awful things her ex best friend was thinking about and how Kairi felt. But that wasn’t the only thing he felt.

Kairi broke the connection by yanking back her hand, freaked out by what she saw and felt.

“You didn’t even know the mist got to you” she said between breaths. “And how is it we’re acquainted with each other, when today is the first time I’ve ever met you? Is that what you felt too?” she glanced down at her hand, shocked at the magnitude of her power.

Harlem blindly rubbed the spot where her hand was, “Yeah, I felt it too. Its like I’ve known you my whole life and then some! This shit is crazy! I don’t understand it either because I don’t know you. Also how did you know grabbing my arm would do that?!”

Before she could answer him, another surge of pain surfaced causing Kairi to grab her head. It was the same pain she had before that led her to Harlem. This time though, Harlem was experiencing it with her. Kairi’s concern was growing at the possiblity of how many more like them were out there.

Harlem screamed through the pain, “What’s happening to us?”

Kairi couldn’t muster an answer as their eyes glowed collectively for a few seconds. When the pain finally subsided, they looked at each other with worry in their eyes. At that moment, Kairi knew he had the same vision: a woman with green eyes. “You saw her didn’t you?”

Harlem rubbed his face in disbelief, “That woman? She was terrified, I can feel it. I’m also picking up the same familiarity from her as well.”

“I don’t know what my ex-best friend is planning since I left her but you saw her thoughts. We may not “know” Ms. Green eyes but she’s like us and something is leading us to her.”

He continued, “Her name is Reyna. How do I know that?” Harlem couldn’t control his emotions. He felt the water in his body circulating again as his eyes began to glow. Without thinking, he reached his hand forward as water shot out of his finger tips. “How…How can I do this? Better yet, how do I know how to do this and why me?”

“I don’t know Harlem. I have just as many answers as you do. What I do know so far is normal doesn’t exists anymore for us. The bottom line is, we have powers and there might be more like us out there. This psychic connection we have is leading us to them for some reason. We might as well go with it to hopefully find some answers or end up as an experiment for the government, your choice.”

Harlem shoulders dropped in defeat, his eyes returning to his natural hazel color. He hated that this beautiful but slightly bossy woman was right but after what he saw in that vision it was no denying that his life was changing fast. He was unsure of what he was walking towards, but he also knew he had no other choice.

“You’re, right. That wasn’t a parlor trick you did. Everything we saw and felt collectively was undeniably real. There’s more to these powers and visions that we have to find out about.”

He shrugged his shoulders, “Guess its best to stick with my own kind huh?” He stuck his hand out, “Lets start by helping whoever this Reyna woman is. Lead the way, boss.”

Kairi rolled her eyes and smirked as she looked at him from head to toe, “Right…But first lets get you some clothes.”