Darknesss united

Chapter 22: Dead Man Gone

Impulse

It's been two months since I gained powers. My strangeness has generally been well received and I've gotten used to life as a super. Everything's gotten a lot easier. I love not having to deal with appliances. I also don't have to sleep as long as I use a battery a day. I'm so productive.

As I get ready, I notice a strange weight in my pocket. I guess I left something in there. The slight tingle I've come to recognize as electricity and pull out the battery.

Or what I thought was a battery.

The demon rock sits in the palm of my hand. I try to throw it out the window but it lands back in my palm. I shake.

I decide to use what's become the far easier method of sending a message and zap the power line to let my boss know I won't be coming to work today. I check my arm and watch the black slowly crawl like it's making up for lost time. Fear fills me while I try to calm down. I mean, it wasn't so bad last time. Maybe I'll get some more powers or something

...right?

I try to summon the wings I've grown used to using, but a flash of white-hot pain covers the spot they usually come from. I scream, an inhuman sound of utter pain. My heart beats faster and faster before it feels like it'll shatter.

And it does.

It's all pain. It burns like fire. 

I peel back the tank top I've thrown on which is somehow untorn. I brush my shaking fingers against my neck.

Nothing. Infinite, bottomless nothingness.

The area around my heart, or I guess where it used to be, is a shattered shock of yellow surrounded by black. It's spreading. The rock is gone.

I...I guess it isn't something I can get rid of. Where's the demon rock? I think it's what's keeping me alive.

At least I'm still breathing.

Another flash of pain, this time on my forehead, reminds me to check on the mirror. Both my back and my head have a strange weight to them. I push myself up before just collapsing face first into the couch.

It doesn't help as more of what feels like the scorch of fire erupts from the base of my spine. It's all heavy. It feels wrong...

I force myself up in hopes it's the end of it. I'm off balance, stumbling like a toddler as I walk. I make it to the bathroom, throwing my unsteady hands on the counter in hopes of supporting myself.

Is that me?

My blood runs cold with a realization that I recognize some of what I've become. They were never dragon wings.

Bright yellow demon wings and tail sit heavy on my back. Horns on my forehead transition from my normal skin to the same shade. My canines are pointed and sharp. My eyes are bright yellow and slitted, far from the deep brown they were while not using my power, much less before I touched the rock. It's all almost glowing.

I push myself back upright in hopes of learning how to walk again. I fold the unwieldy wings behind me and stand, not knowing what to do with the tail.

Can I even tell anyone else about this? I'm scared. I mean, how will people react?

I force myself out the door the second I can stand. I still don't think I'm the weirdest person I know. Wait, am I even still human?

What makes someone human? Is it what we eat? Our bodies? That we sleep? How we were made? Because if it's any of those, the answer is no. Can I even say we? My heart breaks at the fact that I'm not a person any more. Maybe I haven't been since the day I was struck.