The Asher

The Asher: Chapter 3 - Unraveling Power

The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the streets of Blackwood City. Asher stepped out of the hospital, taking a deep breath of fresh air. He felt like he had been given a second chance at life, but there was something unsettling about it. His body felt normal, yet he knew deep down that he wasn't the same person who had walked into the city square just a day ago.

As he made his way down the sidewalk, he couldn't help but notice small, strange details. The world felt more vivid; colors seemed sharper, sounds clearer. It was as if his senses had been dialed up to eleven. He watched a leaf fall from a nearby tree, drifting slowly to the ground. He concentrated, and the leaf's descent slowed even more, hanging in midair for a second longer than it should have. Asher blinked, and the leaf dropped normally, rustling as it hit the pavement.

He felt a rush of adrenaline. This wasn't just a trick of his mind—something real had happened to him. He needed answers, and there was only one place he could think of: the bookstore. Samuel would still be there, closing up for the night, and he was the only person Asher trusted enough to talk about what he was experiencing.

The bell above the door chimed softly as Asher pushed it open. The familiar scent of old books and coffee greeted him. Samuel, a lanky young man with glasses, was behind the counter, organizing a stack of novels. He looked up, surprised.

"Asher? What are you doing here? I thought you'd be resting after... well, everything," Samuel said, his expression a mix of concern and curiosity.

Asher forced a smile. "I needed to get out of there. Besides, I have to talk to you about something. Something weird happened to me after that lightning strike."

Samuel raised an eyebrow. "Weird how?"

Asher glanced around the empty store, making sure no one else was around. He took a deep breath and then picked up a pen from the counter. He concentrated, focusing on the flow of time. The pen's movements seemed to slow in his hand, and as he let it go, it floated down slowly, almost defying gravity. Samuel's eyes widened as he watched the pen hit the ground in slow motion before bouncing normally.

"Did you see that?" Asher asked, his voice low but filled with excitement.

Samuel stared at him, speechless. He took a moment to process what he had just seen before shaking his head in disbelief. "Asher, what the heck was that? How did you do that?"

"I don't know," Asher admitted, running a hand through his hair. "Ever since the lightning strike, I've felt... different. I can slow things down, almost like time itself bends around me."

Samuel looked around the store, as if expecting someone to jump out and reveal this was a prank. "That's... insane. Are you sure you're okay? I mean, people don't just start manipulating time out of nowhere."

Asher nodded. "I know how it sounds, but I'm not making this up. I feel it, Sam. It's like I can tap into some kind of energy. I need to figure out what's going on."

Samuel adjusted his glasses, his mind racing. "Alright, alright. Let's think this through logically. You were struck by lightning, but not just any lightning—it felt different, didn't it? That storm was unnatural, like it came out of nowhere."

Asher's eyes widened in realization. "You're right. And I remember something else. When I was struck, it felt like time stopped for a moment. Everything froze. Maybe whatever caused that storm did something to me."

Samuel's expression grew serious. "There's only one place in this city where something like that could happen. The old Cross Research Facility. It's been abandoned for years, but I heard rumors that some scientist was still running experiments there underground."

Asher frowned. "Dr. Nathaniel Cross. I've heard the name before. People used to say he was a genius, but his projects were always shrouded in mystery. If anyone could have caused that lightning strike, it's him."

Samuel nodded, pulling out his phone and searching for information. "It looks like the facility was shut down years ago, but if he's still there, we might find answers."

Asher felt a strange pull, as if his instincts were urging him towards the facility. "I have to go there, Sam. I need to know what happened to me."

Samuel hesitated, then grabbed his jacket. "I'm coming with you. If something happened to you because of this guy, we need to figure out why. You're not doing this alone."

Asher felt a surge of gratitude. Samuel had always been the rational one, the skeptic, but he was willing to dive headfirst into this strange new world with him. "Thanks, Sam."

They made their way out of the bookstore, the sky darkening as night fell. The city seemed quieter than usual, the streets nearly empty as if holding its breath. The old Cross Research Facility was on the outskirts of Blackwood City, a place people had long since forgotten.

They arrived at the entrance, a rusty gate partially hidden by overgrown vines. The facility loomed ahead, its silhouette stark against the night sky. The air felt colder here, charged with a faint hum of energy that made the hairs on Asher's arms stand up.

"Are you sure about this?" Samuel asked, peering through the gate.

"No," Asher admitted. "But we need to know the truth."

He pushed the gate open, the metal creaking loudly in the silence. They walked towards the main building, its windows dark and lifeless. As they approached, a figure stepped out from the shadows.

It was an older man with disheveled gray hair and a weary expression. He wore a lab coat that looked like it hadn't been washed in days. He held a device that glowed faintly in his hand.

"Asher," the man said, his voice tinged with a mix of awe and regret. "I knew you'd come. My name is Dr. Nathaniel Cross."

Asher's eyes narrowed. "You're the one who caused this. The lightning strike, the storm—it was you, wasn't it?"

Dr. Cross sighed deeply. "Yes, it was my experiment. But I never intended for this to happen. The power you've gained... it's a side effect, a consequence of my failure. And now, there's much more at stake than you realize."

Asher felt a surge of anger but also fear. "What do you mean?"

Dr. Cross stepped closer, his face illuminated by the faint glow of his device. "You've only just begun to understand your abilities. But there are others who will stop at nothing to control what you now possess. The storm was just the beginning. We're standing at the edge of something far greater, and far more dangerous."

Asher and Samuel exchanged a look. Whatever they had stepped into, it was bigger than they had imagined.

"Then you better start explaining," Asher said, his voice steady. "Because I'm not going anywhere until I get answers."

Dr. Cross nodded solemnly. "Very well. Let's begin."