The Innates (Book #1)

Chapter 20

A slow, rhythmic beeping woke me up. This plastic cup with a wire was enclosed around the bottom half of my face. These sticky electrodes are attached to my overheated forehead. I don't want to move, nor speak, but I was still magnetized by those boys' mysterious and peculiar voices. It's like they were Hypnotics, but they're just ordinarily convincing. I feel so tiresome, it's the comfy pillow's fault.
"Hey, Jess..." Ace stood beside my bed. "You're at the infirmary right now, 'cause you accidentally hit the electromagnetic forcefield that surrounds the whole school." My hand still felt tingly after I removed the oxygen mask.
"Stupid me." I said breathlessly. "How's Clare doing? Is she all right?" I asked.
"The wound is not fatal but, she's gonna have to rest for a few months."
"It's all my fault." Even after what Eham and Jai said, I still think it's my fault. People are probably going to tell me that I wasn't playing fair, so I shot her purposely so that I'd become a Seeker.
"It's not your fault, stop saying that! We found some fingerprints on the gun, someone did switch them."
"Wait who did?"
"That's the part we haven't got to yet. But, we're still trying to clear your name and gain everyone's trust back."
"What is it?"
"7:30 p.m."
"How many days has it been?"
"Hours."
"Where's the rest of the group?"
"Still trying to find the fingerprint's match. I don't know why someone would do this. We're all very intimate with each other here, this is our utopia."
"Not unless there's a potential human tyrant living in here with us." I said from the top of my head.
"Interesting theory, but very risky to act to. But you've got more important things to worry about like, school, being a Seeker--"
"If I still wanna be a Seeker. This is too traumatic for me."
"Let's just change the subject, shall we?"
"Okay. Got any good news?"
"The, uh, doctors and scientists stated that they found some electric currents being independently conducted in your brain." I asked for a good news, what was that?
"So that's why I feel kind of tingly, so is that bad?"
"Unlikely, yes, no... the results could be debatable."
"What will happen to me?"
"You can end up lucky and earn some new powers or..."
"Or what?" Ace slides his finger across his throat.
"It's equivalent to receiving too much shock therapy."
"How many volts did they find in my brain?" He kept quiet and bit his upper lip.
"It's stronger than a 30,000,000-volt stun gun." My eyes widened.
"That's millions!" I tried sitting up, but the electrodes attached to my chest pulled me back. "Get this off me, the elctrodes." I said.
"You must avoid physical contact, Jess. You don't want to electrocute anyone. And try to relax, your high level of fears and anxieties are the reasons why the electricity corrupted your brain."
"Stop, stop talking, Ace. You're starting to freak me out right now!"
"Okay, take deep breaths, take deep breaths... inhale and just hold it for two seconds." He stepped away from the bed's edge. "Slow your heart rate and your breathing." I soak in the breeze of the fresh air conditioning. I peeled off the buzzing electrodes from my skin. I sighed deeply and closed eyes as Ace closes the door behind him.
"Oh, Jess?" He opens the door again slightly. "The good news is, you're free to go back to your training and to your classes by next week."
"It's Friday today right?"
"Yeah, see you in the morning."
"Wait, one last thing, who's gonna stay with me for the night? I'm not really feeling tired right now."
"Just sit back, I'll tell Jackson to stay here with you. I've got things to do."
"Thanks."
"No problem." He said with his lens shimmering

Jackson arrives one hour later, carrying a sack of food.
"'Sup, Jess!" Jackson greeted, setting down the paper bag on the small table next to me. He hangs his jacket on the door's hook and sits down on a tall chair settled next to me. "How'ya doin'?"
"Fine, I guess... Jackson, I'm scared." I whispered.
"Don't worry, Jackson is here. You're not alone."
"No, it's not that. It's just that... I don't know the reason why someone would switch the guns. Why do I have to be blamed, why am I the target? I'm the blame."
"You're not a target, Jess. And you know what...? That's it, I am done with your whining, do you remember what you thought of earlier? You said that Innates and the normal humans are imperfections because of fear. If you're afraid then that's good, it means you're about to overcome something courageous. And..."
"Jackson--"
"And... stop asking yourself "why" instead, just worry about how you're going to begin. You do your part, we do ours and ask us if you need anything, that's how it works. That's how our own little world functions."
"Thanks for sticking up for me, Jackson, you're always there for me. I owe you big-time. Honestly, I still feel isolated again." I tried to keep the sobbing inside, but trapping it inside will be no help. So I just simply released it and let go. I left my right hand dangling on the side of the bed, Jackson shifts his fingers forward, heading for mine. But they get tingly again, and this time the tingling began to feel hot and buzzing. All of a sudden, Jackson backs off, shaking his hand in pain.
"Woah, did you feel that?" I said.
"That hurt! Is that a million volts?"
"Yeah, Ace told me."
"Impressive, I should've payed attention earlier at the meeting. But just for everybody's caution, don't touch anything."
"Okay, I'm used to no contact."
"That's kind of the spirit!" He said, half-enthusiastically. "Just eat, get some energy and rest. You can go back to training when you're ready."
"Is it mandatory?"
"Well, yeah, you chose this. Now finish it."
I sighed. "Fine, I'll go back a week after."
"That's fine... now, I need to rest and so do you. But, eat first."
"Sure. Sleep tight." I said.
"I expect a difference by tomorrow, Jess... keep moving forward. Don't look back, you're gonna get stuck." I lies on the couch on my left side and rested his arm above his forehead.
"Yeah, I got it." I said. Jackson doesn't even try, he just does it powers or no powers. Mother tried to neutralize my powers, my brother tried to kill me, dad abandoned us. Jackson is my only family left. He's a part of me, my puzzle piece to my jigsaw.