Corrupted

Chapter 6

You're okay. I'm okay. Deep breaths, and you'll be fine. They can't find you. He can't find you.

Dina found herself in a dark place. Metaphorically and physically. The place was so dark, she couldn't see the outline of her hands. The problem was she had no idea where she was. But she didn't want to leave. She was lost in the thought about what happened. How would they react? How would she react when she saw him? Fear? Anger? Forgiveness? She had no idea. After a long time of brooding over the subject, she decided it was time to go. She waved her arms around, trying to make sense of where she was. Behind her was a wall, and there was enough space above her for her to stand up. She took a few steps, and her hand felt the coolness of metal. A doorknob. She opened the door, covering her eyes with her arm, and found herself in the hallway of her house. She had just exited her room.

Dina was confused. Her room could never get that dark. She turned around, and jumped back, like she just got jump scared by Freddy Fazbear. Her room was normal, but also completely illuminated. Her blinds were open, letting in a massive amount of sunlight into her room. Dina stood there bewildered for a moment until she heard her mom downstairs.

"Dina? Is that you?" she said. Dina could detect a faint hint of worry in her voice.

"Yeah, Mom. It's me." Dina walked down the stairs. She saw her mom in the kitchen, who immediately hugged her. Second jump scare of the day.

    "Oh honey, whatever happened, I'm so sorry. I mean I heard you zap in there, then you didn't come out for at least two hours. I thought it best to leave you alone."

"Thanks Mom. I'm good now. I'm going to go see what Kate is up to. I'll see you later, okay?"

Dina's mom looked at Dina with a hint of worry in her eyes. "Okay. See you later, honey." Dina glanced at her room one last time, and walked out of the house. Kate's house wasn't too far from hers, so it didn't take too long to walk there. When she arrived at her door, she knocked hesitantly. Kate's mom answered.

"Dina! So nice to see you." Dina heard Kate in the background.

"Is that Dina?" she screamed.

"Yes! Come say--"

Kate practically pushed her mom aside and hugged Dina. And make that three jump scares.

"Oh my god I'm so sorry. Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine. Maybe we should take this inside?" said Dina. Kate nodded, and lead her inside. They walked into Kate's room, and closed the door. Dina sat down on the bean bag, and Kate on her bed. Kate stared at Dina for a while, her elbows resting on her criss-crossed legs, her head resting on her hands. Then, she straightened up and began asking all her questions.

    "Okay. First things first. What the hell were you thinking? You were pressuring your best friends into gushing out secrets they probably had a good reason to keep! Explain yourself." She was looking straight at Dina, and angry expression on her face. Dina looked away. Kate began ranting again.

    "But, to be fair, Alec was acting like a total douche face when he attacked you like that. He really pushed too far." Kate laughed at herself. "You should have seen him after Ricky was done with him."

    "Wait," said Dina, intrigued. "Did Ricky beat him up?" Dina was dumbfounded. "Well, to be fair, Ricky must have relieved an urge he had been holding for a long time." They began laughing for a long time before Kate could calm down.
    "No, but yeah, Alec got beat up pretty bad. But one things still eats at my brain, and I have been waiting for you to show your face to ask you." Dina was confused, but deep inside, she knew what she was going to ask. Kate continued to study Dina, who was clutching the bean bag in anticipation.

"What did Alec mean when he said "I know what you are"?" Dina held her breath. "Because I'm still confused..."

Dina let out a long sigh, and looked at Kate with deep eyes. In that moment, Dina studied Kate in return. Her posture and her facial expression revealed opposite feelings. On her bed, criss-crossed, she managed to stay up straight, yet look comfortable. Nothing was strained or tight. Her face clearly portrayed her constant laughing or smiling, and her green eye was as piercing as ever. Yet, at that moment, there was no hint of a smile, and she looked at Dina with concentration and seriousness. Dina took a deep breath and began explaining herself.

"I actually don't know how to start this, really... But, I guess it would've had to come out someday." Dina put herself in a more comfortable position, preparing for the long explanation. "What Alec knows is only a small part of the truth. I decided to only show him that part because I myself am afraid of the truth, and of people reactions. But, in retrospect, I trust you won't see me any differently then how I am now when I tell you."

Kate looked at Dina, but didn't show a change in expression, which worried her.

"So when I was smaller, my parents thought I was just another baby. But then, my eyes began changing color, and I started changing. I was a shapeshifter, my parents thought. And they were happy. But then, one day, I began showing traits of telepathy. My mom was confused. Apparently I was a multiincreediac. My parents thought it was over, but then I began discovering more and more powers. My parents went to see someone, an Increed specialist. He looked up the lore and found out that I was the Vessel. I'm the person destined to have all the powers possible. It could present itself well, but it could become the worst thing ever. But we'll only know when I grow up."

Kate looked at Dina, for a long time. Dina held her breath, waiting for the hateful reactions, and the fear. But she didn't get any of that. At incredible speed, Dina found herself being enveloped in the biggest hug she had ever seen. How many jump scares was she supposed to get today? Kate let her go, and looked into her eyes, hers was full of tears.

"If you believe that I will be scared of you after I find out about that, you couldn't be more wrong. That is... It's awesome, that's what it is! So you're a telepathic? And a shapeshifter? What else!"

"Well, I can control the elements, like Blaire, and some other powers that I actually don't know what to call."
Kate whispered something under her breath, more tears welling up into her eyes.

"Hey, are you okay?" asked Dina, putting a hand on her shoulder. Kate burst into tears.

"All my life I thought I was an outsider, First with my green eye, um, eyes, and then, with something you have! I'm a telepathic as well!" Dina froze. She did that a lot. Dina lifted her arm up to Kate's face, slowly. Her soft hair was still hiding the other half of her face. With what Kate said, Dina knew exactly what was behind that veil of chestnut. She knew because she had the same thing when she was small. Kate paused, and looked at Dina. She began pushing the first few strands, but Kate grabbed her hand, stopping her.

"Stop. Please."

"I know what's behind there. I had the same thing when I was smaller. I hide it with shapeshifting." Kate looked at her with confusion, and also admiration. She let go of her hand, and Dina pushed the strands of hair away. Her other eye was not green, but it wasn't blue, or hazel, or any other color. It was white. There was no pupil, but the eye didn't have any blood vessels. It was as if the eye was a glass container with a milky water inside it. It was just as captivating as her green eye, and the two together made each other stand out. It was a perfect combination.

"You're beautiful. Don't be ashamed of it. But you can hide it if you want. I won't stop you, I'm not going to be the person that pushes you to show it, so do what you want." Dina put the hair back, concealing the glassy eye once more.
"Thank you." said Kate, loosing her cool again and crying for the third time today.

In an area not far from Mullbark, a tall house rested atop a hill.

"She is ready, ma'm." said the butler.

A soft voice answered, filling the room with an eerie melody. "Good. He will be please that we can finally move on to the next phase of the plan. Now leave me. I have business to attend to." The butler bowed, and exited the room.

A muffled whimper caught the mysterious woman's attention. In the middle of the room sat a man, bound and gagged. A smile split the woman's face. She walked up to him, knelt down, ans whispered something in his ear. The room was filled with his screams, and her smile grew, contempt with her work.

"This is going to be fun."