Superhuman [Book 1]

38 || Victim

  ➟ ly
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Darkness. I was encased in darkness. Not a beam of light could find its way to my eyes, not a single person could be seen. Sound, too, was lost among the oblivion. The mufflers were clamped onto my ears like steel earmuffs, blocking even the slightest sound. The burlap sack tucked tightly over my head was making it difficult to breathe, and the metal collar securing it to my neck made it impossible to move.

With my senses taken from me, I had only one way to truly see. I had to feel.

I was so used to playing the hero. Save the team, save the day, save myself. Playing the victim, as it seems, is harder than I would have assumed. I pressed my hands to the metal ground, a shiver running down my spine. Okay, I thought, that's odd. My hands weren't bound. I tried to push up from the ground, but realized almost immediately why. My legs were tied to something. I gave a tug, but they didn't budge. Taking a deep breath, I moved my hands further around the cool, smooth surface. Okay. So I probably can't use my powers... it's pretty hard to draw vines from sheet metal, I thought, leaning  back against the wall. I just needed a moment to think it out, to understand where I was. I'm not... dead, am I? I thought, recoiling at the idea. I kind of have to save the world, honestly. I mean, I can't really afford to die of a concussion or something-

I froze. Something was touching my hand. I subconsciously moved my head and looked to my right, where whatever was touching me must have sat. The touch, it almost felt like- well, another hand.

It was tracing something on my skin. It seemed almost rushed, desperate. I focused, drawing all of my attention to the presumed hand. "Help," it traced, or at least I thought it did. Maybe "Hat?" but "Help" seemed a little more plausible.

How the hell am I going to do this? I thought, tugging on my legs again. The ropes became taut, tight around my ankles. The hand slipped from my grasp, falling limp at my side. I sighed, analyzing the situation. I need to do this quickly. I drew my hand to my legs, trying to reach the rope. I paused then, feeling the dingy surface of the floor near my feet. Mud. Dry mud caked my legs, probably lending itself on my shoes and the floor beneath me. I sat up slowly, trying not to draw attention. Under the sack, a smug smile fell over my face as an idea creeped its way into my head.

Raising my palms, I lifted the dirt only a few centimeters above the ground. I needed to focus, and I couldn't risk being seen. I moved two fingers on my left hand in, moving the dirt ever closer. I raised my left hand further.

I was willing to bet that it was now at shoulder level. Now, I've never been great with modern technology, but the idea was simple- use the dirt to unlock the collar. I tilted my head up, further exposing my neck. I thrust my hand to my side, launching the dirt into the mechanism. I mean, come on. Just because I'm a so-called "good guy" doesn't mean that I haven't picked some locks before.

The hardest part was keeping it straight. The great thing about paper clips is that the particles don't literally fall apart when you're trying to bend the damn thing. Add that to the fact that I couldn't see and it seemed like this was impossible.

Not to be cliche or anything, but I am the queen of impossible.

The collar popped open with a snap!, breaking with a practiced ease. The sack loosened around my neck, finally removable. I used the same trick on the mufflers then, careful to remain unseen. Sound seeped through my ears. I could finally hear again.

"I won't tell you, I won't, I won't," a voice, (Kyle's maybe? ) said, echoing off the steel walls.

"Did you not see what we have done, boy? Your little clan of freaks have lost, you have been beaten! There is no reason for you to even worry about what will happen in the future, for you will not live to see it!" another more feminine voice shouted. I kept the sack over my head, waiting. When the moment was there for me to strike, I would take it.

"We're not beaten," Kyle muttered, his voice strained. "You haven't beaten us." I raised the dirt off the ground slightly, preparing myself. "It's not over yet."

I leaped into action, flinging every plant like material I could find in the room in the direction of the woman. Ripping off the burlap sack, I stood to face the Ineffect, who was now looking very startled while covered in dirt. A small bonsai tree sat at her feet. I smiled at the plant, ferociously glad that the Ineffects could be so damned stupid to put a plant in a room with a girl who could literally control nature.

With a slash of my arms I extended the roots and leaves, the pot shattering. The woman took a step back. The branches towered over her, casting a shadow in the fluorescent light. "Wait, wait, please-" she whimpered. I rolled my eyes.

"Come on. Really. Did you expect to be able to kidnap me, hurt my friends, threaten to end the world and get away with it?" I said. She looked up at me, eyes wide. Throwing a condescending gaze her way, I squeezed my fist shut. The branches thrashed down upon her, wrapping her body in a near complete cast.

I took a deep breath, looking around the room. Kyle was panting, legs still bound together. Tommy had the entire get up- sack, mufflers, binds, and all. Jack was the only one completely free. She lay unconscious at my feet. She must have been the one who traced on my hand, the one who warned me... "We need to get out of here," I said, looking around the room. "Kyle, shift into something smaller, the bonds will just fall off. I'll get Tommy, he-"

"Ly, they... they put this thing in my blood, they..." Kyle stuttered out, squeezing his eyes shut.

"What?" I said, walking closer to him.

"I can't shift, Ly. Dammit, I can't fucking shift."