EXISTENCE

CHAPTER 13: Memory

"Adam. Adam. Adam."

The boy slowly opened his eyes. Standing right above him was his father, smiling that same smile he gave to let everyone know that everything would be alright. As he sat himself upright, he looked to his father for a little bit longer.

"Hey, dad? When are you supposed to leave?"

Tarek looked at him with a feigned look of sadness. "Aw, you really want me gone that badly?"

Adam shook his head. "No! You know that's not what I meant, dad!"

Tarek laughed. "I know, Adam." His face settled into a gentle smile. "I think I should have a couple of weeks before they call me out again."

Adam pouted. "Why do they keep calling on you? You should stay here with us!"

"Believe me, son, I want nothing more than to stay here with you, your brother, and your mother, but you have to understand that me leaving every now and then is how I keep you guys safe." Tarek gazed up a little bit. "Besides, you're growing into a big boy, son. When I was your age, I was practically taking care of the family!"

Adam went wide-eyed. "You were taking care of the family at 8 years old?"

Tarek laughed. "Ya3ni," he replied. "But keep in mind that taking care of a family is more than just bringing money in."

Adam rubbed his eyes. "It's about keeping them safe, right?"

"There you go," Tarek smiled, rubbing his son's head, eliciting a squeal of delight from the young boy. "The best strategy is making sure no one gets hurt," he let go of his son. "And with our power, you'll be able to do just that." He looked at his watch. "Speaking of power, let's go, we've got a whole day of training to do, Adam."

Adam smiled. "Thanks for waking me up!"

"Go brush your teeth, and wake up your brother and Nadia! Meet me downstairs!"

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Standing in the large patio outside their house, the two boys and girl stood next to each other as they watched their father give them the lowdown.

"All right, kids! Today is sparring day! Let's see how you've mastered your powers!" He stopped for a second, and looked at Sammy. "Sammy, how are you feeling?"

The three year old yawned. "I don't know. I'm not good like Adam."

Tarek gave a half-hearted smile. "Come on, you're three years old, son, you're practically an adult!" He turned to Nadia. "What about you, benti, would you rather watch or do you want to go help your aunt?"

Nadia fixated her eyes on her cousin, Adam, who gave her a big grin.

"I think I'll stay and watch, 3ami."

He smiled. "Alright, let's go over this one more time."

He straightened his posture. "Remember, Sammy, the most important thing is you straighten yourself. Your power is your blood - don't let it rush to any part of your body, except for your limbs." He extended his hand. "Feel your power flowing through you and call it out from your palm." A large flame burst out of his palm. "If you can maintain this position for around 5 minutes, you should be able to keep your body from shutting down." He snuffed his fire. "At the rate we've been going though, you should soon be able to bring out your power at a moment's notice." He snapped his fingers and sparks of fire shot out. "You haven't been neglecting your training, have you Sammy?"

Sammy pouted, running around snapping his nubby fingers like a buffoon. "I can't do it, Daddy!" He stopped. "I can't make myself strong like you!"