FORTITUDINE (COMPLETED)

17) Hurting Stephen & Going Home

It's been a crazy few weeks. Thanatos wasn't lying about 'discovering' new powers.

I could control the weather. A week before, I had realized that I could sense any living creature's emotions.

Another day, I found out that I could heal quickly-I won't even go there.

Sometimes I would talk to Thanatos and he would tell me what his new powers were.

So far he could grow spikes from his arms, he had super strength, and he was pain resistant (which I think is ironic).

As for the twin pull, it's getting stronger. We can speak to each other just by thinking about each other.

We can feel each other's strong emotions such as love, hate, anger, and happiness.

We can feel the other twin's physical pain to a certain extent and we can also heal quickly-as long as the injury was acquired by the opposite twin.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey Alexa. Do you want to go for a walk down my mother's garden?" Asked Stephen as he stood at my doorway with his arms crossed.

I look up from my book Gulliver's Travels and smile. "A walk sounds really nice." I say as I stand up from my chair and put a bookmark to hold my spot in the story.

"Great! Let's go slowpoke!" Shouted Stephen as he trotted down the hall.

I laughed and quickly followed.

"These roses are beautiful." I say as I lean down the sniff one.

"Yes they are. That's another thing my mother loves." Stephen mutters the last part while frowning.

"Why don't you like your mother Stephen?" I ask standing up straight.

Stephen scratches the back of his neck and shuffles his feet.

"I do love her...it's just hard sometimes. When my father died she said she could never love again and then six months later she tells me she's getting married to some Frenchman. Julia was in school at the time and didn't come home until the day of the wedding. Once her classes were over, Julia moved back into her old room. I was living with my friend when Julia sent for me saying that Gaspard had hit her-more than once."

He paused, quickly wiping a tear from his cheek. I give him a weak smile and led him over to a bench to sit down.

"Anyways, I moved back in with my mother and Gaspard so I could look after Julia. Thomas was overseas a lot then so he was hardly ever around. Gaspard would drink a lot on the weekends and would start shouting in the hallways. One time he threw a vase at Julia's head just because she was going to get a glass of water."

I gasp and start frowning. At the same time clouds start turning gray and rain begins to fall.

"Alexandra you need to calm down. I would rather not get struck by lighting." Chuckled Stephen.

'He's right.' I took several slow breaths and the sun began to peep from behind the clouds again.

"Sorry, I'm still learning." I rush out embarrassed.

"It's all good. Now, may I continue my story or do you want to water the garden?" Stephen asked with a smug grin. I shook my head frantically and he chuckled.