Overload

Chapter Five - A Safe Haven

I hate it here.

June sent the text with a firm touch of her finger to the screen. She received a reply a couple seconds later:

It cant be that bad :( wht happened?

I –

June paused. She hesitated in what she was about to say. She couldn’t exactly tell her best friend that she’d electrocuted a random student on her first day of school, much less the fact that she had destructive electric powers to begin with.

I knocked this guy out by accident. Everybody’s scared of me now.

At least that was as normal as the truth could get.

June’s phone beeped with another text reply:

LOL he must have snuck up on u or smthn!! ;)

June smiled but it faded as she replayed the scene again.

The sudden burst of power, the electrical sparking her veins. She hadn’t even seen him fly back, too afraid of getting her face burned off. And instead, she’d electrocuted him.

“An accident,” she told herself firmly. June was a hundred percent sure it was an accident, no harmful intent at all. It was pure self-defence and she hadn’t even expected that to happen.

If anything, that flamethrower dude was at fault, not June. He provoked her self-defence and her body obviously responded with the best possible way it thought to protect herself.

So why did June feel such an overwhelming pit of guilt in her stomach?

The door to the room opened and June glanced up in a panic.

“Hey.” Danni came in slowly, followed by Max who appeared –

“Wow!” Max yelled with a beaming grin. “You completely wasted Josh! That was amazing!”

Danni held out an arm and glared at Max. “Shut up. I’m sure June doesn’t feel the same way, do you?” She referred the question back to June who cautiously lowered her phone, ignoring Erica’s latest reply.

“Is he – is Josh alright?” June’s voice came out small and embarrassed. She shrank into her pillow and avoided their gazes.

“June, it’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Max blurted. “Having superpowers makes us stronger. We’re not weak humans anymore. We heal faster and we have better endurance. Josh has been through way worse than just electrocution.”

June winced. It was worse hearing the words from another person’s lips.

“Max,” Danni said sharply. “Go see if Josh is awake.”

“What? Why?”

“Just go.”

“But the nurse’s office is all the way –”

“Get a speedster to take you,” Danni interjected. “Now go.”

“But –”

“Maybe you’ll find out how your powers work on your way,” Danni suggested irritably. “Now can you leave?”

Max stepped back, her face flashing with hurt. “Fine then. Have it your way.” She shot June one last longing look before vanishing into the corridor.

Danni shut the door behind her and locked it for good measure. She turned then walked up towards June who looked at her cautiously with a troubled expression.

“You shouldn’t be so worried,” Danni told her calmly. “It’s no big deal, what happened.”

“Yes it’s a big deal,” June snapped. “I just electrocuted somebody in front of the entire school. Of course it’s big!”