Dark Heroes: chapter one

Warren

I spent the rest of the night in tears, my parents tried to help me but I was inconsolable. The next Monday I walked to school by myself and when I got there discovered Lauren couldn't speak. I had assumed the effects would just ware off after a while but apparently not. All day Henry and Lauren refused to look at me. Evidently they had told everyone about it and, though I doubt any of them really believed I had cursed her, they acted as if they did. I found threatening notes in my locker and on my desk and people would trip me in the halls and put their hands up in a cross symbol when I walked past or entered a room. The worst part was I knew I deserved it. This continued for 2 weeks and every day I walked in praying Lauren's voice would have come back but it never did. 

Every one in school knew about it. She went through so much therapy, no one believing her story, all the doctors convinced they could get her talking again, none of them with any idea there was no point even trying. I couldn't stand it. My heart ached every time I looked over at her and with every day the guilt felt like it was wrapping itself around my throat, constricting my breath, infecting every thought I had like a poisonous snake. I knew what I had to do.

That day I went home and packed my things. I had a collection of photos of me and my family in a purse that also held £50 from my dad's wallet and a bus pass. Several pairs of jeans and every jumper or warm piece of clothing was crammed into my duffel bag with my mobile phone, 2 packs of oreos and a toothbrush. Horrendously under-prepared for a life on the streets, I know, but I was only 12 at the time so give me a break. I waited until my family had finished eating our evening meal and I got my coat and scarf, ready to go. "Where are you going this late in the evening?" my dad asked in his soft but authoritative tone. "I'm leaving"

My mum chuckled "What do you mean leaving?" but when she saw my face her smile died on her lips and she took a step forward reaching out to me. "Stop. Stop right there. Don't move." I told them, unable to keep my voice from shaking. Alarm was now creeping onto their faces as they saw the determination in my eyes, knowing they wouldn't be able to stop me from going, no matter how hard they tried. "Warren. Please come and sit down. We can talk about this." My mum sounded so unsure, as if she already knew it was too late. "This whole thing with Lauren will blow over honey, It's not your fault. We can help you. Please let us help you." My dad's words dripping with desperation.

"I'm so sorry for everything I've put you through" All of my energy was going into trying to control my powers so I couldn't hold back my tears as they made straight, sharp tracks down my cheeks. "I didn't mean any of it. It was always an accident." My throat hitched on some of my words and I had to take a moment to catch my breath. "I have to go. You don't have to be scared of me any more"

"Baby please it's okay. Please We love you so much. We love you so so much" Both my parents were in tears now too and all I wanted to do was hug them and never let go but I knew that as I got older my powers would just get harder and harder to control. I was a monster and it was only a matter of time until I did what I'd done to Lauren to someone else, or something much worse. 

I took a deep breath. "Don't follow me." I put as much command into my words as possible, but I was so unused to using my ability on purpose it was a strange feeling. "Don't call the police. Don't try to find me. Don't worry about me. Don't even think about me" As I spoke, doubt crept up on me and I was increasingly unsure that this plan was going to work. I had to be sure they wouldn't look for me. "I love you both so, so much." After a few moments of looking into my parents glistening, tear stained faces, I slammed the door behind me and started my new life alone, with no lives to ruin but my own.