Incandescence

A Hollow Past

Remembering his past was too painful for Ivan, without a doubt the hardest time in his life were his early teen years, since it was not only the time he had been the most sick, but also the time where he discovered his powers.

He remembered that day so vividly it was almost as if he could relive that day in the back of his head. The year was 2012, the Martinez twins had turned thirteen about a month ago and they found themselves in the middle of summer time. At the start of summer the young twins had plans on going to a summer camp, just the two of them and enjoy being older now, even though they were really, still a pair of crazy kids. Nevertheless, Ivan was going through the worst stage he ever had with his congenital heart disease, the doctor had specifically and quite repeatedly, explained the parents the great risks they could put their son in if they did decide to send him to summer camp along with his brother.

So, with a broken heart they decided to do what was best for their youngest son and have him stay the whole summer at home while his brother went to camp. At the time, Ivan was disappointed and furious as he thought it was unfair to not be able to go to the camp. Looking back, and now being older, he was grateful he got to stay because Emilio would be in great danger if he hadn't.

One morning, Ivan had woken up from a deep slumber, as he sat up in his bed and rubbed his eyes he was invaded with a twitching sensation in the pit of his stomach. He lazily walked over to the bathroom and opened the faucet, letting the water run before sticking his hands into the cold-water steam and splashing the water on his face. When looking at himself in the mirror he gasped, his reflection showed his eyes that were black as the charcoal that lids up the fire inside the grill.

Terrified by such thing, he screamed at the top of his lungs and petrified he could only call out for his mother helpless, the worried mother ran to his child's rescue. Finding him in the bathroom, his palms were covered in jet black glowing shadows and when looking up at his mother, Marisol was encountered with a pair of black eyes and a very painful expression.

"Mamma. What's happening to me?" The boy asked at the verge of tears, his mother put her hands at either sides of his shoulders

"Baby, you need to breathe, okay? Can you do that for me?" She said sweetly, the boy looked at his hands still shocked "No, Ivan look at me" the poor boy finally listened to his mother and slowly started to breathe until eventually he could go back to normal.

Tears rolled down his cheeks, and the mother wiped them off lovingly "Oh... I feared this day would come"

Marisol took her frightened son to the living room, she hugged him tight as she took a deep breath trying to get the courage to tell his youngest child the truth she had kept for years till this very moment.

"Ivan what I'm about to tell you it's extremely important so I need you to listen carefully" the boy nodded looking into his mother's eyes. "You and your brother are really special my love, you two are going to change the world"

"I don't get it"

"Emilio represents the light and you represent the darkness, but that's not bad, it's just a matter of balance. Now, you and your brother are stronger than you think, in ways you can't even imagine"

"Does that mean we're dangerous?"

"Not if you don't want to be. But you see, you and your brother have always been different. But you guys are meant to do great things"

"Really?"

"Yes Ivan. Although your brother is scared, just like you were a few minutes ago, and you need to protect him because there will be people who would want to hurt Emilio"