The Walking Wind

Chapter 3: Windswept Beginnings

"NO, seriously Annie, give it to me NOW." Trent's bleeding arm extended outward from where he is sitting. His sharp demands turned into slurred shouts. The situation that I put my self into intensified. In a matter of seconds my fingers that only slightly brushed the metal are now glued tight. Heat radiated from the ball and it began tearing at my finger tips. The once frozen, cold metal, grew hot. Suddenly the object seemed to come alive.

Like in an action movie, when a huge explosion happens. the object flung me into an old tree a foot or two behind me. My body took a beating as my spine crashed hard against the lumpy tree bark. Then with a swift motion, it threw me to the ground. The ball is shaking violently in my lap. The real pain wasn't coming from the body slam, it coursed through the veins in my hands. I need to let go of this now.

I strained my hands and gave panicked like motions with my arms. The attempts went no where, and my hands are still pasted to the ball. It glowed and sputtered sparks that flew through the sky. Unrecognized orders are being handed to me by Trent, but I am in no situation to hear him.

The neon glow that is radiating began blurring and my vision was going black. I assume that's a natural way of my body telling me I am gunna die. Taking me by surprise, the absolute worst pain I have ever felt tore through my body. Ever square inch felt like electricity in and out through my veins. I screamed out in pain and I began tossing and turning my head, trying to make it stop. This possibly could not get any worse. Still screaming, the pain intensified.

I could feel the cool, hard textured hands prodding and rubbing my face. I have my eyes open. Darkness was the only thing I could see.

Why won't this stop!? With every jitter and shake of the ball, it sent electric energy up into my body. I really think I am going to die. As my pain increases, my senses increased. I could feel everything in this moment. My only sense, not being used, was my blinded eyes. Which on the list of things I don't want to happen that cold definitely be number one. I can hear every zap the ball distributes. I can smell clearly the rain and the musty man scent Trent's clothes gave off. I can feel every crevice of this objects surface, but in the same token. I can also feel the ever growing heat and electricity shocks.

The boiling hot ball froze, one last zap, then it went cold. My whimpers and shouting died down. The dark night went quite again. My temporary fog cleared from my vision and my hands grew stiff.

Trent was directly in front of my face. His fast paced, warm breath spread across my cheeks and his dark brown eyes are searching my face. "Annie! Annie... Oh no. Annie. Look in my eyes." My eyes darted from the dead weight in my hands to his worrisome eyes. "Do you feel..." His voice lowered to a whisper, "Different?"

I was too busy listening to Trent and looking at the torture device, then to examine my body. I threw the cold, lifeless, metal ball to the ground and picked myself up. My legs felt like I could run ten miles. Trent watched me carefully from where he was standing. My senses are as intensified as ever. For all that pain I endured, what in the world happened. How am I not dead? A shiver shot up my spine.

I looked to my arms and followed the appendage down to the palm of my hand. A gasp left the corner of my mouth. "What is that?" I accidentally said aloud. In the middle of my hands came a dark wispy spot. I grasped one hand and traced my thumb around the clearly new wispy tracks on my skin. I put both hands out in front of me and curiously made a fist.

Smoke-like air surrounded them. They looked like a cloud of smoke, in circling and wispy motions around my new... Well what ever this is.

I turned my attention to Trent across from me and released my clutching hands. This made the smoke disappear. This guy looks like he is about to freak out. Both of his arms are over his shoulders. His hands are on his forehead, and he is pacing back and forth.

His feet stop and he looks at my hands. "That my friend, was the power of a ray sphere. Which. I'm trying to be calm about this but. Why! Did you touch it! Annie you don't understand..." I gazed over quickly to his face and gave a sigh. "Traveler settle down a bit." Trent hobbled over to me and grabbed my shoulders. "You are a CONDUIT now Annie!" His wood colored eyes blazed into mine.

"A conduit.. Like the ones that get put to DUP prison..." I said flatly.

"Exactly. Annie.."

"Oh no." I looked toward the metal ball. "Since you traveled with the people that gained powers you would know. What do they do to them?"

"That's nothing you should be worried about yet." He glanced to my hands. "The real thing you should be worried about is figuring out your power."

Energy filled my new body. "What power?"

Trent gave a wink. "Find out yourself Annie. I've never been a conduit. How would I know?" I looked at my hands again. "Alright conduit, give me a show."

I passed a look over my shoulder as I trotted over to the open crash sight. Trent sat near the bushes I sat near when I stalked him earlier. What exactly should I do..?

I shook my head and looked toward the ground. "What am I even doing! I should've never touched that ray thing! I don't know the first thing about this power crap. This is going to change my life... Trent I am sorry, I really didnt know! I was slightly curious on what you carried. Everyone, everywhere talks about this thing"

Trent rolled his eyes and opened his mouth. "Stop babbling on, Annie don't be afraid! It was a mistake. You and I both know it is not your fault. We're not just gunna sit here and do nothing, so YOU need to learn YOU."

My body shook and my face got hot. "Well guess what Trent! I don't know how!"

He plucked a rock up off the ground and pulled back his arm. He chucked it at me. Surprisingly for being hurt he can throw very well. It sped toward me and instinct gripped my body. Instead of flinching like I always do, my right hand did a swiping motion toward the rock. A burst of air ran through my hand. I felt energy in my right arm that came fast, then left fast. This resulted in the rock getting surrounded in the smokey wind I saw earlier. Wrapping around it in my palm. Then like giving a punch, I pushed the wind out making the rock fly toward Trent's direction.

The rock flew over and hit the tree next to him. Trent lifted his masculine body off the ground and began wobbling toward me. "Hey that was a good one! Better aim than most beginners. Now try this"

Only steps away now, his body maneuvered close and picked me up by my waist. I'm confused by how he could be that strong right now. He just got thrown out of a helicopter.. I let a yelp out of my mouth. The crash made huge metal beams stick out everywhere.

I fastly gained confidence, as his large hands threw my petite body toward one of the large sharp beams.

With my body coming close to the sharp object I shoved my hands backward trying to attempt to break my fall. With the object pointed straight for my stomach I threw my arms behind me to brace for impact. Surprisingly, instead of getting impaled by the sharp metal, my power blew my body upward. With balance regained in the air I followed through by landing smoothly to the ground. Wispy smoke circled around me. It looked like a smokey, energy field around me.

I giggled as I viewed Trent's appalled face. "How'd I do?"

"Pff. We have work to do, but we have to stop playing around."

I smirked. "Alright so. Now what?" I shot a glance to the helicopter.

He walked over to his backpack. "Well, if we have any chance of escaping we better pack up quickly."

"What in the world do you mean?" My face grew cold and he whipped around with a shocked face.

"What do you mean. What do I mean? We got to get out of here, unless you want to get locked up with all of the other conduits!"

"Well when you put it that way.." I crossed my arms and helped Trent prep for the adventure. Moments later he was ready to leave. Trent's muscular frame towered next to me. I never noticed how tall he was compared to me till now. We looked at the crash sight.

"Say good bye, it's time to go. We have a lot to get done before the sun comes up..."

I looked around at the sky. The moon was near the horizon. "We can go to my place?"

"That should work for now." Trent grabbed my hand and looked to the woods. "This adventures only getting started!"