Anathema

Chapter 1: Luis And The Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day

Luis’ leg bounced on it’s own as he sat in the waiting room, staring at the white door that would soon open for him. His stomach was uneasy because of the upcoming test, despite doing it thrice before.  
     The first time he did the Test he was 12 years old. Luis had landed himself on the list of suspected powers when he was 10, but the law had stated they couldn’t test him yet.  
     When they started, it was utterly nerve-wracking. He was still young, after all.  Not quite comfortable with breaking the laws he’d been taught his whole life to follow. Even after his mother had convinced him hiding his abilities could be the difference between life and death.
     They asked questions, spoken to him in soft Vocal Induced Manipulation (VIM)- Luis had quickly learned to despise the use of that ability. They asked him to show them anything ‘unusual’ he could do. He had lied, over and over again.
     “I can’t do anything. I can’t fly, or make people listen to me. I can’t control the elements.” He insisted. “I’m too normal!”
     After that, they turned towards comforting him. Kept telling him it was okay that he wasn’t a power. Still, he was called back the next year. And then the next. As if they hadn’t believed him.
     Why should they? He was lying the entire time.
        Even though he had done the test three times, this one was different. Despite what his mother had said, he had been reading through brochures on the PPP and what they did. He wanted to be a hero. He wanted to help people. And to join the Powered People for the Public, he had to pass the test.
     And this time he would. After all, secrets are made to be found out with time.
     “Santos, your Tutor is ready for you.”
     He fidgeted nervously as the white door slid open, revealing his Tutor.
     She was a short, brown haired, pale skinned, plump woman who reminded Luis of an old grammar teacher. She dressed in a way that indicated no more than that she was a professional.

She grinned as Luis entered the room. “Are you Alizia?”
     “The list says so.”
     “It is a beautiful name. I’m Mrs. Evans.”
     Luis nodded.
     “How’s your mother lately?”
        
His family was part of what got him on the suspected powers list. Being born out of wedlock to an absent father that they can’t find a DNA match to- that’s definitely a little suspicious.
     He remembered the DNA tests. Vaguely, but well enough that he could talk about them. He was 3 at the time, his family had just barely immigrated from Siersouth. The doctor softly cooed at him, handing him a small tablet. He was watching cartoons. They took blood, and then everyone turned to his mother, asking questions about his dad.
     Of course his father wasn’t in the database. There wasn’t a chance in Ozdis that he would be.
     And for 7 years, Luis didn’t know why.
        
“She’s fine.”
     “Well, it really must be hard for her, without your father around.”
     “Not really, he visits occasionally.”
     “Oh…” Mrs. Evans studied him for a moment. “What’s he like?”
     “Decent.”
     “Do you two get along, given the situation?”
     “He’s fine!” Luis put extra stress on the word ‘fine.’ “Can we get to the testing part now?”
     “I- oh. Well, certainly dear,” she stuttered, flipping through the pages on her clipboard. “I see you’ve been here before?”
     “Yes.” Luis leaned forward. “Three times.”
     “Has anything new happened?” He rolled his eyes. If only she would stop asking things she already knew the answer to. “Here you wrote something about energy manipulation?”
     She did that on purpose. “Absent energy manipulation.” He corrected.
     Mrs. Evans nodded. “Will you show me?”
     “Yeah. Yeah, no problem.”
        
Luis muttered a silent prayer to Mundes, god of balance, as he started. It was a habit, even after his mother stopped enforcing it. It was supposed to help him keep control, but the absent energy would still flare up for seemingly no reason.
     He pulled at the empty spaces around him, closing his eyes. For a moment, he felt the universe disappear.
     The darkness pressed against his body, cold fingers traveled up and down his skin like a massage. There was a silence so deafening that not even his thoughts could be heard as he continued.
     “Stop!” Ms. Evans tried to shout, her voice disappearing into the void. Luis didn’t answer the voice he couldn’t hear. He was too focused on the comfort surrounding him that even the sound of silence had disappeared.
     “Alizia, stop!” Her voice echoed in Luis’ head as he released his hold.
     “I’m sorry! I’m so- so sorry.” He hastily apologized. “I didn’t mean to!”
     “I-uh- it’s okay. You can go now. Don’t skip tomorrow.”
     Luis nodded, the door creaking shut behind him.
        
The hardwood floor creaked as Luis paced around his bedroom, letting the minutes go by until his mom would arrive home. He should be working on his letter, he knows he should, this is his last night. He wants to do it, but he can’t. Instead he shakes his hands in front of him, focusing on the calming sensation of the air between his fingers. He’d do it later. He always worked better last minute anyway.
     “How’d it go?” His mom offered a hopeful smile as the door was pulled open. The smile quickly disappeared when Luis looked down, trying to find the right way to answer.
     “Oh sweetheart, you didn’t show them, did you?” Luis nodded. “Alizia…” his mom almost squeezed him to death. “I love you, Alizia. Don’t ever forget that.”
        
The rest of his final hours passed frustratingly uneventful. He ate dinner in his room, though in a few hours it would no longer be his, staring at the empty document on his computer.
     Mama,
Luis erased it, trying again.
     Dear Mom,
No, that wasn’t right.
     Ms. Santos,
Too formal.
     Sonora Santos,
I mean it when I say that I’ll love you to the end of time, Mom, but things change, and for the first time in 13 years we need to be apart.
Which means that if I leave now, I leave without you ever knowing the real me. And I can’t bear that. So I need to tell you now.
I wish I had the courage to say it in person, but I just couldn’t. No matter how hard I tried.
     Paragraphs upon paragraphs filled the screen. Luis pushed past the watery blur in his eyes and continued to type.
Say hi to River for me, Mom.
May our paths cross once more.
Your SON,
Luis Santos.
He wiped off his face before his fingers moved to the print button. He set the papers on his nightstand, with a small clay heart he made for her a year before.
     He factory reset his computer, tucking it and a change of clothes into his backpack. Then he grabbed a few things, keepsakes really, before leaving his room.
     Soon after, he left his home of 13 years.
        
Luis pulled up his hood as he glanced around the neighborhood. There were so many things to look back on. Just across the street was where he had broken his arm learning to ride a bike.
     “Look, Mama, I’m doing it!” He grinned, lifting up his arm to wave at Mama. She smiled softly, but it was full of pride.
     His father was standing behind her, he always insisted on looking from a distance. He was so cool! Sometimes when it was just Luis and his father, he’d put on a shadow show! “Hold on to the handles, sweetie!”
     Luis put his hand down and looked forward, eyes widening as he backpedaled quickly.
     The sudden stop had thrown him off the bike, and his mom had quickly run towards him.
     He got a lot of attention at school for the next few weeks.
     His breath hitched as he thought about it, but he shook it away. This wasn’t the time for self pity.
        
The doors slid open, giving him little time to hesitate before stepping in. “Uh- hello?”
     “Name?”
     “The list says Alizia-”
     “I know what the list says. You’re the only one with an appointment scheduled this early in the morning. I don’t care about the list.” The secretary gave a knowing grin. “Name?”
     “Luis Santos.”
     “Have a seat, Luis.”
     Luis did as he was told, already unsettled by the mind reader. “You-”
     “I will not be in the meeting with you. That is not what I use my abilities for.”  
     Luis nodded.
     “Your Tutor will be out in a moment.”
        
Luis pressed his necklace, rubbing his fingers over the etched-in symbol. Ms. Evans stepped out, giving the same cheerful grin as before. “Come on in.” She waited for Luis as he hesitantly stood. “Now don’t ask so down. It’s not every day they want to meet with a power themself.”
     Fike. “Uh… who?” Luis raised an eyebrow, matching Mrs. Evans' steps.
     “Mx. Jackson.”
        
She led him into the room, waiting for Mx. Jackson’s attention to turn to them. While she waited, Luis studied.
     The room was overall plain, as expected for an office. 2 chairs were the only furniture available, not even a desk. There was a light in each corner of the room, which Luis noted as ridiculous for such a small space. But he was starting to feel a little sick, so he turned his attention to Mx. Jackson.
     Mx. Jackson was likely in their early 30’s. They dressed even more professionally than Mrs. Evans, if that was even possible. They had a smile like that of a cat who’s ready for his prey to come close.
     “Nice to meet you, Alizia.” They gestured to the empty chair. “Come on in, have a seat.”
     “Luis.” Mrs. Evans gave him a warning look. “It’s Luis, please.”
     “Luis. Quite a nice name. A common name.” Mx. Jackson leaned forward. “A neutral name.” They nodded at Evans, who left all too quickly.
     “What’s all this about, anyway?”
     “Smart, too.” Mx. Jackson raised an eyebrow. “You’re a power. That’s amazing. You could help so many people.”
     Luis nodded.
     “But, your appearances…” they moved their hands towards Luis’ face. He backed away quickly.
     “My… appearances.”
     “Yes. It’d make so many people uncomfortable, if they even got a glimpse of who you are. We could never let someone of… your background join the PPP. It would cause a riot.”
     “Hey!” Luis pulled down his sleeves. “That’s not… fair.”
     “They’d blame us for being too political. The PPP’s reputation is important. We can’t take you in.”
     Luis stood up, grabbing his bag.
     “Goodbye, Luis.”
     And his vision went white.
        
If Luis was nervous before, he was terrified now. If he was a little nauseous before, he was certainly sick now. All he could see was bright light, everywhere he turned.
     He grasped at his bag, holding it closer to him. He squeezed his eyes shut. Why was it so hot? Why was it so loud?
     His head hurt. What was that ringing? Why wouldn’t it stop?
     Luis sat down to keep himself from falling. There was a thud as he dropped, but he couldn’t be bothered to care.
     He was so tired.
     He couldn’t breathe.
     Luis gasped for breath. He was going to die. Right here.
     As he made one final reach for the absent energy to cool him now, his consciousness slipped away from him. All he could think of was the buzzing in his head.
     And as far as the world was concerned- Alizia (Luis) Santos never existed.