Rise of the Dark Heroes (BOOK #1)

PART ONE

STEVIE

THE INSIDE of the ambulance reeked of seared flesh—my flesh.

Never could I have imagined this happening in my life, having to be urgently rushed to the hospital. I lay on top of the stretcher, my head tilting left and right to the rhythm of the emergency vehicle's haste on the freeway. My eyes were boring into the ceiling as memories from just twenty minutes ago flickered behind my pupils repeatedly. I forced myself to blink, or my gaze would remain frozen.

The paramedic on my left gently examined my leg with gloved hands, although the numbness in my leg deprived me of his touch. He frowned as he sat back and peeled the gloves off, meeting my gaze with perplexity.

"What happened to you?" he inquired.

My eyes met the ceiling again, somehow feeling comfort when I did so. Slowly, I dragged my tongue across my dry lips and opened my mouth, ready to go back to when this whole trouble began.

Beautiful June of 2076 had lastly arrived, a bittersweet month I will reflect on for the rest of my days on earth. My high school years were closing, and I was determined to crush finals and graduate as valedictorian. Little did I know that this particular month was the start of my beginning—because it was also the month I met him.

I remember the night of the 2nd so vividly. I disobeyed my mother that Friday; she told me not to go to the public library after gymnastics, but I did it anyhow. I needed an essential book for finals that would help my studying, and naturally, I wasn't going to pass that up. I was a part of the honor program at my high school, top of my class. As the future valedictorian, I couldn't fail, and when I'm determined, there's no running away.

Oh, my mom was livid, especially after what happened—but I'll get to that later. I used to brainwash myself into thinking that Mom was incapable of understanding my situation, but she was just making sure I was safe in reality.

I lived in Havenbrook City, a large city with strict rules they expected you to follow if you valued your life. The town's curfew was 9:00 pm. Yep, curfew. There is no nightlife, no midnight walks on the beach, no staying overtime to finish your paperwork, nothing. Everything closed at 8:59 pm; not a minute longer did the doors remain unlocked. Employees were expected to get home around 9:30 to their families, then only did lockdown commence. Minors were escorted home by the police if found out past the time due.

Of course, this wasn't compulsory for adults—although the mayor was fighting to make that change. If you really wanted that late-night poison, clubs and bars were open past midnight. However, that's at your own risk. Only desperate, down-on-their-luck drunkards ventured out so late.

I was eighteen going on nineteen, leaving me at the legal age to make my own stupid decisions.

People my age and older remember a much simpler time when people could go out as late as they pleased and didn't live in fear—a time without Deviates.

"What are Deviates?" you may be asking yourself right now.

Deviates are aggressive superhumans that can't be stopped without brute force, and even with that, were they hardly apprehended. Most are outcomes of horrible accidents. Whether it be getting struck by lightning, falling into radioactive sludge, or being scorched by fire, they all mentally turned wrong in the end. They used their powers for advantage, wealth, and whatever else to get what they wanted. In conclusion, they were reviled people—people you don't want to run into past curfew.

Police cars meandered the streets late at night. Their bright headlights cut through the darkness like a saw cutting through sturdy wood, searching for Deviates acting erratically, as they usually behaved.