Denise and John

Chapter Thirty Five

Upon waking, a pain shot through his temple making him wince. Clutching the right side of his head, Michael sat up. Looking around he was still at base camp. The branches JC had created were gone, and the sleeping bags, aside from the one he was on, were neatly rolled up and placed by the tree leading back up the trail. The cooler rested next to them. John sat by the fire extending his hands out, playing with the flames. JC, Brianna, and Denise were nowhere in sight. Neither was April.
Looking toward the boy he asked. "Where's your mom?"
John continued watching the flames dance, then Michael noticed his ear buds in his ears. Waving at the boy he finally looked up. Pulling out the small device he said. "Oh hey Beast man. You're awake."
"Yea….." rubbing his head he continued. "I think I hit my head pretty fucking hard though….ow."
"I don't know I didn't see. I heard everything though, sounded pretty brutal."
"It was." Michael looked around. "Where is everyone?"
"Oh they're by the water."
Remembering the child Michael said. "Oh shit what about Graham?"
"He's by the water too. What the fuck? We wouldn't leave him."
"It's not that." Thinking back Michael continued. "I saw Graham hold out his hands, I wasn't sure if he like disappeared into Walter or what."
"Now I was here for that. Graham absorbed him actually, it was fucking cool." Looking sternly at Michael he said. "And Beast man his name is Alex. The guy Walter that you knew died a long time ago. That's the best closure you can get. I know if something like that would happen to me that would fuck me up."
"Thanks Johnny." He smiled, the boy returned the gesture.
Hearing someone come up the trail, Michael got to his feet and stretched as April made her way through the path followed by JC and Graham.
"Hey you." She smiled at him.
"You have some explaining to do." He said.
"Hey mom." JC interrupted.
Breaking his gaze she turned her attention to the boy. "Yes son."
"Since we're going to be here for a while can Graham and I go explore?"
"Yea don't wander too far though and keep him safe."
Michael watched as the boys eyes lit up. "Yea I know."
Taking Grahams hand he said. "Come on."
"So I guess he can touch the boys now." He asked.
"Yea, he just needed to sustain his life until he could get his father's DNA."
Looking down at John, he placed his ear buds in his ears and smiled. "I think you guys need some alone time."
Turning the music up, he headed down the trail after the boys.
"So." Michael started making himself comfortable by the fire. "Care to explain."
Sitting across from him she asked. "Where do you want me to start?"
"From the beginning would be nice."
"Shit seriously? I'm not going to lie I don't know where the fuck that is."
He chuckled. "Um….ok how about I ask questions and you answer."
Leaning forward she answered. "Sounds fair… shoot."
"How long have you known about your children's gifts?"
"Oh crap. Honestly I have always known but…. Well Denise started to develop when she was fourteen by that time she was already a moody teenager, I would've helped her but she didn't want me to. Brianna, on the other hand, developed younger and had no problem sharing her gift with me, though, she doesn't need my help…. She has a time keeper."
"What's that?"
"That's someone who could also manipulate time. But people of time without guidance have their ability eat at them, kinda like Alex's did. A time keeper becomes that when the power is too overwhelming, and instead of turning it back against society, they sacrifice themselves and help others with the gift of time." Looking into the fire she continued. "You see, time is one of the most powerful abilities there is. Anyone who has that gift needs help. I was just lucky that Brianna happened to find a timekeeper…or actually her timekeeper found her."
"Does this time keeper have a name? Or do you just call her a timekeeper. I mean from what you're telling me, this was once a person."
"Tenille." Looking up from the fire she said. "Her name is Tenille."
"Ah." Sitting up once again he said. "Tell me about JC. When did he develop his gifts?"
"He's the same as Brianna. They both developed right away, with Tenille helping Brianna, in turn Brianna was helping JC. John though, I knew because of Denise he would also develop at fourteen I was just waiting. Between those two, I knew he wouldn't let me help him, not with Denise there."
"I have to ask, I saw what it can do, what exactly is JC's gift?"
Smiling she stated. "JC is a mass adapter. If you understand what mass is, it is a coherent, typically large body of matter with no definite shape. He can become part of anything alive or inanimate, it doesn't matter."
Interrupting her he asked. "And you've known about his ability from the time he was young, Correct?"
"Yes?" She said confused.
"So is this the first time JC has killed someone or…."
Catching his line of questioning she confirmed. "Yes. No JC doesn't normally use his ability like this but…."
Again intervening he said. "I get that. But what I'm wondering is well…." Shifting forward he continued. "When I met your son I saw a glimpse of his ability… I'm not going to lie it was really scary….earlier….I felt it again….Trying to put it together, the only thing I can think of is the reason it scares me is because your son doesn't know any limitation. Like he literally has no concept of right and wrong. Maybe that's because you allowed Brianna to help him utilize it, but either way that's very dangerous."
"Let's get one thing straight." She snapped. "I've raised JC just fine like the others. JC does know the difference between right and wrong just like my other children…. The only difference is, JC uses his own subliminal mind to understand the difference to make his actions justified. He's incredibly smart. Because of his ability, J doesn't look at things like we do, he doesn't see what we see. Example: When we look around we see trees, birds, water…etc. J doesn't see that. He sees the mass and molecules, whatever makes up the object. That's how he knows how to merge with it. If it's an animal, he sees their entire body structure. Seeing things differently causes his reaction to be different. He doesn't see life like we do, he sees what makes life…in a sense….with that he has to use his own subliminal judgement to make his decisions. J is loving but the logic in his mind is more like a robot. "
Cutting through her he stated. "I do understand that, really I do…..but killing a human being unless it's a life and death situation is uncalled for. Your daughter, for instance, was put in that very situation…. She was given no choice. JC had Alex cornered he couldn't escape….."
"Either way he had to die for Graham to live…." She quickly intervened. "So the point of what happened with my son is irrelevant. If you're making the argument because of his age, go ahead. J is not going to turn into some serial killer. He will do what he has to do as long as he sees it as subliminally justified. Does it make him dangerous….yes…..but anything he does will only be for good, and good reason….let's get off that subject, ok. It's not going to change. What's done is done, and I can guarantee if he had it to do over, JC would do the same thing. "
"Can I say one more thing on the subject?"
"One more thing, that's all."
"I heard you say JC, make it quick. Wouldn't you consider that condoning his actions?"
"In a sense yes, but you have to understand I know my son….he made up his mind when he said 'you end now' at that point there really was no stopping him. J was going to do what he thought was justified, when I stated make it quick it was more like a reference of don't let him suffer….. Not that I think he would…but….."
"He could for the sheer delight correct?" Michael interjected.
"Not necessarily." She quickly argued. "JC has another gift that one is more sinister."
"Explain, if you could please."
"JC has the ability to avert someone's subconscious mind into seeing whatever their greatest fears are. Example: Say you are afraid of spiders well he can stand in the shadows and make it seem as though a hoard of spiders is coming at you. He can make your worst fears a reality and unless you are subliminally stronger than him, you, yourself will think it's real. Remember what I said J doesn't see what we see so he doesn't have to look into someone's eyes to make it happen, considering he sees the mass that makes up the individual. That's one of the reasons I say it's more sinister. That and the fact that if he's angry he can't control what he does. He never pushes into that gift though."
"How do you know he has it then?"
"Honestly by his temperament. J has never been one to have a bad temper and a couple times I saw him try and use the gift. I stopped him….I can pick up on it when he does try because of my own gifts….you could to I'm sure. I'm positive the fear you felt when you invaded his mind was partly that….his ability to control what you fear…and trust me I have explained to him he can't let his anger gain control of him. Right now, he's young and just like any other boy his age, they say and do stupid things when they're angry, JC's no different just more dangerous." Seeing he had more questions she finished. "The reason he has these talents is because JC doesn't limit himself on what he can do, he sets no subliminal barriers which makes him open to anything and everything. Now different subject please."
Wanting to continue, he knew his efforts would be pointless, instead he thought back to when he first met her and stated. "I was drawn to you..."
Cutting him off, she said. "I know, I drew you here."
"Um….ok." He asked. "Why couldn't I pick up on your ability?"
"Amongst my many talents I have the gift of shroud. I walk among normal people being normal. You know, you're not the only one that seeks out people with gifts. There are others, and unlike you they are not there to help."
"How do you know this?"
"Trust me I know."
"Ok so you won't tell me?"
"Ugh. I will." Folding her hands on her lap she said. "Most of them are employed by the government. You see abilities have always been something that certain people know of. Like, they have been driven out through time since the early Roman Empire, people have always been gifted. Example: Jesus Christ…. He had full use of his subconscious mind, he awoke others around him to have subliminal attributes… Anyway before I go into a long ass history lesson let me just explain this…" Standing up she made her way to the cooler. "You thirsty?"
"Actually yea. Cherry Coke please."
Pulling two from the cooler she walked back handed the soda to him, and continued. "People with abilities pop up all the time as you are aware. I know my kids are not the first one's you've helped. Sometimes, as rare as it is, you have those born with the gift of time, like Brianna. Time keepers are very dangerous. They cause contradictions, hence your buddy Alex. He ended up conceiving with another time giver making Graham. Neither one of them had full use of their gifts because time is one you have to have help with, it's not something anyone can master on their own…." Opening her drink she swallowed some before continuing. "So taking it wrong, he attacked Alice, from what I can put together anyway. Somehow she sped out of there because it is human instinct to survive. She ended up giving birth to Graham 18 years in the past. Now understand..." she continued.  "Time bearers, whenever they pass through the time barrier be it five minutes like Brianna or ten years in the past, they lose a piece of themselves in time. Without the proper guidance they can cause what we call contradictions."
"Explain."
"A contradiction happens when a time bearer reverts the course of time against themselves. In this case I believe she may have accidentally erased Graham. But…." She took another drink. "…Graham being a life giver was able to find a way to sustain his life, Graham actually developed early too because both his parents were gifted. Without understanding full well though, and kinda being thrown into a life or death situation, he created the alternate him that would not be affected by time. Because as he was growing, he was fading in time. The more his mother traveled the bigger the contradiction, Brianna stated in this timeline she never met Alex."
"If that was the case…" Michael interrupted. "Alex would not remember her."
"But he would. Remember he works with time as well, he's not affected, no one else she knew would know her if she took away everything that made her run into them in the first place, but Alex can sustain things affecting time because he himself has a time gift."
"I see." Michael stated still confused he asked. "So, is the contradiction that Graham is still alive, or what?"
"Not exactly. I believe this contradiction happens to be the creating of two timelines. The problem I think…." She raised her hand and said. "Now don't quote me on this, but, I believe the problem is somehow Alice accidentally erased Graham. Being that it was unintentional, what she would have wanted to do is recreate him. I don't think she knows that Graham is a life giver. So in recreating him she keeps phasing herself into the past trying to remember steps she had taken to meet Alex. Or find Grahams father herself you could say. Now the problem is every time she makes a journey into the past she loses a piece of her own memory, but still the only thing she is holding onto is Graham. Soon that will be all she knows." Finishing her drink she continued. "Now for the bigger problem, every time she goes back in time she risks further damage to the timeline we are in. You see, her traveling back, she can ultimately change the course of history and revert us into another timeline, but because she erased Graham, and he never technically erased, right now we are already streaming two timelines that have to merge. To make another with the two we have, well you could merge a bunch of different scenarios thus creating the ultimate destruction of what we know and everything around us. Understand?" Taking a bag for garbage she threw her can away. "Believe it or not, this time reference has been what has taken down every strong empire throughout history. The government knows this, so they look for people with gifts, if anything just to take them out, and not risk the fall of our great nation."
"So what am I supposed to do exactly?" Michael asked.
"You were drawn to the contradiction through younger Graham. I drew you to us because I knew you would eventually show up, this gave you more time to help my children accept. I believe what you're supposed to do is help Graham become one with himself. Help him find Alice. You, having so many gifts, and references into the subliminal mind you're perfect to help bring them together and hopefully undue the contradiction that has been created."
"You can undue it?"
"Um…I don't know. If anything you can at least stop her traveling through time and risking any further damage."
At that moment Michael looked over to see John run through the trail opening. "Holy shit mom, you have to see this!"
Peering at her she looked at him confusingly and followed John. Setting his can down Michael quickly followed. Making his way partially down the trail John stopped and pointed up.
"Do you see it?" he asked.
Placing his hand against his forehead blocking the sun, Michael looked up with April. "What?" he asked.
Suddenly between the trees he noticed it. A light blue sphere the size of the moon spinning slowly way up in the sky. Though it was hard to see through the trees it was still very noticeable looking between the branches. The solid formation looked as though it could have been an unknown planet.
"So it begins." April stated.
"What begins?" Michael asked.
"The rest of the contradiction." She looked sternly at him. "Depending on you, this could be the beginning of the end."
"Perfect." He stated sarcastically.