It was dark, the air was warm and the scent of early autumn filled the air. The late smells of summer lingering in his nostrils, the ‘green’ smell of the lakes surrounding his small town marked the air along with the familiar scent that fallen leaves gave off. The black sky was dotted with the glittering crystals of stars and beautiful crescent moon hung overhead.
The streets were dark, lined with trees and houses whose lights had long since been shut off as everyone went to bed. But not he, he’d always had trouble sleeping at night, just like his twin. It was at least one of the things they had in common, like their musical interests and, well, overall fashion choice. Although Adam preferred his tripp pants with their chains and straps and many pockets over his brothers shredded jeans. He even wore them now and the familiar sound of the chains brought a comfort to him.
He was on main street now, the streets deserted and dark aside from the pools of light cast by the street lamps and the few lights that the store left on overnight. It had been a long time since he’d seen this place, but it was nostalgic to him and a rare feeling of tranquility filled him. This was his home, this small town in Canada, sheltered away in a valley. He missed this place, although he would never admit that to anyone. One misstep and he tripped on the curb, sending him slamming face first into the pavement, the last thing he heard was; “Get some duct tape, mon!”
He jolted awake, gasping in a huge mouthful of the pillow that was pressed against his face. His body sprung into action before he could wrap his mind around what was going on. Despite being tangled in a blanket that had previously not been there before he’d fallen asleep he managed to fling his attacker to the floor, throwing himself on top of her.
Wait, her?
His knees were pressed into her biceps and he straddled her torso, effectively pinning her to the floor. He left arm was raised and his fist was clenched, ready to smash into her face. But another set of hands grabbed him, stopping him from releasing his fist and giving his mind a moment to process. Not to mention that electrical surge that went through his body cleared him up pretty fast. Maybe that was just his imagination, but that was a little too big of an electrocution to merely be an overactive imagination, right? A voice filled his ears, but he heard no words. It was his brother, Kevin, berating him about hitting kids or something.
In a heartbeat he was on his feet again, jerking himself out of his twins grip. “Get off me!” He snarled, his voice vicious. Adrenaline was pumping through him again, and that well of anger was bubbling inside of him. Whatever was happening to him, whatever it was that allowed him to kill by touching was wrenching his feelings around. Bubbling inside of him, difficult to force aside and stop him from flinging himself at the child and hitting her. This wasn’t like him, sure he’d always been a scrapper and fighting, but hitting kids and girls wasn’t his thing. He just picked fights with ‘superior’ people to prove to them that they weren’t in fact that amazing hero they thought they were.
His fists were clenched at his sides, his jaw tense as his teeth ground together. Kevin hadn’t touched his skin had he? No, no, he was wearing his jacket and his brother was still standing by the couch, although he had placed himself between Adam and the little girl. Whoever she was. Why was he babysitting some neighbourho- oh yeah. Her parents had probably vanished along with all the other adults.
“Dude, what the hell!? I always knew you were touchy, but this is extreme.”
“Shut up, Kevin,” he growled.
“No, what’s going on with you? I don’t see you for three days and when you come home you just about kill a kid and almost punch me in the face.”
“It’s crazy, you wouldn’t believe me, besides the rodent doesn’t need to hear it. Why is she even here?”
“Uh, heh, we’re in a fallout zone man. There’s a storm coming in, and, well.” He stopped and shot a glance to the little girl.
“Oh.” That was it, he got it fairly quickly. The fallout shelter, that was he’d brought he here. Why had he even agreed to help his crazy brother with that even crazier idea in the first place? “Well, I guess we should get in there then, grab some supplies.”
“I had already cleared the house and a few other houses and was coming to wake you up, but I guess, uh...damn, I never got her name, but anyways she beat me to the punch I guess. But yeah, let’s get going.”
“Yeah, uh, go ahead.” He watched with dark eyes as his brother ushered the little girl out of the room ahead of himself, although he seemed to be careful to keep his distance, and was, was he humming? This day was one bizarre thing after another. He trailed after his twin and the girl into the safe room, shutting it behind him, then he settled in the furthest corner away from the two and dozed off again, careful to keep his gloved hands tucked in and away from the grasp of a wild little girl with a thirst for blood.
Timeskip To Next Day:
When he woke the bunker was empty, apparently Kevin and the little girl had already dared to set foot outside, so it must be morning. Why morning? Adam never woke up in the mornings. Grumbling to himself he rose to his feet. He was still getting used to the raw emotions welling inside of him, but hunger was gnawing at his stomach as well. He made his way upstairs, finding Kevin and the kid in the kitchen, a box of Fruit Loops sat on the table.
“Those cause ADD,” he mumbled and opened the freezer. Yes, they were still there. A single box of deluxe pizza pops with the message “If you so much as touch these Kevin I’ll slit your throat and sacrifice you to the devil” was written in all capital letters on it. Apparently they hadn’t been touched. Awesome. “I’m going to eat some radioactive pizza pops.”
“Uh, the uh, the fallout fried the microwave.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“No, but we can still make them, check this out.”
As his brother reached over to grab the box of pizza pops from his hands what he’d heard the night before was confirmed. His brother was humming, almost like a quiet electrical buzz. He almost jerked his hands away but Kevin was careful not to touch him and he yanked the box away, unwrapped all the pizza pops and flung them into the microwave. “Oh thanks genius, you gonna cook them with your mind now?”
“Yep, well not quite. Just watch this.”
He watched, no other choice really, as his twin planted one hand on each side of the microwave and narrowed his eyes in focus. The microwave flared to life and in a few minutes his pizza pops were done and on a plate in his hands. “So you did electrocute me last night,” he accused, although his tone wasn’t s malicious as it usually was.
“I had to get your attention somehow.”
“And you discovered this when?”
“Yesterday, right after everyone vanished. I uh, crashed into a lamp post while I was skateboarding and the light exploded.”
“And your friend?”
“Well, she knows about it now.”
“Just now?” He shook his head and scarfed down a pizza pop. “Keeping secrets this one.” Alright now he was just being hypocritical, but he wasn’t about to go around showing off his power. That would be a disaster. “Alright, what’s on the menu today then? But wait, first of all what can she do? Something like you, or no?”
