Chapter 4

I woke up the next day feeling a bit better but groggy. I sat up a little more as Ian walked in again. He agreed to answer any questions I had, and before I knew it, we were having an easy conversation about a very weird thing. Besides the whole ‘dying’ thing, this stuff was pretty cool. I was like a super human but cooler.

“How did you know who I was? How did you know this would happen to me?” I asked. His smile widened.

“I’ve been keeping an eye on you since you were a baby, Elliot. I helped smuggle you into the United States and made sure you were adopted. I knew you were like me all along. I was just waiting on you to finally notice me. It’s a gift actually. People like us are able to sense when other people like us are around. It’s why you noticed me yesterday. You had a feeling that someone like you was watching you,” he explained. I nodded as I understood more of what was going on. It was crazy to know that I was about to die and change completely.

“So you’re like a doctor?” I asked. He shrugged and chuckled.

“Something like that… I am a doctor and a scientist. I’ve studied medicine for a long time. I am also a researcher. I don’t get so caught up with all the titles though,” he answered.

“So is that how you came by all the… medicine?” I asked. He smiled proudly.

“I invented it, yes,” he gleamed. “After seeing what others like us went through, I wanted to help. So after decades of research, I finally came up with what I have now. The lot of us are in Russia but that’s a whole other story. I traveled, trying to find others like us to help,” he finished. He sounded so wise and smart.

Wait, did he say decades?! He only looks like 30!! I thought to myself.

“How old are you really if you don’t mind me asking?” I asked. I know he said we age slowly but he couldn’t mean that slow, could he? My throat was going dry again. He chuckled and handed me a cup of ice chips which I happily munched on. I could see the wisdom in his electric blue eyes. They were much like my eyes. I wondered briefly if it was an indicator of others like us. Of course, I only had two people to go off of. I was completely guessing.

“I’m 79 years old,” he smiled. My jaw popped open as I just stared at him. He laughed and shrugged.

“You get used to it,” he assured me. My smile faltered as I thought about my next question.

“Why is this happening to me?” I asked softly. He gave me a gentler smile.

“Now you’re asking the right questions. It’s a genetic thing. Legend has it that there one of the gods got involved with a human… as they all do, and his wife found out and punished him by killing the human woman and withholding the child’s powers until they turned 16. No one knows why exactly, but then again, it is all myth,” he explained. “I think it was just one of those ‘luck of the draw’ situations where God decided that some people were going to be special to fulfill a purpose… I think you’re ready. I’m sorry that I can’t stop the pain. Just try not to fight it. Fighting it will only make it last longer. I’ll be right here when you wake up and then you can meet the others,” he explained. My eyes widened slightly.

“Others?” I asked. Ian nodded as he moved to take the IV out of my arm.

“There are three others from your school. I’m sure there are more, but those are the three who I mentor,” he explained. He stood and looked me over once more. “I’m so sorry you have to go through this,” he said before he left, not giving me a chance to reply. I sighed and laid down as I waited. Slowly, my chest started aching dully. After about half an hour, I was back to screaming and clutching my chest. Fire coursed through my veins again but I didn’t fight it. I knew I couldn’t stop this. I also knew that it had to happen, and that sucked.

My vision blurred as the pain increased. I was gasping for air and clutching my chest as my heart beat erratically. My bones ached as I shook violently. My chest finally stopped and I couldn’t breathe anymore. My eyes widened in fear and then it was lights out.